Give Me A Break, Mr. Blumenthal

By Gregory D. Lee

Richard Blumenthal, the Connecticut Attorney General and Democratic candidate to take Chris Dodd’s upcoming vacant senate seat, held a news conference to explain his “misstatements” about his combat service during the Vietnam War. He was caught on video giving a speech at a veteran’s rally where he put his hand to his heart and said, “We have learned something very important since the days I served in Vietnam.” The problem is he never served in Vietnam. In fact, he received five draft deferments and finally enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve to avoid being drafted into the army.
Apparently, in at least eight home town newspaper articles he also claimed serving in Vietnam and never made an effort to correct the record. On one occasion he claimed to be spat on when he returned home from Vietnam. That’s outrageous.
In a news conference on May 18th, surrounded by local members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, he said that he had “misspoke,” and took responsibility for those misstatements, but refused to apologize to veterans who did serve in combat. That’s fine, but it wasn’t until the New York Times published an article about Mr. Blumenthal’s false claims that he came clean. He would have continued the deception if he had not been finally caught.
In 1972, as the 19-year old son of a barber attending East Los Angeles Community College, I came home from school and my dad broke the news to me that my birthday was picked as number one in what turned out to be the country’s last draft lottery. Unlike Mr. Blumenthal as a young man, I did not work at the Nixon White House to help with college deferments. In fact, I never sought one. Within months I enlisted in the army and was on a bus to Fort Ord, California for basic combat training. Enlisting in the army was a life changing event for me. After my initial three-year enlistment, I became an officer and completed eight years of active duty. For almost 38-years in the army reserve, I have been activated to serve at the Pentagon soon after 9/11, and other domestic assignments over the years.
In the 1960s and 1970s, draft boards heard every conceivable excuse to not be inducted. Most were legitimate but some were fantasies. Mr. Blumenthal said at his news conference he didn’t know when he received his deferments, implying it didn’t matter to him. I’m here to tell you that those who chose the deferment route, e.g. John Kerry, Bill Clinton, et al, knew exactly what their deferment status was so they could immediately file another one when the first one expired. Knowing your status was more important than your grades, girlfriends, car you drove or anything else in the life of a young man facing certain combat duty in Vietnam.
For people like me and Mr. Blumenthal who served during the Vietnam War, but were not deployed to the combat theater, we are known as “Vietnam Era” veterans. That’s a big difference from being a “Vietnam Veteran.” Because Mr. Blumenthal and I lack a foreign combat theater deployment, we are not eligible for VFW membership; however he can join the American Legion like I did. I’m certain Mr. Blumenthal knew the requirements of the VFW, and that it requires proof of combat service. Applying would have revealed his deception.
Mr. Blumenthal is a starch advocate for veterans, and has made many speeches in their support. That’s commendable, but when he embellishes his service record, it raises questions about everything he has said and done. There are few things in American culture that are worse than claiming honorary combat service when in reality the person did everything he could to avoid it.
His Republican opponent for the senate seat is Rob Simmons, who happens to be a decorated 19-month Vietnam combat tour veteran. Mr. Blumenthal thought he could take that advantage away from him by also claiming Vietnam combat service.
Shame on you, Mr. Blumenthal. You owe Mr. Simmons and other Vietnam combat veterans an apology. The people of Connecticut deserve better than you.
Gregory D. Lee is an army reserve Chief Warrant Officer Five, the highest rank a Warrant Officer can achieve. His comments are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense. He can be reached through his website: www.gregorydlee.com.