Mo Brooks’ CIB
Last month, after Republican Congressman Mo Brooks helped wounded congressmen at that baseball practice in Alexandria, retired Army Colonel John Reitzell of Huntsville bestowed a miniature Combat Infantryman Badge on Brooks, according to Alabama’s AL Online ;
Reitzell told AL.com that he pinned the badge on Brooks’ lapel at a senate candidate forum at the Huntsville Botanical Garden on June 20.
“I have this little lapel pin I want to pin on you as a reminder to all of us that there are very few lengths you will not go to to protect us,” Reitzell said he told Brooks.
Reitzell served 28 years in the Army, reaching the rank of colonel. He was twice injured in the Vietnam War and is a member of the Madison County Hall of Heroes.
So, Clayton Hinchman, an Iraq veteran who sacrificed a leg in the Global War On Terror who is planning on running against Brooks in the midterm elections next year decided to make the CIB a stolen valor issue;
Clayton Hinchman, a veteran of the war in Iraq who lost a leg while on a nighttime raid to captured or kill Al Qaeda, issued the press release Monday night. The press release said Hinchman was “expressing his outrage” at Brooks for wearing the pin.
“As someone who has seen brave men and women hurt in combat when answering the bold call to go to serve their country in the military, I understand the frustration of the many veterans who have come to my campaign upset to see their congressman wearing a badge he was not awarded,” Hinchman said in the press release.
Colonel Reitzell defends Brooks saying that the CIB is only a replica and that he pinned it on Brooks right lapel, instead of the left, to notify everyone that Brooks wasn’t claiming to have earned it.
Well, as someone who earned a CIB, and as someone who wears the miniature CIB on my lapel when I’m dressed in business wear, I kind of agree with Hinchman – Brooks should take it off. Reitzell can give anything he wants to anyone he wants, but when Brook wore it after the presentation, he stepped outside the bounds of acceptable protocol. I don’t like “my” CIB being used as a political statement, either, Mr Hinchman.
Hinchman said Tuesday afternoon that he stood behind the press release. He said supporters said they wanted Brooks charged with stolen valor.
I doubt Mr Hinchman would press as hard to have Dick Blumenthal charged with stolen valor for his claims that he served in Vietnam.
The CIB is actually one of the military accouterments covered by the Stolen Valor Act of 2013 if used for some sort of “tangible benefit”.
Category: Stolen Valor Act
Awesome gesture but the Congressmen much better off hanging it on his “I Love Me” wall at work than to be repeated photographed with it on his lapel.
OK, I see where you’re coming from (and I’m not a CIB recipient myself) but isn’t this a bit of a tempest in a teapot? Yes it was in poor taste for Brooks to wear the badge but until and unless he starts claiming he earned it it’s not “stolen valor.”
If we dilute the term “Stolen valor” from what it should mean (i.e. people claiming awards and honors they didn’t earn in order to obtain some benefit or recognition that they don’t deserve) then pretty soon a charge of “stolen valor” is going to be meaningless.
For some reason “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” and “Chicken Little” seem to be appropriate here. 😉
What if a MoH awardee gave him a lapel pin? You okay with that? How about master blaster wings or even regular ol’ jump wings? Does this situation warrant a charge of stolen valor? No, it’s somewhere in the middle. But bottom line, this man should not be wearing the pin, period.
Thank you. If a Congressman does this, it opens the door to stolen valor thieves all the more.
It’s either stolen valor or it’s not. If he’s not claiming he earned it, it’s not stolen valor – period.
And once again, if we, as veterans, come across as “Chicken Little”, pointing out every instance of some civilian wearing a piece of military gear or decoration (when they’re not claiming they actually earned it) as “Stolen Valor” then pretty soon people are going to tune us out, and rightly so.
Bottom line is, we risk becoming exactly the kind of butt-hurt snowflakes that we regularly ridicule on college campuses.
Point.
I am sorry but you are wrong in this.
Wearing an unearned military award is stolen valor.
