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Hillary Clinton Called U.S. Service Members 'Dirty and Gross'?

Facebook user Allison Hermanson shared an unflattering anecdote about Hillary Clinton, but some readers questioned its veracity after it went viral.

Published Oct. 13, 2016

On 9 October 2015 Facebook user Allison Hermanson shared what would become a viral anecdote about Hillary Clinton, claiming the then-senator called servicemen and women "dirty and gross" (presumably during a trip to the Middle East) on 14 November 2003:

Wow Hillary! I guess you don't remember Nov 14th, 2003 when you judged me on my appearance. Myself, a human, a woman. You shunned me and 4 of my fellow brothers and sisters in arms from coming within 10 feet of you clinging to your body guards calling us dirty and gross! Guess what!? I was dirty! I just put over 55 hurt and injured men and woman on an airplane in Kuwait. I also put 4 dead Soldiers on that plane. Before you say stupid stuff on National TV you should remember what you say to other human beings face to face. By the way, you did this AFTER we were shuttled out of our dinning facility trying to eat breakfast because you needed to have Air Conditioning for your brief and the conference tent wasn't good enough.

The claim proved popular and gained tens of thousands of shares, with commenters praising Hermanson for her candor and service (and deriding Clinton for the purported disrespect she showed to the military):

God bless you and you did not deserve that treatment but by now we all know that's Killary's way she has to be stopped.


God bless you for your service. More people need to realize what's a horrible person she really is.


Another person who isn't afraid to speak up!! Thank you for your service. Our military is best in the world they deserve the best America has to give them!! TRUMP/ PENCE 2016!!

Although comments suggested Hermanson's anecdote was taken at face value by most social media users who encountered it, some readers were skeptical of the claim. One commenter who self-identified as a non-Clinton fan pointed out an inconsistency with the dating of the narrative:

_16__Allison_L_Hermanson

That commenter expressed doubt about Hermanson's anecdote, given it seemingly indicated the event described took place while Hillary Clinton was in or near Kuwait on the specific date of 14 November 2003, but U.S. Senate records clearly show that Clinton was present for a Senate vote in Washington, D.C. that day:

U_S__Senate__Roll_Call_Vote

On 14 November 2003, CNN also reported that Clinton was scheduled to emcee Iowa's Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Des Moines the following day.

Allison Hermanson's account suggested the interaction she described took place in a combat zone in or near Kuwait on the specific date of 14 November 2003, but Clinton was busy voting in the Senate and traveling to Iowa to host a political event at that time.

Senator Clinton did undertake a short trip to Camp Wolverine in Kuwait in November 2003, but that visit took place a couple of weeks later, on the 29th, during Thanksgiving weekend. It's certainly possible Hermanson simply misremembered the date of her anecdote, while other commenters remained skeptical that someone would forget a memorable event had occurred in close proximity to as prominent a holiday as Thanksgiving.

Kim LaCapria is a former writer for Snopes.