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From: Army Times
No one disputes that Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, served with the National Guard in a combat zone.
So the recent round of questions about whether she counts as a "combat veteran" has made more than a few former service members uncomfortable and upset.
But they aren't necessarily surprised.
"This kind of stuff has been going on for generations," said Phil Carter, director of veterans programs at the Center for a New American Security. "We've seen conversations about peacetime service as opposed to wartime service. We've seen veterans from different wars trade stories about who had it tougher.
"But so few people have an appreciation for what military service is that these arguments start to take on a controversial quality about what 'counts' as service."
Earlier this month, the Huffington Post questioned Ernst's characterization of herself as a "combat veteran," noting she had not been involved in a firefight during her 14-month Middle East deployment.
The Iowa Guard lieutenant colonel commanded the 1168th Transportation Company during the 2003-04 deployment, overseeing transportation runs in Kuwait and southern Iraq and running a protection detail in Kuwait.
She touted her "combat veteran" status in numerous campaign stops during the mid-term elections last year, and noted in response to the recent criticism that both Veterans Affairs and Defense Department guidelines classify her as one.
Fellow Senate Armed Services Committee colleague Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. — himself a Vietnam veteran and former prisoner of war — called Ernst a combat veteran "by any definition."
"Malicious claims to the contrary denigrate not only her service, but that of countless current and former service members who served honorably in a range of roles in our military," he said in a statement.
Carter echoed that sentiment, noting that honoring only certain kinds of military service — in this case, battlefield fighting — risks alienating other troops who have served honorably.
"There's always someone harder than you," he said. "There's always someone who has seen more combat, or had tougher tours. But that doesn't erase someone's war record."
Since the Ernst piece was published and picked up by other news outlets, most veterans' groups have declined comment on the criticisms, other than to offer official statements saying it's clear the senator served honorably in a designated combat zone.
Mark Seavey, new media manager at the American Legion and an an expert in stolen valor cases, said he worries that criticisms like those leveled at Ernst confuse actual cases in which troops or imposters claim military honors they never earned. Ernst has not claimed any medals or campaign awards beyond her record.
"You don't want to see real crimes get watered down because of some people's semantics about service," Seavey said.
He also sees the continued buzz over the issue as underscoring the lack of understanding by many civilians about what the recent wars were really like.
"I can't think of a place, the entire time when I was in Afghanistan, where I thought, 'Wow, I feel really safe here,' " he said. "Everyone who has served over there was in a dangerous area.
"A minuscule number of individuals ... were involved in firefights. But it's still a combat zone."
http://www.armytimes.com/story/veterans/2015/02/19/ernst-combat-veteran-criticism/23666043/
No one disputes that Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, served with the National Guard in a combat zone.
So the recent round of questions about whether she counts as a "combat veteran" has made more than a few former service members uncomfortable and upset.
But they aren't necessarily surprised.
"This kind of stuff has been going on for generations," said Phil Carter, director of veterans programs at the Center for a New American Security. "We've seen conversations about peacetime service as opposed to wartime service. We've seen veterans from different wars trade stories about who had it tougher.
"But so few people have an appreciation for what military service is that these arguments start to take on a controversial quality about what 'counts' as service."
Earlier this month, the Huffington Post questioned Ernst's characterization of herself as a "combat veteran," noting she had not been involved in a firefight during her 14-month Middle East deployment.
The Iowa Guard lieutenant colonel commanded the 1168th Transportation Company during the 2003-04 deployment, overseeing transportation runs in Kuwait and southern Iraq and running a protection detail in Kuwait.
She touted her "combat veteran" status in numerous campaign stops during the mid-term elections last year, and noted in response to the recent criticism that both Veterans Affairs and Defense Department guidelines classify her as one.
Fellow Senate Armed Services Committee colleague Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. — himself a Vietnam veteran and former prisoner of war — called Ernst a combat veteran "by any definition."
"Malicious claims to the contrary denigrate not only her service, but that of countless current and former service members who served honorably in a range of roles in our military," he said in a statement.
