Maryland Governor Wes Moore has admitted to a lapse in judgement, acknowledging that he incorrectly stated he had received a Bronze Star for his military service in Afghanistan on a White House fellowship application 18 years ago.
This revelation came to light after the New York Times reported on the matter, having obtained a copy of the application through a Freedom of Information Act request.
According to the Daily Mail, Moore, who was 27 at the time of the application in 2006, was encouraged to apply for the fellowship by his deputy brigade commander while serving overseas in the Army. Moore quoted his commander as having recommended him for the Bronze Star and advised him to include the award on his application "after confirming with two other senior-level officers that they had also signed off on the commendation."
However, Moore's anticipation turned to disappointment when he discovered towards the end of his deployment that he had not received the Bronze Star. On returning home, Moore stated his focus shifted to aiding his fellow veterans, a mission he continues to champion as governor.
"Still, I sincerely wish I had gone back to correct the note on my application," Moore, a Democrat, expressed regretfully. "It was an honest mistake, and I regret not making that correction."
The Bronze Star is a prestigious award given to service members for meritorious service in combat zones. Moore, a rising star in the Democratic party, had only been recommended for the medal, contrary to what was stated in his application.
In his statement, Moore highlighted that he was listed as a top 1% officer in Operation Enduring Freedom in his officer evaluation report. He further explained, "My deputy brigade commander felt comfortable with instructing me to include the award on my application for the Fellowship because he received confirmation with the approval authority that the Bronze Star was signed and approved by his senior leadership."
Moore emphasized that in the military, there is an unwritten rule that if a senior officer confirms an action, it is taken as fact. This was his rationale for including the award in his application.
This disclosure follows Moore's recent appearance at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The award had been mentioned in media interviews during Moore's 2022 gubernatorial campaign, but he never clarified that he had not received the commendation. In a recent interview with the New York Times, Moore expressed regret for not correcting interviewers who had described him as a recipient of the award.
The New York Times also interviewed the officer who Moore claimed had recommended he include the award in his application. Lieutenant General Michael Fenzel, currently serving as the United States security coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, confirmed that Moore had initially objected to the idea of mentioning the Bronze Star. Fenzel stated that he had assured Moore that the medal had been approved and it was appropriate to include it in his application, expecting it to be processed by the time his fellowship began.
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