Eric Nelson; Stolen Valor in Colorado politics

Eric Nelson, a member of the Aurora, Colorado school board and running for office in Colorado’s 42d District has been accused of stolen valor by U.S. Representative Mike Coffman who is calling for the US Attorney’s office to investigate Nelson’s claims. If Mr Coffman is successful in that regard, I have list of a few hundred that he can send to the US Attorney’s office.

Nelson posted the above photo on his Facebook page last month which touched off a furor among local veterans. The Air Force claims that Nelson’s military career lasted a few weeks and it was all at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas where all airmen attend initial entry training.

Brent Spahn, a retired Colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps and transportation director for [Aurora Public Schools], first took issue with Nelson’s medals and decorations during the public comment portion of an APS board meeting in June. Spahn, who is also a graduate of the esteemed U.S. Naval War College, was skeptical that Nelson had earned many of the decorations he is seen wearing in the previously referenced photo.

“His ribbons are totally out of order … He’s wearing at least two ribbons that are medals that I would be shocked if he is authorized to wear those,” Spahn said. “I typically only see (the medals) on general officers and admirals — flag officers. Never in my 27 years in the Marine Corps have I seen a Major wearing a defense superior service medal.”

There have also been questions about Nelson academic credentials – because stolen valor doesn’t happen in a vacuum. This is what his bio looked like on the School Board’s website back in May;

It’s been whittled down a little lately;

This is probably why that editing happened;

In an updated story at the Colorado Statesman, reporter Ernest Luning confirms with at least one of the schools Nelson claims to have graduated from, Northwest Nazarene University, that the diploma he presented is an (obvious) fake:

Edwin H. Robinson, Ph.D., the vice president for academic affairs at the university, told The Statesman he had never seen a Northwest Nazarene diploma that looked anything like the one furnished by Nelson, and he’s seen plenty of the real ones.

“Thank you for your inquiry concerning the fraudulent diploma from Northwest Nazarene University,” Robinson wrote in an email. “Obviously, the diploma is not one officially granted by our University. The misspelled name on the seal, the mention of ‘Glassboro College,’ the wrong nomenclature for university trustees and officers, and the forged signatures reflect a very poor job of trying to duplicate a diploma.”

Nelson stands by his claims, of course;

“The photograph of me in uniform is from my past. My service record speaks for itself. At no time have I posed in uniform inappropriately during my campaign for the school board nor for house district 42,” said Nelson.

He identifies as an Air Force Major, so who are you to question him and his patriotism?

Category: Phony soldiers, Valor Vultures