Poseurs, Frauds, Thieves, And Beguilers...
Thursday, March 12, 2009
We have all come across them at one point or another in our lives. The individual who served in the military, but who deems it necessary to lie about their military record, to embellish it, or claim to be something they were not. As a veteran, I have a distinct disdain for these folks, actually, a contempt that goes above and beyond disgust.
These self-styled 'heroes' and 'Special Ops' poseurs are easy to spot:
First tip is what I call the ' Psi Ops effect.' The hushed, whispered tones of 'I really can't talk about it, those records are still classified', 'When I was issued my Top Secret Clearance, I was told I could never talk about this...', 'When I was in Special Ops...'.
Second tip is what I call the 'Billboard effect.' These folks are really easy to spot, because they parade about with hats, vests, cammies, etc., emblazoned with military awards, patches, and decorations, a veritable neon sign of heroism and valor.
Third tip is what I call the 'Foreign Service Recruit.' These types are the easiest to identify then the above two, with a keen ear and a sharp eye, you can spot them head on like a car coming at you on a darkened country road with the high beams on. These types are particularly embarrassing to my fellow veterans, for they claim things that are about 99.9 9/10ths percent false, i.e., being approach by a friendly foreign military service, to join their forces, either as an adviser or as trainer. Please do not confuse with Military Advisers from Viet Nam, they are not the same.
I have the utmost respect for the guy or gal who served their Country honorably, whether in peace time or war time matters not to me, and refuse to succumb to self aggrandizement of their stint in the military, or promote themselves to something they are not.
So, the next time you hear some one telling you that they were captured in New Zealand by the Nazis, transported by the Italian Fascists via a prison barge, imprisoned in Viet Nam at the Hanoi Hilton, and beaten by the Imperial Soldiers of Japan, chances are they are bullshitting you.
5 comments:
I've seen/heard alot of these folks throughout the years. I usually end up walking away when they are 1/2 way done with their BS shaking my head and or laughing!
Wow Frank, I just happen to know one of those types and many KisP folks know the type as well.
Getting info from most of the real veterans I know is like pulling teeth; they don't go around bragging it up. One friend of my dad's used to go camping with us quite a bit; it wasn't until a few years knowing him (I knew he was a leatherneck, but that was about it) that I found out he had fought in the Pacific during WWII, and during the Korean War was at Chosin Reservoir. I also have a couple of friends who were at Khe Sanh, but they don't talk about it much. Phony vets infuriate me to no end.
Saw right thru him, did ya?
Anyone walking around pretending like that ought to be careful. Could run across someone who might take offense and beat the sh*t out of 'em.
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