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Two former LTC\/O-5s running for the Florida District 7 seat are in dispute over an Afghan rescue last year. Both are relying heavily on their ‘decorated’ military careers in their campaign literature, but one, Al Santos, is accusing Cory Mills, of stolen valor for his stories of rescuing an American woman and her three children.<\/p>\n
With a background in special ops, Mills said he was able while working with the representatives to develop an extraction plan. Initially, they wanted to airlift the family out, but U.S. Central Command and the State Department did not authorize a private aircraft landing in Afghanistan for the rescue.<\/p>\n
\u201cI could have put 25 Americans, Brian, onto that plane,\u201d Mills told Kilmeade. But the plane could not land and was waived (sic) off without explanation.<\/p>\n
Instead, Mills had to go into Afghanistan with an interpreter and evacuate the family by land, then he took them to the aircraft to leave the region.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Florida Politics<\/a><\/p>\n
You may recall the kerfluffle over the mission itself – an American plane tried to land at Kabul to rescue Americans, was denied landing permission, instead the Americans were walked to the border, managed to talk their way past the Taliban sealing the border to freedom – and then the State Department tried to claim credit for the rescue.<\/p>\n
For one, State Department officials say the Taliban government now running Afghanistan did not interfere with the rescue, but Mills said that\u2019s not the case. A Taliban commander at the border initially said there was no agreement to allow any Americans to pass and leave the country.<\/p>\n
Eventually, Mills said he had to trick border agents into letting the Americans pass through with a number of ruse phone calls and transfers.<\/p>\n
Mills called it \u201cabsolute nonsense\u201d the State Department helped and said tourist visas were only secured after his team had the Americans out of the country.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\u201cCory Mills continues to exaggerate a story he is telling on the campaign trail about his alleged role in rescuing Americans from Kabul (edited for length) a<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
There is no honor on what he is doing for political gain and unfortunately this is an example of stolen valor. As there are so many veterans running for this seat, he should know better and I ask him to drop out of the race.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Republican candidate Mills recently brought up a rescue story while appearing on FoxNews this week, saying \u201clook, I know about rescues,\u201d … (deleted for brevity)\u00a0 Mills said. \u201cAs you know, I conducted the very first successful rescue of Americans out of Afghanistan. We rescued a mother and three children.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n