Republican Rep. Cory Mills Under Fire Over Stolen Valor Accusations

Republican Representative Cory Mills of Florida is under fire over stolen valor accusations.

Mills was awarded a Bronze Star for his heroic actions in Iraq in 2003, but those whom he allegedly saved have come out and stated they don’t remember him ever saving them.

According to his Bronze Star documentation, Mills was awarded the prestigious award for administering life-saving care to soldiers Joe Heit and Alan Babin while under fire during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

However, Heit has come out and shared that they don’t remember Mills ever saving them.

Heit stated, “didn’t save his life” and “I don’t recall him being there either.”

Henry Barbe, who flew the medic helicopter to help evacuate Babin, further shared, “From what I understand about Mills, he might have been in the unit. I don’t remember him being involved in the medevac.”

JUST IN—This guy @CoryMillsFL lied about his entire “biography”

The House Ethics Committee is currently investigating him for numerous financial crimes

And he recently beat his girlfriend until she was “severely bruised”

Nasty guy—he needs to be removed from office ASAP pic.twitter.com/i5KsbxZHjC

— Anthony Sabatini (@AnthonySabatini) May 5, 2025

The Daytona News-Journal investigated Mills’ Bronze Star last year. It led to this headline, seemingly confirming it was settled & Mills’ claims checked out. But his claims *don’t* check out. He got re-elected & currently sits on Armed Services. https://t.co/7GSOtpEObC pic.twitter.com/jgIHWaPICL

— Roger Sollenberger (@SollenbergerRC) April 21, 2025

Per The Independent:

Representative Cory Mills, a MAGA Republican from Florida, was awarded a Bronze Star for his heroism in Iraq in 2003 — but those he allegedly saved don’t remember him being there, a new report reveals.

Mills was honored after he administered “life-saving care” to fellow soldiers Joe Heit and Alan Babin at “great risk to his own life” while under “intense enemy fire” in Iraq, NOTUS reports, citing the document recommending Mills receive the award. Mills enlisted in the Army in July 1999 at 19 years old and was honorably discharged in August 2003.

But Heit told NOTUS that Mills “didn’t save” his life, and that he didn’t even suffer life-threatening injuries.

“I don’t recall him being there either,” he added.

Henry Barbe, a medic who flew in via helicopter to help evacuate Babin, also told NOTUS he doesn’t remember Mills being there.

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“From what I understand about Mills is he might have been in the unit. I don’t remember him being involved in the medevac,” Barbe said. “To be fair, I was worried about the patients. I don’t remember him, and from what I understand, other people don’t remember him.”

So Rep Cory Mills claims he won a Bronze Star for saving a guy’s life while under enemy fire, when it turns out the guy had his glasses shot off by friendly fire and says Mills wasn’t even there. Lol. pic.twitter.com/dnOUauRVRT

— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) May 6, 2025

Per Notus:

Under “intense enemy fire” in Iraq in 2003, Rep. Cory Mills rushed to the aid of two soldiers who had been struck, applied emergency life-saving care at the “great risk to his own life,” helped evacuate them and saved their lives, according to the document that recommended the Florida lawmaker for a Bronze Star.

Mills was awarded the star after January 2021. Four years later, five people who served with him — including two of the men the document says Mills saved in different incidents — say they have no recollection of Mills being at the incidents listed on the form.

“He didn’t save my life,” Private First Class Joe Heit, who is cited by name on the recommendation form as one of the soldiers Mills saved, told NOTUS. “I don’t recall him being there either.”

NOTUS reviewed the Department of the Army Form 638 prepared for Mills — the document used to recommend soldiers for awards. The form lists four of Mills’ “achievements.” The document says he exhibited “exceptional bravery” during Operation Iraqi Freedom, saved the lives of Heit and Corporal Alan Babin, saved in a separate incident Sergeant First Class Joe Ferrand, who had been “grabbed by an enemy insurgent,” and was a “dedicated mentor and leader” who shared his knowledge with junior medics.

Mills “routinely exposed himself to enemy fire” and displayed “extraordinary heroism,” the form reads. The Daytona Beach News Journal previously cited this form in August 2024, which the newspaper said Mills shared with them.
In a statement to NOTUS, Mills said “No soldier writes their own DA Form 638. It is a recommendation for award and soldiers cannot recommend themselves. The form must be reviewed and signed by commanding officers.” Mills did not directly answer a question about who wrote the form.

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