Derek Tran for Congress

This is the mighty warrior...

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California Democrat Derek Tran is running for Congress as a “decorated
Veteran” and proudly says that he enlisted at age 18 “to fight in Iraq,
serving the country that had given him and his family so much." The son
of Vietnamese refugees, Tran enlisted in the Army Reserve and says that
"in 2003 [he] was called to active duty for the Iraqi conflict" and that
he "served during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2003." The tagline for
his logo reads, "Veteran for Congress," and in interviews and campaign
materials Tran references his military service, saying his time in the
Army taught him to be "mission-focused" and to work together to get a
job done, regardless of one's political affiliation.

However, a RedState investigation into Tran's military service reveals
that the candidate's claims are about as truthful as those made by
Democrat Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz.

Whether in his own campaign materials or those put out by PACs or groups
who've endorsed Tran, his status as a Iraq veteran is front-and-center.
This ad from House Majority PAC running on YouTube shows paratroopers
jumping out of an airplane as the narrator repeats Tran's talking points
about bipartisanship and his Army service and saying, "That's the kind
of leader Derek Tran is."

Leader? That's a strong implication that Tran was in some kind of
leadership position in the Army reserves.

In a press release on Tran's campaign site announcing an endorsement,
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) is quoted as saying:

"The son of Vietnamese refugees, Derek Tran bravely served our country
during Operation Enduring Freedom."

And Justice HQ, a group endorsing Tran, wrote:

"Derek is a decorated Veteran and served during the 2003 Iraqi Conflict."

Where did they get that information? Obviously, from Tran, starting from
the moment he announced his candidacy on October 2, 2023. Here's the
headline from the Daily Pilot/LA Times:

As of September 28, 2023, just a few days before his candidacy was
announced, his law firm bio said:

"After his military service during the Iraq War in 2003, Derek Tran
began his expansive career with serving the people."

A short time later Tran sold his firm to Feher Law, and his current
biography there says:

"Derek is a decorated Veteran and served during Operation Enduring
Freedom in 2003."

An introductory video his campaign put out in December 2023 leads off
with Tran's military credentials:

While Tran has cleaned up the English and Spanish versions of the
"about" section on his campaign site, the Vietnamese-language version
currently says:

"At 18, Derek enlisted in the Army to fight in Iraq, serving the country
that had given him and his family so much."

In a February 2024 interview Tran pointed to his "military background"
and mission focus as qualifications for office:

“I think that this country is so divided, right now. Nothing’s really
getting done. And given my military background, being a soldier, I know
what it’s like to be mission focused and in accomplishing a task.”

On the Ed Branding Podcast in March 2024, Tran claimed that he "was
called to active duty for the Iraqi conflict" but later adds that he was
"fortunate... I was stationed stateside" and mentions his "almost half a
year" at Fort Stewart.

Many of his Instagram posts contain the phrase, "As an Army veteran..."
which he is, but he's using the phrase as a way to claim authority on
certain topics, like guns.

It wouldn't be surprising if voters believe that Tran served overseas,
deployed to a combat zone, and received many medals as a result of that
service. According to Army records obtained by RedState as the result of
a Freedom of Information Act request, though, Tran's service was
entirely stateside, he was not part of Operation Enduring Freedom or
Operation Iraqi Freedom, but instead was part of Operation Noble Eagle
as a "Culinary Specialist."

As shown above, Tran's unit, the 401st Chemical Company, was
"mobiliz[ed] for NOBLE EAGLE" and list his PMOS (Primary Military
Occupational Specialty) as 92G, or a Culinary Specialist.

He was a fucking private.

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"As a Culinary Specialist, you’ll cook meals and work alongside chefs to
prepare meals comparable to any major restaurant, so that Soldiers can
sit down and enjoy a hot meal in between training or mission
deployments. You’ll be responsible for preparing and servicing meals
both in the field and at home stations, as well as ordering, inspecting
food supplies, and keeping the kitchen safe and sanitary."

Tran's unit was to be at Fort Stewart, Georgia starting on 25 March 2003
for up to 365 days. They were "released from active military service 12
July 2003 and reverted to reserve status," according to an official Army
site detailing the history of the unit.

According to the military records RedState reviewed, the two medals Tran
received are the Army Achievement Medal and the Army Commendation Medal.
The Army Achievement Medal was issued in June, 2001 for Tran's
"Outstanding professional ability and energetic approach while
participating in the Memorial Day Parade held in Dorchester, MA. His
outstanding qualities of leadership and devotion to duty reflect great
credit upon himself, the unit, and the United States Army Reserve."

Yes, he was given a medal for marching in a parade in Dorchester, MA.

The Army Commendation Medal was given in January 2004 for "Meritorious
service from 17 November 1999 to 7 July 2003. Specialist Tran
distinguished himself on numerous occasions in support of 401st Chemical
Company as First Cook. His dedication to duty and commitment to mission
accomplishment reflects great credit upon himself, his unit and the USAR."

It's commendable that Tran apparently worked very hard at his job in the
Army, even though that job was a junior enlisted soldier serving as a
cook. Any job worth doing is worth doing well. But to portray that
service as being part of the Iraq war or Operation Enduring Freedom and
to portray himself as a "decorated Veteran" is an insult. Many of his
claims are carefully phrased to be technically correct, but when he says
he was "called to active duty for the Iraqi conflict" when he wasn't
even mobilized in a support role for Operation Iraqi Freedom it seems
that he's engaging in stolen valor.

Derek Tran Military Records by Jennifer Van Laar on Scribd

Tran has embellished more than just his military record. As the New York
Post recently revealed, though he claims to be fluent in Vietnamese he
repeatedly needed the assistance of a translator when giving an
interview to a Vietnamese-language outlet.

RedState contacted Tran's campaign asking for confirmation of these
records and whether they had any additional information or would provide
a DD-214. We did not hear back as of press time.

https://redstate.com/jenvanlaar/2024/09/26/records-show-ca-dem-running-as-decorated-iraq-veteran-never-deployed-overseas-served-as-cook-n2179828