Blake Hall
A New Mexico chapter of the state’s military order of the Purple Heart has been temporarily shutdown after allegations that one of its officers lied about his military record. In other words: stolen valor.
David Shrum supposedly told his genuine military brethren and anyone who would listen that he was awarded several different medals while serving in the United States military (17 Air Medals, five Bronze Stars, three Distinguished Flying Crosses and three Silver Stars) but records obtained show absolutely nothing.
More from the Daily Times:
Shrum claims on the DD 214, provided to The Daily Times by the military order, that he received the bronze star, a Distinguished Flying Cross and a Silver Star, prestigious medals given to soldiers for heroism or gallantry in military action.
However, according to Shrum’s military records, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request sent to the federal National Archives and Records Administration, Shrum received no awards for heroism.
The original DD 214 he submitted to the chapter states that Shrum joined the Army in 1964.
That would have been difficult though, for the simple fact that he was still a junior in high school at the time. Here’s his diploma, which he didn’t receive until 1965:
Here’s his real DD 214:
According to it, Shrum graduated from basic training at Missouri’s Fort Leonard Wood in November 1965. He then received further training as a dental lab specialist in San Antonio, Texas. Afterwards, he was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, and remained there until his active-duty stint was up in September 1968. He reenlisted in 1971, and served in the Vietnam War as a member of the 56th Dental Detachment until February 1972.
He redeployed to Germany in 1973. Not long after he received a general discharge after he was involved in a drunk driving accident on the base.
As a civilian, he’s spent numerous stints in prison after being caught defrauding investors in a number of “BS” business ventures.
Oh, and there’s more. This from the blog This Ain’t Hell:
Pete Comstock, another former commander of the order…said a federal investigator told him David Shrum is currently under investigation by the office for fraudulently claiming 100 percent disability.
“He claims 100 percent disability, because of (post-traumatic stress disorder), and it’s a lie,” Comstock said. “He has been receiving $3,000 a month for a long, long time and he shouldn’t have been.”
According to KRQE News 13, Shrum also misused the chapter’s coffers to build a trout pond on his own personal property.