Texas Representative Troy Nehls is receiving some grief from Republican colleagues in the House for military regalia many say he shouldn’t be wearing.
Nehls since at least 2021 has continually worn a lapel pin for infantrymen or Special Forces who fought in active combat, known as a Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB).
According to the U.S. Army, the CIB was established on October 27, 1943, and is awarded to “an infantryman satisfactorily performing infantry duties,” an individual assigned to an infantry unit “during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat,” or an individual who actively participates in ground combat.
Representative Troy Nehls talks to members of the media as he leaves the U.S. Capitol on November 14, 2023, in Washington, D.C. Nehls is receiving scrutiny from fellow House Republicans, some of whom accused him…
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
“Campaign or battle credit alone is not sufficient for award of the CIB,” the Army states.
In May, a CBS News investigation uncovered that Nehls’s Combat Infantryman Badge from Afghanistan was purportedly revoked in March 2023 due to the congressman serving as a civil affairs officer and not an infantryman or Special Forces soldier.
Nehls has also cited receiving two Bronze Star medals for his service, even though CBS News reported he received one. In a May 6 post on X, Nehls refuted the report and included photos of both medals.
— Congressman Troy E. Nehls (@RepTroyNehls) May 6, 2024
Nehls’s congressional biography cites his 21 years in the U.S. Army Reserve and deployment on combat tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. Nehls retired with the rank of major and “as the recipient of two Bronze Star medals,” according to the bio.
Newsweek reached out to Nehls’s office via email for comment.
But he has not commented on the badge, which has drawn notice from colleagues on his side of the aisle.
“It matters. As a former commander, it matters what you wear on your uniform,” Montana Representative Ryan Zinke, a retired Navy SEAL, told the nonpartisan publication NOTUS. “And if you didn’t earn it, you shouldn’t wear it.”
A spokesperson for Zinke told Newsweek via email that the congressman had no further remarks but stands by his words.
Michigan Representative Jack Bergman, a retired two-star general, told NOTUS that he has been “using personal back channels” to verify reports surrounding Nehls’s badge and whether it was revoked—adding that he was privy to his wearing it and would “trust but verify” the information.
Newsweek reached out to Bergman via email for comment.
Texas Representative Wesley Hunt, a U.S. Army veteran, reportedly told NOTUS that Nehls’s wearing of the pin was “stolen valor.”
However, James Kyrkanides, chief of staff for Hunt, told Newsweek via email on Thursday that Hunt “was severely misquoted” in the NOTUS piece and that “Congressman Hunt does not stand by what was written.”
“Hunt considers Congressman Nehls to be a good friend, he’s a fellow veteran, and he values his service to the country,” Kyrkanides added.
Eight House Republicans were quoted regarding the Nehls lapel but spoke with anonymity.
“We hold ourselves to a higher standard as veterans,” one lawmaker said. “He needs to stop wearing it.”
“It’s really shameful,” another reportedly said. “It speaks to deep insecurities. Combat Infantry Badges are given out for combat. He didn’t earn it.”
Others referred to the wearing of the badge as “stolen valor” and “an abuse of power,” with some Republicans reportedly going as far as investigating the situation.
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