HUGHSON, Calif. — A former Marine applauded for voluntarily guarding a central California elementary school misrepresented his service history, U.S. Marine Corps officials said Thursday.
Craig Pusley showed up for a second day of guard duty Thursday at Hughson Elementary School just southeast of Modesto, this time in civilian clothes after wearing military fatigues the day before. But he departed midmorning as questions arose about his military background.
On Wednesday, Pusley, 25, told The Modesto Bee he was a sergeant in the Marine Reserve and had deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.
But Marines spokesman Capt. Gregory Wolf told The Associated Press on Thursday that Pusley never served overseas and was discharged in 2008 as a private after serving less than a year at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. He also is not a reservist.
Wolf said a Marine Corps order prohibits former Marines from wearing their uniform in public except for military funerals, memorial services, weddings, inaugurals, and parades on national or state holidays.
Pusley did not respond to calls for comment.
The school’s principal, Laura Fong, wouldn’t comment on Thursday because she said she didn’t know all the facts.
Front Section, Pages 4 on 12/21/2012