Veteran Impersonators

[RedRhino 75]

This seems to be a somewhat common phenomenon that I was not aware of until now. Civilians dressed in military uniforms (Army Rangers seem particularly popular). I can only assume the purpose is to gain admiration from strangers. Any right-minded person can see why this is incredibly disrespectful. I know we have some vets hanging around, anyone care to share their thoughts on what is crossing the line when it comes to this form of "flattery"? Is a jacket without insignia ok? What about someone in full BDUs/ACUs without insignia? Anything else? Thanks guys. And gals!

Edited May 11, 2015 by RedRhino

[Odd Man Out 1,283]

It is the furthest thing from "flattery" -- anyone imitating or suggesting that they have military experience when they don't ( and that includes some active military who wear awards and/or medals they did not earn) are some of the lowest form of scumbags on this planet.  A veteran is someone who, at some point in their lives, wrote a blank check to the U.S. government for the total up to their very lives.  Anyone who claims false valor needs to be fed their own testicles -- without sauce.

 

And yes I be a tad passionate about this.  Only .45% of the entire U.S. population has ever served.  That is less than one half of one percent have ever had the guts and patriotism to stand up for their country.  Veterans are the nobility of our nation and less and less people understand or care what they have gone through and more and more think it's cool to play wannabee.  I tell you what, Lord help the wannabee that I find...

 

Okay, okay I went off on a bit of a rant -- to answer your question about wearing uniforms, as long as either 1. they are yours or 2. they are sterile (meaning not having any rank, badges, SSI or anything that would lead one that looked at it that the wearer had any mil experience, i.e. just a camo jacket or pants then all is cool to wear.  It is just another type of camo wear.  You get in trouble when you wear junk on it that leads to people thinking that you were the shit.  Many wear this type so they can be asked questions so they can tell about the elite black op CIA / seal / green beanie halo mission in the high mountains of the Hindu Kush where they single handedly killed over 600 muji's with a sniper rifle and a bayonet...

 

Just so they can think they are the shit.  Oh yeah, they are indeed the shit...

Edited May 11, 2015 by Odd Man Out

[Spartacus 1,619]

Agree Odd Man.

 

I was not in the service, but my Dad and little brother were in the Air Force.

Dad flew C130s, brother was a flight line engineer servicing fighters.

 

When I was a kid my Dad gave me a very nice AF jacket, green on the outside and reversible to orange on the inside.

Very nice warm survival type of flight jacket. No patches other than last name patch across the front.

 

In grade school and early high school I used to wear it and felt cool wearing it, and was proud of my Dad's service.

As I got older though, I started feeling funny about wearing it because it was clearly a military jacket and I was never military.

 

I think I still have that jacket in the back of a closet some place, but I would never wear it. I'd feel silly wearing it as an adult

and I certainly would not want to be assumed by others to have been in the service.

 

Civilians should not be playing dress-up in military clothing for any reason, especially with any rank, patches, etc.

I have great respect for service members, and feel as you do that stolen valor is a very serious issue.

 

Thanks to all here who have served.

[sjgusmc21 850]

I interviewed a young man a while back that was only there for the unemployment check (going to interview to hit the wickets-which I knew nothing about until after the interview and my partner told me why).  During the interview, he said he was a former Marine.  We all knew he wasn't going to get the job, his attitude and clothing displayed this right away.  So I started digging. When it was all over, I escorted him out of the building, into the parking lot and proceeded to verbally dress his ass down.  Something I have never done,  and certainly could have been fired over it, but it needed to be done. When it was all over, I don't know if he will ever use that line again, but I bet he will think twice when doing so.  I don't know why anyone would claim to be prior military, dress up in military garb, when they were not.  Gripes my ass, but not much I can do about it, unless given the opportunity to do so as I mentioned before.  Doesn't ruin my day, but doesn't make it any better either.

[sobrenegade 795]

My Grandmother had an expression she used on us kids (Mom and four of us kids lived with her on the farm), "You can lock the door to a thief, but not a liar". Seems we always got caught. I sure miss some of that wisdom today even though I rejected it as a youth. No medals, no ribbons, no badges, no insignia, no excuses. I see our servicemen and women almost every day. They carry themselves with their heads up, standing straight. It makes me proud to be in their presence and would be an honor to serve by their side. I agree with Odd Man, sterile or don't pretend. Wannabe warriors. There are video games for that.

