Bullshido.net article

From above article-

"
BADASSES OF THE MONTH -- MILITARY FRAUD HUNTERS

Ever go to a social function and have some stranger come up to you and without any apparent reason, start telling you about their previous combat and special forces experiences? Since the 1980s America has been awash in posers claiming they are, or were, the military deadly. This month's tribute is to the men and women who track and attempt to refute such claims. Such claims run the spectrum from fakers who wrongfully claim to have earned the Medal of Honor, to idiots falsely claiming to be SEALS.

Bullshido truly respects the quiet military professionals who go do their jobs without the notice of the press. It truly pisses us off to see someone, anyone, steal and misappropriate the true accomplishments of our couragous fighting men and women. Off duty the real heros usually carry themselves more like Ed down at the hardware store, then a self tortured and fictional John Rambo of "First Blood" fame. Some tricksters like Frank Dux, or Ralph Hall also teach martial arts and use their military lies to buttress their claims to be uber-warriors/Ninjers.

Opposing such activities are a small number of volunteers who end up challenging such liars and psychopaths and making them very unhappy by calling them on their bullshit. Such work is time consuming, confrontational, and unpleasant, and is typically not very lucrative. Their efforts however enriches us, by keeping a lid on some of the worst behavior that one can encounter.

So since military fraud hunting involves a cast of dozens, here are some of the people we honor this month. For any of the roughly 50 additional people we should have mentioned here, our apologies in advance for this omission. Your efforts are truly appreciated.

1) B.G. Burkett, author of Stolen Valor: How the Vietnam Generation was Robbed of Its Heroes and History Mr. Burkett served in Vietnam with the 199th Light Infantry in 1968 and 1969. With his mastery of the Freedom of Information Act and over 1,700 such requests he has exposed more fake Vietnam Combat Veterans that anyone else. He was one of the people to show that Frank Dux of Bloodsport fame never served in Vietnam. See http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/phonies15.htm

2) Pownetwork.org Currently the website with the most profiles concerning people making false military claims. They did an incredible job on their investigation of Dr. Maung Gyi, who when not lying about his service record, founded Bando in the United States. http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/phonies38.htm

3) The folks at Veriseal http://veriseal.org/about.html and most of the former members of Authentiseal. While the former accuse the latter of plagerizing their site, http://sec-global.com/services/ctp/vsg/tsk-tsk.html members of both sites have done good work exposing fake SEALS. See http://www.cyberseals.org/authentiseal/concerning the latter site which has since shut down.

Both organizations rely, or relied, on a a privately assembled database of every man who has gone through BUDS and UDT training since the 1950s put together by R.D. Russell and his wife Pam. The best guide to fake seal busting is No Guts, No Glory: Unmasking Navy SEAL Imposters which can be obtained at-

http://www.moosecreekforge.com/special.html

Its author, Steve Robinson, formally served as an investigator for Authentiseal and explains in nausating detail how these frauds operate and what sort of lies they tell. Steve was kind enough to consult with Bullshido when we were investigating David "Race" Bannon, even though his Judo days are now behind him

There presently appears to be thousands of men roaming the United States claiming false military distinctions. For those attempting to keep this human sludge under control, and stop the worst offenders, on your own dime, we salute you."

Here here!!!! Hat's off to these folks!

I was a closet Nam vet for over 30 years til I got help with my PTSD. I never even knew at the time that folks would fake mil service seein how the country hated us vets so much.Figured the last thing any American vet would admit to was fighting in Nam. But over the past 6 years I've run into a few. All I have to do is talk with them for 5 min and I'll make em out.Usually by the time I'm thrue with them they wish they never opened their mouths.Vets know vets.CAn't BS yourself around that one.

So true Blackhawk. A little side note, have you ever noticed at the Legion or VFW halls when you're trying to have a quiet beer, have you ever noticed that there are never any cooks, supply, personnel, mechanics who served in VN? Everybody was Green Beret, Seal, UDT, Ranger, LRRP, Recon or some other type of SF trooper? How did we survive without any of those support troops?

Had a guy I worked with a few years ago that had said he was a supply type in the Army during Nam, 68 & 69 if I remember right. He was a car salesman at the dealership I worked at as a technician. Later, He was telling some of the customers that he had been a tunnel rat. Well this guy was 6'2" easy and weighed a good 225. I realise his weight was probably less back during Nam. I called him on it one day and he sure changed his tune. Quit about a month later and went to another dealership. Good riddance as far as I was concerned.

I agree with Blackhawk. Since it has become fashionable to be a Viet Vet, I can't tell you how many "door gunners" and "tunnel rats" I've met. Not being a mind reader I can't say much because....well maybe they were. I ran into one guy at a fund raiser who told me out of the clear blue that he did 12 yrs, 6 as a Green bennie and 6 as an instructor. "I was the one who taught the killers to kill, and I was very good at it". I just looked at him, I'm not usually at a loss for words but I was then. Most times I just utter something like "amazing" and walk away. I've even met men that are my age claiming to be Korean War vets. Lets see, I was like 8 when that war started?

