SEAL sleuths expose those who've faked service

[High_Gravity]

SEAL sleuths expose those who've faked service

PORTLAND, Maine – Navy SEAL wannabes lie to get free beers, to get women into bed, to further their civilian careers or to get military benefits. And the number of phonies will probably only grow with the SEALs in the spotlight for the operation that killed Osama bin Laden.

In fact, there might be more fakes than the real thing — so despite being outnumbered, retired SEALs and others are doing what they can to stop impostors from stealing the valor that rightly belongs to others who have trained for some of the world's toughest military missions.

"There were about 500 SEALs that operated in Vietnam, and I've met all 20,000 of them," joked Steve Waterman, a retired Navy diver from South Thomaston, who said he has exposed more than 100 phony SEALs over the years.

The latest crop of fakes includes a Pennsylvania minister who let his congregation believe he was a SEAL and repeated the lie to a newspaper.

It's easy enough to spot a phony, the SEAL sleuths say. For starters, bona fide SEALs — trained to operate on sea, air and land — don't boast about their top-secret exploits. And the fakes' stories often unravel upon questioning. Sometimes, they're plots pulled from movies. Other times, they're too fanciful to be true.

"The more outrageous a story is, in a lot of cases, the more it's believed. These guys do a terrible amount of damage," said Don Shipley, a retired SEAL from Chesapeake, Va., who devotes much of his time to exposing the phonies.

Shipley is one of a handful of former SEALs entrusted with a database that shows those who've graduated from SEAL training. The public also can make inquiries with the Navy, which keeps personnel files in Tennessee and Washington, D.C.

Shipley dreads opening his email these days because he's getting 40 to 50 inquiries daily from people suspicious of claims by friends, neighbors or colleagues who say they're SEALs. Their doubts are usually confirmed.

Shipley called out the Rev. Jim Moats from the Christian Bible Fellowship Church in Newville, Pa., after he was quoted in The Patriot-News of Harrisburg talking about his service as a SEAL in Vietnam.

Moats admits he lied. "It's an ego-builder, and it's just simply wrong," Moats told the newspaper. He didn't return a call from The Associated Press.

The Naval Special Warfare Command also receives a steady stream of inquiries about possible SEALs, the vast majority of which are debunked, said Lt. Cate Wallace, spokeswoman for the command in California.

Larry Bailey, a retired SEAL from Chocowinity, N.C., estimates he and friends who are former SEALs have exposed 35,000 phonies through the years.

SEAL sleuths expose those who've faked service - Yahoo! News

 

[random3434]

Just like those on message boards that say they served.

People that lie that they were in the service do a dishonor to those that DID serve.


Despicable of ANYONE that does something like that. Shame on them.

 

[whitehall]

Somebody should talk to the liberal 9th circut court of appeals. The "Stolen Valor Act" was signed into law by President Bush 0n 12/20/06. The law was intended to make it a federal misdemeanor to falsely represent onesself as having received a Medal or other Military award in particular the Medal of Honor.. The law was deemed unconstitutional by the liberal Ca. based 9th circut court of appeals. In effect the appeals court said it was your constitutional right to lie about Military service.

 

[Sunni Man]

That is just freaking crazy.


Anyone who lies about getting the CMH should be beat to a pulp.

 

[Trajan]

yup, theres a fasle identifier SF and Ranger site out there too. it always makes me wonder what folks think they will gain by assuming something like this.

For almost anyone who has served and has a finely tuned BS detector, these guys stand out like stink on shit.

 

[whitehall]

Pick up a copy of "Stolen Valor" by BG Burkett and Glenna Whitley. The book contains shocking accounts of fakes and frauds. The media loved a character who hung around the VietNam Veteran "Wall" because he looked so gosh darn authentic with his wild beard and wild eyes and medals on his denim jacket. He was photographed numerous times crying over one name or another and the caption always said "VietNam Veteran". The media never thought to check. He was a fake soldier who never served.

