However, there is one thing that I really have a hard time not getting mad about…that’s when somebody tries to pretend that they were some kind of war vet that they were not. Usually the story they tell is easy to find bullshit in. Most of those faking being a war vet are not going to say: “when I was in…., I was a cook.”
They usually say: “I was in the Specialgreenberetsealsrecon forces when I was in Iraq Nam. They also will usually tell you how they were wounded and got the Army Cross and the Medal of Honor and all that BS.
Then I ask them: “What was your MOS?” or "what unit were you in?"
Well, I friggen hate posers. When I served in Iraq, I was a simple Mess Kit Repairmen. I loved my job and I did everything I could to avoid danger. I earned no medals and did nothing special.
I got an e-mail from this company that makes really cool things. They take your awards that you earned and put them on coffee cups, decals etc. I guess this is one company that takes pride in what they do and are not just in business for the money...because they lost at least $20 on this sale.
This is the e-mail they sent me about some outrageous posers:
Busting Posers
We don't get many, but....
Dear xxxx:
Once in a while we get an order that doesn't pass muster. More often than not it's a simple mistake, and we get it quickly corrected. Some awards have similar names, like the American Defense Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. After 30 or 40 years, it's understandable if someone puts the wrong one on.
Sometimes, it's flagrant, and It's not hard to spot someone who has no idea what ribbons or the devices stand for. Here's an example of a poser who wants people to think he was a Navy SEAL in Vietnam. There are a few problems. 6 Purple Heart Medals or did he just like the color of the silver star devices? Not to mention how improbable (if not impossible) it would be to receive 6 Navy Presidential Unit Citations during the Vietnam War. We didn't fill this order. Here's the award image:
Note: this is what "Posers" come up with for their awards
6 comments:
1. Amazing. Budweiser badge, 6 BSM and 6 PH.
2. Think Colonel Howard had that many -in addition to his major awards.
3. In my circle, you'd be found out instantly.
4. Am sure it's the same for veterans of your campaigns.
5. In my day, if you made regular trips outside the wire, you were a loser or had p****d somebody off.
5. Both, in my case.
6. We were jealous of the cooks, clerks, etc -and would have traded places gladly.
7. The attraction of being sweat soaked, mosquito bitten, hungry, thirsty and sh*t scared wore off real fast.
8. Almost as quickly as I learned that I was no hero.
9. All any of us wanted was to get through it.
10. Nowadays, nobody is inspecting DD-214's for awards. We don't care much. The important thing is that you were there and can dredge up a memory that will give us a laugh or two.
11. Had dealings with a young man who had Khe Sanh license plates on his car.
12. Asked him if his father had been at Khe Sanh. Reply: "Nope, this is my grandfather's car."
13. Was real sorry I had asked. None of my associates laughed real hard at that one....
14. All the VN posers I've run into were wearing diapers when those events transpired.
15. All you have to do is ask, "Where were you?" and things begin to unravel.
V/R JWest
Never try to put one over on a Mess Kit Repairman.
Good rule never to bullshit the bullshitproof! In a previous job where I was dealing with SF and other military, I was talking to a Royal Marine Sgt about a drugs interdiction job I was involved with back in `93. [We used their SF unit (SBS) to get us out onto the ocean]. This guy immediately knew of the job and of the names of their guys who led it. Told me the Lt. was now a full Colonel. Bullshitters don't always realise that the Royal Marines is quite a small unit in the grander scheme of things - in fact the entire British Army could probably fill just 2 major football stadiums and with the high rotation rate they are currently being put through the chances are they'll know if you are spinning a yarn. Its an elite club, not to be messed with.
1. Couldn't let it go.
2. Colonel Robert L. Howard: MOH, DSC x 2, SS, BSM x 4, PH x 8, etc.
3. Was put in for MOH three times.
4. Some stuff he did that wasn't officially recognized was even more noteworthy.
5. Stories about that abound on line.
6. Met him once. He was gracious enough but lost interest in me when he found out I had served in a leg unit.
7. A major stud.
8. RIP Colonel Howard.
VV/R JWest
I agree. We have police posers as well...even tho I never served in the military...my dad did..and posers just piss me off. Serving our country in any fashion is an homor...just bc you didn't jump out of a perfectly good airplane to save the President doesn't mean your service is any less. Just have pride in what you did or do...and all of us will have pride in you. Hey...that rhymed..I'm a poet.
Rock on, CI Roller..that was a good post.
I have a friend who felt sorry for a PTSD disturbed VN Vet and her husband kept pumping money into him for a job he was never able to even get started. My friend was telling me the sad tale. I'm listening thinking, "hmmm...I've met this guy and being born in '48 was in the thick of the draft and the war. There was no way in hell this guy could have been a Vet. These benighted folks were younger so I pointed out that they were being taken. My friend went on about how detailed his stories were, etc, etc. I reminded her about VN war novels. For awhile they kept defending the guy. He ended up in jail and hubby was actually going to bail him out - I was flabergasted at the naivety of these guys. I insisted hubby at least get his birthday since he was bailing him and all - the kid would have been 12 during the war. They were really embarrased and I think preferred the fantasy that they were helping a wounded warrior. L. Ron Hubbard (founder of Scientology) served in the Navy during WWII but exaggerates his war wounds and that is #2 on the shame list, #3 is the chickenhawk. Wouldn't go themselves but are happy to send your son off - my son is active AF - but even at that he goes into war zones all the time and is at the governments call whenever and wherever they choose to send him. So that's my gripe and I stick to it. Thank God there are people dedicatd to exposing these travesties.
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