Major Military Controversy Takes Sinister Turn, Hero (KIA) Further Disgraced

More controversy has erupted around the John Chapman/National Medal of Honor Museum scandal.

The military community and patriotic Americans were enraged to learn that the 24th STS CCT wouldn't get his own exhibit at the museum when it opens in March down in Texas.

Chapman was killed in March 2002 during the Battle of Takur Ghar. He fought in a bloody one-man last stand after the SEAL Team 6 team he was attached to retreated.

Britt Slabinski, one of the SEALs on the mission and a museum board member, reportedly will receive his own exhibit after also being awarded the MoH.

You can watch the harrowing footage of John's last stand in the video below.

Petition in support of John Chapman suspended.

Many Americans have made their voices heard in support of Chapman and the perceived injustice and disrespect. That includes Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna.

There was also a petition growing in popularity and hovering at more than 18,000 signatures on Change.org. The petition urged the museum to do the right thing and give Chapman the respect he paid for with his life.

The situation exploded Tuesday when Change.org suspended the petition. Below is a screenshot of what people now see when trying to access it.

John Chapman petition suspended. (Credit: Screenshot/https://www.change.org/p/demand-for-john-chapman-s-full-exhibit-in-the-national-medal-of-honor-museum)

Dave Parke, the man responsible for starting the petition and the co-host of "The Team House" podcast, tweeted a screenshot of what Change.org sent him explaining the petition being suspended.

The issue? Claims made in the petition allegedly aren't true.

That's a pretty insane thing to say considering Chapman's the first ever recorded Medal of Honor. I reached out to Change.org multiple times for comment, and never received a response.

You can see Parke's tweet below showing what Change.org sent him, and a breakdown of all six points that are apparently not acceptable.

This situation is quickly spiraling out of control and hitting the point of no return. Who complained to Change.org about a petition honoring an American hero?

Furthermore, there's nothing about the six points in the petition shown in the screenshot above that isn't true.

The petition is demanding the museum do the right thing and give John a spot in one of the 200 standalone exhibits - something we know for a fact he doesn't currently have.

The museum confirmed as much when it gave me the following statement:

"The Museum does not play any role in deciding who is awarded the Medal of Honor and does not weigh in when there are discussions in the public arena about the merits of who is or who may be awarded the Medal. The mission of the National Medal of Honor Museum is to preserve the legacies and stories of those who have received the Medal and to share their examples as inspiration to current and future generations of Americans to live with purpose, being willing to take courageous action on behalf of others in their own communities when a moment requires it.  

It is not possible to tell 3,500+ stories in detail in the Museum at one time. The stories told, images selected, and individuals highlighted at opening represent the first of many rotations of stories which the Museum plans to tell long into the future."

Instead of having one of the 200 standalone exhibits, "Master Sergeant Chapman’s story will be included in a Museum exhibit outlining the history of the Medal of Honor. This will include his photo with the following language and a portion of the related drone footage," the museum claimed during our email exchange.

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The controversy surrounding John Chapman and the National Medal of Honor Museum in Texas continues to grow. (Credit: Wiki Commons/Air Force/Public Domain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_A._Chapman#/media/File:Airman_to_be_awarded_Medal_of_Honor_180727-F-F3227-1005.jpg)

It's amazing how this entire situation could be resolved if the museum just does the right thing and gives Chapman a standalone exhibit. He fought to the bloody death alone on a mountaintop to save the SEALs who retreated and the Rangers coming in as QRF.

Instead of doing the right thing, the museum is now drowning in a scandal it seems like it can't possibly win. Add in Change.org suspending the petition, and this powder keg is going to explode in ways I don't think anybody could have imagined when this started.

What are your thoughts on the situation? Let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.