If you wear it, you are claiming it.
I have to ask Yef, or any others that believe this is stolen valor, not trying to be an ass, and I agree, that the congressman should have taken it off after it was given to him, but, is there an age limit that you’d attach to the concept of stolen valor being someone wearing anything they hadn’t earned, even if they never claimed they earned it? I mean, when I was a kid, I wore my dads fatigues from vietnam, and put patches on from units i thought were cool.. I even wore his dress greens, complete with Valor awards that he had earned… I’m not saying a kid is the same as an adult, but I do believe that intent matters a far as stolen valor, and that while not the best decision on his part, I don’t believe that wearing that pin is actually stolen valor
Well Mr. Fyrfighter, you are wrong.
If I were to gift my CIB to anybody, that would be a personal gift, from me to him, and it would not in any way authorize that persone to wear it in public.
The fact that he keeps wearing it, is Stolen Valor.
There are lot of POGs, meaning non-infantry dudes, that have done acts of valor and have not received a CIB, because they don’t meet the requirements. The same applies here.
I could have gifted my CIB to my medic, the dude was the shit, but could have not wore it because he did not meet the requirements.
I don’t even understand why this is controversial.
There is a damn standard for a reason.
If a submariner gift me his sub thing, can I wear it in good concience?
Hell no.
Stolen Valor, regardless of the politics.
Lighten up, Francis.
How about wearing a uniform to go with it? If he does not claim to be a member of the armed forces is it okay? Where do you draw the line?
Personally, my CIB is not a damn trinket. It means something. If he wants to wear jewelry, get a charm bracelet. And a pox on that Col. who gave it to him. He should know better.
Hell yeah.
I doubt that Colonel got it the right way.
I friggin guarantee you he was one of those who got it for indirect after the standards dropped under Obozo in 2010.
“I doubt that Colonel got it the right way”
What?? How about a little reading comprehension before you spout off.
That Colonel’s CIB was awarded in Vietnam probably 17/18 years before you were born.
Well, he certainly doesn’t seem to value a CIB.
Yef, your mouth is outrunning your brain. Again.
What brain?
I agree. Brooks actually meets all the requirements for the CIB except for being an Infantryman: he was engaged by the enemy with direct fire. If he did the same thing in Afghanistan, he’d probably be awarded at least an ARCOM with V device.
Brooks isn’t claiming he was awarded the CIB by the Army.
If a dude wears a SEAL Trident, but also wears a sign on his head saying, “I was not a SEAL, I actually am just wearing it to honor SEALs”, it’s definitely a bit fucked up, but it isn’t Stolen Valor.
While I don’t think he should wear it, this isn’t Stolen Valor.
No, Brooks does NOT meet all the requirements.
“A Soldier must meet the following three requirements to be awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge:
Be an infantryman satisfactorily performing infantry duties.
Be assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat.
Actively engage the enemy in ground combat.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_Infantryman_Badge
Indeed. I am aware of many, many (perhaps hundreds by count) Infantrymen who were KIA and never received a CIB before or after their deaths.
This “gifting” of a CIB, even a miniature replica, just saddens me.
Who was the Colonel who gifted it?
I will put him in my black list under shitbags that deserve scorn for shitting in their careers for political reasons.
Again, take a little time and read the post before randomly commenting. It identifies who the Colonel is.
Oh come on. You know I don’t know how to read.
And if we dilute the value of the CIB it will become meaningless!
I agree. Keep this pin in your me collection. But as it was not awarded by DA it might cause confusion.
Drain the Swamp every time I think of congress what a bunch of morons
On the flip-side What is or was the issue with him wearing something
That was given to him as a thank you, I don’t understand but I was never infantry so I’m going to stay in my lane
Isn’t there a civilian equivalent for this kind of thing? What Mr. Brooks did does deserve recognition, but in a more appropriate way.
No badge per se, but other federally award dingle dangles, yes.
