Retired General Walter Stewart has sent me the following letter about Tammi Hetherington's letter regarding Hillary Clinton's Bosnian visit. I published Tammi's letter Wednesday and it has received national attention. In that article I quoted General Stewart to provide context and background on the issue of valor theft. I added his letter to that article as an update but have been asked to publish it on its own for those who might miss it there.
Dear Mr. Morgan,
Thank you for providing a forum that is generating such meaningful
discussion on the topic of Senator Clinton’s “valor
theft.” I am particularly
impressed with the letter sent to you by Bosnia veteran, Tammi K.
Hetherington, a former specialist with the 22nd Signal Brigade, 1st
Armored Division, United States Army. I commend Tammi for her service to the
nation – service that continues in her courageous willingness to speak
truth to power. I commanded
thousands of fine soldiers during my almost four decades of active and reserve
service, and I would have been honored to have had Tammi among them.
Before I go on, I want to correct misreporting about my service as a
Guardsman and as an Army major general in Europe. I was never “leader” or “commander”
of the Pennsylvania National Guard because that authority belongs to the Adjutant
General. I did hold the same military
rank as an adjutant general – major general – but did so as
commander, 28th Infantry Division, and as the deputy commander of
the State Area Readiness Command (figure that one out). In Europe, my service was at Headquarters, United States European Command
(HQUSEUCOM), not at the Army command (USAREUR). EUCOM is the superior headquarters and USAREUR
reported to us.
I know this minutia seems irrelevant, but in the military accurate representation
of titles and performance are at the core of ethics. This is why fabrication of service or battle
credentials – what we call “valor theft” - is so offensive to
service members and veterans (or should be). Be you soldier or civilian, if you
didn’t “earn it” in service to your country, for shame that
you might be wearing it or talking about it - and it is equally shameful for
those who have served with honor to defend the dishonor of others. Valor theft degrades every service
member and veteran, and, as a point of honor, I call on the former admirals,
generals, and service veterans who are publicly in support of Senator Clinton
to renounce that support. Continue
it, and her dishonor is your dishonor.
I proudly acknowledge that I changed voter registration so I could vote
for Senator Obama in Pennsylvania’s
presidential primary. With 4000
dead in the supra-strategic national tragedy that is Iraq I could not but do otherwise. As a leader of soldiers I had one rule
for advocating others to higher rank: would I want that person commanding my
children in combat. For me, Senator
Obama - a rational thinker not dumbed-down by “years in Washington” - is the person for elevation
to commander-in-chief. And as to
Senator Clinton, were she a sergeant seeking promotion, her known fabrication
of battle facts would disqualify her. I have been under fire many times, so much so that the incidents run
together, but you can bet I remember the first time.
And let me put to rest the security situation at the Tuzla Airport
during the March 1996 FLOTUS (first lady of the United States) visit. In the video clip, as she bends to
caress the small girl, movement among those behind her reveals a stocky officer
wearing four stars on a fatigue cap. I am certain that officer is Admiral “Snuffy” Smith, the
senior commander of forces in the Bosnia operation. But Admiral Smith or no, top ranking officers
in a war zone don’t wear soft caps unless the security situation warrants
it.
Senator Clinton’s recollection of being under fire at Tuzla is an unarguable
fabrication – a reprehensible act of valor theft, no ifs, ands, or buts.
Sincerely,
Major General (Retired) Walter L. Stewart, Jr.
Former commander, 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania Army
National Guard
Former Director for Reserve Affairs (ECRA), HQUSEUCOM, Stuttgart, Germany
Ps. Tammi, this one is for you, and for all those who served with you.