 

[old navy]

I taught Basic Hospital Corpsman Class 'A' School, Corps School we called it, in the middle 1980s. Pronounce that core and not corpse like the commander in chief pronounces it. Anyway, we had two SEAL impersonators there on the staff. One was a Nurse Corps lieutenant who claimed to be a SEAL Corpsman in Viet Nam. He wore the Navy Cross and every award subordinate to it that shows up on the awards chart. He struck an impressive presentation of military bearing. He acted crazy and did crazy things and got away with it because everyone thought that he was able to rip hearts out of chests. I was doing night clinicals at the Naval Hospital with students and found a book on Navy Cross recipients. The book stated that there were two Corpsmen in Viet Nam who were awarded the Navy Cross. When I read the names, my pulse skipped a few beats because our hero's name was not one of them. I never said anything because it was not my business. Everyone had bought in on the scam. Plus, the other SEAL at the command should call him out, right?

The other was a Master Chief. He wore so many ribbons that his Trident sat up north of his left clavicle. His story was that he was a bosun's mate SEAL (became a Corpsman later I guess) in Viet Nam. He was such a badass that he was Zumwalt's personal bodyguard whenever the admiral was in-country.

A couple of years later I went to Independent Duty Corpsman school with a SEAL who I became friends with. This led me to look up the two "SEALS" from Corps School. Sure as poop, the "nurse's" name came up as a fake. He actually was not even a nurse. Faked that too. That made me think that if he was a fake, surely the Master Chief would have outed him. So I looked up his name in one of the fake SEAL web sites and there he was. We had two fake SEALs on a staff with Corpsman who are among the most decorated military members of any branch. They got away with it because they looked the part and everyone thought that they bolstered the rep of the rest of us.

Their world came crashing down though due to the work of people like Don Shipley who is mentioned in the article. I actually deployed with Shipley to Africa in 1996. I was with the Marines and he was, well, with the SEALs. He had seven others with him on the embassy protection and sustainment mission. It was a great op with lots of action and good times had by all.

 

[Zander]

It's despicable. I served in the Navy. I worked with the Seal Team on Coronado for over a year when I was assigned to SBU-13 - a SEAL TEAM Unit. I was an engineer and I mainly drove a SWCL for the UDT. I was not a SEAL and would never pretend to be. I have nothing but respect for those guys.

 

[slukasiewski]

It's despicable. I served in the Navy. I worked with the Seal Team on Coronado for over a year when I was assigned to SBU-13 - a SEAL TEAM Unit. I was an engineer and I mainly drove a SWCL for the UDT. I was not a SEAL and would never pretend to be. I have nothing but respect for those guys.

I spent some time at Coronondo as well. Loved that base and the location.

I remember seeing the SEALS get their work out on the beach across the street from the base. About 10 of them - jogging along the surf - with a telephone poll on their shoulders...

Amazing the shape those guys were in.

 

[editec]

I taught Basic Hospital Corpsman Class 'A' School, Corps School we called it, in the middle 1980s. Pronounce that core and not corpse like the commander in chief pronounces it. Anyway, we had two SEAL impersonators there on the staff. One was a Nurse Corps lieutenant who claimed to be a SEAL Corpsman in Viet Nam. He wore the Navy Cross and every award subordinate to it that shows up on the awards chart. He struck an impressive presentation of military bearing. He acted crazy and did crazy things and got away with it because everyone thought that he was able to rip hearts out of chests. I was doing night clinicals at the Naval Hospital with students and found a book on Navy Cross recipients. The book stated that there were two Corpsmen in Viet Nam who were awarded the Navy Cross. When I read the names, my pulse skipped a few beats because our hero's name was not one of them. I never said anything because it was not my business. Everyone had bought in on the scam. Plus, the other SEAL at the command should call him out, right?

The other was a Master Chief. He wore so many ribbons that his Trident sat up north of his left clavicle. His story was that he was a bosun's mate SEAL (became a Corpsman later I guess) in Viet Nam. He was such a badass that he was Zumwalt's personal bodyguard whenever the admiral was in-country.

A couple of years later I went to Independent Duty Corpsman school with a SEAL who I became friends with. This led me to look up the two "SEALS" from Corps School. Sure as poop, the "nurse's" name came up as a fake. He actually was not even a nurse. Faked that too. That made me think that if he was a fake, surely the Master Chief would have outed him. So I looked up his name in one of the fake SEAL web sites and there he was. We had two fake SEALs on a staff with Corpsman who are among the most decorated military members of any branch. They got away with it because they looked the part and everyone thought that they bolstered the rep of the rest of us.