In reality it would be more correct to wear a CIB miniature on a suitcoat lapel anyway, but my point is a CIB of any dimension is still a CIB and was fully aware it was a miniature when I made the original comment.
That’s not where i wanted that comment.^^ FFS
Congressman Brooks ran through gunfire to assist his fellows, which is what any service member would do. The miniature pin was given to him as an honor from someone who had been there and done that. To claim that it is stolen valor is far more dishonorable than wearing the miniature badge.
Stolen Valor is claiming awards that were not earned. He is not claiming to have earned the badge, only wearing the gift he was given by a former service member for his act of heroism.
If Mr. Hinchman thinks that is the way to run a campaign, and thinks it’s a good idea to claim a gift from a hero is stolen valor, then he needs to get a good schooling on what honor is.
Yes.
And I would add that if that is all Hinchman has going for him, he’s not really giving the voters in his district much reason to vote for him. In fact, if I was Brooks I’d say “Really? that’s all you got?”
Word ^^^^^
Not stolen perhaps, but certainly inappropriate. If he doesn’t want anyone to assume he actually earned it he should wear a damn sign.
As indicated in my comment above, the CIB is about more than just getting shot at. That is why the word INFANTRY is in the name. Clerk/typists also get shot at from time to time, yet they are not authorized to wear it.
Did that Col. also give a CIB to the law enforcement officers who actually engaged in a firefight with the shooter who outgunned them? Nope, just the politician. I wonder why. (and yes, I am casting aspersions on the character of a COl. in the US Army)
Word
I’m afraid I have to agree with Martinjmpr here.
As far as I can tell, the Mr. Brooks is not claiming the CIB, but the miniature was given with, I understand, the intention of recognizing an act of valor under fire – even if not from an “enemy combatant” (disputable, but…).
Maybe he ought not to wear it in the future to prevent any misunderstanding, but I’m not willing to ream him for wearing it with the understanding that it symbolizes an recognition given as an honor for his actions that day.
If he starts to claim (or imply) a real CIB, I’m willing to chastise him for that.
I’ll go with some uninformed non-malicious bad judgement for Brooks, maybe a ‘nice but wth were you thinking? You should know better” to Reitzell and a big “Grow up!” to Hinchman.
If he wanted to give Brooks a free lunch coupon at the local buffet okay, or some other acknowledgement of what he did. But a CIB? No! Just hell no! A CIB is earned by being an infantryman and facing the enemy in harms way. If that will be the norm then give those wounded a Purple Heart. Makes as much sense. I would feel the same if Reitzell had been a Marine and had given Brooks a lapel CAR.
The problem with this is the same we see with phonies wearing even these miniature blings on their vests and saying, “it’s in honor of someone or of the device”. Mr. Brooks should say politely “Thank you but I’ll keep this in my desk and never wear it.” Or better still, look up what it means to earn one and give it back with an honest, “I didn’t earn what this represents and I feel awkward accepting this.” As an Army vet of Vietnam Reitzell should know better and if he doesn’t know the current state of stolen valor in our nation, he should plug in and find out.
Being Non-Army type there are things I look for when a Army Troop past or present is around. Beside a “V” on certain Medals, I personally believe that the CIB is one of the most important Insignia’s in all of the Armed Forces.
So yes, I have some Heartburn with this one.
Stolen Valor, not so much. Poor optics and understanding, yes.
Concur.
Total agreement here. Put the mini CIB in a nice little frame and display it proudly.
Negatron.
If I walk into his office and see that CIB i am gonna be like:
“What r up, dog? Give me knuckle bones and a combat low five! Infantry for life, until they put us in our last foxhole and cover us with the dirt we love. Basic training with 2-54 mail foot, deployed twice with 2-23 Tomahawks and once with 3-187 Iron Rakkasans.
Where did you go to basic at Fort Benning? Who did you deploy with?”
And he is gonna be like:
“Err… I am not a grunt. I just got that CIB as a GIFT for blah blah blah blah …..”
After he said it was a gift I’d have to ask…didja spit or swallow?
