Dem governor’s tale of combat action torn to shreds by commanding Army officer: ‘Give me a break’

Maryland Governor Wes Moore is facing renewed questions about his account of serving in Afghanistan after his former Army supervisor, retired Lt Col James Gottschling, disputed his claim that he led soldiers in combat. Gottschling said Moore served honourably in a staff role but did not see combat, a distinction that matters as Moore is viewed as a possible contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.

Moore served as a reservist with the 82nd Airborne at Forward Operating Base Salerno in 2005 and 2006, where his work included information operations and coordinating civilian assistance. Gottschling said Moore spent six months at the relatively safe base and criticised his comments about struggling with reintegration after deployment. Moore’s team said partisan politics had influenced Gottschling’s assessment; the article also cites Moore’s campaign-era social media claims that he led paratroopers in combat.