Fake Heros

[hermit]

There is a gentleman on other boards that claims his son has been deployed to Iraq seven times and that his son has been awarded the Navy Cross. What can be done about someone like this? Should I contact his son's commanding officer?

[elliscraig12]

Who is he? Do you know this to be a fact? I don't know if you can do anything about it unless he tries to gain from it. Does his son know what he's doing? I,m not sure contacting his C.O. at this point would do much to stop it, unless his son is some how involved.

[SGT7477]

Sounds like Stolen Valor, Semper Fidelis.

[hermit]

Who is he? Do you know this to be a fact? I don't know if you can do anything about it unless he tries to gain from it. Does his son know what he's doing? I,m not sure contacting his C.O. at this point would do much to stop it, unless his son is some how involved.

I know it for a fact that he has said it many times and I have read his posts with it included. I doubt his son knows about it though. So contacting his CO would not be a good idea then? The guy who says it name is Erik "Bill" Thorne from the Phoenix, AZ area. He has posted it on the Las Vegas Review Journal efourms and also on www.city-data.com under the names greatday and Greatday.

[hermit]

Hermit, just a thought but it you want to pursue it more, and it is on a message board like you said, then you could ask the father for many details here and there and when he cannot come up with any, at that point you could say, well, it is unusual to get the Navy Cross and not know how your son got it. Gently usher him out the door detail by detail that he fails to provide. That is one way of doing it. And checking on the details he does provide.
And when he provides details that are plainly incorrect, you can say his son's unit was not even in that area on such and such a day, how unusual. Then the dad might seek greener pastures.

He kept claiming it even after I found the list of the real heros who have been awarded the Navy Cross and his son's name is not on the list. He even still claimed that it was after that. He has told two versions for why he was awarded the Navy Cross. One story is for actions performed at the Pentagon on 9/11 and the other for actions in Afghanistan. He also claims that he was shoot in Viet Nam while working as a construction contractor during the war. So this guy likes to make up stories about himself and his family all the time. He also claims to have been to Iraq and Afghanistan as part of the USO bringing Christmas gifts to the troops. Maybe the guy is just a whack job.

[hermit]

It would be really embarrassing for the son to be called in by his CO and others if he doesn't know anything about this, which appears to be the case by what you just posted. What are they going to tell the son, that he has a father who is off the wall?
And maybe the info is true, who knows.
Ask for details, check it out, then if it is not true, confront the dad but not the son.

Is there a way to find out where someone has served in the last ten years so I could check to see if his son has ever been deployed to the ME?

[R Landry]

Figures don't lie, but liers can figure.

[thediesel713]

Have him post a picture of his son wearing the award. Then if its real no worries, but if its fake, proof for Stolen Valor.

[USNAviator]

Not much to be done about it. People do this stuff all the time. Just one person's opinion but by contacting the son's CO you draw attention to the son, who may not have anything at all to do with this, and now he is in the spotlight with his CO and others.

Have to agree with Dave about this. Seven deployments is an extraordinary high number but the Navy Cross is another matter all together.

Is the son telling the father that he has been awarded the N.C. or is this coming solely from the Dad?. If it's from Dad then there is no reason for a sh$t storm to descend upon the son. Back off from telling the CO

If it's just the old man then he has problems you nor I nor anyone else here can fix.

[Marine1955]

I know it for a fact that he has said it many times and I have read his posts with it included. I doubt his son knows about it though. So contacting his CO would not be a good idea then? The guy who says it name is Erik "Bill" Thorne from the Phoenix, AZ area. He has posted it on the Las Vegas Review Journal efourms and also on www.city-data.com under the names greatday and Greatday.

All out assault if he's lying

[hrscowboy]

Hermit, I for one will tell you who are you to come in this forum and question anyone?? first thing first you havent even filled out a profile according to the rules of leatherneck.com so get busy and get that done first. gentlemen also let me remind some of you that the stolen valor act has been proven unconstitutional and is now under the eyes of our Supreme Court I dont believe they have ruled on it as of it. I for one dont have a problem burning someones arse for stolen valor, but as of now its up to the courts. Hermit get your profile done or get out of my house..

[dibob]

Leatherneck magazine has been printing awards to Marines since all this stuff in Iraq and Afghanistan started, if this guy has been awarded the Navy Cross, it is in the Leatherneck archives. If you have his name, give them a call and find out the straight scoop. The phone number in in each Leatherneck issue.

In regard to who should be confronted about this. The father may be living vicariously through his son.

His son should be intelligent enough to know that claiming to be a Navy Cross awardee is somewhat stupid, especially if you are on active duty and subject the UCMJ.

[SGT7477]

Hermit, I for one will tell you who are you to come in this forum and question anyone?? first thing first you havent even filled out a profile according to the rules of leatherneck.com so get busy and get that done first. gentlemen also let me remind some of you that the stolen valor act has been proven unconstitutional and is now under the eyes of our Supreme Court I dont believe they have ruled on it as of it. I for one dont have a problem burning someones arse for stolen valor, but as of now its up to the courts. Hermit get your profile done or get out of my house..

The Supreme court needs to open their frickin eyes, Semper Fidelis.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Seven deployments is certainly possible. Post up the name and any other information, I'll be able to tell you within minutes if he is a Navy Cross winner. It's a violation of the Stolen Valor act.

And it's only been ruled 'uncon' in one district, and quite frankly these records are easy to check. So post it and we'll dance with it.

[semperfiman]

sgt lep all due respect to you but we dont win medals we earn them Semper Fi bro