[FL Airedale]

Do real navy seals do a lot of advertising that they were navy seals?

http://wtkr.com/2012/05/04/special-r...really-a-seal/

[concretefuzzynuts]

I live in the city where a lot of SEALs live. SEAL team 6 is here. He lives in a nearby area.

Three of my neighbors are SEALs. They NEVER talk about it. Never act in any way different, never boast, nothing. The only way I know about it is two of the wives and ones girlfriend mentioned it to me in casual neighbor type circumstances. And the guys I know are the nicest people you'd ever meet. But I would not cross one.

[Scott3670]

This guy needs to have his ***** kicked. How dare he misrepresent himself in this way? What a tool.

[jprj]

Let him do his claim and let osamas men do their part, as he gets mistaken. )

[TSAX]

At least he was finally caught, he did quite the scam/con job. I do hope he gets his just desserts, it would be even better if it was from an actually someone from the teams

[Fred Hansen]

Soledad O'Brien's "source" inside SEAL Team Six.

[Fred Hansen]

No cries of racism from our usual liberal trolls?

[Batesmotel]

Originally Posted by FL Airedale

Do real navy seals do a lot of advertising that they were navy seals?

I know one seal and one old UDT and have met a couple of other SEALs. They are very quiet about it from what I have seen. Same goes for other guys I know who were in similar units.

[garyjandfamily]

Originally Posted by Batesmotel

I know one seal and one old UDT and have met a couple of other SEALs. They are very quiet about it from what I have seen. Same goes for other guys I know who were in similar units.

In my job, I interact from time-to-time with all sorts of Special Forces troops. I've found that a good rule of thumb is " The more they talk, the less they've done". The real heroes don't feel a need to brag to civilians like me. And I've also found them to be, almost without exception, courteous and cooperative to deal with.

[Fred Hansen]

Soledad O'Brien's inside "operator" deserves another bump.

[ChrisYZFR1]

What a piece of ****.

[JordanK]

I don't know how anybody bought his DD214 to begin with... half the medals (of which there are quite a few) are misspelled. Unless someone came up with a "Navy Sitinguished Service Medal" and a "meritiorious service medal" in the week since I got out of the military, anyway :p. Also, I'm fairly certain there is no presidental unit citation... but hey, who knows...

[eyelikeglasses]

Bwahaha!! What a tool. Good job CNN & Soledad, way to VET your sources.

[NEOH212]

I've know only one person that I can confirm was in the Special Forces (Army Rangers to be exact.) He rarely if ever talked about it much to people that he knew, much less to total strangers, and he never advertised that he served in the Special Forces.

If asked what he did in the Military, he usually said he was in the infantry. He was injured in a training exercise and was honorably discharged for medical reasons.

My friend says that most of the guys that he served with didn't really like taking about their Military job outside of the Military for various reasons, aside from what they weren't permitted to talk about anyhow.

[Fred Hansen]

Originally Posted by JordanK

I don't know how anybody bought his DD214 to begin with... half the medals (of which there are quite a few) are misspelled. Unless someone came up with a "Navy Sitinguished Service Medal" and a "meritiorious service medal" in the week since I got out of the military, anyway :p. Also, I'm fairly certain there is no presidental unit citation... but hey, who knows...

http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presid...United_States)

The individual equivalent is the Navy Cross, which (IIRC) he also awarded to himself.

[JordanK]

nope... that one is the PresidentIAL Unit Citation. I assume the Presidental Unit Citation is received for outstanding work on POTUS's wisdom teeth :p.

[2-8 Marine]

Originally Posted by JordanK

nope... that one is the PresidentIAL Unit Citation. I assume the Presidental Unit Citation is received for outstanding work on POTUS's wisdom teeth :p.

[JordanK]

He did also award himself a Navy Cross... which I assume is the Navy equivalent of the Distinguished Service/Flying Cross. He also gave himself the silver star attachment. Which is impressive, since to my knowledge nobody has ever been awarded the six service cross medals necessary to deserve such a thing. Self-delusion knows no bounds, evidently.

