Late “American Sniper” Chris Kyle was the target of a new report last week that suggested he had exaggerated his military record. The Intercept obtained Navy documents they say prove the former Navy SEAL laid claim to medals of Honor he did not earn.
Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry says that is a bunch of bull. In a new op-ed for Fox News, the governor dismissed The Intercept’s “inaccurate,” “slanted representation” of Kyle’s military experience.
The most recent snake to peek its head up from the muck is a writing team for a leftwing publication whose only knowledge of the military was likely acquired while Googling derogatory slogans to scrawl on protest signs.
Perry, who served five years in the Air Force, had the support of Kyle’s widow, Taya, during his 2016 presidential campaign. Pushing back against The Intercept’s narrative, the governor explained that Americans should pay more attention to Kyle’s DD-214 record. The governor says that the DD Form, or Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, provides the most accurate account of one’s military record. As for Kyle’s DD-214, it gives him an even more impressive list of achievements: Two Silver Stars and six Bronze Stars.
When Kyle’s story was made into an Oscar-nominated motion picture two years ago, the liberal media did not exactly watch it through a patriotic lens. American Sniper, starring Bradley Cooper, detailed how he became the “deadliest sniper in American history,” amassing over 160 kills. One MSNBC analyst compared these anti-terrorism efforts to “killing sprees.”
Kyle hasn’t been the only target of a biased media. Perry felt the need to defend his friend "Lone Survivor" Marcus Luttrell in his Tuesday op-ed as well, noting how the press has distorted his record.
The anti-military appearance of today's media, Perry guesses, is the result of the "arch-liberal" Obama administration.
The outpouring of gratitude Americans displayed after Kyle's murder in 2013 suggests that they will not let The Intercept change their opinion of him. When Texas honored the American Sniper with a memorial service that started at the Dallas Cowboys stadium, thousands of supporters showed up, with thousands more standing on the highway to pay respect to him as his casket traveled to Austin.