9/13 – ART WELCH RELEASES DISCHARGE DOCUMENT AS PROOF OF HIS MILITARY SERVICE. ………………. IS IT FOR REAL?

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8/26/17 – The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) has no record of Banning Councilman Arthur Lee Welch, born December 4, 1937, SSN 499-38-XXXX, ever being enlisted in the US Armed Forces (see request and response). This raises the question : Is Art Welch a legitimate veteran – or is he yet another military fraud?

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ART WELCH – DRIVING FORCE BEHIND BANNING’S VETERAN’S EXPO

Welch is the driving force behind the Veteran’s Expo and has claimed numerous times having served in the Army in the late 1950’s, where he was stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri.

The picture shows Welch speaking at the event.

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ART WELCH AND “CONCERTS IN THE PARK”

On Thursday, August 17, 2017, Welch attended a “Concerts in the Park” event in Banning. During the event, organizers asked for a show of hands from all veterans in attendance. Art Welch could be observed raising his hand.

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ART WELCH’S INVOLVEMENT IN “VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS” – VFW

The record shows that Art Welch has been recognized for his active involvement in veterans golf tournaments held by “Veterans of Foreign Wars” Post 233.

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In this context, Art Welch was praised as an “honorably discharged Army veteran” by VFW Post 233 jr. Vice Commander Joe Metz (see letter to the editor of Record Gazette Oct.27, 2016 – here ). Did Commander Metz get hoodwinked?

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ART WELCH AND THE G.I. BILL

According to reliable sources, Art Welch has made claims that after serving in the Army, he used the G.I. Bill to get his education. As we can see on the City of Banning website (view screen shot) Art Welch received a 4-year degree in “Business Administration/Marketing” in 1960. That would mean that he started college sometime during 1956, at age 18.

However, since Welch was born in December of 1937, there simply would have not been enough time for Welch to finish an enlistment in the Army prior to starting college in 1956. Therefore Art Welch could not have used the G.I. Bill as he claimed.

Like disgraced phony Viet Nam veteran and former School Board Trustee Jan Spann, Art Welch too could not have been in two places at the same time.

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ART WELCH AND THE BAY OF PIGS INVASION

A source acquainted with Welch recalls Art Welch stating that he, Welch, got out of the Army just in time to have avoided being involved in the “Bay of Pigs” invasion ( April 1961 – view details).

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There is, however, a significant problem with Welch’s claim : the “Bay of Pigs” invasion did not involve US military personnel.

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STRANGE:   ART WELCH MAKES NO MENTION OF HIS MILITARY SERVICE ON HIS CITY BIO

Art Welch’s bio on the City of Banning’s website does not make any mention of his military service (see screenshot). For an honorably discharged veteran to skip over his military record in his own bio is highly unusual and out of character. Veterans are usually proud to cite their service.

Along the same line, Art Welch has not shown any outrage over Jan Spann’s fraudulent Vietnam claims. As a matter of fact, he is said to get very nervous when the issue is being discussed among his supporters, and heads for the exit.

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ART WELCH MUST SHOW HIS DD-214 DISCHARGE PAPERS ASAP

At this point, there certainly is substantial doubt about Art Welch ever serving in the military. As an elected official, and an aide to State Senator Mike Morrell, Welch should immediately show evidence of his service.

Art Welch should produce his DD-214, discharge papers, a photo in Army uniform, Army medical shot record, V.A. ID card or any other piece of evidence that would support his claim that he served in the Army.

If Welch cannot produce evidence of his military service, he must resign.

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CONCLUSION

It appears, Banning is plagued by fraudulent community leaders. We had a former Mayor, Don Robinson, making false claims about having received Navy Seal training (see story). Then there was School Board Trustee Jan Spann, the fake Vietnam Army Nurse ( see story), and a crony of council member Debbie Franklin was trying to impersonate a Fire Captain (see story).

Art Welch, it’s time that you show us your discharge papers. Banning needs certainty. We cannot afford to have yet another fraud at the helm.

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