Answer Man: Did Carl Mumpower serve in Vietnam?

Today’s batch of burning questions, my smart-aleck answers and the real deal:

Question: In a recent television report, they referred to Carl Mumpower as a Vietnam veteran. Did he actually set foot in Vietnam? Or does he just refer to himself as a “Vietnam era veteran?”

My answer: And they say our politics have gotten ugly in this country.

Real answer: Not surprisingly, Mumpower found the question insulting, as the paper has covered his Vietnam service before. Mumpower, a conservative Republican, is a former Asheville City councilman who ran for Congress and currently serves as chairman of the Buncombe County GOP, so he's used to the political rough and tumble.

But still ...

"Your reader's inquiry reads as another 'gotcha' question from someone who doesn't like my politics," Mumpower said. "You are correct that you folks and others have scrutinized my military background in detail."

Mumpower provided me with his "DD 214," the "Report of Separation from Active Duty" as it was called at the time, and it jibes with what he says about his military service.

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I made a separate request to the National Personnel Records Center, and those records match Mumpower's DD 214. In short, Mumpower did indeed serve in Vietnam, and for that we owe him our thanks, not snarky questions insinuating he exaggerated his service.

Mumpower's records indicate he was in Vietnam.for about 11 months.

"I joined the Air Force right after I graduated from Owen (High School) in 1970," Mumpower said. "I volunteered for Vietnam and served there from 1971-72 as an intelligence operations specialist. Nothing special — just an 18-year-old swimming through the confusion. That job afforded me a variety of exposures — some safe, some not."

Mumpower said he cross-trained as a medic. He spent a lot of time in the right seat of an small plane that went on spotting missions, flying low and looking for the enemy. He spent time in Saigon, Biên Hòa, Phan Rang (home to a major air base), Pleiku (a city in central Vietnam) and Da Nang, the fourth-largest city in Vietnam.

"Beyond that I wrote a handbook called 'Vietnam — Coming All the Way Home,' back when we were still trying to do so," Mumpower said. "Though I'm too busy to enjoy the association, I'm a life member of the Vietnam Veterans of America."

A psychologist, Mumpower, 65, offered two observations on his time spent in country.

"I am very proud of the fact — contrary to popular post-traumatic stress disorder mythology — that most of us who served there did so for good reasons and came home refusing to let that time define our lives," Mumpower said. "I would also offer that I would not be a psychologist or a conservative without the Republic of Vietnam's helpful lessons in Reality 101."

Mumpower's DD 214 notes he received an honorable discharge, as well as several medals and commendations for his time in the service.

Those include the "NDSM," or National Defense Service Medal, which according to Wikipedia is "awarded to anyone who serves on active duty in the United States Armed Forces during" conflicts including the Korean and Vietnam wars, as well as the Gulf War and the War on Terror. He also received the Vietnam Service Medal, which "was awarded to all members of the United States Armed Forces serving in Vietnam and its contiguous waters or airspace thereover," between July 3, 1965, and March 28, 1973, Wikipedia states.

Also, Mumpower received the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, a commendation give by South Vietnam to Americans for support of operations in Vietnam, Wikipedia states. Lastly, Mumpower received two Air Force medals for his service.

The DD 214 states Mumpower spent 10 months and 20 days in "foreign and/or sea service," part of a total active service time of three years, 1 month and 26 days.

While I often disagree with Mumpower politically, I've always respected him as a man of integrity, a guy who has a big heart and does a lot of good behind the scenes, without seeking publicity for it.

So, when he gently chastised me for sending him this question, I understood his irritation. I've also hesitated in answering the question, in part because getting a response from the archives takes awhile, but also in part because I recognize the question itself is insulting.

"I am not sure you recognize such, but your request would be insulting to the average veteran," Mumpower said. "I'm not an exception. Asking a candidate is different than asking an individual. I have responded in the past only because a candidate owes voters that information."

So, let's consider this matter closed. And thank you, Carl, for serving your country with honor.

This is the opinion of John Boyle. Contact him at 828-232-5847 or jboyle@citizentimes.com.