Amid controversy, Navy to reissue American Sniper Chris Kyle’s DD214 to reflect a new medal count

The Navy will be reissuing former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle’s DD214. The motivations for the new DD214 are unknown at this time, but it is assumed that the inquiry is the result of the recent controversy surrounding the inconsistencies with his awards and medal count.

According to an anonymous NSW source,

The Navy is reissuing Chris Kyle’s DD-214 and it will show that he has one Silver Star and four Bronze Stars with “V” device. The Navy says it conducted a thorough investigation and checked with Navy Special Warfare, the Navy awards board, and Navy Personnel Command — nobody could locate records of a second silver star or the fifth Bronze Star with “V.”

Scott McEwen, co-author of American Sniper, stated,

I have been presented with no information that in any way questions the valor or medal count of my friend and American Hero, Chris Kyle.  I grow tired of the constant attacks on his reputation, and question the motivation of those making the attacks.

I have another question to be asked and answered: how many American Warriors are alive today because of Chris Kyle? That is a number I would love to see.  I can guarantee it is in the 100’s.  It is far more important than medal counts.

I stand by him, and those that fought and died with him, and could care less than he did what medals were presented, retracted or calculated, or the motivation for the decisions from “the head shed.” Chris Kyle was and always will be my friend, a Patriot and an American Hero.  I defy anyone to argue otherwise.

Regardless if he is short a silver star or a fifth bronze star with “V”, he was and still is an American hero and former Navy SEAL sniper that served his country. His teammates knew that they could always count on him, no matter what. Brandon Webb, his friend and former Navy SEAL, said it best,

If you look at Chris’s life as a whole you’ll find a Texas cowboy, a Navy SEAL, an American hero who loved his country, a loving husband, father, son, and brother.  A good friend, and a man who cared little about awards, and a man who gave his life helping a fellow veteran struggling with his own demons.

“Guys in the Special Ops community don’t do this kind of work for the medal count; they do it to serve their country, and to work with other highly motivated and skilled operators, with the hope to someday put their craft to work on the modern battlefield. Chris Kyle was fortunate to do both very well, and he’s an American Hero for it, period.”

-Brandon Webb, former Navy SEAL and NSW sniper course manager. 

SOFREP has reached out to the NSW PAO and has not received a response yet.