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…
