How to spot a Facebook Phony Soldier

As leader of the Thespian foreces at Thermopylae I can honestly say I totally saw that dude there at the hot gates. You besmirch a hero my friend.

I can't speak for what he did during the War of the Ring however, we did not get an opprotunity to speak because the bossy Spartan leader kept yammering on about where we were dining the next night or something. Someplace like Tarterus?

Army flyers prefer and use the name Aviator, not pilot. Call one a pilot and see how quick you get reamed.

Claymore is a tough guy to get around

Let him do a combat assault into the jungles of Viet Nam with the First Cav and see how long he will last. Many of us did the tour and now many want to take credit for their non existent tour.

WTF is wrong with people?

Don't people know that impersonating a veteran can get them in alot of trouble? You can be arrested, and fined heavily.

I served In 'Nam 66-67 and find that there are now a multitude of "wannabe's" out there from our War, too! I have been riding with the Patriot Guard Riders (NY Region 3) for about 5 years now. I agree with Diane Muchetti....NO JAIL TIME for these creeps. Make 'em participate in every funeral detail of every fallen hero until they "get it". They won't stand flag lines too long before they're taken down several pegs.

If these low life liars want to claim they are veterans, drop them into the middle of a firefight, let's see how much of a 'hero' they really are.

I'm a Desert Storm veteran and I think all of the veteran fakes should be gathered up and set into a true war zone. And then see how long it takes for them to want to be a real veteran. They'll need a change of clothes and good running shoes

What a disgrace! I agree with you Mr. Buck. Thank You to ALL the REAL Soldiers for your self-less sacrifices. You Are Not Forgotten. I SALUTE YOU ALL !!!

But you have his face pasted on the wrong end...

I served in Vietnam with 1st of the 61st infantry 5th infantry division. I was lowly rifleman but its seems that i was the only one because most of the time when I speak with other vetereans of that war I never seem to run into anyone who admits to being a simple grunt they all were Special Forces or a member of some other elete group. POSERS.......... they are everywhere even when they are veterans. It sad though because I find myself avoiding other VN vets.

Beware!!! Re the "Please,can you be trusted?" snippet. This looks like the (very old) scam that indicates someone overseas has something valuble they need aid in moving out of some country. They will lead the gullible along and eventually request some form of funding to be able to complete the transfer. Usually, it's millions--promissing a 10% or some such fee for the help. You send the money--they disappear.

I was with the eighteenth combat engineers in veitnam. I would just love to have both these phonies just 24 hours during monsoon time then let us see how brave they are

On a serious note, MOTHAX, you ask how many people fall for fake emails / addresses. The answer is so many that it is a multi-billion dollar global business. An email address verified as active by a response - even an angry one - means the address sells for more. Some of these emails will recruit "money mules" to go to stores or make online purchases with stolen credit card numbers. If they get caught, they don't know who really hired them. LulzSec just posted 64,000 email addresses with names & passwords to a public website, just to show they could. By playing the "help a war vet" card, more people will respond and overlook the little clues.

Fakers work the same way. They can't earn their own respect, some because they have no honor and some because they have no brains. The picture you showed is obviously fake to anyone who deals with photographs - the light on the face is wrong. Once again, the clues that catch the attention of those who really know what's going on pass right by the majority of people who will read their profile. In the last ten years, only a bit more than 1/2 of 1% of U.S. citizens have directly shouldered the burden of war. That leaves a LOT of people with no clue of what is real and what is not. Finally, does anyone else notice that it seems that people can say whatever they want, and it is a bigger sin to dispute it than to lie about something?

I am confused - Charles Lee Vaux says that fakers can get in a lot of trouble. However, I thought a judge had overturned the "Stolen Valor Act" or something like that. Does anyone have the time to throw me a clue?

I'd like to know when did Army "aviators" started flying A-10's?

all f-----g liars sould be hung till death why disgrace any body in uniform

First: @hhawg1, When I served at Fort Stewart we has a wing of A-10s attached to our division. The majority of aircraft were kept at Hunter Army Airfield right next to Savannah,GA. We had full A-10 support during op Desert Storm.

