'Hero hoax' has local veterans fuming

News that a Quantico-based Marine may have faked war injuries for personal gain had some area veterans talking Monday.

“It is highly unusual for a military veteran to misrepresent their service record. If this story is true, this Marine has disrespected the Corps and all veterans, especially those that have been injured in the line of duty, betrayed the trust of the Corps and community and disgraced himself,” said Navy veteran Kara Byrd, who is past commander of American Legion Post 364 in Woodbridge.

“This is not a reflection on the Marine Corps and I trust the Marine Corps leadership to properly handle the situation.”

According to the Associated Press, Sgt. David W. Budwah, 34, of Springhill, La., claimed that he was on his second tour of duty in Afghanistan when a homemade grenade exploded, wounding his face and arm when he dove to shield a buddy from the blast.

But the Marines say Budwah lied. The 34-year-old faces a court martial alleging he was never in Afghanistan, was not wounded and did not earn the combat medals he wore, according to the AP.

Prosecutors say Budwah wore unauthorized medals and accepted invitations to rock concerts, major league baseball games, banquets and other events meant to fete wounded warriors.

According to the AP, Budwah declined to enter a plea at his Aug. 5 arraignment and denied wrongdoing in a brief telephone interview in April.

“The allegation is not even true,” he said, declining to comment further.

Defense attorney Marine Capt. Kelly Repair and prosecutor Marine Capt. Thomas Liu also have declined to comment.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Commander-in-Chief Thomas J. Tradewell was in Dale City Monday, visiting VFW Post 1503 during a three-day swing through the commonwealth.

“The VFW was one of the organizations that pushed the hardest to get the Senate bill passed to make it a felony to claim anything like this person,” he said. “I don’t know what he said he earned, but if he said he earned anything Purple Heart or higher, it would be a felony for him to say that in public and not have earned that.”

Tradewell said the VFW itself investigates members to ensure that what they claim about their war record is true.

“We put it on our own plate that we go in and investigate each person and make sure that what they say is true,” he said.

Budwah also is accused of faking post-traumatic stress disorder in hopes of leaving service early and was sent to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, where he bluffed his way into 33 events from late July through November 2008, according to charges obtained by the AP through an appeal of its Freedom of

Information Act request. Budwah is charged with making false official statements, malingering, misconduct and larceny.

Budwah joined the Marines in October 1999 and spent nearly all of the next six years with a radio communications unit in Okinawa, Japan, according to the Quantico Marine Corps base, where Budwah has been stationed since February 2006.

Budwah faces up to 31½ years in prison and a dishonorable discharge if convicted on all eight counts at a trial set for Oct. 20.

Military editor Julia LeDoux can be reached at 703-369-5718. The Associated Press contributed to this report.