Had a female who work for me trid to clam that she was in Desert Storm and was Stromen Normens Driver... which i knew was BS cause of her demear and weight....And when as to see her DD214.. she clam that it was stolen...


More BS...

My family has had someone in the military and in harms way alot of the time and most know we all served. I've only run into a few PX worriers over the years.
I have two nephue's and a niece serving right now. One just went back over for his fourth tour there since 1988. I am so proud of my family and really get mad to see the trash talk from PX worriers. I got to put a few away when I was on duty and most of them cried as we booked them.

You're an honest man Gray! I believe that many combat vets sometimes feel the same way, "I wish I had done more". Sounds jingoistic maybe even melodramatic but I've felt it and others I've talked to have also. I was watching a program about a Swift Boat rescue of an Army recon team on the Military channel last night. Even though I was on river boat duty it wasn't Swift Boats but rather converted "Mic 8"s. I felt during the entire program like I hadn't really done as much as I could. I guess kinda like a second rate job when compared to those who really were slugging it out. So I guess my point is that we all served where we were sent and where ever that was it's nothing to feel guilty about. Plenty of those who didn't serve at all.

quote:

Originally posted by greywolfghost:
This is a tough one for me. I am a "Viet Nam Era Veteran" and the only Veteran teaching at the local high school, but I was diverted to Germany. (If you'll notice even on this site for "Affiliations" there is no option to put just "served." It's either "veteran" or "active duty," neither of which apply to me correctly right now.) Still, the Student Body Council Advisor usually asks me to say something every time Veterans Day or some other Patriotic thing comes along. I'm the main U. S. History teacher, too; so there is an obligation there. I usually manage to get her to find someone else within the community that has something more to talk about than sitting in a cold tank somewhere in the Fulda Gap. I had six close friends who went to school in this very high school killed in Viet Nam. Many of the buddies I trained with weren't diverted, and were killed in Viet Nam. So every time someone asks, "What was it like in Viet Nam?" I feel hollow. And every time, when I say, "Well, I was sent to Germany instead." I feel even more hollow. It is absolutely wrong for anyone to pretend to be a soldier, especially a Combat Veteran, but I can understand where the temptation comes from. There is a terrible emptiness for some that Fate sent somewhere else. For those that did not serve, but do the poser thing, they should be shipped to some hotspot on the next plane and left there. Hell, I'd go if I could - -

I was activated for Desert Storm (on my first weekend drill after I joined the Air Guard) and sent to Minot AFB North Dakota. The worst part was flying back in to McGuire and seeing a band there under a banner that said "Welcome back our heroes". My brother was Marine infantry and was in Kuwait. He told me he heard gunfire several times but every time they arrived on scene the Iraqis had already surrendered. I overheard someone ask him if he saw combat in the desert and heard him answer "Hell yes. On CNN".

greywolf. I salute you because you served. Doesn't matter where or when. I had only one tour in Viet Nam. I was a REMF. My unit supported the first Cav. We didn't see any bad stuff. A few mortars dropped into the compound. I was aviation, a tech inspector, a SP6 at the time. We kept the Cav in the air. 610 Trans co. AnKhe & Red Beach. Somtimes I feel as though I didn't do enough, by not being in the "thick of things" so to speak. Again, I salute you for your service.

quote:

Originally posted by retrme8:
greywolf. I salute you because you served. Doesn't matter where or when. I had only one tour in Viet Nam. I was a REMF. My unit supported the first Cav. We didn't see any bad stuff. A few mortars dropped into the compound. I was aviation, a tech inspector, a SP6 at the time. We kept the Cav in the air. 610 Trans co. AnKhe & Red Beach. Somtimes I feel as though I didn't do enough, by not being in the "thick of things" so to speak. Again, I salute you for your service.

You served our country in time of war. You were called upon to go to Vietnam. You went and did your job. Your duty. I was also in the 1st Cav in Nam and without men like you, we would have lost many more good people. I salute you. You did more than enough.

quote:

Originally posted by greywolfghost:

quote:

Originally posted by Vorpal:
I was activated for Desert Storm (on my first weekend drill after I joined the Air Guard) and sent to Minot AFB North Dakota. The worst part was flying back in to McGuire and seeing a band there under a banner that said "Welcome back our heroes". My brother was Marine infantry and was in Kuwait. He told me he heard gunfire several times but every time they arrived on scene the Iraqis had already surrendered. I overheard someone ask him if he saw combat in the desert and heard him answer "Hell yes. On CNN".

Roger all from all!

