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St. Helena Star: Vietnam vet receives overdue medal

November 7, 2016
News Articles

Rep. Mike Thompson awarded fellow Vietnam veteran Jeffrey Spratt of Yountville with the Bronze Star he had earned for his honorable service during the Vietnam War but had never received.

Although Spratt was awarded the Bronze Star, it was never recorded on his DD-214, the form used to verify military service, and was therefore not official. In addition, Spratt was awarded additional medals that were not recorded on his DD-214 and were never received.

By working with the Napa County Veterans Service Officer Patrick Jolly, Spratt was able to correct his DD-214 so that it accurately reflected the medals he was awarded. In addition to the Bronze Star, he had been awarded the Vietnam Service Medal with Four Stars, the Machine Gun – Expert Medal, and the Leadership Preparation School – Fort Ord, California Medal.

Spratt chose to have fellow Vietnam veteran Congressman Thompson award his now-official Bronze Star publicly on Nov. 1 in order to raise awareness about the importance of making sure the DD-214 form is correct as it is used to not only verify medals that were awarded during a veteran’s service, but eligibility for benefits as well.

The medal presentation was also intended to shed light on the Napa County Veteran Service Office and Thompson’s office, both of which can be an invaluable resource for veterans trying to correct any issues with their DD-214 or benefits in general.

“It was a high honor to award my fellow Vietnam veteran Jeffrey Spratt with the medals he was awarded for his honorable service to our country,” said Thompson.

Issues:Veterans