Joni Ernst is documented liar.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/susan-milligan/2014/05/13/jodi-ernsts-stunning-iraq-wmd-claim

Truth, it is said, is the first casualty of war. And facts, in turn, are often the first casualty of campaigns.

Joni Ernst, an Iowa state senator running for the GOP nomination for U.S. senator, delivered a remarkable line in an interview with the Des Moines Register. Said Ernst: “I do have reason to believe there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.”

[Journeyman]

1. Of course she has reason to believe. Someone told her a lie and she believes it . . .

Can there be a stronger endorsement for someone as the peoples' representative than that they are an easily bamboozled simpleton?

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

4. Se is also NOT a combat veteran, as she claims

http://www.iowastatedaily.com/dct/article_75aea20c-54b1-11e4-b812-cf4aa783e9fb.html

Joni Ernst claims to be a “Combat Veteran." That claim implies that her mission was to actively engage the enemy in combat. However, Mrs. Ernst is not a member of any “combat arms” unit. Infantry, artillery and armor are combat arms units. Mrs. Ernst was the Commanding Officer of Transportation Company. This company was responsible for the delivery of water, fuel and other supplies to units in secure areas. Joni Ernst did not lead her troops into combat, as one of her ads claims. Mrs. Ernst’s troops were not combat personnel, and their mission was not combat. Essentially, Mrs. Ernst was in charge of a group of truck drivers. I am sure that the mission of supply delivery had many potential hazards, but driving trucks from one secure area to another secure area is not combat, even if personnel were armed with M16s.

[Scuba]

5. "Now I'm running against a woman who, my God, that's all she talks about...."

"Now I'm running against a woman who, my God, that's all she talks about. Our true heroes, it's the last thing in the world they talk about."

-- Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL), speaking at a town hall meeting, criticizing opponent Tammy Duckworth (D) for talking about the military service that left her a double-amputee.

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2012/07/03/bonus_quote_of_the_day.html

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

7. And people who say they support the military voted FOR that asshole. Amazing

Up is down...

The rightwinger of America has been so wrong, so deadly and terrible wrong about everything for so long that they now must take positions that are outright ludicrous, because the alternative is to admit they are wrong.

Something they simply cant do

[GGJohn]

21. If I remember correctly,

you never served in the military, so, are you willing to admit that you are wrong about Joni being a combat vet?
I spent over 40 years in the Army, I know what the definition of combat vet is and Joni qualifies as a combat vet.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

22. What in the HELL are you talking about, where did I say anything about being or not being

in the military

[GGJohn]

36. I may have you mixed up with someone else, if so

I apologize.
Did you ever serve?

[Calista241]

9. Joni Ernst served in the Iraqi theater while combat operations were ongoing.

According to the VA and the DoD, that makes her a combat veteran. Period. She doesn't need to shoot at people or be shot at to qualify as a combat veteran.

However, i am sure we could arrange for future logistics units to start shooting at people just to make sure they qualify for combat veteran benefits when they get home. Would that make some of you feel better assigning combat veteran status to soldiers in a war theater?

There are a zillion other things Joni Ernst is a complete idiot on. You'll just offend a large majority of Democrats and a significant majority of independents pursuing this line of attack.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

10. Bullshit, she is being sold and merchandised as a combat veteran, she is not.

I am hardly the first one to point this out, nor will I be the last as she attempts to lie her way through our government

[Calista241]

11. Tammy Duckworth flew transport helicopters in Iraq.

Joni Ernst drove trucks to transport supplies in Iraq. They both served in their state's National Guard. They did essentially the same job. Should Ernst be punished because she wasn't wounded?

Your line of criticism is ridiculous, and you're likely to alienate more people than convince you're right.

Joni Ernst is going to say a bunch of stupid shit tonight. Find something worthwhile to criticize her on.

[JosephDWhite]

16. Commanders Do Not Do Grunt Work

That is the job of the enlisted. Joni was a high ranking officer that most likely served in the green zone, not any combat zones, so she is not a combat veteran.

[Calista241]

24. You can think what you want

The fact is her National Guard unit was activated by the President and deployed overseas to a region where combat operations were ongoing. End of discussion.

She meets all the legal requirements to qualify for Veteran benefits. The VA and the military both think she's a combat vet.

Now if you want to say she never shot anyone or if stubbing her toe getting into a cab is her worst experience in the military, then feel free.

[JosephDWhite]

25. Who said....

That she was an active commander that was deployed in any combat region?

Why was she not awarded a CIB for her service in a combat region?

Or in fact, ANY combat badge?

Methinks there is tom foolery here.

I have already posted requirements from the VA for combat eligibility status.

[pinboy3niner]

27. She served in a designated hostile fire/imminent danger pay area as defined in your own link...

...as pointed out earlier in Reply #20.