Girls had to be real troopers to get a Recon T-shirt outta me. 🙂
GIFT = Given In Fair Trade
Then Im gonna be like:
“Bitch, take that shit off before I slapp you silly! Stolen Valor! I am calling Dave Hardin right now for counsel on how to take your ass to court. Bitch.”
Congressman Brooks should simply put that miniature CIB on his desk along with the challenge coins and other tokens of appreciation/gifts, etc. that he’s been given, and call it good. Then, if someone asks him about it, he can proceed to tell the great story of how Colonel Reitzell gave it to him after the attack at the baseball practice in Arlington. I think that all of us could agree that that would be good to go in these circumstances.
However, he should not wear that CIB anymore, at any time, any where.
By continuing to do so, he’s only opening himself up to (justified) criticism and misunderstanding: veterans and civilians who are not familiar with his story may wrongly assume that he actually earned that CIB, and we all know where that could lead.
As for Mr. Hinchman, as long as Congressman Brooks removes that CIB from his clothing as he should, Hinchman should stand down on the ‘Stolen Valor’ charges under these circumstances and find a more substantial issue to express ‘outrage’ about. (If he needs any assistance in finding more substantial issues to get angry about, I think that we here on Team TAH could help him compile a rather lengthy list.)
Mick, I thank you for stating my thoughts better than I in my initial anger.
I agree that Mo Brooks should add this to his collection of coins and other mementos.
Is there any evidence that Brooks is running around sporting the CIB on his apparel? Probably not.
This is not a case of stolen valor, just an innocent gesture by an old soldier. When Mo Brooks starts claiming he earned it then we’ll have something to bitch about.
The CIB is one of the most prestigious badges we have in our inventory, however, I don’t think any harm was done by this (other than a few chapped asses).
Again, I doubt Mo is out there flaunting this pin…
We should all just relax and not take ourselves so damn seriously.
“I doubt Mr Hinchman would press as hard to have Dick Blumenthal charged with stolen valor for his claims that he served in Vietnam.”
When Hinchman does that, then I’ll worry about the other guy. All Democrats are two faced hypocrites when it comes to the military even if they served.
Dunno why anybody without awarding authority would award anything to anyone ineligible to receive the award in the first place.
It wasn’t an actual CIB, it was a miniature replica lapel pin, intentionally placed on the OPPOSITE side from the normal position of an actual CIB.
matters not one iota
“It wasn’t an actual CIB,”
So what is the difference? Is my CIB only a replica because I bought it in the PX with my own money? Is the miniature I bought to wear on civvies not a genuine CIB?
That’s my read on this, too, SARC. No one here seems to want to call out the frickin’ colonel for being so tone deaf. Sure, he meant it as a gesture of respect for Brooks’ courage under fire but he acted without thinking through the consequences.
The proper thing to do would be for Brooks and the colonel to have a press conference where the mistake is acknowledged and the CIB returned to the colonel.
End of story…
In this report from WAAY (Huntsville, AL), Mo Brooks explains why he wore the CIB despite not serving in the US Military/Combat (Video included)
http://www.waaytv.com/story/35915720/mo-brooks-explains-why-he-wore-army-combat-badge-despite-not-serving-in-combat:
“In an interview, Alabama Congressman–and U.S. Senate candidate Mo Brooks, explained why he wore an Army Combat Infantryman Badge last month at an economic announcement, despite not serving in combat.
Brooks says he was given the badge by retired Army Colonel John Reitzell, a local veteran at the event to announce space company Blue Origin’s plans to come to Huntsville
“John Reitzell, who is a highly decorated veteran, was so moved by how I conducted myself at the at the congressional baseball practice shooting that he pinned his Combat infantry badge on my lapel,” Brooks said.
“I was very honored by John Reitzel’s conduct, and did not have the courage to reject his kindness,” he added….
When asked why he did not remove the badge after having it given to him, Brooks said that he didn’t want to insult Colonel Reitzell.
“And insult a highly decorated veteran? I wasn’t gonna do that,” he said.
