Posted on Jun 16, 2015
What's the opposite of Stolen Valor? Vietnam War Vet's Service Significant Despite Medal Confusion
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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
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
Posted in these groups: 
Honor
Vietnam War
Honor Vietnam War
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
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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.
The man served his country honorably in Vietnam in spite of this confusion. He will and should be buried with full military honors.
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SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S.
Mine says "Bronze Service Stars" .. but that's a DoA 215. My 214 has no mention of stars at all.
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SFC William Farrell
Actually I'm not sure what the DD215 says, Ill have to take a look at that. Will let you know later.
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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.
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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.
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