PHOENIX — Steve Slaton claims he was a combat helicopter pilot who served in the Vietnam War.
According to official records of Slaton's military service, as well as veterans nationwide who track cases of so-called "stolen valor," none of that is true.
Those records show Slaton was trained as a helicopter repairman and was deployed to Korea.
But the 69-year-old Republican legislative candidate, who makes a living selling Donald Trump merchandise, isn't backing down.
"He has much to be proud of," said Doug Sterner, an Army veteran who served two tours in Vietnam. Sterner and his wife co-wrote Congress' Stolen Valor Act of 2005
"He had three years of military active-duty service," Sterner said in an interview, "and that should be enough. But apparently, it was not enough for this gentleman."
Questions about Slaton's military service have roiled the White Mountains community of Show Low since independent journalist Molly K. Ottman, of the Mountain Daily Star, broke the story in April.
One of Slaton's leading critics is Republican primary opponent Walt Blackman of Snowflake. Blackman is a former two-term state lawmaker and a 20-year Army veteran who first raised the concerns about Slaton's record.
"What he is trying to do is embellish his service on the backs of men and women who have lost their lives in combat," Blackman said in an interview. Blackman was a tank commander who did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Steve Slaton knows that he altered his records. He knows this when he looks in the mirror."
Blackman is challenging Slaton to produce the records of his deployments and the service honors he claims.
What is Slaton's response?
Slaton has not responded to requests for comment from 12News.
He has offered conflicting explanations for his claim to have served on a combat helicopter in Vietnam:
-Slaton was with a Cobra helicopter crew that was pulled back into Vietnam "to provide support for our allies" after the last U.S. combat troops had left in March 1973, according to a June 4 column by the Arizona Republic's Laurie Roberts.
-A week later, Slaton said he was the victim of identity theft and his military discharge papers had been altered, according to a June 11 report by the Republic's Mary Jo Pitzl. He didn't say what had been altered.
The only copies of Slaton's discharge papers in circulation are a copy provided by Slaton himself and the official copies obtained from the National Archives and Records Administration.
Who is Steve Slaton?
Slaton is a first-time candidate and former chair of the Navajo County Republican Committee.
According to news reports, Slaton and two other members of the executive committee were removed in 2017 by Arizona Republican Party Chairman Jonathan Lines over a feud with longtime Republican lawmaker Sylvia Allen.
Slaton is best known as the owner of the Trumped Store in Show Low, a community of 12,000 in east-central Arizona. Slaton and his wife, Karen MacKean-Slaton, opened the store in 2016 as a Donald Trump campaign headquarters.
The store has become a destination for Republican voters and candidates and a target for protesters.
U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake spoke to a crowd of supporters there two weeks ago. The backdrop included a Confederate flag amongst the Trump-related merchandise.
Breaking down Slaton's military record
Here are the questions about Slaton's military service record:
-Slaton's campaign website's "Meet Steve" page says: "He worked as a crew chief/co-pilot on an AH-1G Cobra Attack Helicopter."
The DD 214 discharge document that Slaton himself has presented shows he was trained as a Cobra helicopter mechanic.
"The Cobra gunship did not have a co-pilot," Sterner said. "It's a two-seat helicopter that included a pilot and a gunner, and both were usually warrant officers."
-According to the "Meet Steve" page: "Steve served overseas in Vietnam and Korea with the 128th Aviation Company, 8th U.S. Army I Corps."
"He was never in Vietnam," Sterner said. "This gentleman did not even enlist in the Army until the middle of 1973 when the Vietnam War was over. Most American troops were home by 1972."
"There was a token force in Vietnam from '73 until '75 and the evacuation of Saigon. It was a small force, and there were no Army helicopter units in Vietnam at that time."
Slaton's discharge documents independently obtained or reviewed by 12News show he was on active duty from June 29, 1973, until June 28, 1976. His final rank was sergeant.
The Slaton-provided DD 214 shows under "Decorations, medals, commendations" a "Vietnam Service Medal" and under "Remarks" there is the "Nixon Vietnamese Program 1974." There are no references to Vietnam on the independently obtained discharge documents.
"It's obvious that whoever typed up the DD 214 that shows the Vietnam Service Medal, knew nothing about the awards process," Sterner said.
"There is no Vietnam Service Medal. There should be a Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Vietnam Service. Those two go in tandem. Everybody that served in Vietnam got both of those."
Sterner said the "Nixon Vietnamese Program 1974" didn't exist.
"I'm saddened by the fact that there are people that feel that they have to embellish their military record and then try to use that to get something," Sterner said.
"Whether it's to get free meals and free drinks at the VFW, to get payments from the Veterans Administration or to seek a public office."
The Republican campaigns for LD7
Slaton has been endorsed in his campaign for the House of Representatives by far-right State Sen. Wendy Rogers of Flagstaff in the Legislative District 7 primary. Rogers is a retired Air Force officer.
Slaton's ties to Rogers go deeper than an endorsement.
According to Slaton's most recent campaign finance report, dated April 15, he has spent $25,712 of the $71,000 he's raised with Florida-based campaign consultant Go Right Strategies. The political consulting firm is owned by Rogers' nephew, Spencer Rogers.
Both Slaton and Rogers face tough Republican primaries.
There's a six-person primary for two seats in the House. The candidates are Slaton; Blackman; State Rep. David Marshall; former lawmaker John Fillmore; Andrew Costanzo; and Barby Ingle.
Rogers is being challenged by State Rep. David Cook of Globe.
Legislative District 7 is a vast north-south district that stretches from the Navajo Nation in the north to the Pima County border in the south.
The district is rated a safe Republican seat.
Early ballots will be sent to voters on July 3. The primary election is July 30.