Maryland Governor Wes Moore falsely claimed to have received a Bronze Star medal early in his political career, according to a report.
The specter of stolen honor has been hovering over the Democratic governor's head ever since two television interviewers introduced the politician as a Bronze Star Medal recipient during the 2022 gubernatorial race.
Moore did not correct either interviewer's statements, but his staff are adamant that he never claimed to have received payment.
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Maryland Governor Wes Moore speaks at a Gun Violence Awareness Day event at the Kentland Community Center in Landover, Maryland. (Andrew Harnick/Getty Images)
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by The New York Times revealed that Moore had in fact claimed to have received a Bronze Star medal when applying for a White House fellowship in January 2006.
“For my actions, the 82nd Airborne Division awarded me the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Achievement Medal,” Moore wrote.
Moore later received the Combat Action Badge in May of that year, but was not a recipient at the time he wrote his application, and was not awarded the Bronze Star.
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In a conversation with The New York Times, Moore spoke about his false application, saying it was an “honest mistake” because his superiors had told him to include his award certificate on his application.
Current Lt. Gen. Michael Fenzel, while serving as a lieutenant colonel in Afghanistan, instructed Moore to include the award on his fellowship application.
Fenzel believed Moore had earned the Bronze Star and had begun the recognition process with the expectation that it would be awarded before the fellowship began.
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The Bronze Star is a prestigious military decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for “heroic or meritorious achievement or service.” (Ben McCanna/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)
But the Bronze Star never materialized.
“It was a mistake, honestly, to put something in because my superior thought it was a good idea,” Moore said, “because he thought I deserved it and he had already gone through the paperwork.”
Fensel, a close friend of Moore's, told The New York Times that he only found out this week that Moore had not received his medal and that he intends to reinitiate the process to award Moore the Bronze Star.
“I take full responsibility,” Moore said. He spoke to Fox 5 DC on Friday. “That was my application.”
