Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s military record is under renewed scrutiny, after it was revealed that he incorrectly claimed a commendation he had not received on a fellowship application long before he entered politics.
Here’s what’s known about the controversy and how the Democratic governor has handled it.
What happened?
Moore served in the Army Reserve from 1996 through 2014, including a deployment to Afghanistan from August 2005 through March 2006.
He earned many honors, but the Bronze Star was not among them, according to information provided by the Pentagon.
Still, incorrect information that Moore did have a Bronze Star has circulated for years.
For reasons that are unclear, some people — including TV hosts, at least twice over the years — believed Moore had a Bronze Star and introduced him as having received that honor.
The New York Times reported this week that Moore had included the Bronze Star on an application for a White House fellowship in 2006, even though it had not been awarded.
Why did Moore include the Bronze Star on his fellowship application?
At the time of the fellowship application, Moore was serving on a deployment in Afghanistan. His superiors had begun the paperwork for the Bronze Star and one of them instructed Moore to list it on his fellowship application.
“I understand that a superior office told me to put it in there, but it wasn’t his application. It was my application,” Moore told reporters Friday after touring the Maryland State Fair.
Moore has said that at the end of his deployment later in 2006, he learned the commendation had not been given. He said he never inquired about it or sought to have it added to his records.
Moore has said repeatedly on Thursday and Friday that he regrets not updating his fellowship application.
“It was an honest mistake. And not only have I owned up to it, I take responsibility for it,” Moore said Friday. “You know, in retrospect, should I have potentially gone back? Absolutely.”
Moore also said he forgot about including the Bronze Star on that fellowship application “until it was brought to my attention.”
“I believe in taking accountability,” Moore said. “I know in the military, we learned it’s ‘Yes, sir. No, sir’ and ‘no excuse, sir. Yes, ma’am. No, ma’am. No excuse, ma’am.’ And I have no excuse. I’m taking responsibility.”
Is this a case of stolen valor?
Stolen valor refers to instances where people claim military honors or wear ribbons or medals that they did not earn.
Experts who investigate such cases say this does not appear to be an example of stolen valor.
Anthony Anderson, a retired Army staff sergeant, runs a website called Guardian of Valor that investigates potential stolen valor cases.
During the period known as the ”global war on terror,” officers with ranks and responsibilities similar to Moore routinely were awarded the Bronze Star at the conclusion of deployments, Anderson said.
“It was a common award during the Global War on Terror for tours in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Anderson said, calling it a “basic end-of-tour award” that is “very, very common” for the time period.
Before the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Bronze Star was not awarded as often. Those who did extraordinary work, like saving a soldier’s life, would be awarded a Bronze Star with a “V” device for “valor,” he said.
And it’s also entirely possible that paperwork got lost in the shuffle, or that the Bronze Star was in fact approved but somehow did not make it into Moore’s record properly, Anderson said.
“It could be in his paperwork. A lot of soldiers, once they retire, they don’t go back and look,” he said.
Anderson said Moore’s explanation that he was told that he would receive the honor seems reasonable. And it’s worth noting that he hasn’t been repeatedly claiming the Bronze Star and has apologized for the error on the fellowship application.
“That is a very plausible explanation in my professional opinion, and it wouldn’t amount to stolen valor,” Anderson said.
Doug Sterner, a veteran and military historian who also works on stolen valor issues, said that military commendations during the global war on terror were “a virtual mess.”
He’s heard from other soldiers deployed around the same time as Moore who also did not get the awards they expected.
“They assumed that they got it, but the paperwork was never done, and they were never actually awarded a Bronze Star,” Sterner said.
Sterner expressed empathy for Moore for being called out for someone else dropping the ball or losing his paperwork.
“It’s a shame that it has led to this kind of attack on a veteran,” Sterner said. “I don’t care if he’s a Democrat or a Republican, no veteran’s honorable service should be called into question by civilians in the first place.”
