CLAIMS – OVERALL

Gregory Lee Kump ran for the U.S. Senate seat for MD in 2010. As with all candidates, he submitted several resumes to familiarize himself with voters.

SOURCE: http://vote-md.org/intro.aspx?state=md&id=mdkumpgregoryl

SOURCE: http://midshore.lwvmd.org/Voters%20Guide/Primary%20Voters%20Guide/VG%20US%20SENATOR.pdf

Same resume, different site…

SOURCE: http://www.tcfl.org/pdf/VotersGuide2010.pdf

The following post by Greg Kump on a forum underscores more of the same claims but a Silver Star was included on this claim.

SOURCE: http://www.topix.com/forum/city/baltimore-md-greenmount-west/TGHA3PF4QKV3796MF/p4

More reinforcement of over twenty (20) years in the USMC and eight (8) years in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

SOURCE: www.examiner.com/article/candidate-profile-meet-dr-eric-wargotz-for-u-s-senate

On yet another bio Kump mentions the nickname of “The Sarge” as well as the SgtMaj claim…

SOURCE: votesmart.org/candidate/biography/125678/gregory-kump#.VQ4q1Y7F98E

CLAIMS – BEIRUT, LEBANON 1983

Apart from the Beirut units claimed above (i.e. BLT 2/6 and BLT 1/8), there are additional claims specific to Beirut, Lebanon in 1983. The USS Guadalcanal (LPH-7)…

SOURCE: www.examiner.com/article/candidate-profile-meet-dr-eric-wargotz-for-u-s-senate

The USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)…SOURCE: http://navysite.de/crewlist/commandlist.php?&commandid=113&startyear=1983

Then there are implications that Greg Kump was present for the bombing on 23 Oct 1983…

SOURCE: http://www.historynet.com/blowup-in-beirut-us-marines-peacekeeping-mission-turns-deadly.htm

The above was written by a friend and not by Greg Kump himself, but the following claim was written by Kump…

SOURCE: http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2014/07/24/hundreds-of-marylanders-rally-to-show-solidarity-with-thos-in-gaza

Kump could have meant he was in Beirut and not necessarily on the day of the bombing, but many may read it otherwise.

FOIA RESULTS – SELECTIVE

Looking at Gregory L. Kump’s official military records from the National Personal Record Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, MO tells a completely different story.

Kump does have a Combat Action Ribbon as claimed and medals consistent with service in Beirut, Lebanon in 1983. However, there is no Silver Star, Bronze Star or two (2) Purple Hearts. [Note: The Bronze Star mentioned in the “DECORATIONS AND AWARDS” section above is a small device to signify a second award for the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal and the Naval Unit Citation. This is different than a Bronze Star Medal.]

Kump served with Echo Company 2/6 in Beirut, Lebanon in 1983. Elements of BLT 2/6 flew to Beirut from Camp Lejeune, NC just after the bombing to reinforce elements of 1/8 lost in the bombing. This may be the origin of the claim of serving with 1/8. In any case, Kump could not have been in Beirut on 23 Oct 1983, the day of the Marine Barracks bombing, since he was in Camp Lejeune. This is supported by eyewitness accounts, members of BLT 2/6 and as indicated on his records above.

Also, there is no Intel MOS, Recon Battalion or Force Recon MOS or assignments. Kump was a 0331 (Machine Gunner) based on interviews of Marines that knew him in Beirut.

Kump was booked on 11/27/1984 for a crime of larceny the same day and plead guilty…
The above booking, charge on the date of 11/27/1984 and the case’s final disposition on 01/10/1984 may explain the AWOL section of his Chronological History as it was at the same time.

He may have been busted to private, so it is plausible that Kump did make Sgt (E-5) but this may have been difficult at the three year mark in the Marine Corps during the early 1980s. The more likely scenario before being reduced in rank would have been a LCpl (E-3), but this is impossible to tell from the records. Only the final rank of Private is clear.

FOIA RESULTS – ALL

PHOTOS & SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS

None.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

TRUE – Greg Kump’s true claims are that he was with the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Beirut, Lebanon in 1983 as a member of BLT 2/6. He also earned a Combat Action Ribbon. BLT 2/6 was attached to 1/8 when they flew to Beirut just after the bombing on 23 Oct 1983. The 2/6 command element arrived in Beirut on 24 Oct 1983 to replace 1/8 command elements.

FALSE – Kump’s claims that he earned a Silver Star, a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts is not supported by his records. His records also do not support a claim of being in the Marine Corps for over 20 years nor retiring as a 1stSgt, SgtMaj or Major. They do not support his claims of being in Special Ops Recon Battalion, 1st and 2nd Recon Battalion, Force Recon, Intel or duty with 1 MEF.

The records and eyewitnesses do not support Kump being in Beirut, Lebanon on 23 Oct 1983 (the day of the Marine Barracks bombing) as 2/6 would have arrived the next day on 24 Oct 1983. Not sure why he would claim being with 1st Force Recon Battalion stationed on the USS JFK since this would undermine a claim of being with 2/6. The claim of being on the USS JFK is not supported by Kump’s records.

UNABLE TO CONFIRM OR DENY – Kump made claims of being in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), but in some cases he claimed eight (8) years, another fifteen (15) years and yet another for three (3) years. One other resume lists CIA service from 2003-2012. Besides the numbers not adding up with his age and time in the military, the claimed length of service in the CIA is inconsistent and may be suspect.

Gregory Lee Kump appears to have served honorably in Beirut, Lebanon as part of BLT 2/6. He earned a Combat Action Ribbon for his time there. The rest of his claims are not supported by his official service record.

[NOTE: There was an effort to reach out to Greg Kump on this matter. Although Kump acknowledges that there were mistakes made in some public postings, he attributes the errors to someone else. He further claims that he has made an effort to correct some of this when he realized the mistakes but was precluded from successfully doing so.]

This Ain’t Hell: http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=60602