Their world came crashing down though due to the work of people like Don Shipley who is mentioned in the article. I actually deployed with Shipley to Africa in 1996. I was with the Marines and he was, well, with the SEALs. He had seven others with him on the embassy protection and sustainment mission. It was a great op with lots of action and good times had by all.

As I recall, it was offically labeled Naval Hospital Corps College at GLAKES in the 1970.

Yeah, I was surprised by that too, since nobody typically called it that.

But that's what went on our records of service

What did you teach in Corps school?

Material Medica was the killer course went I was there.

 

[pinqy]

It's despicable. I served in the Navy. I worked with the Seal Team on Coronado for over a year when I was assigned to SBU-13 - a SEAL TEAM Unit. I was an engineer and I mainly drove a SWCL for the UDT. I was not a SEAL and would never pretend to be. I have nothing but respect for those guys.

For me, people like you fall into a gray area. The truly honest will say they were attached or assigned to and make clear they were not actual SEALs or SF etc. Some people, though, fudge a little bit and say things such as "I was with the SEALS" or "I was in SF," implying they were SEALS or SF but not explicitly stating and leaving just a little wiggle room. Like Jesse Ventura, who was UDT in Vietnam, but not a SEAL and he never saw combat. For him, saying "SEAL" was just easier than trying to explain that UDT are now merged with SEALs, but not when he served, and he did similar but not the same work etc. I can understand and be somewhat sympathetic to going with the easier and more glamorous SEAL. And he was never explicitly dishonest. I don't like it, but I understand. As long as people like that admit the truth when questioned, I'm not going split too many hairs.

Similarly, it used to be that everyone in an SF unit wore the green beret (though non-tabbed didn't wear the flash). Ok, you're exagerrating a little and saying you were in the green berets. Not true, but more exaggerating than lying. I won't trust you much, but not a huge deal.

It's the outright liars, especially claiming false medals that really piss me off.

 

[slukasiewski]

I taught Basic Hospital Corpsman Class 'A' School, Corps School we called it, in the middle 1980s. Pronounce that core and not corpse like the commander in chief pronounces it. Anyway, we had two SEAL impersonators there on the staff. One was a Nurse Corps lieutenant who claimed to be a SEAL Corpsman in Viet Nam. He wore the Navy Cross and every award subordinate to it that shows up on the awards chart. He struck an impressive presentation of military bearing. He acted crazy and did crazy things and got away with it because everyone thought that he was able to rip hearts out of chests. I was doing night clinicals at the Naval Hospital with students and found a book on Navy Cross recipients. The book stated that there were two Corpsmen in Viet Nam who were awarded the Navy Cross. When I read the names, my pulse skipped a few beats because our hero's name was not one of them. I never said anything because it was not my business. Everyone had bought in on the scam. Plus, the other SEAL at the command should call him out, right?

The other was a Master Chief. He wore so many ribbons that his Trident sat up north of his left clavicle. His story was that he was a bosun's mate SEAL (became a Corpsman later I guess) in Viet Nam. He was such a badass that he was Zumwalt's personal bodyguard whenever the admiral was in-country.

A couple of years later I went to Independent Duty Corpsman school with a SEAL who I became friends with. This led me to look up the two "SEALS" from Corps School. Sure as poop, the "nurse's" name came up as a fake. He actually was not even a nurse. Faked that too. That made me think that if he was a fake, surely the Master Chief would have outed him. So I looked up his name in one of the fake SEAL web sites and there he was. We had two fake SEALs on a staff with Corpsman who are among the most decorated military members of any branch. They got away with it because they looked the part and everyone thought that they bolstered the rep of the rest of us.

Their world came crashing down though due to the work of people like Don Shipley who is mentioned in the article. I actually deployed with Shipley to Africa in 1996. I was with the Marines and he was, well, with the SEALs. He had seven others with him on the embassy protection and sustainment mission. It was a great op with lots of action and good times had by all.

I was stationed at Naval Base Norfolk (was a SCPO) on the Admiral's staff mid-90s. This Lt. walks into our office decorated to the freaking hilt! Buds pin and all. I was amazed - Purple Hearts, Bronze Star, sea-service up the wazoo, etc. I could tell this guy was a fake. I popped in on the Admiral's Aid - a fantastic kid (Lt. - USNA grad) - and said, "Sir - you gotta see this fucking clown that came into our office." I told him what I observed and he said, "Oh really.... let's go fuck with him a little."