In WAAY-31’s interview, Congressman Brooks claimed that Senator Holtzclaw had given him the “Marine Corps equivalent” of the CIB.
“And if Mr. Hinchman really wants to be mad, Senator Bill Hotzclaw also gave me the Marine corps equivalent. So there. He can be double mad,” Brooks said.
WAAY-31 asked Senator Holtzclaw if he had given anything to Brooks, but he did not respond to our email. We also reached out to Colonel Reitzell, but have not heard back
After the initial gift of the lapel pin, it should have been put away as a memento. Perhaps the good COL should have explained that when he gave the gift. What doesn’t sit well with me is the fact that Hinchman could have contacted Brooks privately and explained the meaning of the pin, but instead used the opportunity to publicly bolster his political campaign. His web page touts his achievement as a West Point grad and Ranger honor graduate, but his actions seem to have drifted a bit since those days.
Give the guy a Presidential or congressional gold medal w/ a long flowery wall certificate and quit bitchin’ about the pin
Word ^^^^
I am not exactly a fan of Mo (I live in the district) but I think this is much ado about nothing. John Reitzell is a friend and I talked to him last night and he can defend his actions better than I can, but he was trying to provide some recognition for how he conducted himself at the shooting by presenting him with a lapel pin and not the actual badge. When presenting it to him John made it clear that by putting it on the right side he was not presenting him with the badge.
As his wife points out she, and many other wives, wear miniature awards of their husbands, including jump wings, SEAL tridents and other awards. Like anything else stolen valor is a matter or context, not just what they wear. As Martin points out Mo is not claiming he earned or that he is a combat veteran.
The bottom line is that Clayton Hinchman was manipulated in this by one of Mo’s opponents in next month’s special election. And Mo is willing to have this in the news because it is a positive for his campaign.
I agree. If you start going after people just for wearing things absent any context, I know a parent who’d be in trouble for wearing their late son’s jump wings (on a hat, too). It’s done in memory, not in malice, and when anyone asks he’s happy to talk about his son and how his son earned them.
Maybe this opens the door to posers saying they’re only wearing them in honor of someone else, but if that’s the price to pay then so be it. As much as the fake SEALs seem like an epidemic, I’m quite sure they’re not nearly as numerous as people who wear some sort of military insignia -granted, rarely badges or medals- in good faith as opposed to bad. This is an opportunity for education, not accusations of Stolen Valor.
Shame on Hinchman for focusing on such a stupid non-issue. Surely there are more important things, like policies, where he can distinguish himself from his opponent.
I have to agree, LC. I think this is much ado about almost nothing. I do not think Brooks should make a habit of wearing the mini-CIB. But the gesture was not one undertaken to minimize the significance of the award. It borders on absurd to characterize it as stolen valor. And yes, I have a CIB and I got it for the enemy shooting at me and my guys on several occasions. Hinchman is a typical Democrat, one who will use anything to attack his opponent, no matter how meritless or absurd. If that is his best critique of Brooks and his policies, it is pretty weak sauce indeed.
Some have reported Hinchman is a Republican. Whatever his affiliation, if this is the best criticism he has against his opponent, he needs to get out of politics and do something useful.
I don’t know Hinchman but overall have a favorable opinion of him and will probably vote for him next year. It’s too bad he let himself be manipulated into getting in the middle of this.
” lapel pin and not the actual badge”
BS. My lapel pin is an actual CIB, just as miniature medals are actual decorations.
And you can tell your friend the Col. that I said he was out of line. And the fact that he works for a company in in Huntsville whose
“primary customers are the United States Department of Defense, the United States Intelligence Community, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).[” only make it smell worse. As I asked above, did he give one to the officers who actually engaged in a firefight with the shooter?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynetics
Actual name & email available on request if you want to forward my remarks.
I do have to agree with 509Trooper and live in Northern Alabama. I have spoken to COL Reitzell (not recently, of course) and I believe he had only the honor and dignity of the badge in mind when he bestowed this onto the Senator. He was my Battalion Commander when I was a young NCO and leaders of his caliber are few and far between. I never doubted him then, and I don’t now.
