Neglected Valor

Many people may be familiar with the term “Stolen Valor” and the book by the same name by B.G. Burkett.  It labels the act of claiming military awards, badges, or service that the person did not earn.  There has been a rash of these incidents over the past 3-4 decades.

I have identified an entirely different phenomenon in veterans’ cemeteries across the state (and probably the country).  In these cemeteries, deceased veterans suffer from “neglected valor”.

Neglected valor is when a veteran’s EARNED valor is lost through the neglect of those responsible for ordering each veteran’s headstone.

In some cases, neither the family nor the government official is aware of a veteran’s awards and decorations at the time of the veteran’s death.  But it is not difficult to learn this information.

A veteran’s military information is available from the National Personnel Records Center.  You fill out an SF Form 180 and mail it to St Louis.  When the request is made in support of a burial, the NPRC actually has a “fast lane” for the requests, which can be made by phone.

Contrary with the availability, speed and thoroughness of the NPRC; I found many veterans have been buried without even the most basic military information: their rank.

Worse, the valorous medals are also left off their headstones, apparently because it is just too much work to pick up the phone and ask NPRC for a list of awards (and rank).

Acting on a headstone in a state of Wisconsin veterans cemetery, which had no rank; I sent a request to NPRC for the veteran’s final rank and a list of his awards. Today, I received a response from NPRC.

This is what they found in his records (free of charge):

Sergeant
Senior Scout Observer
Company F, 50th Infantry (LRP)
Company F, 75th Infantry (Rangers)
US Army
VIETNAM

Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart w/ OLC

Combat Infantry Badge
Expert Badge w/ Machine Gun Bar
Sharpshooter Badge w/ Rifle Bar
Marksman Badge w/ Autorifle Bar
Valorous Unit Award
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry w/ Palm

He served in a Long Range Patrol unit for his entire 12 month tour in Vietnam.  You had to volunteer for this extraordinarily dangerous duty and earn your spot in the company.

 

The only inscription on his headstone memorializing his service to his country and his valor in combat is:

US ARMY
VIETNAM

 

Who is the veteran?  I’m withholding his name for now.  If I publicize it now, the state of Wisconsin will fix the headstone and claim that they discovered the ommissions “years ago” and were simply taking their time in correcting/replacing the headstone.

I will ensure his valor is restored on his headstone.