Information about Good Conduct Medal

[Robert1957]

Hello,
I was not, nor am not a Marine. So I am not familiar with Marine Corps medals. To be up front and honest with you all, I am looking into a former Marine who is currently dating my granddaughter. He has told some stories that seem very far fetched to me. He claims he did several tours in the Middle East, he claims he was captured and taken prisoner and that he was handed over to the Russians. He claims the Russians tortured him in order to get information from him, and that he escaped. He tells a lot of stories about recon missions, hunting down terrorists, etc. I have found out that none of it is true. He did one tour from January 7, 2009 to September 3, 2009, and he was in Ramadi, Iraq. He was a telephone repairer. I found that he was discharged because he refused to complete training that he was ordered to take. I don't know what kind of training. I also found out that he had some trouble with local law enforcement when he was stationed at Camp Lejeune. I also found out that he had his good conduct medal taken away.

My question is, what would cause the Marine Corps to take away a good conduct medal? Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

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[Zulu 36]

Sounds like a real loser your grand-daughter is hooked up with.

In the Corps, we jokingly refer to the Good Conduct Medal as the "Never Been Caught Medal" There is some truth to that joke, however.

It could be your dirtbag was awarded a Good Conduct Medal, but information came up later that he did provably naughty things during the time period covered by the medal, or had civilian convictions that were serious. Whatever the reason, his commanding officer can recommend revocation for cause to the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Evidently, this CO did just that and the Commandant agreed with him. Also, if he was dishonorably discharged, all of his medals and awards are automatically revoked.

[Robert1957]

Thank you Zulu. As near as I can find out, he was discharged because he refused to complete some kind of training he was ordered to take. I also know that he had some trouble with local law enforcement just prior to his discharge. But I do not know what kind of discharge he got. My guess it was an other than honorable, a bad conduct, or a dishonorable. Would he lose all of his medals and awards for an "other than" or a bad conduct discharge? Or just for a dishonorable? According to his wife (yes, he is still married AND going out with my granddaughter at the same time), he does not have any medals or ribbons in his possession. He told her his former girlfriend threw them all away. His DD-214 is missing as well. I was able to get a redacted copy of his DD-214 from the POW Network, but it doesn't show what kind of discharge he got, it was redacted.

[fl1946]

Pop, Pop. I hope you don't succumb to this story. Even Harry Potter can't spin a story like your granddaughter's beau. If he's at all believable, check and see if he's carrying a set of stars to wear at the upcoming matinee. Tell your granddaughter to give it up. He's not worthy to be with her.

[USMC 2571]

True. Basically, Good Conduct Medal is for 3 years service, with, good conduct during that time. I personally have never heard of that medal being revoked. With regard to discharges, there are 5 kinds. Three are administrative, two are punitive. Bad Conduct discharge via special or general court-martial, Dishonorable only via General Court-Martial.....then Honorable, General (under honorable conditions) and what used to be called Under Other Than Honorable Conditions. But those last three are administrative discharges. Regardless, he is the type of person that you want your daughter to be as far away as humanly possible from, on this planet. He is nothing but trouble. We don't have all the info you would like to have, probably no one has access to all of it except him, but so far, all you need to know about him, you already know. And that should lead you to sever all ties immediately. Keep us posted on this same thread. Good luck.

[USMC 2571]

And with regard to Post 4, Frank is right. The best thing for her to do is to stay away from this guy.

[Robert1957]

I agree wholeheartedly with you guys. I just need to convince my granddaughter she needs to get away from him. I served in the Navy – I hope you don't mind associating with a squid! – and I have known quite few Marines, including an adopted son (infantry), and adopted grandson (tanker), and all of them have been great guys. I am now retired from law enforcement, and between that and the Marines I have known (and know) this guy has set off all kinds of alarms and red flags with me. I have a redacted copy of his DD-214, and all of the redactions carry the redaction code of (b)(6), which according to the United States Code, “the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. … [T]he test is not merely whether the information is in some sense personal but whether it is ‘of the same magnitude as highly personal or as intimate in nature as that at stake in personnel and medical records.’… This is so even if disclosure might tarnish someone’s professional reputation.”


As I said, there are a lot of redacted areas on his 214. Aside from the type of discharge he received [(b)(6)], two of them stand out to me. The first is the dates for his Good Conduct Medal, and second is in section 14, “Member was provided complete dental examination and appropriate dental services and treatment within 90 days prior to separation.” What pops out at me is, why would the dates of his GCM be redacted, unless it was revoked? And, why dental exams? I should point out that his teeth are completely rotted down to the gums. The cop in me says meth addict. I have no way to prove that, but it might explain why it was redacted. He also is unable to receive VA benefits. I discharged just over 40 years ago and I still get mine. I know of only one reason he would not be eligible and that is a dishonorable discharge. But, this is all speculation on my part. I am just trying to get everything I can on this guy so I can present it to my granddaughter and hope she sees the light. I appreciate you all hearing me out and offering your knowledge to help me out.

[Zulu 36]

This sounds more and more like a DD case to me. USMC 2571 is right about a DD requiring a General Court Martial (he would know as a former Air Force JAG). Denial of VA bennies is one of the outcomes of a DD.

I'm retired LE also, and you're probably right about the meth business. Makes me scared for your grand-daughter. She might well be into that crap now herself.

[USMC 2571]

Well, it should be and is obvious to the OP that he has to cut any relationship off like he would a poisonous vine growing in his backyard. Keep us updated, please.

[Tennessee Top]

Don't envy your position. Never had kids/grandkids but I do have 3 nieces and 3 stepnieces who provide their own brands of drama involving males (half are already divorced and a couple are on their second marriages with multiple children). Led male and female Marines for 22 years. One thing I learned is when it comes to the opposite sex, they are going to do what they're going to do regardless, sometimes, out of pure spite.

All I can tell you is good luck because, you'll need it (teeth or no teeth). She will believe who she wants to believe.

[m14ed]

10-29-17, 11:35 PM #7
Robert1957

I served in the Navy –
I hope you don't mind associating with a squid! –
and I have known quite few Marines,
including an adopted son (infantry),
and adopted grandson (tanker),
and all of them have been great guys.
I am now retired from law enforcement,

between that and the Marines I have known (and know)
this guy has set off all kinds of alarms and red flags with me.
*************************************************


sounds like that turd has only
the need of your family dog barking
at him as a warning that he's a
piece of $hit-

and odds are it still wouldn't help you convince
your grand-daughter....

"some lumps in life you gotta take for yourself "

?? Maybe you could ask billymongoose to send you
a supply of them "Smart Pills" he sold in grade school
to them "DumbassedCityKids".