{"id":2630998,"date":"2026-07-17T05:44:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T09:44:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tennessee-republican-accused-of-trying-to-deceive-voters-over-marine-service\/"},"modified":"2026-07-17T05:49:34","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T09:49:34","slug":"tennessee-republican-accused-of-trying-to-deceive-voters-over-marine-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tennessee-republican-accused-of-trying-to-deceive-voters-over-marine-service\/","title":{"rendered":"Tennessee Republican accused of trying to &#8216;deceive&#8217; voters over Marine service"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftennessee-republican-accused-of-trying-to-deceive-voters-over-marine-service%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2630998&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A Tennessee state representative candidate,Brian Stewart,has faced scrutiny for allegedly misleading voters about his Marine military service. stewart posted a DD-214 form, claiming it verified his honorable discharge, but critics and military experts pointed out it onyl documents his <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >initial active-duty training completed<\/a> in 1998, not his final discharge from the Marine Corps Reserve in 2000. The marine Corps confirmed Stewart was discharged at the lowest rank and never deployed, with some critics asserting his service record was misrepresented to bolster his campaign. Opponents, including Marine veteran john Gentry and Army veteran Chris Hughes, publicly shared their military records to counter Stewart\u2019s claims, calling out the misleading presentation. Stewart attributed his shortened service to medical issues and argued the posted documents support his narrative. However, military officials and veterans criticized the post as deceptive, emphasizing that it only covers his basic training period. The controversy has led to calls for campaign re-evaluation and accusations of dishonesty, with some questioning Stewart\u2019s portrayal of his military background to voters.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tennessee\/\">Tennessee<\/a> state representative hopeful accused of deceiving voters about his Marine service has been called out for a second time after he posted military records that experts and opponents say are misleading.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brianstewartfortn.com\/\">Brian Stewart<\/a> is battling in the Republican primary for District 45, which covers Sumner County, just north of Nashville. Running in Secretary of War Pete Hegseth\u2019s district, Stewart\u2019s campaign identifies him as a conservative businessman, Marine, and community leader. Early voting starts July 17.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4650334\/leftist-candidates-blasting-rich-elites-spend-donor-money-on-cushy-hotels\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Leftist candidates blasting rich elites spend donor money on cushy hotels<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4649159\/foreign-marxist-terrorist-group-influence-us-activism\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Foreign Marxist terrorist group spent years building influence in US activism, report finds<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4647573\/cuban-activists-protest-plan-trump\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Cuban government-linked activists form \u2018rapid response\u2019 protest plan in case Trump attacks island<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Earlier this week, the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/videos\/4644564\/veteran-brian-stewart-tennessee-gop-primary-incongruent-marine-corps-standards\/\"><em>Washington Examiner <\/em>published an investigation<\/a> about his military service, with the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/marine-corps\/\">Marine Corps<\/a> saying: \u201cStewart\u2019s premature discharge and rank at separation indicate that the character of his service was incongruent with Marine Corps standards.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In response to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/more-on-pennsylvania-another-statistical-analysis-shows-roughly-300000-biden-votes-are-questionable\/\" title=\"More on Pennsylvania - Another Statistical Analysis Shows Roughly 300,000 Biden Votes Are Questionable\">initial report<\/a>, Stewart posted a copy of a DD-214, a Department of Defense form documenting a period of active-duty service, in an attempt to \u201cset the record straight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ve also recently picked up that my military record has come into question,\u201d Stewart posted on Facebook. \u201cSo let me set the record straight. Just as my grandfather served in the Seabees in World War II, I signed up to serve my country in the Marine Corps.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marine Corps reservists typically receive a DD-214 after completing initial active-duty training and may receive additional DD-214s for qualifying periods of active duty. Critics argue the form only documents his completion of initial training rather than his final separation from the Marine Corps Reserve.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cUnfortunately, my service was cut short because I had an irregular heartbeat, which led to having part of my thyroid removed,\u201d Stewart continued. \u201cI was honorably discharged from active duty and my medical issues started after joining the reserves unit.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>sent that form to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.csis.org\/people\/mark-f-cancian\">Mark Cancian<\/a>, a retired colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve and senior adviser for the Center for Strategic and International Studies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis DD-214 covers his basic training and infantry training,\u201d Cancian said. \u201cHe was discharged at Camp Lejeune, where the infantry school is, and sent to his reserve unit. That is customary. Service members receive a DD-214 when they leave active duty and return to reserve status.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DD-214 posted by Stewart is from 1998 after he completed training. The military files sent exclusively to the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> are from August 2000, when Stewart separated from the Marines.