US slip-up tarnishes Kiwi veteran's medal

ROSS GIBLIN/Dominion Post

CHRIS MULLANE: The US Legion of Merit Medal was given to him in good faith but never officially approved.

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An administrativew glitch has forced one of New Zealand's most senior representatives of war veterans to remove a medal from his chest.

An investigation into Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association vice-president Chris Mullane's United States Legion of Merit Medal has found an administration oversight meant it was never officially awarded to him.

Mr Mullane, a retired lieutenant colonel who served in Vietnam, was given the medal for a leadership training programme he headed when serving with the US Army in the late 1970s. It was given to him by a major general at the time.

The administrative omission was brought to the attention of both Mr Mullane and the RSA when an anonymous letter was sent about two months ago.

A similar letter was sent to The Dominion Post this week, accusing Mr Mullane of wearing the medal "fraudulently" and buying it at a second-hand store.

A New Zealand Defence Force spokesman said it had looked into the problem on Mr Mullane's behalf, and had been told by the US embassy in Wellington that a final sign-off for the medal had never taken place.

An explanation from the embassy said the awarding authority had given the medal out "prematurely", because Mr Mullane was leaving the United States.

"Due to paperwork and processes back then, this was probably lost on someone's desk."

The embassy apologised for the oversight causing "such a stir" for Mr Mullane.

Mr Mullane said he would consider whether or not to get the paperwork for the award completed, but had immediately stopped wearing the medal. "There was no record of it being finally approved at the required level in the Pentagon."

He was disappointed the process had not been completely finished, but was still grateful to have been honoured with the medal.

"They felt that I'd done a particularly good job ... they gave this medal with all sincerity."

He had never bought any medals from second-hand shops, he said. "I'm not one for going around giving myself decorations."

Because it was a foreign decoration, he had not worn the medal while he was in the New Zealand Army, and had started wearing it only in the past few years when some friends had mounted it with his other medals, he said.

The anonymous letter also suggested that several RSA members thought Mr Mullane should be fired as vice-president for wearing the medal.

President Robin Klitscher said no-one had mentioned that to him, but as far as he was concerned Mr Mullane had worn the medal in good faith and the matter was resolved.

"[He] has had every right to believe that he has been awarded the medal legitimately."

- © Fairfax NZ News