Prosecutor: Sailor ‘conned the Navy’

[unhappycamper]

Corpsman on trial
E-5 allegedly wore unauthorized ribbons and medals


Prosecutor: Sailor ‘conned the Navy’
By Andrew Scutro - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Jan 22, 2008 22:17:21 EST

NORFOLK, Va. — Court-martial proceedings against a hospital corpsman charged with forging documents to award himself a Bronze Star with “V” and other valor awards got underway Tuesday, in what Navy prosecutors are calling a case of “stolen valor.”

Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (FMF) Dontae Lee Tazewell, 28, faces seven specifications of forgery and 11 specifications of wearing unauthorized ribbons and medals. Besides the Bronze Star, the unearned awards include a Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Unit Commendation Medal and various other medals, according to the charging documents. Tazewell allegedly told people he risked his life to save Marines in combat in Iraq five years ago, and managed to get himself promoted to E-5 based on the phony citations, prosecutors said.

According to his official Navy biography, Tazewell, who joined the Navy in June 1998, rates only a Good Conduct Medal.

He did not speak during the daylong proceeding, but several of his direct superiors and fellow sailors did.

Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman (FMF/SW) Michael Dean Smith supervised Tazewell during the deployment of Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 to Kuwait in early 2003. Corpsmen from the unit manned flightline aid stations at three airfields in Kuwait and sometimes rolled with supply convoys. But Smith said none of his sailors, including Tazewell, rated any of the decorations Tazewell allegedly gave himself.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/01/navy_tazewell_080122/