Amid the ongoing political dispute between Democrats and Republicans over military achievements, it has been reported that Wikipedia has deleted several of JD Vance’s military decorations from his page. Vance, a U.S. Senator from Ohio, received various honors during his combat correspondent deployment to Iraq.
In 2005, Vance served as a military journalist in Iraq for about six months. However, he was not involved in combat during this time. He left the Marine Corps in 2007 with the rank of corporal to attend Ohio State University. In his 2016 memoir, Vance stated, “I was fortunate to avoid any real fighting.”
Although there is no evidence that Vance committed any wrongdoing, there are concerns about how he has described his service, particularly his claim of carrying a gun “in war,” despite not participating in actual combat.
The Harris-Walz campaign has defended Vance, stating that Walz fired and trained others in the use of weapons during his 24 years of service. They expressed gratitude for Vance’s service and emphasized that they would never discredit anyone’s dedication to the nation.
In a statement to reporters in Detroit, Michigan, Harris praised anyone who has served the United States.
What Changes Were Made to JD Vance’s Wikipedia Page?
Several users on X (formerly Twitter) have shared screenshots showing the previous mentions of Vance’s decorations and the recent changes to his Wikipedia page.
One X user wrote, “Wikipedia removes JD Vance’s medals from his page. They literally stole his valor.”
Another user commented, “Disgraceful,” while a third said, “That’s crazy.”
One user pointed out, “Wikipedia doesn’t edit anything. Users do. Someone must have changed the page. Scroll down to see who made the changes.”
Another user added, “Wikipedia is such a biased source.”
According to Shore News Network, Wikipedia has removed references to three of Vance’s military awards: the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
As of July 28, Vance’s Wikipedia page listed the following military service record:
Allegiance: United States
Branch/Service: United States Marine Corps
Years of Service: 2003–2007
Rank: Corporal
Unit: 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
Battles/Wars: Iraq War
Awards:
1. Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
2. Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
3. Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
4. Iraq Campaign Medal
The record documented his four years in the Marine Corps, including a deployment to Iraq with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. These honors were typical for service members who participated in the Iraq War and related operations.
On July 30, Wikipedia updated the page, removing the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Sea Service Deployment Ribbon from the list of awards. The revised entry now only includes the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.
The edits were made by a user with the handle “Cortador,” who defended the removal by stating that reliable sources were needed to verify the medals’ existence, as the article did not provide such evidence, according to Shore News Network.
