Rep. Nehls no longer wearing military award at center of stolen valor accusations

Nehls was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge in 2008, but after an Army review in 2023 let to its revocation.

HOUSTON — A day after issuing what he called his “final written comment” on the issue, Rep. Troy Nehls was seen on Capitol Hill no longer wearing the military award at the center of stolen valor accusations.

POLITICO Congressional reporter Anthony Adragna and other reporters spoke with Nehls in Washington D.C. It was during that exchange that reporters noted Nehls was no longer wearing the Combat Infantryman Badge – or CIB.

Nehls was awarded the CIB in 2008 for tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, but a review of his military record in 2023 by the Army led to its revocation. Despite that, Nehls continued to wear the award, drawing criticism.

In a statement released Tuesday and again reemphasized to reporters on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Nehls said according to the Army, 142,596 CIBs have been awarded in the past two decades and only 47 have been rescinded. Nehls maintained his position the revocation is a politically-motivated attack meant to discredit his service.

“But setting all that aside, you’re not wearing the pin today,” a reporter can be heard saying in an audio recording of the exchange provided by Adragna of POLITICO.

“Well, because you guys are vultures,” Nehls said.

“Are you not going to wear [the CIB] anymore?” the reporter asked.

“If I stop wearing that pin, what are you going to talk to me about?” Nehls replied.

Adragna spoke with KHOU 11 and said the pressure on Nehls went beyond just the media and veterans groups, but from Capitol Hill as well.

“It's a lot of his own colleagues that have been kind of calling him out for wearing this,” Adragna said. “They were the ones that leveled, used the phrase stolen valor initially, so the congressman's trying to blame the media, but it's many of his own Republican colleagues who have been frustrated by the fact he's still wearing this.”

A spokesperson for the 101st Airborne told KHOU earlier this week that the division, “follows the Army’s regulatory guidance on awards.”

On Wednesday, Nehls’ profile photos on his Facebook and X accounts had changed from a photo of him with the CIB to one where he is not wearing the award.