Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) proudly wears an Military badge on his swimsuit lapel. It’s a ornament reserved for troopers who got here underneath fireplace whereas engaged in fight. Downside is, the one fireplace he’s confronted recently is from veterans accusing him of stolen valor.
These complaints took on added heft Friday, when the Military confirmed to the publication NOTUS that Nehls was by no means deployed as a fight infantryman throughout his 20 years with the armed companies.
The assertion confirms in depth prior reporting by Guardian of Valor, a veterans watchdog group, which in Might started sounding the alarm about Nehls sporting a Fight Infantryman Badge he didn’t earn.
The group reviewed the Texas Republican’s 53-page navy personnel file, and located that whereas a badge had been awarded in 2008 for his deployment to Afghanistan, the Military revoked it in 2023 after realizing he’d served as a civil affairs officer ― not within the infantry or Particular Forces.
Nehls responded by sharing a Protection Division letter on social media that seems to substantiate the award. The letter, from 2008, bears the signature of Military Maj. Tim Botset.
However Botset, now retired, informed KHOU earlier this month that another person appears to have signed on his behalf, as a result of he is aware of with “absolute certainty” that he didn’t signal it himself.
Tom Williams by way of Getty Pictures
“I was shown the memorandum containing my signature block over a year ago,” Botset informed KHOU in an announcement. “I informed the investigator that it is my signature block but not my signature. It reads ‘for,’ which means someone else signed in my place. I know with absolute certainty that I did not sign it. I was on EML (Environment and Morale Leave) in Tennessee on the date indicated on the memorandum.”
“Is this an honest mistake? Perhaps, but finding a copy of the 4187 and/or sworn statements that generated the memorandum will provide you the specifics behind the award,” he continued. “I do not know anyone in my unit that would have intentionally approved an award for someone that was not entitled. No one, for any reason, should knowingly wear unearned awards or badges ― period.”
In a letter of his personal addressed to U.S. Military Human Assets Command, Nehls accused the veterans group of trying to discredit him.
“I disagree with the Awards and Decorations Branch revocation of my CIB, which was awarded by the 101st Airborne Division,” Nehls wrote. “I further believe this is a concerted effort to discredit my military service and continued service to the American people as a member of Congress.”
However Anthony Anderson, an Military veteran who runs Guardian of Valor, says it’s fairly the alternative.
“The veteran community is starting to get to the point now where there’s no room for forgiveness at this point because now they see, ‘Hey, this wasn’t an error. He’s doubling down now,’” Anderson informed Navy.com. “He knows he didn’t earn this award.”
