Maryland Gov Wes Moore says it was 'honest mistake' when he said he received Bronze Star but he hadn't

Following reports that he had falsely claimed to have been awarded a Bronze Star for his Army service in Afghanistan, Maryland Governor Wes Moore has said that the claim, made on an application form, was an "honest mistake."

"I’ve been open and honest about my military service for my entire career, and I am deeply proud of it,” Moore said in the statement, according to the Baltimore Sun. “But it seems I must, once again, set the record straight, as people hunt for new ways to undermine my service to our country in uniform."

"I sincerely wish I had gone back to correct the note on my application. It was an honest mistake, and I regret not making that correction. But do not think for a moment that this attack on my record holds any bearing on how I feel about my service, my soldiers, or our country," he added.

A report from the New York Times on Thursday revealed that the claim that he was a recipient of the medal was made in an application for a White House fellowship in 2006, when Moore was 27 years old. The application was obtained by the outlet through a Freedom of Information Act request.

He wrote in the application that for his work as Director of Information Operations, "the 82nd Airborne Division have awarded me the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Action Badge."

When he submitted the application in January of 2006, he had not been awarded either of these. He received the Combat Action Badge in May 2006, but an Army spokeswoman said that Moore never received a Bronze Star.

Moore had also been wrongly referred to as a recipient of the medal by two television interviewers, Gwen Ifill and Stephen Colbert, years before he ran for governor. Moore told the outlet that he regretted not correcting the interviewers, and that he had included the commendations on the application at the advice of a superior officer and mentor who helped with the application.

The officer, Michael Fenzel, is now a lieutenant general serving as the US security coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Speaking with the outlet, he said that Moore had first objected to mentioning the Bronze Star in his application. Fenzel said that he told Moore that he and others had approved the medal and the paperwork was being processed, and he should include the award because it would be processed by the time his fellowship began.

Fenzel recalled telling Moore, "You’ve got to include it. If you are selected as a White House fellow, you’re going to be wearing it whenever you’re wearing your uniform." Moore was announced as a new fellow in June of that year. Fenzel said he hadn’t known that Moore didn’t receive the medal until Moore told him this week. Fenzel said he would resubmit the paperwork so Moore would be awarded the medal.

Moore’s claims about being awarded a Bronze Star have resurfaced as Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’ running mate Tim Walz has been accused of stolen valor over his references to his rank. Walz has frequently been referred to as a Command Sergeant Major, but in reality, he was reduced to Master Sergeant when he retired because he did not fulfill the obligations of the rank.

Referring to Walz, Moore said, "Over the last few weeks, our country has grown used to seeing what it looks like when a veteran’s integrity is attacked for political gain."

“But those who seek to cast doubt on our records misunderstand something fundamental about true patriots, who have put on the flag of our country and put everything on the line to be called Americans: We don’t get shaken. We put our heads down, and we do the work. And that is what I will continue to do.”