AZ Senate hopeful accused of faking his military past

AZ Senate hopeful accused of faking his military past
Arizona Daily Star

A Vietnam veteran and state Senate hopeful from Tucson is being accused of embellishing his service record by a national group that exposes military fakes.

J.D. "Duke" Schechter, 63, is trying to collect enough signatures to run as the Republican candidate in Legislative District 27. He has been besieged for weeks on his Facebook page by critics who have dubbed him "the Milli Vanilli of the Marine Corps," a nod to the lip-synching 1990 Grammy winners.

Schechter ran for state House of Representatives in the same district in 2008 and captured more than 10,000 votes - about 17 percent of ballots cast by voters on Tucson's West side.

A copy of his military service record, obtained by the Star under the Freedom of Information Act, shows that Schechter, who calls himself a Marine sergeant, was in fact discharged as a lance corporal, two ranks lower.

Schechter, who served from 1966 to 1970, said he feels entitled to use the higher rank because he briefly was a sergeant before being demoted - twice - for misconduct.

They include claims that he posed as a recipient of the Silver Star - the nation's third-highest award for combat valor - and of five Purple Hearts. He didn't earn any of those honors, his service record shows.

A photograph of Schechter, which he posted on several Web sites including Classmates.com, a high school reunion site, shows him wearing a white waistcoat with several rows of medal ribbons on his chest.

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AZ Senate hopeful accused of faking his military past
Arizona Daily Star