Poll for military veterans...

[Terry W.]

I would have no problem giving mine up and have even given Squadron Commanders in the past a copy of my ERB with my SSN blackened out to validate the awards I have earned as well as the training I have received. I have seen questionable members in the past, not to a great degree, but too me it has to do with integrity and being a role model for the cadets.  Usually I have found the ones to be questioned are the ones with the biggest mouths, and that goes for anywhere, not just CAP.

[Dad2-4]

No problem showing my paperwork. However, I can substantiate service during Desert Shield/Desert Storm, but for some reason my National Defense Medal doesn't show on my 214. I don't wear enough AD bling to have had anyone question me though.

[PHall]

No problem showing my paperwork. However, I can substantiate service during Desert Shield/Desert Storm, but for some reason my National Defense Medal doesn't show on my 214. I don't wear enough AD bling to have had anyone question me though.

Apply to have your records corrected. You can do this through the American Legion and the VFW.

[Stonewall]

I have 3 DD 214s, a DD 215 (correction to 214), and 2 NGB 22s.  Between all of them, I believe they show an accurate portrayal of my military service.  Seriously, I have A LOT of crap that fails to show me as a high speed troop.  Other than that big, circular, hunk of medal I got for 18 months of service in the Pentagon from 1994 to 1995, nothing would really lead anyone to believe I my junk was bogus.

Even on my most recent 214 from my 2011 deployment to Afghanistan, it's messed up.  It shows a GWOT-E rather than the Afghan campaign medal.  Then, after the 214 was issued, I was awarded some sort of unit award, so I have the award order for that.  The rack that you see below in my signature block is EVERYTHING I've earned in the military, and while it may not be on a 214, I either have orders for it, or a DD 215.  At the end of the day, I don't care as far as CAP is concerned.  The only thing I truly care about is appropriate credit for combat service for benefits purposes through the VA.

[cap235629]

I have a few thoughts on this.

I think CAP should create a medal like the WW2 service medal for all members who are veterans.  If you wear corporates you can wear it, if you wear AF style you can wear it.

I have an even bigger problem with those "CAP Ground Team SAR commando/ranger" types who claim that they are high speed low drag ES types who can't even shoot an azimuth but can talk all day long about chasing a beep from an ammo can with an antenna.....

We need to adopt NASAR credentialing with a UDF add on.....

[Devil Doc]

Stonewall I am really impressed with your Rack it is nice and Big . I wish I was still in somedays I really miss it. Like my uncle said, "Your gunna be an Chief Someday" I only made it to HM3(E-4). Oh well I guess I am a BTDT CAP SM now .

[manfredvonrichthofen]

I have a few thoughts on this.

I think CAP should create a medal like the WW2 service medal for all members who are veterans.  If you wear corporates you can wear it, if you wear AF style you can wear it.

I have an even bigger problem with those "CAP Ground Team SAR commando/ranger" types who claim that they are high speed low drag ES types who can't even shoot an azimuth but can talk all day long about chasing a beep from an ammo can with an antenna.....

We need to adopt NASAR credentialing with a UDF add on.....

I agree with you idea for Es, if you can't use a compass and map, and you have a badge already, I have no use for you. Your raining was way too jacked up for you to be anything but a problem. I teach map and compass work along with finding your pace count very early on. I do save triangulation for later on, but it is great for finding yourself if your lost. But at any rate, there is more that you should know for ES than what is in the book, especially for Gtm3.

[Garibaldi]

I have a few thoughts on this.

I think CAP should create a medal like the WW2 service medal for all members who are veterans.  If you wear corporates you can wear it, if you wear AF style you can wear it.

I have an even bigger problem with those "CAP Ground Team SAR commando/ranger" types who claim that they are high speed low drag ES types who can't even shoot an azimuth but can talk all day long about chasing a beep from an ammo can with an antenna.....

We need to adopt NASAR credentialing with a UDF add on.....

