JD Vance’s Marine Service: Respected by Friends, Criticized by Opponents

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JD Vance’s journey from a high school senior in an Ohio steel town to a vice presidential nominee has been marked by significant transformations and controversies. Vance, who now uses his middle name instead of his surname Hamel, joined the Marines shortly after the United States invaded Iraq in 2003. He was confident that freedom and democracy would follow the invasion, a belief that was quickly shattered as the war, based on dubious intelligence about a dire threat to U.S. security, became a deadly quagmire.

 

Reflecting on his experiences in a speech at the conservative Heritage Foundation, Vance lamented how those who were “the most wrong” about Iraq “suffered no consequences.” He criticized the U.S. foreign policy establishment for not learning from what he described as “perhaps the most unforced and catastrophic error in the history of this country.” These comments are indicative of the anti-establishment views Vance has espoused before and since becoming Donald Trump’s running mate. His military service, though a brief period in his early adulthood, has become a focal point in the political discourse surrounding his candidacy.

 

 

If elected, Vance would be the first person from the generation that went to war after 9/11 to serve at such a senior level. His four years in the Marines, from ages 18 to 23, included a six-month deployment to Iraq as a public affairs specialist. This role involved writing news releases, taking photos, and interacting with journalists, but did not include combat. Vance’s shift from a moderate Republican critical of Trump to a staunch ally who echoes Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election has puzzled some who served with him.

 

Cullen Tiernan, a former Marine who served with Vance, expressed a reluctance to assess Vance’s statements about past elections, noting that “a lot of this election chatter is looking backwards.” While Tiernan identifies as left-leaning, he remains undecided about voting for his friend, saying, “I love JD, I really want to vote for him, but it’ll take me some time to get there. I want to hear what Harris has to say. I’m going to take my time and give it a lot of deep thought.”

 

 

Some Democrats have sought to minimize Vance’s military record because he did not see combat, arguing that his allegiance to Trump is an affront to the core values of honor, courage, and commitment that every U.S. Marine promises to uphold. However, Vance’s former military colleagues have defended him against such allegations. Shawn Haney, a retired Marine officer whom Vance has praised for her mentorship, stated that while she disagrees with much of his current politics, she can separate the person from the candidate and feels pride for someone she has served with, mentored, and considered a friend for almost 20 years.

 

 

Vance’s transformation from Marine to vice presidential nominee is chronicled in his 2016 best-selling memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy.” He wrote that he considered joining the Marines at the suggestion of a cousin who had served. He was interested in attending college but had a spotty high school transcript and worried about the debt and lack of structure that college life might bring. In September 2003, Vance began boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, where he was pushed to his physical and emotional limits. He lost 45 pounds and emerged with newfound confidence. After completing entry-level training, Vance visited his family and friends in Middletown, Ohio, where he saw a “world of small expectations” and “learned helplessness,” contrasting with the Marine Corps' teachings.

 

At Cherry Point, an airfield in North Carolina, Vance started his first assignment. Initially reserved, he eventually opened up to his colleagues, sharing stories about his family and his colorful grandmother, “Mamaw.” His friends recall him as a fan of authors like Ayn Rand, C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien, and enjoying activities such as visiting the beach, watching football, and playing poker.

 

Vance’s deployment to Iraq from August 2005 to February 2006 was at Al-Asad airbase. He described being “a little homesick, but mostly happy to be here and finally contribute, even if only a small part, to our country’s mission.” While overseas, Vance lived in trailer-like housing, watching DVDs and capturing stories of service members in harm’s way. Though he did not face combat, he was “affected deeply” by experiences such as giving an Iraqi boy an eraser and seeing his overjoyed reaction. This moment made Vance appreciate his own circumstances and the support of his family.

 

Rep. Seth Moulton, a former Marine infantry officer, has sharply criticized Vance’s service record, calling him “one of the biggest hypocrites in Congress.” Moulton argued that Vance’s book contradicts his candidacy and accused him of becoming a sycophant to Trump. Haney, who supervised Vance, expressed frustration at attacks on his military record, emphasizing that his politics and comments are fair game, but his honorable service during a tense and dangerous time should be respected.