Lt comes over and starts grilling this guy on his decorations. "So, where'd ya get that one..." etc.

The fake Lt. literally ran out of the office...

Never saw him again.

It's really amazing what you can buy in the uniform shop...

 

[Zander]

It's despicable. I served in the Navy. I worked with the Seal Team on Coronado for over a year when I was assigned to SBU-13 - a SEAL TEAM Unit. I was an engineer and I mainly drove a SWCL for the UDT. I was not a SEAL and would never pretend to be. I have nothing but respect for those guys.

For me, people like you fall into a gray area. The truly honest will say they were attached or assigned to and make clear they were not actual SEALs or SF etc. Some people, though, fudge a little bit and say things such as "I was with the SEALS" or "I was in SF," implying they were SEALS or SF but not explicitly stating and leaving just a little wiggle room. Like Jesse Ventura, who was UDT in Vietnam, but not a SEAL and he never saw combat. For him, saying "SEAL" was just easier than trying to explain that UDT are now merged with SEALs, but not when he served, and he did similar but not the same work etc. I can understand and be somewhat sympathetic to going with the easier and more glamorous SEAL. And he was never explicitly dishonest. I don't like it, but I understand. As long as people like that admit the truth when questioned, I'm not going split too many hairs.

Similarly, it used to be that everyone in an SF unit wore the green beret (though non-tabbed didn't wear the flash). Ok, you're exagerrating a little and saying you were in the green berets. Not true, but more exaggerating than lying. I won't trust you much, but not a huge deal.

It's the outright liars, especially claiming false medals that really piss me off.

I know what you are saying. Some of the guys I worked with used ambiguous language like you mentioned. Since we all wore the exact same "greens" that the SEALS wore - I could have easily passed for a SEAL. But I never tried to. I just didn't feel the need. I was already enjoying some killer duty, so why lie? I'll never understand that particular quirk of personality. I was already proud of being a part of the Special boat Unit, telling lies about my record would diminish, not improve my service. It's kinda stupid.

PS- unless you got laid for lying - then you get a free pass.

 

[pinqy]

PS- unless you got laid for lying - then you get a free pass.

Hell, I know some guys who got laid by claiming they were Army SEALS. Although I'm not sure pure fiction counts as lying.

 

[old navy]

As I recall, it was offically labeled Naval Hospital Corps College at GLAKES in the 1970.

Yeah, I was surprised by that too, since nobody typically called it that.

But that's what went on our records of service

What did you teach in Corps school?

Material Medica was the killer course went I was there.

When I was there, each class had three instructors that took them through the entire period they were there. The instructors were a nurse, a Chief, and a PO1 or PO2. We taught all aspects of the curriculum to include nursing, pharmacy, lab, and the EMT stuff.

Did you know that Corps School started its first class in April at Fort Sam Houston? NHCS Great Lakes is no more.

 

[Momanohedhunter]

SEAL sleuths expose those who've faked service

PORTLAND, Maine – Navy SEAL wannabes lie to get free beers, to get women into bed, to further their civilian careers or to get military benefits. And the number of phonies will probably only grow with the SEALs in the spotlight for the operation that killed Osama bin Laden.

In fact, there might be more fakes than the real thing — so despite being outnumbered, retired SEALs and others are doing what they can to stop impostors from stealing the valor that rightly belongs to others who have trained for some of the world's toughest military missions.

"There were about 500 SEALs that operated in Vietnam, and I've met all 20,000 of them," joked Steve Waterman, a retired Navy diver from South Thomaston, who said he has exposed more than 100 phony SEALs over the years.

The latest crop of fakes includes a Pennsylvania minister who let his congregation believe he was a SEAL and repeated the lie to a newspaper.

It's easy enough to spot a phony, the SEAL sleuths say. For starters, bona fide SEALs — trained to operate on sea, air and land — don't boast about their top-secret exploits. And the fakes' stories often unravel upon questioning. Sometimes, they're plots pulled from movies. Other times, they're too fanciful to be true.

"The more outrageous a story is, in a lot of cases, the more it's believed. These guys do a terrible amount of damage," said Don Shipley, a retired SEAL from Chesapeake, Va., who devotes much of his time to exposing the phonies.