When Desert Storm came along, I quit my teaching job and went full time Guard as an Air Weapons Controller (When you tell F-15s to KILL, they really will!). I was 40 and figured it was my last chance at the "Show." Spent three years sitting in the states. Went back to teaching, stayed part time Air Guard. 2000 comes along,and it's time to retire, so I did, and 9/11 comes along. My ole unit is activiated and sent all over the planet. I'm a wannabe that always seemed to be at the wrong station when the trained pulled out. So it goes -
The funny thing - when I went back to my old teaching job, because I had "voluntarily terminated" I had to come back at step 6 instead of 12, losing 10,000 a year. No good deed goes unpunished!

Ray, can't everybody go to the same place at once. Who would cover the home front? I have never doubted you and never will. VERA Vets suffered along with the rest of us. We also have some Non-Geographical Support Vets here. Put them stupid feelings in a #10 can and bury it. Mikey!

quote:

Originally posted by greywolfghost:

quote:

Originally posted by Vorpal:
I was activated for Desert Storm (on my first weekend drill after I joined the Air Guard) and sent to Minot AFB North Dakota. The worst part was flying back in to McGuire and seeing a band there under a banner that said "Welcome back our heroes". My brother was Marine infantry and was in Kuwait. He told me he heard gunfire several times but every time they arrived on scene the Iraqis had already surrendered. I overheard someone ask him if he saw combat in the desert and heard him answer "Hell yes. On CNN".

Roger all from all!

When Desert Storm came along, I quit my teaching job and went full time Guard as an Air Weapons Controller (When you tell F-15s to KILL, they really will!). I was 40 and figured it was my last chance at the "Show." Spent three years sitting in the states. Went back to teaching, stayed part time Air Guard. 2000 comes along,and it's time to retire, so I did, and 9/11 comes along. My ole unit is activiated and sent all over the planet. I'm a wannabe that always seemed to be at the wrong station when the trained pulled out. So it goes -
The funny thing - when I went back to my old teaching job, because I had "voluntarily terminated" I had to come back at step 6 instead of 12, losing 10,000 a year. No good deed goes unpunished!

I know what you mean. I was in Ireland when 9/11 happened. I got activated when I got back and sent to Spain. I retired this year after 21 years. My last trip out was to Afghanistan (a short trip, I barely got my boots on the ground)and I had to use vacation time from my job to go. It staggers my mind when I think of the guys doing multiple trips to Afghanistan and Iraq for such long periods of time. My hat goes off to those guys and their families.

quote:

Originally posted by Migbuster:
Had a female who work for me trid to clam that she was in Desert Storm and was Stromen Normens Driver... which i knew was BS cause of her demear and weight....And when as to see her DD214.. she clam that it was stolen...


More BS...

Tell em you can get a new DD-214 from Saint Louis.

Our ship did a lot of recon work, my rate was electronics. We were not welcome were we went but I didn't see a lot of action, mostly heard things come down the pipe. I had an older VET cheer me up by saying you risked your life the same as I, so don't let anyone tell you your not a VET. A braggard was building himself up and got me thinking. One thing that bothers me is I wish they wouldn't teach big words to little minds, like PTSD. I have noticed a lot of people in the Civilian world draw words like a gun if they find out you served. Get tired of having to prove im sane to crazy people I don't know.

Just tell them you don't have to prove anything.You know you served with honor and dignity.

Im noticed like you, PTSD is a buzz word/words with civilians.

My father served (Air Force), not in Viet Nam, but in Thailand in '69. Proud of him then, proud of him now, just like all those who served in country, or at home. Well done!

like the fuggnuggets 30 blocks from WTC claiming ptsd....some people need to man up

I served in Charlie Co, 143rd Sig Bn, 3rd AD from 1977 to 1979. We guarded Fulda Gap to make sure the Soviets could not come through. Cannon fodder we were. Everyone knew we would only have slowed them down. Everyone I knew thought I was on an extended, paid vacation...

We had just gotten in a new light wheeled mechanic, from a PCS move. I had to go down to the motor pool and dispatch my ambulance for a tasking that my platoon was given. I did my pre-operators PMCS check and went into the mechanics office to get them to check out what I found, and to fix any problems that would deadline the vehicle or make non-operative for service. Well this new guy, (Steine, Steiner, or something like that), was checking out my M886 and telling me that he used to be a nuclear technician on a Submarine and how he had single handedly saved the boat from a “melt down”… Through out the months, this guys “stories” got even bigger and better. He told us that he used to be HALO Q’ed, trained as a recon Marine, designed a better parafoil and other great “war stories”!

His problem was… he was a very bad mechanic. He broke more vehicles than he fixed! It got so bad the SSG in charge of the M/P put him in the dispatch office and ordering parts.

We had a class A inspection one day and his uniform was fantastic! He had more ribbons and badges than my 1SG, and my 1SG had a S**t load! I remember he had a Navy Cross, master blaster wings, and foreign jump wings…and 1 service stripe… he WAS stacked! The First Sergeant called foul and cancelled the rest of the inspection, marched him to BDE and had the S-1 get his 201 file. The last I saw of him… was on his way to CCF, Charlies Chicken Farm…