Check it out if you like, his fake DD214 is towards the bottom of his POWnetwork profile.

http://www.pownetwork.org/horv/horv_900.htm

[2-8 Marine]

So many of these guys no matter how thorough they think they've been, just don't do enough background work that they ultimately fail due to some very minor discrepancy or mistake. One phoney in full uniform prentending to be a Marine Colonel using the base PX for unearned benefits, was tripped up when a PFC on guard at the maingate noticed he was wearing a Silver Star ribbon with a combat "V" attachment. Any real Marine would have known the the Silver Star is a strictly combat award so no combat "V" device is needed. Its little things like this that thankfully trip up these morons and reveal them for what they are. My personal opinion is that they should be prosecuted for this impersonation. This guy falsified his DD214 and that is a violation of the law.

[JordanK]

Originally Posted by 2-8 Marine

So many of these guys no matter how thorough they think they've been, just don't do enough background work that they ultimately fail due to some very minor discrepancy or mistake. One phoney in full uniform prentending to be a Marine Colonel using the base PX for unearned benefits, was tripped up when a PFC on guard at the maingate noticed he was wearing a Silver Star ribbon with a combat "V" attachment. Any real Marine would have known the the Silver Star is a strictly combat award so no combat "V" device is needed. Its little things like this that thankfully trip up these morons and reveal them for what they are. My personal opinion is that they should be prosecuted for this impersonation. This guy falsified his DD214 and that is a violation of the law.

To me, these guys are too pathetic to be hated. If they defraud someone or some organization in the course of their impersonation... they should of course be prosecuted for fraud/theft/whatever. If all they want is attention and respect that better men than them have earned... I think they should just be persecuted for rampant *********gery. I.E., humiliated in public to whatever extent is possible. Seems somehow wrong to me to put somebody in prison just for being a jerk. Even here in Texas, we'd run outta cells real fast if we got into that habit.

[2-8 Marine]

Originally Posted by JordanK

To me, these guys are too pathetic to be hated. If they defraud someone or some organization in the course of their impersonation... they should of course be prosecuted for fraud/theft/whatever. If all they want is attention and respect that better men than them have earned... I think they should just be persecuted for rampant *********gery. I.E., humiliated in public to whatever extent is possible. Seems somehow wrong to me to put somebody in prison just for being a jerk. Even here in Texas, we'd run outta cells real fast if we got into that habit.

I'm not trying to be smart or put you on a spot but did you serve in the military? In combat? Have you witnessed others or your friends die or suffer horrendous wounds? Have you ever visited a VA Hospital? This year alone, I lost 2 more friends from the effects of Agent Orange from 40 plus years ago. We're not talking about some guy getting drunk and telling sea stories in a bar or bragging up to some chick he's trying to bag. Guys like this live their entire life as a fraud. These phonies want to wear the uniform and garner the credit and benefits, without risk, sacrifice or suffering by creating an entire phoney persona. They should pay with a tangible punishment. All too many of these phonies once caught and subjected to public humiliation, some even fined, have reverted right back to their phoney lifestyle in new surroundings. They need to understand that this will not be tolerated in our society and that we are serious, by doing something more severe than merely slapping them on the wrist.

[JordanK]

Originally Posted by 2-8 Marine

I'm not trying to be smart or put you on a spot but did you serve in the military? In combat? Have you witnessed others or your friends die or suffer horrendous wounds? Have you ever visited a VA Hospital? These phonies want to wear the uniform and garner the credit and benefits, without risk, sacrifice or suffering by creating an entire phoney persona. They should pay with a tangible punishment. All too many of these phonies once caught and subjected to public humiliation, some even fined, have reverted right back to their phoney lifestyle in new surroundings. They neeed to understand that this will not be tolerated in our society and that we are serious, by doing something more severe than merely slapping them on the wrist.

Heh, I take no offence, your question is reasonable. I was in the Army from 1/2008 to 5/2012 as a 13B (cannon crewmember). I served, proudly and (I hope) honorably, with the 1st Armored Division in northern Iraq from 11/2009 to 08/2010. I am a recipient of the Combat Action Badge. I am more than willing to provide you with a copy of my DD214 to back this up (SSN, addresses, etc redacted of course... not that my credit is good enough to be useful when stolen, but one can never be too careful :p). That said, my unit made it back home with all personnel intact. Thankfully, I never had to watch any of my friends suffer or die. I have, however, some friends that are no longer with us due to other deployments with other units after mine.

