Rules for Posers

[Greg]

I think the most amusing one I ever ran into was a guy who claimed to have been a Marine. I asked him where he had gone to basic training. He said he could not remember. Suspicious, I asked who his Drill Instructors were. He could not remember. Pretty sure he was never in the USMC.

I was a REMF on Active duty from 74 to 86, and a Reservist until 94, and I still remember my Drill Sergeants full name. And those of the other Drill Sergeants working with them. Their names are burned into my brain. Never did anything of interest to anyone but myself.

[pvtragman]

I don't have any fond memories of DI's but one in particular must have been a floater because he would appear at various platoons in my series and when he did, you knew it was going to be a bad day. That was at MCRD in the spring of 1961 and I never forgot the little SOB. Anyway, in 2005 we were invited to a wedding involving members of his ethnic group when we lived in New Mexico and I noticed an old guy with long white hair in a pony tail and earrings who kept looking at me and turning his head when I looked back. Finally, I had to go over and ask if he was Sergeant R. He replied in the affirmative and thanked me for noticing. He had retired as a gunny and by his appearance, he already had more problems than I could have given him.

[minnhawk]

One of my more interesting drill Sergeant stories:

September, 1975 US Army Basic Training at Fort Jackson, S.C. It was the first day and we had piled out of the cattle car (semi trailer) and we doing up downs with our full issue on our backs in duffel bags, trainees getting pulled out to get dressed down, running up a hill and back down, trying not to be the last, pure chaos of meeting the drill sergeant cadre the first time. I was 6'2" and 225 and hanging in there fairly well, when a very big drill sergeant pretty well filled up my field of vision and started screaming my last name at me. Bewildered, I didn't know what to do because he was just screaming my name. Then I realized he had the same last name, well known in the Carolinas but somewhat a unique name. Then I realized he thought I had no right to that name and would have to earn it, and he grabbed my fatigue shirt, pulled out his pen knife, and proceeded to cut the stitches holding it above my pocket, then got enough purchase and ripped it on off. I was directed to remove the name tapes from my other 3 fatigue shirts as well. He waved the name tape in my face screaming that I was a "no-name" until I proved I was good enough to own the name again. It took awhile. However, I shot 77/80 at the range and was high BRM for the training brigade's cycle. That earned "no name" a weekend pass into Columbia, but I had to go in uniform and wasn't too comfortable out in the civilian world, so I spent most of the weekend in the barracks being left alone. Early Monday morning, with a big grin that drill sergeant called me out of the formation and pinned on an embroidered name tape with the family name on it. Later he and I talked to see if we actually were related, but it turns out we weren't. He and his partner left me alone the rest of the cycle. He even gave me a ride in his pickup to the airport when I shipped out to Infantry AIT as Fort Polk, La (no I didn't get to go to Benning)

[LARscout]

I always point out that posers are never disgruntled E-3s with 2-3 deployments and an NJP/Page 11 for each deployment. Thats how I catch em.

[Clark Howard]

I say let the poseurs have their go at being a hero. I discovered that your family, co-workers, employers, and Reserve component's leadership do not wish to have a combat veteran around. After forty some years, the only individual who wants to know what I did and where I served is my grandson. It's no wonder that my Dad and Grandfather never talked about their service. I feel sympathy for the old geezers whose military service stands as the high point of their lives. Regards, Clark

[bobby L]

I've got a college buddy and two grade school buddies whose names are engraved on a Wall in Washington D.C. The thought of dishonoring myself by claiming to be more than I was in the service of our Country, makes me want to puke. I was commissioned a 2nd Lt. in Armor and was lucky enough not to have to go to Vietnam, and I still feel a little guilty about being so lucky. I jokingly tell my kids that the only line I fought on in my military service was the "chow line".

These posers that lead a fantasy life by creating a fantasy military past must be pitied for the losers they themselves must truly believe and feel that they are.

[coltgrabber]

Don't seem to be a lot of recent posts on here. Anybody at Clark AB, Philippine Islands 1961-1963?

[lonegunman762x51]

My step-son deployed on three combat tours with the 82nd to Iraq and Afghanistan and was "stop-lossed" for a year. The misery of Afghanistan for a front line troop makes every deployment I ever had in the USAF, including an Iraq trip in 2007, seem like a vacation. Valor thieves are simply pathetic, to hear lefties call it "free speech" and demean servicemen and women makes me sick.

[Liam]

When Desert Storm 1 rolled around I found myself with the right MOS, but wrong language - Russian. Had been handy for a decade, but now nearly useless. No heroics here. At a high school reunion where some folks knew I speak Russian but don't know why (they assume "spy"), we had a golf outing. When my buddies inquired why my golf was so bad (never having played before!) I answered "While you were partying and learning to play golf, I was busy with a little something called 'The Cold War'" Laughs all-around. I am proud of my stint. No need for embellishment. For those who have stolen valor, however, a special place in hades should await.

[Craig from kazoo]

I've been in a couple of branches, kind of a hobby lol. I like how my old 1stSgt commented on a question I asked him concerning someone's claim of being a Navy SEAL. He explained to me that "there were 600 SEALS, and I've met all 2400 of them'.

Craig

[ebeeby]

Speaking of phony SEALS....

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUxuYuqe-XBFonUGFLETfnA

[Ramair]

Closest I've come to being in the military was having a selective service card issued to me, Nam ended in my junior year in high school. I was however, privaliged to have known and befriended retired and now deceased earlier this year Mstr Gunnery Sgt Terry Rowe. Due to his service, Terry had just about every affliction or cancer one could imagine, and yet always had the greatest disposition and outlook on life. Terry never talked about his military life, and I never asked him about it. I really looked forward to his visits to South Florida to spend time with his son's family, and before he could get out of his truck, I made sure a cold one was in his hand. Here's to you Terry, its an honor to have known you. Rob

[WarPig1976]

Speaking of phony SEALS....

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUx...XBFonUGFLETfnA

You beat me to it. Don Shipley is the man,
watch as he guts these scumbags claiming to be A S.E.A.L, so many his work is never done.

[oldtirediron]

Guess what??

My son is pretty new to the military; he is just in a little over a year and spent most of it in training-- He went in the reserves to be able to enter an MOS that usually is not available to regular enlistee's! So he did his basic an Ft. Benning and after a 6 month delay (Class and O'bummer budget SNAFU'S) he is now at Fort Bragg for another month or so! Anyway if you want to really know if a speciality is for real- He went to find his unit and no one knew anything about the unit or if it existed! Only when he showed his assignment orders did some one know where he was supposed to be at !! So one thing I can tell you is that his MOS is classified as secret and he is well aware of what he chose is a great occupation- His ASVAB score was in the top 3% of everyone that took it last year and his drill sargeant's well all referring to him as that "Smart M-F'er! " So his choice's are already being mapped out for OCS and further training !! So he doesn't have to be a poser!

[StockDoc]

Shipley was made fun of, on the latest NCIS LA, including the wig. Quite entertaining, chasing down fake Seals