And that’s my ten cents. Thanks.
So the guy was given a representation of something he did not earn and is not claiming to have earned. Get back to me when he claims unearned valor.
Did he have any reason to know that so many of you would take high offense at his wearing it? Probably not. Now he does. Maybe he will put it up somewhere.
The Cult of the Perpetually Offended strikes again.
Its a mini CIB…that’s what you’re supposed to wear on a suitcoat when you actually earn one and wish to display it. You’re not all right and the other posters are not all wrong in this discussion as far as I can see. lighten up.:)
I guess I better tell my wife and kids to stop wearing my old sweats and t-shirts that may have the words Marine on them. And, since I don’t dive a Corvette, I better put THAT shirt away, too.
Let’s not lose focus on real issues here…
Can I exchange one of my CARS for a new Corvette?
Zooooooooooooooooooooom Baybee!
I have a 2016 Corvette, but I will only consider the trade if your CAR comes with $80K.
How about 80K of student debt? And… I’ll throw in a free barn cat.
I’ll have to pass, we already have enough cats, and I have enough debts, including the car loan. I once had a student loan, if you call 1500 bucks a real debt nowadays. I paid it off after I was hit with the first month’s interest (no interest while on AD for six years).
I find it kind of repugnant that he takes advantage of this to make points with potential voters, rather than just asking the other guy to take the thing off, and explaining why it is not something he should wear, or why some people might not like him doing it. That is kind of a democrat thing to do.
And, since I didn’t serve in the Australian army, I better not wear the bush hat I was given back in ’99, or the Chilean and Peruvian polo shirts with their military/police symbols…
Should have been a CMB. I wear mine with pride on my left lapel, and sometimes use it as a tie clasp to hold my 82nd. tie in place. Hope that is ok.
“Should have been a CMB”
Why is that?
I can see it. He provided medical aid, like a combat medic would have, rather than force of arms like a knuckle dragging, blood drinking, infantryman would.
OK…so why don’t we give a miniature CMB to all the Combat Lifesavers that render aid?
because giving aid even in combat by a trained combat lifesaver doesn’t make you a combat medic, perhaps?
Seeing a lot of false equivalencies here. Just curious, and I see many of the points that have already been made and I’m not saying anyone is wrong or right, however…
How many of you vets are wearing a miniature breast insignia on your suit coat lapel that you never earned?
Not me.
I’m not a veteran but I think that’s why this is more of an opportunity for education than a cause for accusations. Many civilians don’t know squat about military insignia and how they’re earned, and as I said in my reply above, I think context in these things is crucial.
A father honoring his son’s memory by displaying his jump wings -or, even, his CIB- and who takes every opportunity to point out his son earned them, not him, is a pretty far cry from a Stolen Valor case, even if he’s wearing something he didn’t earn. Maybe he shouldn’t be, and he can be educated about that, but frankly it’s not a battle I’d choose to fight. If his actions are honorable, even if misguided, I’ve got no problem with that. And maybe that’s my failure to fully understand the significance of the CIB to others who have earned it — that’s completely possible. But again, I’d think that’s a cause for education and discussion, not accusations or animosity (as in the politician’s charges).
Just my two cents from a civilian perspective. What veterans might do and what civilians might do, out of a lack of knowledge, are vastly different things.
I understand your hypothetical, but I’ve never once actually run across those.
Only time I’ve seen the claim was a poser backpedaling. 🙂
Fair enough. I know someone who does that, so it’s not a hypothetical for me, though I understand that it is for you. And (ignoring the random people on street corners), I’ve only ever encountered one poser in my personal life. So I’m 50/50 in that sense.
