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Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat and former US Army captain, has faced criticism for his inclusion of a Bronze Star on official documents, including his 2006 White House Fellowship application. Moore maintained that the Bronze Star was an “honest mistake” resulting from lost paperwork, while his superior, James Gottschling, contests this claim.
According to reports, Moore claimed the Bronze Star in his white house fellowship application for his military service in Afghanistan. However, a ceremony photo shows Moore receiving an Army Commendation Medal during his time in the country. Gottschling, his supervisor during the deployment, stated that this medal reflected the nature of Moore’s service, which included half a deployment at brigade headquarters, largely inside the wire, with minimal combat exposure.
Gottschling emphasized that Moore’s role offered limited opportunities for achieving a Bronze Star, which typically requires exceptional performance in combat situations. Army awards require signed permanent orders, and no documentation was found to justify the claim of a Bronze Star.
Notably, Moore was aware of not receiving the Bronze Star before leaving Afghanistan but allowed the claim to stand for nearly two decades. It was only after controversy erupted that Moore received a retroactive Bronze Star in 2024 through a process initiated by his mentor, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Fenzel.
Fenzel initially stated that he saw an approved award packet for the Bronze Star but later claimed that he had verbally approved the award. This shift in explanation raises additional questions regarding the accuracy of Moore’s initial claim.
The situation highlights the issue of accountability and accuracy in awarding medals for military service. It also underscores the importance of transparency and documentation in the award process to prevent such controversies from arising.
Maryland’s State Government and political organizations have not issued a public statement regarding this controversy. As of now, Moore is not being accused of any wrongdoing, although the controversy may impact his reputation and legacy.