As to why she doesn't awarded the CIB, she is not eligible because she is not in the Infantry. The CIB is awarded only to a soldier who serves in combat in an Infantry MOS. A soldier can be awarded the Purple Heart for combat wounds and still not be eligible for the CIB.

[GGJohn]

37. I was a helicopter pilot in the Army,

served 2 tours in Vietnam, flew several combat missions, served in Desert Storm, flew several combat missions, served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I didn't qualify for the CIB, those are awarded only to Infantry units, that's why you don't see Joni with one, but she still served in a designated combat zone, received combat pay, that makes her a combat vet.

[yeoman6987]

12. She is 100 percent a combat veteran!!!!!!

Period!!!!

How many transportation vehicles were fired on in Iraq and Afghanistan? Tons! Did she carry a weapon? Yes. Did she go through training for war? Yes!

[JosephDWhite]

30. Every soldier

Is an 11B and has been trained as one. I was a 92A (logistics specialist) and I was trained for war. It does not make me a combat veteran.

[GGJohn]

38. Did you ever serve in a designated combat zone?

She did, that makes her a combat veteran.

[GGJohn]

19. Bullshit, anyone who serves in a combat theater, whether as an REMF

or frontline combatant, is considered, by the military, a combat vet and are afforded all the benefits of being a combat vet.

In Vietnam, all REMF's were also awarded the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal, regardless if they saw any actual combat action.

[yeoman6987]

26. She is 100 percent a combat veteran!

Nothing can be said to change that.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

29. weird how you Ernst folk only argue with me about this, when there are other threads and people

saying this

weird

[yeoman6987]

32. We like you more!

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

33. Somehow I think there is more to it than that

[yeoman6987]

34. Maybe from others but not me!

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

35. In reality it doesnt really matter what she says and what is or is not technically true

since my concern is she would use her status to gain acceptance and credibility.

And given that righty went out of their way to vote FOR a draft dodging, combat running away from chickenshit chickenhawk like George W Bush and AGAINST an actual war HERO John Kerry

I guess it dont matter

[JosephDWhite]

14. Joni Ernst was a commander of a battalion, most likely served in the Green Zone

Here is the definition of a combat veteran:

http://www.co.st-lawrence.ny.us/data/files/Departments/Veterans/Combat%20Veteran%20List%20of%20Locations%20and%20Time%20Periods.pdf

To be ellibible for any combat veteran benefits, the soldier most likely would have had to serve in a combat zone. Commanders most likely never enter combat zones, they work in green zones, such as FOBs.

Joni Ernst does not have any combat medals to acquire, so the determination that her claim that she was a combat veteran is a bold face lie.

[Cha]

15. Thank you for that, JDW.

[GGJohn]

17. Ummm, wrong.

Iraq was considered a combat zone, the Green Zone was in Iraq, ergo, she can truthfully claim she's a combat veteran.
She may be a teabaggin POS, but she is a combat vet.

[JosephDWhite]

23. Wrong

Green zones are not considered to be combat related zones

The most prevalent of Green zones was the International Zone of Baghdad

Try again

[GGJohn]

39. Dude, I served in Iraq also,

the Green Zone was in a designated combat zone, but that's irrelevant, she was in Kuwait running transport trucks into Iraq, which is a combat zone, she received combat pay, that makes her a combat vet.

[pinboy3niner]

20. She served as a company-grade officer in OIF

She commanded a Transportation Company during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Based in Kuwait, her company ran convoys into Iraq.

The table at your link shows Kuwait as a designated hostile fire zone at that time.

[JosephDWhite]

31. Yes:

You said it:

"Based in Kuwait, her company ran convoys into Iraq. "

That does not necessarily mean she drove the convoys herself in Kuwait. As I have said before, most higher ranking officers stay back in the green zones.

My previous statements still stand.

[GGJohn]

40. Your previous statement is wrong.

You have no idea if she drove or didn't, but that doesn't change the fact that she is recognized by the DoD and the Army as a combat veteran.

[Mariana]

2. Well, she heard it on Fox News.

Isn't that a good enough reason to believe it?

These people are hilarious. The mighty Shrub himself has said there weren't any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. I guess she thinks he was lying when he said that.

[Fred Sanders]

3. Basic British journalism: "Can you please provide these reasons and the evidence they are based on?"

[spanone]

6. she's the PERFECT republican to give this rebuttal.

she's opposes ALL THINGS OBAMA. she's marsha blackburn on steroids.

just when america wants this fucking congress to do SOMETHING, she's against EVERYTHING.

perfect.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

8. Excellent point

[madville]

13. Nice try OP

I can recognize a trap, what politician is NOT a documented liar? maybe a few, like less than 5.

She is a combat veteran by the way, she's wrong on just about everything else though.

[1bigdude]

18. Is there a US politician @ national level who is NOT a liar?! Par for the course. NT

[B Calm]

28. Maybe so, but how many of them wear bread bags for shoes?