Looking more broadly at my family and circle of friends, though, a number of us have some military insignia (again, not awards) displayed on our cars or, sometimes, clothes, not out of false claims but just in support of loved ones who serve. That’s why I think the number of people who are likely to wear something they didn’t earn, without any ill intent, is much higher than the poser population, TAH’s daily feed notwithstanding. 😉
family/friends/fans/groupies… military insignia in general, organizational PT gear, etc are entirely different than awards or skill identifiers…especially ones only earned in combat.
Also a public figure making public appearances has more implications.
And this case in particular, is nothing like any of those. situations.
Back when I was nine years old, my brother and I would wear my grand dad’s EKZ, Meat locker medal and stahlhelm when we tore up the prairie outside Clovis, New Mexico on an old Bridgestone. We never earned them, but we were bikers. That is what we thought anyway., Oma kind of freaked out about us wearing all that nazi shit. Ops did not give a shit.
I also want to note that Hinchman is a Republican, so I have no doubt he would call out Dick Blumenthal. It was hard finding his political affiliation, but the one article I found says he is a Republican.
http://yellowhammernews.com/politics-2/purple-heart-winner-runs-for-alabama-congressional-seat-jal/
It was a nice gesture. It was symbolic and meaningful. That being said, the congressman should have thanked COL Reitzell, and after the “gesture” was made- taken it off. Perfectly acceptable to display it on a shelf in his offices, but he shouldn’t wear it again. I would disagree with him continuing to wear it.
In 2006, shortly after we started dating, my now-wife asked me for an old BDU jacket she could wear. Since I was retired I didn’t mind giving her one – it’s not like I was wearing it (and in any case the BDU was in the process of being phased out.)
She cut one of the E-7 insignias off the collar and sewed on a patch that read “Princess.” 😀
Sometimes if we’re on a hike in the mountains and it’s chilly she’ll wear that jacket. I think it’s kind of cute – Like your high school sweetheart wearing your letter jacket.
Is it “stolen valor” because she was never in the military? Or maybe because she’s not a real princess?
I’ll repeat myself: Keep going overboard on the “stolen valor” stuff and eventually people are going to start ignoring you, even when you’re right.
This is one of those “Lighten up, Francis!” situations. 😉
Just don’t screw up and wear that jacket yourself sometime, “Princess.”
Heh…
Nah, the only old uniforms I ever wear are a DCU boonie hat or my old BDU Gore-Tex if it’s cold or windy. My other stuff is in a footlocker or hanging in the back of a closet somewhere.
Oh, I found my old black all-leather speed-lace combat boots are pretty good motorcycle boots, too. 😉
Similar situation, we had Air Farce EOD attached to our MiTT. One of their NCOs wore a long-tab given him by an ODA he’d served with on a previous tour. When asked about it, he never claimed to be SF, himself, but wore it as a reminder of all they’d been through together. He reminded me very much of a cheerleader wearing her boyfriend’s letterman jacket.
Either way, he was a damn good tech and I was always happy to see him show up with his Johnny-5.
Real soldiers earn the CAR. We don’t need no stinkin’ badge, we’ve got a CAR.
(Let the inter-service bashing begin.)
You mean the one that everyone on the ship gets when they fires missiles at the enemy from 1,000 miles away?
Or the real one?
Or an entire hospital ship’s crew got in DS/DS though they never engaged the deadly emenies. lol
Or the crew gets it (CAR)because the Marines aboard earned it when they went ashore…
I only know of one time post vietnam where that happened, though they didn’t actually use that sentence structure. lol
They awarded a gagglefukk of ships defined within a certain long/lat during DS/DS. They were not all gator freighters either.
Are you talking about something else?
It was the ship I was aboard. After we went back aboard I overheard the command Master chief telling a few other Chiefs in the Chief’s Mess that their submission for the CAR had been approved. Ours wasn’t approved until after we got back to Lejeune. this was 2003
what ship?
If you bet the CAR in the Marine Corps, it is because you engaged the enemy period. None of this being in the same zip code as them for 30 days.
That my rub.
As a Bee either shot at or blown up. Close up and personal.
Fleet guys getting it for pushing a button. From who knows where.