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI only saw one DD-214 in Stewart\u2019s record from his entry-level training period,\u201d Yvonne Carlock, deputy communication strategy and operations officer at the Manpower &#038; Reserve Affairs, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cThere were no other periods of active duty noted in the record.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marine personnel confirm Stewart completed his initial training, was never deployed, and separated in August 2000 at the rank of private, the lowest enlisted rank in the Marine Corps.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of his primary opponents, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/wethepeoplev50.com\/\">John Gentry<\/a>, who is a Marine veteran, responded by <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Gentry4ThePeople\/posts\/pfbid032Tg1kK9kFbKN84DxmuaaoJifboNBPTrDiVBPrYi3sAt92rJEmA7EpGVd57y6D5W2l\">posting his own military records<\/a>. In an interview with the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>, Gentry said he just wants to set the record straight.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI just, out of transparency and full disclosure, I put up my own DD-214 and a letter of commendation that I received,\u201d Gentry said. \u201cBut if it\u2019s true, you know, I feel really bad for his wife, and for his family, and his extended friends. I think it\u2019s all very unfortunate. I think it\u2019s unfortunate that somebody feels that they need to portray themselves, you know, as more than they are.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another primary opponent, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chrishughes45.com\/\">Chris Hughes<\/a>, an Army veteran, posted a couple of statements rebutting Stewart\u2019s explanation and paperwork.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s sad that Brian Stewart is trying to deceive voters once again,\u201d Hughes <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ChrisHughesTN\/posts\/pfbid0b2gZ4Jbo86BL871fpUfuxPnRZtwQ8WstyGVKnTLmcGWPQHCXVAjnU4pYaqrhDGA9l\">posted<\/a> on Facebook. \u201cThe Marines would not have given the damning statement on Mr. Stewart\u2019s service if he had been honorably discharged. because he was not.\u00a0Don\u2019t be fooled.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hughes went so far as to call for Americans for Prosperity to rethink its endorsement of Stewart. Mailers sent out by Stewart\u2019s campaign and Americans for Prosperity lean on his Marine background to court voters. While the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> asked AFP for comment and they have yet to respond, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/tn.americansforprosperity.org\/team\/michael-lotfi\/\">Michael Lotfi<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/national-border-patrol-council-endorses-rep-henry-cuellars-gop-opponent-after-backing-cuellar-in-2020\/\" title=\"National Border Patrol Council Endorses Rep. Henry Cuellar&#039;s GOP Opponent After Backing Cuellar in 2020\">deputy state director<\/a> for AFP, wrote on Stewart\u2019s Facebook post that the accusations are \u201cfake news\u201d and a \u201cfalse attack.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSo, a candidate for TN state house releases his DD-214 showing an \u2018honorable\u2019 discharge, and that\u2019s not good enough for those accusing him of \u2018stolen valor.\u2019 LOL!\u201d Pamela Furr, the engagement director at Americans for Prosperity, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pamela.furr\/posts\/pfbid02KBF1C4E9b4uEncUBBQHp8E1twjdUPtsW8txV5PNN6QFAcEWw5XB3fajNUjMscAoCl\">posted<\/a> on her personal account. \u201cThese are not serious people and it\u2019s seriously disappointing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cancian dismissed the idea that the statements and documents obtained by the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> were a matter of people\u2019s opinion.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt is the official view of the Marine Corps and the Department of Defense,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stewart\u2019s Facebook post has drawn criticism from veterans, military personnel, and political opponents, with several arguing the DD-214 he posted documented only his initial active-duty training and did not address the circumstances of his later separation from the Marine Corps Reserve.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/daily-memo\/4652623\/what-dsa-wants\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/daily-memo\/4652623\/what-dsa-wants\/\">WHAT DSA WANTS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis is release from Bootcamp, not his discharge from Reserve duty,\u201d Brian Robertson, who lists himself as a former sergeant at the Marine Corps, wrote in the comments. \u201cThis is purposely misleading to people who don\u2019t know better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis DD214 only shows that you completed your basic training and were released to the Marine Reserve unit in Nashville,\u201d Chris Poach, a former military recruiter, wrote on the post. \u201cThis does not show when or why you were released from the service.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Candidate accused of misleading Marine service records in Tennessee primary<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2745,"featured_media":2630999,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Brian-Stewart-critics-Feature-image.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[3728,5894,6651],"class_list":["post-2630998","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-election","tag-politics","tag-tennessee"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Brian-Stewart-critics-Feature-image.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630998","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2745"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2630998"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630998\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2631002,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630998\/revisions\/2631002"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2630999"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2630998"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2630998"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2630998"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}