Second thing: Any pogue can go to their local surplus store and purchase everything they need to play soldier. The Stolen Valor Act, IMHO Rightly so. Don't we promise to uphold the Constitution when we enlist?

Now if a person uses the uniform for monetary gain or to gain access military bases they should be arrested immediately as they are violating laws on the books that that HUGE pogue LT George W. Bush should have just enforced instead of using existing law.

F---in' politicians are scum.

I guess i am missing something. I didn't see any rank insignia on any of the pictures. Usually the rank would be worn on the breast plate of the body armor or sleeve. I looked hard but didnt see any. Next i would respectfully correct your weapons identification. That looked like an M-4 with an EOTECH sight and a 203 under the foregrip. Not a SAW. Other than that i thought it was a good article. He should be ashamed of himself, but he wont be till some Veteran jacks his butt up and embarrasses him in front of his friends and loved ones. It would take a REAL Veteran about 10 seconds of conversation to pull this idiots hole Card. At that point there might be an asswhipping involved. USMC 71-76. Semper-Fi. Tarin-Kowt Afghanistan (Scumbag civilian now)

I served as a mechanic in the Army working on the HET's (haul tanks) and I had a run in with a faker while wroking my part time job for a retail company. He came through the door wearing Army Class A's but had on black suade low cut mechanic boots. He also had on one collar an engineer insignia on the other a transportation insignia where the US is suppose to go. He also was around 19 years old and had the audasity to be wearing ribbins for service in Vietnam, the purple heart, and even the Metal of Honor of course all in the wrong order. I was working at the time and I left my station and confronted him in front of his girlfriend and my boss. I exposed him and he got mad and stormed out with his girlfriend. My boss got mad at me and told me to never do that again. I told him he would have to fire me then because I would keep doing it. I now have an even better job now.

As an Air Force officer, I served almost all of my deployments with the USA. I want to thank you for "standing-up" on behalf of your respect for military service, past and present. The coward and your former "boss" obviously came from the same mold; both were fakes.

I was alone for the first time in my life. When I was drafted into the Army. My family and friends could not be there fore me. It changed my life so completely. As I look back. what really changed how I view people, is when I came home. Not to recieve a welcome. But to be literally be spit on by my family and friends. Called a baby killer. I now will always be alone.

But I will continue to always remember the brave men and woman who gave all they were and are. Supporting The United States Constitution Of America. I will always be in service to My constitution of the United States of America. God Bless the flag for the colors of blood sweat and tears.

I do not want any thing from the so called government. They sold us out to the red army in 1973.

War is hell, we were not sure then who the enemy was? In Viet Nam, I also wonder now? the shit's of it is. It has come into my country now.

I wonder how many of those phonies claiming to be Viet Nam vets now were protesting the war back then.

I recieve several scams in my spam for years of people saying that they are in the war when in fact all they are trying to do is steal from Vets and American citizens. Do not fall for this as someone said they will ask for 10% up front to get you to believe you will receive millions. Its all a scam and people fall for it everyday. As you all said you can tell lots wrong with the photos and futher more you will never see a Combat Pilot holding a weapon only standing by his plane or in the cockpit.
Captain USAF inactive

In Arkansas, they recently started putting "veteran" on the car license plates of those who served during a war. They require to see the DD214 before doing so. I recently moved, therefore, had to renew my drivers license and car plates. As a VietNam veteran (NON-combat) I decided to have "veteran" on my driver license and "Vietnam war veteran" on my license plate. I have been CONFRONTED twice already by a couple of people who asked why I have "Vietnam war veteran" when I was not. I told them to read the license plate again! It is saying I am a veteran during time of the vietnam war., which I am. It does not say that I am a COMBAT war veteran. I worked in an Army Hospital at Ft. Bragg, N.C. almost the entire three years I served...except, when I "shovelled shit in Lousiana". No, I did not see combat, never said I saw combat, and don"t want to see combat. I saw the results of combat-- usually about 2-3 days after combat soilders got badly injured. I also worked in Mental health and mental hygiene.

Some of you combat veterans should ease up a little on the veterans who just did what they were assigned to do (most didn't really have a choice like you probably didn't.)

I respect all who served.

Thanks for sharing. i really appreciate it that you shared with us such a informative post..
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