Carter echoed that sentiment, noting that honoring only certain kinds of military service — in this case, battlefield fighting — risks alienating other troops who have served honorably.
"There's always someone harder than you," he said. "There's always someone who has seen more combat, or had tougher tours. But that doesn't erase someone's war record."
Since the Ernst piece was published and picked up by other news outlets, most veterans' groups have declined comment on the criticisms, other than to offer official statements saying it's clear the senator served honorably in a designated combat zone.
Mark Seavey, new media manager at the American Legion and an an expert in stolen valor cases, said he worries that criticisms like those leveled at Ernst confuse actual cases in which troops or imposters claim military honors they never earned. Ernst has not claimed any medals or campaign awards beyond her record.
"You don't want to see real crimes get watered down because of some people's semantics about service," Seavey said.
He also sees the continued buzz over the issue as underscoring the lack of understanding by many civilians about what the recent wars were really like.
"I can't think of a place, the entire time when I was in Afghanistan, where I thought, 'Wow, I feel really safe here,' " he said. "Everyone who has served over there was in a dangerous area.
"A minuscule number of individuals ... were involved in firefights. But it's still a combat zone."
http://www.armytimes.com/story/veterans/2015/02/19/ernst-combat-veteran-criticism/23666043/
Posted in these groups: 
Army National Guard
Combat
Army National Guard Combat
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 52
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Criticism raised by members of the media who themselves have never served a day in uniform? These people need to get a life!
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SPC Johnny Velazquez, PhD
The only combat these reporters have seen, or will ever see, is around the water cooler.
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I am not a fan of Senator Joni Ernst, R-Iowa. However, as a Marine and Vietnam Veteran she is as much a combat veteran as I am. I did not earn a Combat Action Ribbon (CAR) no did I fire a shot at the enemy. I saw combat all around me from my duty station at Force Logistics Command, Camp Books, which is located about eight miles NW of DaNang. My MOS did not require me to go outside the wire very often, but when it did, I did. I saw firefights in the hills all around me. I saw bombing runs by A4's and F4's in the hills all around me all the time. I will defend her as a Combat Veteran just as much as I would defend my time served. We all did our duty and what was required from us on a daily basis. SEMPER FI!
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SSG John Bacon
I completely agree Sgt Jay Jones , I served in Iraq for 3 Tours and 1 in Saudi Arabia and never fired a shot, I was on the receiving end of many rocket and mortar attacks. Although nothing "close enough" to receive a CAB. Does this mean that I am not a combat veteran. I served 4 tours in in combat zones where my life was placed in jeopardy to complete my mission, had the luck of the draw been against me I would have laid down my life in the service of my country. I sure enough broke my body during those combat tours.
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If she served in a combat area, she is a combat veteran. This is really a moot subject. Of course she is. Good for her and I'm glad she made it back.
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SGT (Join to see)
This kind of falls in line with when Vietnam vets tried to join the DAV, American Legion, and the VFW, we were not accepted because the "real vets" fought in WWII and Korea, and RVN vets weren't really in a war. BTW, Korean vets were barley accepted as being in a war. And that's the fact Jack.
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SSG (Join to see)
Well, according to the VFW Charter, even service in the Korean DMZ qualifies for membership. Sometimes I have issues with going to those places and see more social members accepted than actual vets. I have a friend, who was my NCO who did 3 years in Korea, DMZ, and was not accepted. He still put on the uniform and risked his neck.
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SGT (Join to see)
I just don't understand something like that. One time at the VA an elderly man and woman came in the clinic. The woman was pushing the gentleman in a wheelchair. The gentleman had a Korean cap on. They sat next to me. We started talking, and his wife said he fought in Korea and Vietnam and had a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts. I told them they could a motorized chair from the VA for free. She told they tried that but were told.. Get this, but he didn't qualify. I couldn't believe what I heard. If anyone qualified, you would think he would be a shoe in.
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