 

After his enlistment ended in 2007, Vance attended Ohio State University and then Yale Law School, where he developed his views on America’s divide between liberal elites and conservative masses, explored in his book. He has maintained contact with his Marine friends, who attended his wedding and reunions. Some see his Marine Corps experience reflected in his foreign policy views, particularly his criticism of U.S. spending abroad, notably in Ukraine.

 

Vance has had a rocky start as Trump’s running mate, with his critics questioning his suitability and vetting by the Trump campaign. Vice President Harris has attacked Vance for his shift toward Trump, but Vance responded by questioning Harris’s accomplishments. Tiernan believes Vance’s Marine Corps experiences give him a unique perspective to scrutinize the nation’s leaders, saying, “He calls it like he sees it. He can question it from a place of personal experience.”

 

JD Vance’s journey from a Marine to a vice presidential nominee is marked by a complex interplay of respect from his military friends and criticism from his political opponents. His service record, though a brief chapter in his life, continues to influence the discourse around his candidacy and reflects broader themes of loyalty, transformation, and the challenges of upholding core values in a contentious political landscape.

 

Credit: Washington Post  2024-08-06

 

 

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[Tug]

I dono im un aware of Vance claiming to be on the pointy end of the spear he served honorably nothing wrong with at all.

[Srikcir]

"Vance went to Iraq as a “combat correspondent,” a job that involved writing brief articles and taking photos for internal Marine Corps publications meant to keep up morale by focusing on the successes of the war effort.

At the Al Asad air base in Iraq’s desolate western desert, he and other members of the public-affairs unit lived in spartan trailers lined up in rows. Nearby were bombed-out bunkers that had housed Iraqi jet fighters before the U.S. occupied the remote outpost. Shortly after they arrived, militants rocketed the heavily fortified base but attacks during the deployment were rare, Marines who served with Vance said."

Vance in fact stated that “I was lucky to escape any real fighting.”

Randall Rogers, former retired army officer - Quora

 

 

[JCauto]

There's lots to criticize about him, but his military service is not one of those things. I don't think I've seen anyone criticizing him for joining the military.

[ignore it]

Hmm, 

 

Back in the day, when I was in the Vietnam War, you did what you were assigned to do.

 

Very few were keen to be at the "pointy end" of the spear.

Those that were always seemed to end up get the shaft.

[spidermike007]

The fact that he served for 4 years is the only thing that I respect about the man. Regardless of how unrighteous that war was, the men and women who served had absolutely no idea what they were getting into, and had no idea that they were working for wrong headed, corrupt, lying gorillas like Cheney, Wolfowitz, Bush Jr. and Rumsfeld. All 4 should be in prison. 

[Will B Good]

Vance off to war......a journalist....who never saw combat.....very impressive.

[Will B Good]

On 8/6/2024 at 9:33 AM, JCauto said:

There's lots to criticize about him, but his military service is not one of those things. I don't think I've seen anyone criticizing him for joining the military.

He was a journalist !!!

[JCauto]

14 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

He was a journalist !!!

 

If I was in the military, I'd be looking for a non-combat role. Just common sense. 

[Will B Good]

5 minutes ago, JCauto said:

 

If I was in the military, I'd be looking for a non-combat role. Just common sense. 

 

Could not agree more....555

[Will B Good]

A soldier who served under Walz, Al Bonnifield, said: “Would the soldier look down on him because he didn’t go with us? Would the common soldier say, ‘Hey, he didn’t go with us, he’s trying to skip out on a deployment?’ He wasn’t.

 

“… He weighed that decision to run for Congress very heavy. He loved the military, he loved the guard, he loved the soldiers he worked with.”

Calling Walz “very caring” and a “very good leader”, Bonnifield said Walz helped him and other soldiers when they returned from Iraq.

 

 

I guess if Shady Vance wants to attack Walz' service he'll be all tooled up with his combat pen, ready to do so.

[shdmn]

Wierdos being stalkers.

 

 

[Will B Good]

He must be gutted.....a week ago he was thinking this would be all his......rip out all the seats.......replace them with couches....heaven.