Norwood Woman Resigns from Veterans' Services Department Amid Questions About Military Honors

NORWOOD, MA - A Norwood woman who served as an employment coordinator for the state Department of Veterans’ Services has resigned over questions concerning the Purple Heart and Bronze Star she claimed she earned in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Department of Veterans' Services confirmed to Patch that Mary Gallagher has left the department and resigned from her position. She is a former Air Force reservist and sits on the Republican State Committee.

Questions around her military service stem from a May 18 video posted on YouTube and the state government's website. In the video, she says that she saw an Army Ranger killed in Afghanistan. In addition, Facebook endorsements from her state committee campaign tout the two military honors.

The Air Force Reserve has no record of the medals and the Army has no record that the soldier mentioned by Gallagher was killed.

In 2014, Gallagher told her alleged story to Patch, but did not mention any honors or deaths.

Mentions of the Army Ranger were removed from the video after it was published.

The website and video featuring Gallagher have been removed by the department.

Click to read more from the Boston Globe.