Meet California Democrat Derek Tran.
If you don’t know who he is, he is running for Congress as a “decorated Veteran” and proudly says that he enlisted at age 18 “to fight in Iraq, serving the country that had given him and his family so much.”
Tran is leaning so heavily on his military service, the tagline for his campaign logo reads, “Veteran for Congress.”
And in interviews and campaign materials Tran references his military service, saying his time in the Army taught him to be “mission-focused” and to work together to get a job done, regardless of one’s political affiliation.
The problem is, newly released records indicate that Tran’s military records could be embellished — echoing winds of Tim Walz.
According to Army records obtained by media outlet RedState as the result of a Freedom of Information Act request, his service was not overseas.
Tran’s service was entirely stateside and he was not part of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom, but instead was part of Operation Noble Eagle as a “Culinary Specialist.”
Tran’s unit, the 401st Chemical Company, was “mobiliz[ed] for NOBLE EAGLE” and Tran’s PMOS (Primary Military Occupational Specialty) was 92G, or a Culinary Specialist.
Tran’s unit was to be at Fort Stewart, Georgia starting on 25 March 2003 for up to 365 days. They were “released from active military service 12 July 2003 and reverted to reserve status,” according to an official Army site detailing the history of the unit.
According to the military records RedState reviewed, the two medals Tran received are the Army Achievement Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. The Army Achievement Medal was issued in June, 2001 for Tran’s “Outstanding professional ability and energetic approach while participating in the Memorial Day Parade held in Dorchester, MA. His outstanding qualities of leadership and devotion to duty reflect great credit upon himself, the unit, and the United States Army Reserve.”
he was given a medal for marching in a parade in Dorchester, MA.
The Army Commendation Medal was given in January 2004 for “Meritorious service from 17 November 1999 to 7 July 2003. Specialist Tran distinguished himself on numerous occasions in support of 401st Chemical Company as First Cook. His dedication to duty and commitment to mission accomplishment reflects great credit upon himself, his unit and the USAR.”
There is absolutately no shame in Tran’s military record as it stands. It’s clear that he worked very hard at his job in the Army as a junior enlisted soldier serving as a cook.
But to embellish his record at the expense of gaining political clout is quite a different story.