how do you handle people faking military service?

[hardheaded]

Last guy I met was at a flea market. I was looking in a riker box of his junk and he started telling me he was in black ops "If you know what that is" and his brother was a fighter pilot. I said have a nice day and moved along.

[Squad leader]

I just call them "Mytho" which (in French) is a very pejorative abbreviation for mythomaniac.

 

Dan.

[WW2JAKE]

I'd like to throw in with the comments what most everyone who thinks on this topic does... which is most of them do claim to be special forces or something impressive like that. but although that is true it seems if someone says something like that they are written off immediately as a fake and ignored (or called out on it if thats your thing) but obviously some guys were all those things and sometimes they talk about it. I think sometimes people are too quick to judge as we have seen in the previous comments.

but I also want to ask an other question which is based on the first. What would YOU do if you saw someone trying to call out someone you knew was the real deal.

I know i've personally seen that happen and have seen the situation go from calling out to trying to take a swing at the guy sometimes when they are unaware that the situation is even happening...

[bellasilva]

If you serve and confront someone you believe or know to be faking military service, there is a way to go about it. I've seen the ton of videos coming in recently and some of them unfortunately do show a drunken serviceman approaching someone and swearing and threatening. This is how not to do it. Hold yourself to a higher standard. If you feel that absolute need to do so, point out that it is morally wrong to do so, illegal if gaining any free services or monetary contributions. Pointing a cell phone at their face and ripping off patches is not the way to go. Let these scumbags who are wholly aware of what they are doing get themselves in trouble on their own time, don't ever put yourself in the position to not only get into trouble with law enforcement but with your own command as well. Let karma bite the super trooper ranger green beret battalion black ops II triple medal of honor awardee in the butt.

[Manchu Warrior]

I have no problem with outing phonies but sometimes it goes overboard. I recently watched a You Tube video of a veteran confronting what he considered a phoney. The supposed phoney looked like a typical hunter with BDU pants and a orange vest and he asked if they give free coffee to veterans. The other gentleman heard him and went off on him and was using foul language and he was the one that was in my opinion making a fool out of himself. When I know that they give veteran discounts I have no problem showing my VA id card, problem solved.

[patches]

Here's one to make your Blood Boil.

 

One I remember awhiles back from my neck of the woods in NYC, a 2nd Mar Div Nam Vet you say!!!!.

 

Before

 

After

 

http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=20807

 

[e19]

Life's too short to get involved with them.