What's the opposite of Stolen Valor? Vietnam War Vet's Service Significant Despite Medal Confusion

2015-06-16T09:48:20-04:00

The dying man was a hero, it was determined -- the recipient of four Bronze Stars, the military's fifth-highest award. That would place Wilcher in a rare pantheon of military heros. It spurred a determined effort by two people with a deep love for veterans to obtain a replacement for the seemingly long-lost medals, which the family planned to bury with Wilcher, who was 66 when he died last week, just hours after the new Bronze Star arrived.

And Jackie Wilcher was ecstatic with joy upon finally learning something about what Sgt. Wilcher did in uniform.

It was a wonderful story, but as is often the case, it was too good to be true.

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/06/15/vietnam-war-vets-service-significant-despite-medal-confusion.html

Vietnam War Vet's Service Significant Despite Medal Confusion

It is just one small word, but for the family of a St. Petersburg Vietnam veteran, it's created heartache at a difficult time. And the irony is that the word is "service" -- something about which there is no question when it comes to Charles Edward Wilcher, who enlisted in the Army in 1967 a yea...

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Jun 16 at 2015 10:18 AM

2015-06-16T10:18:54-04:00

As we move further and further from a society where so many have/had served I feel that there will be more of these simple errors made, through no fault of the families, we will have a significant number of individuals that have no idea of what a DD-214 "says" nor what the difference is between a Bronze Star and Bronze Service Star.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jun 16 at 2015 11:06 AM

2015-06-16T11:06:35-04:00

This is why attention to detail is so very important. I learned the difference between a Bronze Star and bronze service star in Boot Camp.

Response by SFC William Farrell made Jun 16 at 2015 11:38 AM

2015-06-16T11:38:28-04:00

I can see how this can happen especially to the public who oftentimes have no idea about military service. When I returned from Vietnam and was discharged, my DD214 said Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze star. Shortly thereafter, I received a DD215 with Vietnam service Medal with three bronze stars. I knew better as to what they meant but anyone who had seen my DD214 questioned it a couple of times.

The man served his country honorably in Vietnam in spite of this confusion. He will and should be buried with full military honors.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 16 at 2015 12:01 PM

2015-06-16T12:01:51-04:00

We face many of the same inaccuracies today as we have replaced trained service members with civilians at demobilization sites. Both times when I returned from Afghanistan, all of the personnel records review specialists were civilians. I overheard them giving awards on DD214s that first time Soldiers would not have and leaving off awards that more experienced Soldiers should have. It's a lack of knowledge and lack of training in a high optempo environment that would be less likely to happen if the Soldiers that are trained in that area and work it every day were working those positions.

Response by Cpl Dennis F. made Jun 16 at 2015 12:14 PM

2015-06-16T12:14:59-04:00

All this pain and confusion because of a stupid lack of READING comprehension. The first of the VA uninitiated started this dirty snowball rolling. Sad.

That said, awards for Vietnam veterans are a real mess partly due to the fact that many awards and devices did not make it into records or onto a DD214 until years after the veteran was separated. I am still confused as to mine which now includes (allegedly) multiple PUCs, a NUC and MUC as well as two Korean awards, and two (or three) Viet awards. I suppose I should attempt an update of my DD214 but at this point in my life it seems difficult and pointless.

Response by SFC Collin McMillion made Jun 21 at 2015 4:11 PM

2015-06-21T16:11:15-04:00

I think most vets don't brag about the accomplishments and further believe no one cares anyway. My father was a wounder World War 2 vet, when he died I tried everywhere just to get an honor guard or any military representation, didn't happen.

Response by CPT Jim Schwebach made Aug 31 at 2015 10:26 AM

2015-08-31T10:26:45-04:00

The service star confusion is not a new phenomenon. When I was in IOAC (back when fragmentation grenades had pebbles in them) a fellow captain's wife asked him why I had a silver star and bronze stars while he only had bronze stars. Since we both had a Silver Star and Bronze Stars there was a little confusion until we realized she was talking about the stars on our VNSM's. Sometimes you just can't see those capitals.