Posted on 08/10/2010 9:02:20 AM PDT by paulbunyan69
There is a current politician and candidate running for reelection here in SW Ohio who is a peacetime Air Force veteran. She served honorably for 6 years as an officer. She never saw combat nor was in theater.
What is troubling is that this politician goes around wearing a chest full of military ribbons as if she were some sort of war hero. She wears them on her shirts, jackets, and other articles of clothing at public events. She almost resembles General Patton. She also let's you know that she is a veteran over and over and over again. She campaigns on it. John Kerry would be very proud of his Democratic colleague.
Here's where it gets interesting; when she first ran for office the ribbons she wore were those she was awarded while in the service. We can identify all of 7 them and I have her official USAF photo.
BUT, since then, they have more than doubled and now she is sporting 18 ribbons!! Some people are wondering if she is wearing ROTC ribbons or just bought some at the flea market and is trying to puff herself up even more.
I have identified awards she initially sported. They appear to be legitimate. HOWEVER I cannot identify the rest (11 others). I have searched through AFROTC, CAP, etc as well as other military award charts and just cannot find any of them.
Any help exposing this potential fraud would be greatly appreciated. Please see the posted pictures below for more details. I could be wrong and she might have earned them, whatever they are. But we need to know for sure to protect the honor of all servicemen & women. Thank you!
11 ribbons for the bi-annual Air Force cake sale?
There are alot of BS ribbions out there - including state ribbions if in the National Guard.
For example - I got two ribbions just for going to to basic training. And then about 5 or 6 for going overseas (not counting ones for actions in combat).
It gets a little silly. But all these ribbions could be legit.
Like Jack Spade?
I can imagine her qualifying for some of the firearms medals even without being active duty, but I don't see any on there that I remember being firearms ribbons. In fact, that whole configuration looks a little funny... like a constellation from the southern hemisphere or something.
Isn’t there some kind of restriction against someone from campaigning while in uniform, even if retired?
They need to be identified... ribbons are given not just for combat time but also for some special, non-combat achievement. Maybe she qualified as a sharp shooter 3 years in a row and that may have given her 2-3 ribbons. Maybe she ran faster than anyone in her age group during the PT tests. You simply cannot know. Find out if she released her military records with the DoD and get a copy of her DD214. Every ribbon and medal and achievement will be listed there.
First of all, on the top photo, she shouldn’t be wearing both the mini-medals for Air Force Commendation Medal and whatever the other one is AND their associated ribbons.
The additional ribbons in the lower photo are mainly lower in rank precedence than her “alive and breathing” (AF Training) ribbon, so (without researching) I assume their decorations from other nations (Kuwait, etc.). It does seem like a WHOLE lot of ribbons for 6 years of service; however, not out of line if she’s remained active in the reserves and possibly deployed.
Colonel, USAFR
http://www.pjsinnam.com/medals/USAF_Medal_Chart.htm
“John Kerry would be very proud of his Democratic colleague.”
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Why did I know it was a dem when I read the title?
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Those could be theater ribbons from other countries. That of course doesn’t explain why she would be wearing them.
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Op Row, Right Side, Red/Black/White ribbon.
As I recall this is the Germany/Japan Occupation ribbon. How old is she?
Dems usually don’t release their DD214s.
They really compliment her eyes.
Okay, at the end of the 2nd row, beginning of 3rd, I see Longevity ribbon, Small Arms ribbon, and AF Training ribbon. Everything beyond that is lower ranking (if she has them in the right order) so they might indeed be very lightweight but legit awards.
When I was in you didn't get any for basic(except your marksmanship medal, no ribbon for that one)and only a good conduct medal when you got out, even if you served overseas(which I did), unless, of course, you saw combat.
LOL.
I love that movie!
She has three awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross? Second on top.
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