COLUMBIA, S.C. — Surprise U.S. Senate nominee Alvin Greene of South Carolina says he’s an “American hero” and frequently mentions his 13 years of military service.

But records obtained by The Associated Press Thursday show that Greene was considered a lackluster service member at best and was denied two promotions. The records cite mistakes as severe as uploading sensitive information improperly, and as basic as an overall inability to clearly express his thoughts and perform basic tasks.

Greene won a surprise victory in the June 8 Democratic primary. He often mentions his service but has refused to go into detail.