I agree with you idea for Es, if you can't use a compass and map, and you have a badge already, I have no use for you. Your raining was way too jacked up for you to be anything but a problem. I teach map and compass work along with finding your pace count very early on. I do save triangulation for later on, but it is great for finding yourself if your lost. But at any rate, there is more that you should know for ES than what is in the book, especially for Gtm3.

Good. Now I have a compass/map instructor for the 13th!

[Stonewall]

Stonewall I am really impressed with your Rack it is nice and Big . I wish I was still in somedays I really miss it. Like my uncle said, "Your gunna be an Chief Someday" I only made it to HM3(E-4). Oh well I guess I am a BTDT CAP SM now .

Two things:

1.  The things I did that I feel deserved a medal or recognition, I didn't get medal or a recognition for.  I have 1 Joint Commendation, 2 Commendations, and 5 achievement medals, and I'd give them all for one medal that I could tell a cool story about.

2.  I separated from active duty (Army) in November 1995 after a 4 year, 4 month, 1 week enlistment.  Thinking I was done with the Army, I was a civilian for a whopping 2 weeks before I walked into the Army National Guard recruiter and said "I miss it, please give me an ID card".  Later, after I got out of the Army National Guard (after 10 years total time in service), I spent 4 years as a civilian before it ate me alive.  After 9/11 I couldn't stand it anymore, so in 2004 I joined the Air guard.  I seriously don't care what MOS/AFSC, I just love serving in the military.

[Devil Doc]

I can tell you have done alot of things and have alot of achievments Stonewall. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and so happen to do somethings I dont remember, 2 years later they gave me an medal. I have so many problem with me, even if WW3 started they would deny me, lol. I do what I can, and live my life to the fullest. Each time a Cadet salutes me, it feels wierd I tell them they dont have to, but our SC has taught them to respect there SMs well.

[SARDOC]

No problem showing my paperwork. However, I can substantiate service during Desert Shield/Desert Storm, but for some reason my National Defense Medal doesn't show on my 214. I don't wear enough AD bling to have had anyone question me though.

I had a similar problem with the GWOT Expeditionary Medal.  I was ordered to active duty for the beginning of OIF/OEF and deployed to a combat zone overseas and was rotated home and demobilized before anybody even knew the criteria to award it.  That and other deployment awards through my reserve unit came later...but none of them appear on my DD214 because I was already released from active duty at that time.  They are in my service record...but not my DD214.

[SarDragon]

Did you make a copy of your service record before you were released? Who holds the original now? You should still be able to get a copy if you really need it.

[Slim]

When I was in the Army Guard we had a few guys who had lots of PX hardware but when we had an IG visit a lot of their bling bling disappeared

I've posted this pic before, but this guy is just so outrageous it's unreal.

He is (former) Wing Commander (Lieutenant Colonel equivalent) David Bain of the Royal Australian Air Force's Air Force Cadets...sort of their equivalent to CAP.  They wear the exact same uniform as the RAAF, the only distinction being shoulder flashes.



He got busted for wearing a LOT of unauthorised blingage, an odd combination of RAAF pilot's wings and loads of U.S. mini medals.

Maybe he figured that the RAAF would find it too difficult to verify foreign medals...why I don't know, just a guess.

We'd have to be careful in CAP too about someone from another country claiming service in his/her country of origin's armed forces and wearing them on the CAP uniform.  It's very easy to get foreign medals online, including the Victoria Cross, the British Commonwealth's equivalent of the MOH.

http://www.heritagemedals.com.au/medals-1/gallantry/victoria-cross.html

Since it came up...

MIWG has always had a history of close cooperation with the Royal Canadian Air Cadets.  It was never uncommon to have some of their cadets at our summer encampment, or a squadron going over there for a day of soaring in their gliders.

So, we had a crew of three cadets come over for encampment about ten years ago, and their squadron commander/chauffeur found out we were short of instructors for our cadet leadership school.  So, he does a 12 hour round trip home to Canada, and shows up the next day, in uniform, with all of his teaching materials, ready to go.  This in itself was impressive enough, and he was subsequently invited back the next several years to be an instructor at our RCLS.

