Salon out with garbage Journalism attacking a combat Veteran because @TomCottonAR is a Republican

You pass the Special Forces Q Course and you earn your tab

You pass Ranger school and you earn your tab

He never claimed service he didn’t perform https://www.salon.com/2021/01/22/sen-tom-cotton-campaigned-on-his-experience-as-an-army-ranger--but-he-didnt-have-any/

“Congratulations to all of our new Rangers,” Army Secretary John McHugh said in a statement. “Each Ranger School graduate has shown the physical and mental toughness to successfully lead organizations at any level.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2015/08/17/history-made-first-female-soldiers-to-graduate-army-ranger-school/?outputType=amp

The Senator never claimed to serve in the Ranger Regiment. This has always been a grey area but to call him a liar is a bridge too far.

I’m a PSYOP Veteran.
Not a Green Beret.
Not a Ranger.
All part of Special Operations? Yes.
All the same? No.
Have I and do I use Special Operations Veteran on resumes etc. Absolutely.
Is it wrong. No.

The main difference here is that you cannot serve as a Green Beret if you haven’t passed the qualification course

You can serve in the Ranger Regiment as a junior enlisted soldier without having gone to Ranger School in you pass assessment and selection

That creates a grey area where you can be Ranger qualified and not serve in regiment but also serve in regiment and not be Ranger qualified

If he claimed to serve in regiment (which he didn’t) then this would be an issue

The Army hasn’t helped by constantly screaming “Ranger” at the course attendees and referring to them as that upon graduation. The issue I mentioned above also is confusing for civilians. The Army doesn’t help much.

I also have zero respect for the author who it sat out over the last 20 years after our nation was attacked on 9/11 only to write bullshit articles attacking actual combat Veterans.

Ive never served in the regiment nor attended Ranger School — so I don’t have this problem

This reminds me of the time a reporter tried to dunk on Al Gore because he served in Vietnam as a uniformed journalist. John McCain shut it down quickly. I have always remembered and admired him for it.