[Ruffian72 548]

I take the individual and their action while wearing. I lost my son in 08 in Iraq. Last summer had a nephew helping me clean out a storage unit. Box of my son's old bdu's. He asked if he could have a jacket, I asked why, he said he missed him, and it would make him feel like he was with him, so yes, I gave it to him. He is not pretending, just remembering. Found out he really irks some teachers and classmates when wears it to school. Boulder, Co. When some one comments, he proudly says, this is my cousins, he died fighting evil, and your right to be stupid. He's 15. Sure someday it will end up in a closet, or a box, yet will always bring back a good/proud memory when he see's it. Yet, the full uniform queeks upset me.

Edited May 11, 2015 by Ruffian72

[RedRhino 75]

I can see exceptions for wearing a jacket or something as a way of carrying on a soldier's legacy. A ww2 bomber jacket, something like that is a good example. Obviously not the same as current military issue stuff but I could see where the same ideas apply, as stated above. Full uniform, no. I want to that everyone for their input, and I thank the vets for the sacrifices you've made.

[Sim_Player 1,939]

I served but, never saw combat and would never dream of claiming that I did.

 

Someone lying about such things is the lowest form of human being.

 

Just ask to see their DD214.

 

If they aren't shooting paintball, wearing a full uniform is a big red flag.

 

BTW, I've always loved my military style "bomber" jackets and still wear one today.

Edited May 11, 2015 by Sim_Player

[philrab 57]

Being a vet, stolen valor just pisses me off.  Especially in light of the EXTREMELY small portion of my generation that served, and how fiercely patriotic I am, I have incredible disdain for people that lacked the courage to serve but want the respect for having done so.  I'm fortunate to have never encountered an individual as such, but can't imagine it ending well.

 

That's just me.  It's a point of pride that I served, and I have nothing but respect and admiration for men and women that served, but if you haven't laced up those boots and wrote that blank check you don't deserve to call yourself a veteran.

[Heartbreaker 1,085]

I would never dream of doing such a thing. I am not/probably will never be in the military but I still have a lot of respect for veterans. A camouflage or other type of military jacket without insignia is fine, full uniform or branded baseball hat, etc., are not. Far too many of my generation are tryhard mall ninja thumbfighters who need a good kick in the pants. It's enough to make one depressed with how bad things are.

[sjgusmc21 850]

Don't care if someone wheres a field jacket or whatever.  You want to walk around in BDU's, thats your call to look like a tool, not mine (not talking about hunting, and suck of course).  But if they say they have served and did not, that is offensive.  They have not earned that right, period.

[magsite20 1,664]

where I live there is a butt load of military with about all the services represented to some degree both active and retired, you'd have to be a damn fool to try to play I'm a hero around here and not have someone call your bluff.

[patriot 7,197]

Stolen valor is a despicable thing. 

If they want the respect, they can take the lumps just like we did. 

[Dad2142Dad 6,559]

The uniform stuff without patches doesn't bother me. Helps get the young ones to think about the military. The ones that spout about being in and doing things they didn't actually do pisses me off.

 

Most who actually where at the tip don't talk about at all or very little. So fakes are easy to spot and reprimand.

 

For my part I kept the lights on and the screws turning in some un-fun parts of the world. Did I get to see some wild shit, yes. But nowhere near what the real Hero's have seen, done and had to overcome.

 

If you see a old man with his service ball cap on. Those are the ones to talk too. I am talking WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Most of those are honest about what they went through and deserve to go on about it. Last one I talked too lasted 30 minutes in Walmart. He was just beaming, telling his story of finally getting into the action in the spring of 45 and fixing the radar on his ship. He passed on last month.

 

So long story short. Get the young ones im camo and teach them to respect it. Listen to the old ones and let them shine while they can.

 

For the others, piss on them. Let people know the lie and move on. After all they do have right too lie, just need to let them know it came the supreme cost they'll never know or understand.

[Odd Man Out 1,283]

"After all they do have right too lie,"

 

Only to a point:

H.R.258 - Stolen Valor Act of 2013

113th Congress (2013-2014)

 

Shown Here:
Public Law (06/03/2013)

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Stolen Valor Act of 2013 - Amends the federal criminal code to rewrite provisions relating to fraudulent claims about military service to subject to a fine, imprisonment for not more than one year, or both an individual who, with intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit, fraudulently holds himself or herself out to be a recipient of:

• a Congressional Medal of Honor,
• a distinguished-service cross,
• a Navy cross,
• an Air Force cross,
• a silver star,
• a Purple Heart,
• a Combat Infantryman's Badge,
• a Combat Action Badge,
• a Combat Medical Badge,
• a Combat Action Ribbon,
• a Combat Action Medal, or
• any replacement or duplicate medal for such medal as authorized by law.

