11/6/2015

Ben Carson admits fabricating West Point scholarship - POLITICO

Ben Carsons campaign on Friday admitted, in a response to an inquiry from

POLITICO, that a central point in his inspirational personal story was fabricated: his
application and acceptance into the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
The academy has occupied a central place in Carsons tale for years. According to a
story told in Carsons book, Gifted Hands, the then-17 year old was introduced in
1969 to Gen. William Westmoreland, who had just ended his command of U.S. forces
in Vietnam, and the two dined together. That meeting, according to Carsons telling,

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11/6/2015

Ben Carson admits fabricating West Point scholarship - POLITICO

was followed by a full scholarship to the military academy.

West Point, however, has no record of Carson applying, much less being extended
admission.

In 1969, those who would have completed the entire process would have received
their acceptance letters from the Army Adjutant General, said Theresa Brinkerhoff,
a spokeswoman for the academy. She said West Point has no records that indicate
Carson even began the application process. If he chose to pursue (the application
process), then we would have records indicating such, she said.

When presented with these facts, Carsons campaign conceded the story was false.
Dr. Carson was the top ROTC student in the City of Detroit, campaign manager

Barry Bennett wrote in an email to POLITICO. In that role he was invited to meet
General Westmoreland. He believes it was at a banquet. He cant remember with

specificity their brief conversation but it centered around Dr. Carsons performance
as ROTC City Executive Officer.

He was introduced to folks from West Point by his ROTC Supervisors, Bennett
added. They told him they could help him get an appointment based on his grades

and performance in ROTC. He considered it but in the end did not seek admission.
This admission comes as serious questions about other points of fact in Carsons
personal narrative are questioned, including the seminal episode in which he claimed
to have attempted to stab a close friend. Similarly, details have emerged that cast
doubt on the nature of Carsons encounter with one of the most prominent military
men of that era.
The West Point spokeswoman said it certainly is possible Carson talked with
Westmoreland, and perhaps the general even encouraged him to apply to West Point.
However, she said, the general would have explained the benefits of a West Point
education without guaranteeing him entry.

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11/6/2015

Ben Carson admits fabricating West Point scholarship - POLITICO

An application to West Point begins with a nomination by a member of Congress or

another prominent government or military official. After that, a rigorous vetting

process begins. If offered admission, all costs are covered; indeed there are no full
scholarships, per se.

In Gifted Hands, Carson says he excelled in his ROTC program at Detroits

Southwestern High School, earning the respect of his superiors just a couple years

after anger problems led him to try to murder a friend. He attained the rank of second
lieutenant by his senior year of high school and became the student leader of the
citys ROTC programs.

In May of his senior year, he was chosen to march in the citys Memorial Day parade.
I felt so proud, my chest bursting with ribbons and braids of every kind. To make it

more wonderful, we had important visitors that day. Two soldiers who had won the
Congressional Medal of Honor in Viet Nam were present, he wrote. More exciting
to me, General William Westmoreland (very prominent in the Viet Nam war)

attended with an impressive entourage. Afterward, Sgt. Hunt his high school

ROTC director introduced me to General Westmoreland, and I had dinner with

him and the Congressional Medal winners. Later I was offered a full scholarship to
West Point.

But, according to records of Westmorelands schedule that were provided by the

U.S. Army, the general did not visit Detroit around Memorial Day in 1969 or have

dinner with Carson. In fact, the generals records suggest he was in Washington that
day and played tennis at 6:45 p.m.
There are, however, several reports of an event in February of that year, similar to the
one Carson described. Then, Westmoreland was the featured guest at a 1,500-person
banquet to celebrate Medal of Honor recipient Dwight Johnson. The event drew
prominent guests, including the governor at the time, the mayor of Detroit, the
president of Ford Motor Company and nine previous Medal of Honor awardees,
according to an Associated Press account of the event.
Carson, a leader of the citys ROTC program at the time, may have been among the
invited guests at the $10-a-plate event.

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11/6/2015

Ben Carson admits fabricating West Point scholarship - POLITICO

Carsons later retelling of the events in this period of his life downplays his meeting
with Westmoreland and that events link to a West Point acceptance. In his January
2015 book, You Have a Brain, a book geared toward teenagers Carson again
recalls his rapid rise through his high school ROTC program to become the top
student officer in the city.

That position allowed me the chance to meet four-star general William

Westmoreland, who had commanded all American forces in Vietnam before being
promoted to Army Chief of Staff at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., he wrote. I

also represented the Junior ROTC at a dinner for Congressional Medal of Honor
winners, marched at the front of Detroits Memorial Day parade as head of an ROTC
contingent, and was offered a full scholarship to West Point.
Carson has said he turned down the supposed offer of admission because he knew he
wanted to be a doctor and attending West Point would have required four years of
military service after graduation.

Cecil Murphey, who ghostwrote Gifted Hands, told POLITICO that his memory of
Carsons exchange with Westmoreland was hazy.

My gut response is that it was not a private meeting, but there were others there, he
said in an email. The general took a liking to Ben and opened doors.

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