Sorry senior, but the SeaBees have also earned their share of CARs for just being in the zone.
Shameful. Knowing the TRUE reason for the ribbon.
Seen many denied also. Not close enough to the Mortar blast. Not in the Truck that was hit by the IED, even though was in the same Convoy. Return fire could not be proven to be at attacker.
I was remiss in not including IDC types. You guys are in the same Dirt Water Boat.
As with many things. Depends on Command, some are easy for awards. Others not so much.
I’ve never met a marine or sailor that would call themselves “soldier.”
Aaaahh! Bunch of spoilsports, you are.
I make up my own awards. I deserve a medal for just putting up with and babysitting starstruck fanbimps at Star Trek cons. I think I should get one just for breaking up intraspecies battles between my cats. I’ve never seen two bitches as jealous of each as they are. I have wounds from it, too. Sometimes, they’re oozing. I should at the very least get a pink heart with a green catnip leaf stuck on it, just for that.
I think this is much ado about nothing. Brooks never claimed anything other than it was a gift to him from someone who admired his guts for going under fire to help someone who was badly in need of it. Hinchman only did this to draw attention to himself and his campaign, nothing else. In my view, that makes him as much an attention whore as Blumerbutthal, who is starting to look like a denizen of Madame Tussaud’s museum.
I think I’ll get me one of them there Space Shuttle Doorgunner patches, too, ’cause I have the cool school certificate, and you don’t. PFFFFTTTT! 😛 😛 😛
“I think this is much ado about nothing.”
In spite of the opinions of the men here that actually earned CIBs?. Well, ok then. Interesting.
I actually earned one. And I think this issue is a nothingburger. Although, Brooks should have stopped wearing it within a week or so after it was pinned on him by the Col.
Well, maybe it was in poor taste for Brooks to wear it, but I understand the reason Reitzell gave it to him. No, it doesn’t make him a combat veteran, but if you can, set aside the fact that he wasn’t one, for just a minute, and remember the intent, which was a ‘job well done under fire’. Brooks simply did something good in a very stressful environment.
My issue is with Hinchman who is trying to turn Reitzell’s gesture into something it wasn’t meant to be, and seems to be doing it solely to benefit himself. If he went after Blumenthal with that kind of vigor, then I’d excuse what he’s saying. This looks like granstanding and finger-pointing to me.
I know why you guys have your shorts in a bunch. I DO understand that, but I think the POINT is being beaten to death now. If Hinchman had not brought it up as an SV issue, would anyone really have noticed? This is, in fact, the first I’ve been aware of this, and I do not like to see something like a gesture of appreciation (and nothing else) politicized like this.
If anyone should be snarked at over this, it is Hinchman. He’s the one who brought it up and is trying to capitalize on it. Why doesn’t he go after that ass Blumenthal the same way?
This entire situation stinks of politics.
I don’t personally give a rat’s ass if the congressman wears the replica CIB or not, it was given to him in appreciation by a veteran and OFFICER of the United States Army, and it is all to fucking obvious that he did NOT steal it, or place it on himself, and is NOT claiming to have earned it in combat.
Mr Hinchman is simply being an ass monkey and is pushing something that does not bear scrutiny. He is acting like the politicians he supposedly despises.
This is NOT A CASE OF STOLEN VALOR BY ANY MEASURE OF THAT LAW.
I am really sick to fucking DEATH of that term (Stolen Valor) being so misused. It’s becoming the disgruntled veteran’s version of “racist”. Before long, it will lose it’s true meaning.
So, screw this entire situation. Move on. Forget about it, tell the young man to shut up and get on with his campaign.
” it was given to him in appreciation by a veteran and OFFICER of the United States Army”
I find that fact to be the most bizarre aspect of the situation. A colonel no less.
Not surprising that a political opponent would spazz about it or that the civilian recipient would lack the base knowledge of the peculiarity of being given the mini CIB in the first place.
I wonder how things would have evolved had this just been allowed to continue over time. Where might it have gone? 🙂