That Navy SEAL Chris Kyle served with distinction in combat is not in dispute. The celebrated Iraq War veteran braved enemy fire numerous times while deployed to some of that war's most intense battlegrounds. During the 2004 fight to take back the city of Fallujah, for example, he exhibited "unparalleled bravery and skill as a sniper" and "served as an example to all," according to a performance evaluation released to the website MuckRock last year.
But a new report Wednesday by the Intercept suggests that the number of valor awards Kyle claimed in his bestselling book "American Sniper" to have earned was erroneous. Kyle "embellished his military record" and was warned at least once before "American Sniper" was published that its description of his medal count was inflated, the story alleged, citing one current Navy officer who requested and received anonymity from the Intercept.
Kyle wrote that he received two Silver Stars, a prestigious decoration two levels below the Medal of Honor, and five Bronze Stars with a "V" device, signifying they were earned for valor. But records released by Navy Personnel Command in Millington, Tenn., show that Kyle received one Silver Star and three Bronze Stars with V.
It could prove difficult to determine where the discrepancy originates. Kyle and a friend, Chad Littlefield, were murdered at a Texas gun range three years ago, and the Navy has previously released a copy of Kyle's discharge paperwork -- typically known as a DD Form 2014 -- that showed he earned two Silver Stars and at least five Bronze Stars with a V. Those documents are typically prepared by a clerk in a service member's unit, and can be corrected if an error surfaces. However, those same discharge papers also are often used as a primary source to determine whether a service member has been lying about his military history -- a so-called case of "stolen valor."
A Navy spokesperson, Lt. Jackie Pau, said Wednesday that the service is working to determine the origin of the disparity.