 

As I said; feed them their testicles without sauce!

Edited May 12, 2015 by Odd Man Out

[RedRhino 75]

While I was working Lowe's as a cashier I saw a couple different ww2 vets. Once I saw a guy and later looked up the patch he was wearing on his hat. Turned out he was 10th armored. They did some really impressive stuff during the war. The next time I saw him I had the pleasure of ringing him out. I asked if I could shake his hand because I didn't know if I'd have a chance to shake a ww2 vets hand again. I asked him a couple questions, if he had destroyed any panzers, he said yes. He seemed happy to talk about it. I thanked him for serving before he left. That's one handshake I'll never forget.

[Bigtwin 219]

Agree Odd Man.

 

I was not in the service, but my Dad and little brother were in the Air Force.

Dad flew C130s, brother was a flight line engineer servicing fighters.

 

When I was a kid my Dad gave me a very nice AF jacket, green on the outside and reversible to orange on the inside.

Very nice warm survival type of flight jacket. No patches other than last name patch across the front.

 

In grade school and early high school I used to wear it and felt cool wearing it, and was proud of my Dad's service.

As I got older though, I started feeling funny about wearing it because it was clearly a military jacket and I was never military.

 

I think I still have that jacket in the back of a closet some place, but I would never wear it. I'd feel silly wearing it as an adult

and I certainly would not want to be assumed by others to have been in the service.

 

Civilians should not be playing dress-up in military clothing for any reason, especially with any rank, patches, etc.

I have great respect for service members, and feel as you do that stolen valor is a very serious issue.

 

Thanks to all here who have served.

Over all I get what you are saying. However about that jacket, I have one of the same but black on the outside and reversible orange on the inside.

I still wear it when the weather requires it. Difference is mine came from an ex mil customer of mine,(no insignia what so ever), after talking with him for years as a customer, he asked if I would like to have one(he wore a green on like you mentioned), how could I say no to his gesture?

He actually purchased one on base(I live near Travis Air Force base), and gave it to me as a gift. I wear it with pride of his and so many others service, but also because like he said "they are warm as hell on cold, windy days"!

 

But that isn't stolen valor, the fucks that lie are pieces of shit!

[Spartacus 1,619]

>>Over all I get what you are saying. However about that jacket,.....

 

Yep, it's probably just a personal thing with me.

I don't think my Dad would have given it to me if it was really a problem.

 

If you saw it though.... olive green with the name patch.

In my mind, it's too close to giving the wrong impression.

[Bigtwin 219]

>>Over all I get what you are saying. However about that jacket,.....

 

Yep, it's probably just a personal thing with me.

I don't think my Dad would have given it to me if it was really a problem.

 

If you saw it though.... olive green with the name patch.

In my mind, it's too close to giving the wrong impression.

I can respect that, mine has no patches of any kind, if it did I too would feel weird about it, and would not likely wear it.

[magsite20 1,664]

I think I still have some of my BDU and maybe some other uniform stuff, after I retired in 93 I didn't wear it, had just spent 20 years in it, now I don't wear it because I don't think it would fit my big ass. still carry my retired ID card in my wallet that seems to be enough uniform to get by with now days.

[Odd Man Out 1,283]

4th

Please don't tell me that that is you back in the day!?!?!?!?

[magsite20 1,664]

4th

Please don't tell me that that is you back in the day!?!?!?!?

dear God no, I've gained some weight since retiring 22 years ago but that's not even me today

I use to look like a Greek God,

Now I look like a god damn Greek.

[philrab 57]

 

4th

Please don't tell me that that is you back in the day!?!?!?!?

dear God no, I've gained some weight since retiring 22 years ago but that's not even me today

I use to look like a Greek God,

Now I look like a god damn Greek.

 

Most of us pack on some pounds when we get out.  I always chuckle when I hear someone start talking shit saying "You don't look like you were in the military." 

 

Back then, I was 17-23, 5'11" 190 pounds.

Nowadays, I'm 32, 230 pounds, still with the close cut hair but grown a beard. 

 

I'm not in the same shape I was when I was in the military, but still a die hard patriot.  I will be till the day I die.  People lose sight of what makes veterans who they are.  It isn't trim waist lines and muscles, it's the courage and will to do whatever it takes to win.  It's the mentality and conviction to lay your ass on the line for your country and your brothers.  Regardless of where our lives take us after we get out, that part of us never changes.

[Odd Man Out 1,283]

Life happens...