yankee walts face possible prosecution

Frequently I receive questions from people who want to know how to verify
the claims of a friend or neighbor who says he or she earned a high
military medal, or served in "Special Forces", or did something
fantastically heroic while serving in the military.

Although it is possible in some cases to check on some aspects of a
person's military history (one way is to access the person's listing in The
War Library) it is better not to seek information directly from the
person's military record file which could be a prosecutable violation of
privacy, or it will certainly list your name in the person's file as being
an official inquirer... which could later open you up to investigation
should the person you are inquiring about become involved in a criminal
investigation.

My recommendation is to handle possible "wannabe" situations on a man to
man basis. That is, don't descend to being an equal jerk by spying on
someone behind their back... Tell the person you want to look at his
DD-214. If his DD-214 does not appear altered and shows that he really
earned the medal(s) he claims he earned, or served in the military capacity
he claims was his military job or training, he will not refuse to show you
his DD-214. However, if he refuses to show you his DD-214 ask him to NEVER
mention his alleged medal(s) or military job to you again because it is now
a federal crime (Stolen Valor Act of 2007) for anyone to verbally misstate
military service, Tell the person that you do not want hear another word
from him about his military service because you do not want to be accused
or charged with being a co-conspirator in his felonious crime of military
deception.

Another way of dealing with a person who refuses to show documentation to
back up his military tales is to simply distance yourself completely from
the person because if he won't be forthcoming with documentation to back up
his military claim(s) it may be better for you not to have anything
whatsoever to do with him because if he considers you a moron who will
believe or accept any lie he tells about his fictional life, he will soon
lie to you about something that could negatively affect your life.

Lastly, managers of veterans organizations should always request a copy of
an applicant's DD-214 to be placed on file as a requirement for membership.


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How unlike our colonial cousins to use a thousand words when ten or so will do.

'If you think he's full of shyte, ignore him'.

Would never have thought of that.

 

Ill take the lesson I learnt from my Grandad.
He was at Dieppe, Anzio, Crete.

My grandad never talked about it, not even to my Father. Not to me , he didnt even talk to his wife, my nana about it. My grandad was a hero, he made Chief motor mech in 6 years, lied about his age to join in 1940, he was 15 yrs old. I never got one war story from him. As with his mates he had a silent comradeship, they saw hell on earth and lived.

Anyone who stands up and says he was this, he was that, he served here and there, caught bullets in his teeth etc etc. Is frankly a bullshitting liar, or completelyinsane.
In fact the Walter Mitty types out there who dress up in uniform and pretend they are heroes are worse than the common vandal who wrecks war graves.

 

I see your point, but can't really agree with your last point.

Twisted (and despicable) as walts may be, the filth that have vandalised the memorial in Plymouth recently (for example) are surely the lowest of the low.

 

Most of our Veterans Associations have an application form that requires
relevant details of service and most answers are checkable by other members of the organisation prior to applicants being accepted for membership.

Access to forces service certification is restricted in the UK to next of kin
and usually only if the ex sevice person is deceased and copies are required.


:nemo: :nemo:

 

So a DD-214 isn't just the USS TRACY then!

 

Or HMCS Micmac (also DD-214)...

 

Once, I would have agreed with you, but experience has taught me differently. Trying to find holes in an acquaintances stories led me to discover irrefutable and completely trustworthy evidence that his dits were true.