Sterner does not believe this is a case of stolen valor. “We’re besmirching the reputation of a combat veteran who had honorable service,” he said.
Will Moore get a Bronze Star now?
Army Lt. Gen. Michael Fenzel, who nominated Moore for the Bronze Star back in Afghanistan, told The New York Times that he would submit the paperwork once again. Until this week, he said, he had no idea that Moore never was awarded the Bronze Star.
Fenzel currently serves as the United States Security coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority and is based in Jerusalem.
Moore said Friday that he was surprised to learn that Fenzel is making that effort on his behalf all these years later.
”I’m thankful, I’m humbled. He’s a remarkable officer and I really appreciate the gesture,” Moore said. “But like I said, I didn’t push him on it before. But I’m just thankful that he feels, as he said, he wants to right this wrong.”
Why didn’t Moore clear this up before?
Moore has said that it did not occur to him to seek the honor after the fact, including when he first learned he did not have the commendation in 2006 or when he was discharged from the Army in 2014.
“It didn’t come up because I didn’t bring it up,” Moore said. “I didn’t join the military and I didn’t lead paratroopers because I was looking for awards … I didn’t think to make a big deal or bring it up to anybody. I was just happy to make it home and I just wanted to move on with my life.”
Reporters asked Moore why he didn’t clear the air earlier, such as in 2022, when he was running for governor and faced questions about the incorrect information circulating about the Bronze Star.
“In retrospect, I probably should have, and I own that and I take responsibility for that,” Moore said.
In 2022, Moore told The Baltimore Banner that he stood by everything he said about his service and background. And he said he shouldn’t be put in a position to correct others on live TV.
“Well, I think if there were things that were said that were incorrect about me in my bio, I hope that wouldn’t be something where I have to be put in a position to be able to correct that person on the spot on live national television,” Moore said in 2022.
Looking back at the questions asked of him in 2022, Moore says now: “I honestly didn’t think at that time to go back over every single piece of paper I filled out over the past 30 years of my life.”
Will Moore face political consequences for this matter?
Fellow Democrats in Maryland quickly circled the wagons for Moore, issuing statements and making social media posts supportive of the governor. Meanwhile, local Republicans have largely been quiet.
Ten members of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland who are veterans issued a statement praising Moore.
“Gov. Wes Moore’s service to our nation should be commended. As Maryland’s governor, he has championed the needs of military service members, their families, and our veterans,” the statement read.
It concluded: “We stand with our governor and our brother in arms, Wes Moore.”
Other veterans who are politicians posted statements on social media.
Del. Nick Allen, an Army veteran who also deployed to Afghanistan, said it’s common to take superiors at their word when they say an award is approved and on its way.
“I was once a young lieutenant myself. If my Deputy Brigade Commander — a lieutenant colonel — had told me he was recommending me for an award, and the approval authority said that award was signed, I would have taken that approval as fact,” Allen, a Baltimore County Democrat, wrote on social media.
Allen expressed disappointment that the military records of political leaders are being picked apart.
“As an Afghanistan Veteran myself, I am honestly disheartened at this recent pattern of attempts to tear down the military service of others — whether it’s Governor Moore, Governor Tim Walz, or Senator JD Vance. We should honor their service, regardless of our politics or party,” Allen wrote.
“While on Active Duty in the Air Force, I served with some brave men and women. Now, here at home I’m proud to serve and stand with a brave Governor,” Del. Nick Charles, a Prince George’s Democrat, wrote on social media. “Wes, we are with you, and you have air cover from me.”
Another lawmaker who is a veteran, Anne Arundel Del. Mike Rogers posted a statement that said, “Serving in the military, and especially in combat, requires sacrifice, integrity, and personal courage. Governor Moore has repeatedly displayed these traits as the leader of Maryland.”
Rogers continued: “I applaud Governor Moore’s transparency amidst the current attacks, and he has my unwavering support.”
Baltimore Banner reporter Brenda Wintrode contributed to this report.