Shipley is one of a handful of former SEALs entrusted with a database that shows those who've graduated from SEAL training. The public also can make inquiries with the Navy, which keeps personnel files in Tennessee and Washington, D.C.

Shipley dreads opening his email these days because he's getting 40 to 50 inquiries daily from people suspicious of claims by friends, neighbors or colleagues who say they're SEALs. Their doubts are usually confirmed.

Shipley called out the Rev. Jim Moats from the Christian Bible Fellowship Church in Newville, Pa., after he was quoted in The Patriot-News of Harrisburg talking about his service as a SEAL in Vietnam.

Moats admits he lied. "It's an ego-builder, and it's just simply wrong," Moats told the newspaper. He didn't return a call from The Associated Press.

The Naval Special Warfare Command also receives a steady stream of inquiries about possible SEALs, the vast majority of which are debunked, said Lt. Cate Wallace, spokeswoman for the command in California.

Larry Bailey, a retired SEAL from Chocowinity, N.C., estimates he and friends who are former SEALs have exposed 35,000 phonies through the years.

SEAL sleuths expose those who've faked service - Yahoo! News

Good for them. I wish they had this for non SEALS to. I can think of one member that I would like to run through the data base.

 

[High_Gravity]

I just don't get how people can lie about stuff like this, this like lying about having sex with a beautiful woman just to get high fives and props from the fellas, but at the end of the day when you go home and look in the mirror all you see is a fucking fraud, I don't see how these lying clowns can look at themselves, if you want to be a SEAL and get the bragging rights sign up for the training and give it a go, if your not even willing to do that drop the whole thing.

 

[sinister59]

SEAL sleuths expose those who've faked service

PORTLAND, Maine – Navy SEAL wannabes lie to get free beers, to get women into bed, to further their civilian careers or to get military benefits. And the number of phonies will probably only grow with the SEALs in the spotlight for the operation that killed Osama bin Laden.

In fact, there might be more fakes than the real thing — so despite being outnumbered, retired SEALs and others are doing what they can to stop impostors from stealing the valor that rightly belongs to others who have trained for some of the world's toughest military missions.

"There were about 500 SEALs that operated in Vietnam, and I've met all 20,000 of them," joked Steve Waterman, a retired Navy diver from South Thomaston, who said he has exposed more than 100 phony SEALs over the years.

The latest crop of fakes includes a Pennsylvania minister who let his congregation believe he was a SEAL and repeated the lie to a newspaper.

It's easy enough to spot a phony, the SEAL sleuths say. For starters, bona fide SEALs — trained to operate on sea, air and land — don't boast about their top-secret exploits. And the fakes' stories often unravel upon questioning. Sometimes, they're plots pulled from movies. Other times, they're too fanciful to be true.

"The more outrageous a story is, in a lot of cases, the more it's believed. These guys do a terrible amount of damage," said Don Shipley, a retired SEAL from Chesapeake, Va., who devotes much of his time to exposing the phonies.

Shipley is one of a handful of former SEALs entrusted with a database that shows those who've graduated from SEAL training. The public also can make inquiries with the Navy, which keeps personnel files in Tennessee and Washington, D.C.

Shipley dreads opening his email these days because he's getting 40 to 50 inquiries daily from people suspicious of claims by friends, neighbors or colleagues who say they're SEALs. Their doubts are usually confirmed.

Shipley called out the Rev. Jim Moats from the Christian Bible Fellowship Church in Newville, Pa., after he was quoted in The Patriot-News of Harrisburg talking about his service as a SEAL in Vietnam.

Moats admits he lied. "It's an ego-builder, and it's just simply wrong," Moats told the newspaper. He didn't return a call from The Associated Press.

The Naval Special Warfare Command also receives a steady stream of inquiries about possible SEALs, the vast majority of which are debunked, said Lt. Cate Wallace, spokeswoman for the command in California.

Larry Bailey, a retired SEAL from Chocowinity, N.C., estimates he and friends who are former SEALs have exposed 35,000 phonies through the years.

SEAL sleuths expose those who've faked service - Yahoo! News

its dab enough to run for office and be a vet , because no one ever served and was everyone's buddy , I'd hate to see what they'd say about me .
but to run on a fake military services ? your career is over .