I think prior to my experiences, specifically those in Iraq... I would have agreed with you wholeheartedly. Fact is, combat for me wasn't glorious. I didn't spend 9 months in Iraq in a constant firefight. Mostly I was miserably hot, or miserably cold. I was my commander's gunner, so mostly I spent my time on patrol sitting outside of Iraqi police stations and Peshmurga installations watching a perimeter so that he could meet with local officials. I was occasionally terrified, but mostly bored.

In my totally unqualified opinion... these people have in common the belief that combat is a glorious experience, totally unlike it's reality. For that, I pity them. I can't bring myself to hate them though. Punishing them with the apparatus of government feels... I dunno, petty to me. They should have their bad behavior brought out into the light... of course. But, if they haven't harvested a tangible reward, I just can't opine that they deserve a tangible punishment. However, I respect and admire anybody else's perspective... even those which differ from my own :D.

EDIT: To clarify though... in the case of people who actually draw benefits from the government or take something from citizens who respect their fraudulent military credentials... throw their asses in prison. They are frauds and thieves.

[2-8 Marine]

Originally Posted by JordanK

Heh, I take no offence, your question is reasonable. I was in the Army from 1/2008 to 5/2012 as a 13B (cannon crewmember). I served, proudly and (I hope) honorably, with the 1st Armored Division in northern Iraq from 11/2009 to 08/2010. I am a recipient of the Combat Action Badge. I am more than willing to provide you with a copy of my DD214 to back this up (SSN, addresses, etc redacted of course... not that my credit is good enough to be useful when stolen, but one can never be too careful :p). That said, my unit made it back home with all personnel intact. Thankfully, I never had to watch any of my friends suffer or die. I have, however, some friends that are no longer with us due to other deployments with other units after mine.


I think prior to my experiences, specifically those in Iraq... I would have agreed with you wholeheartedly. Fact is, combat for me wasn't glorious. I didn't spend 9 months in Iraq in a constant firefight. Mostly I was miserably hot, or miserably cold. I was my commander's gunner, so mostly I spent my time on patrol sitting outside of Iraqi police stations and Peshmurga installations watching a perimeter so that he could meet with local officials. I was occasionally terrified, but mostly bored.

In my totally unqualified opinion... these people have in common the belief that combat is a glorious experience, totally unlike it's reality. For that, I pity them. I can't bring myself to hate them though. Punishing them with the apparatus of government feels... I dunno, petty to me. They should have their bad behavior brought out into the light... of course. But, if they haven't harvested a tangible reward, I just can't opine that they deserve a tangible punishment. However, I respect and admire anybody else's perspective... even those which differ from my own :D.

EDIT: To clarify though... in the case of people who actually draw benefits from the government or take something from citizens who respect their fraudulent military credentials... throw their asses in prison. They are frauds and thieves.

No offence taken here either . . . I think we're close enough in our beliefs that we can respect each others differences of opinion.

[JordanK]

Originally Posted by 2-8 Marine

No offence taken here either . . . I think we're close enough in our beliefs that we can respect each others differences of opinion.

Hmm... reasonable people agreeing to disagree on hot button topics? I think this might be against internet law... by now one of us was supposed to be calling the other one a nazi I think.

Jokes aside (I was always told to start with one... and if I can work gnatzis into it all the better :p), I believe you are correct. I'm new here at GT... but I think I'm going to like it very much if you are any example of the crowd round these virtual parts.

[2-8 Marine]

Originally Posted by JordanK

Hmm... reasonable people agreeing to disagree on hot button topics? I think this might be against internet law... by now one of us was supposed to be calling the other one a nazi I think.

Jokes aside (I was always told to start with one... and if I can work gnatzis into it all the better :p), I believe you are correct. I'm new here at GT... but I think I'm going to like it very much if you are any example of the crowd round these virtual parts.

I think you'll find most GT'ers to be fair and reasonable in their discussions and conclusions, but its safe to say at some point you will encounter one or more of what I like to term "The Mental Ward". These guys can be as selfserving, ruthless and vicious as you can imagine in your worst nightmare. Don't worry, they're pretty easy to identify and you'll learn to avoid them.