So, now its 2007, and we have a void in our RCLS in that we don't have a director (the incumbent got a job out of town).  So, the powers that be decided our friendly Canadian could do it, along with a CAP officer who had moved from here to another wing.  All week long, he would regale us seniors with stories of serving in JTF-2 (which is basically the Canadian version of Delta force), or getting called up for two weeks at a time to go on missions in Afghanistan.  Or standing alongside Romeo Dalliare during the Rwandan genocide (I think they made a movie about this).  Or, of being present in the Pentagon on 9/11 and getting a bronze star for his crucial efforts during the evac.  Canadian para wings, six or seven medals, the whole nine yards. 

Something just wasn't adding up, and I (and a couple other people in the know) had the feeling that something wasn't quite right.  But what did I know?  I have no idea how the Canadian military operates.  So, I started doing some research, along with another member in another wing, who is a very good friend.  Neither of us knew the other was doing anything.  After about 8-9 months of solid investigating, I get a call from the other member one morning, asking questions about this guy and some of his claims.  I expressed my suspicions, his were pretty much the same, so we combined our efforts, the bits and pieces of the stories this guy told (he never really gave anyone all of the details of his stories), and went from there.

We were even able to get the Canadian Forces and RCAC involved, and their report back was very enlightening.  Never served a day in the Canadian military, did not attend their para school, three of his medals were for UN peacekeeping operations that took place before he was born.  One medal in particular, the Canadian Decoration, which is their equal to our Red Service ribbon, was configured in such a way (with attachments they call rosettes) to signify 32 years of honorable service--mind you he was only 37 at the time.  Most disturbingly, the RCAC confirmed to us that he was not a member in good standing, and hadn't been since his last membership period expired three years previously.  And he was not allowed to renew for cause, after having been judged "Unsuitable for continued service."  I know why this happened; it was bad, but it isn't really necessary to repeat it here.  Fact of the matter is he took advantage of our lack of knowledge in how the Canadian military worked; there was no way for any of us to "Stupid-check" him with "What color is the boathouse at Hereford" type questions.

[NIN]

Stonewall I am really impressed with your Rack it is nice and Big

"So to speak."

[NIN]

<snip>
Something just wasn't adding up, and I (and a couple other people in the know) had the feeling that something wasn't quite right.  But what did I know?  I have no idea how the Canadian military operates.  So, I started doing some research, along with another member in another wing, who is a very good friend.  Neither of us knew the other was doing anything.  After about 8-9 months of solid investigating, I get a call from the other member one morning, asking questions about this guy and some of his claims.  I expressed my suspicions, his were pretty much the same, so we combined our efforts, the bits and pieces of the stories this guy told (he never really gave anyone all of the details of his stories), and went from there.

Emphasis mine.

Slim doesn't mention that "member in another wing" was me. 

Totally blew my @#$% mind when I submitted a request to the Canadian DND to find out information on this guy via their website, and a week later literally got a phone call from a Captain in the DND's Personnel section in Ottawa saying "Yeah, we thought we should phone you up and let you know that this gentleman wasn't ever in the CF, and oh, by the way, he was in the Air Cadets, but he was invited to leave over two years ago..."

First phone call I made was to Slim.  That was a rather difficult one, since I knew he had a full plate already, calling him 4-5 weeks before his encampment was about to kick off and saying "hey, dude, I have some bad news about your CLS director" was going to cause other issues.

I also spoke to the Wing Commander involved, and they were pursing confirmation thru their contacts in the Air Cadets at the same time.   The RCAC's basically came back and said the same thing (with a bit more detail as to 'why' he was no longer with them).  Yikes!

Suffice to say, it was a big mess.

And you have to ask: what are the motivations behind people who are willing to lie about service?  Its not like they get increased pay.

[Garibaldi]

And you have to ask: what are the motivations behind people who are willing to lie about service?  Its not like they get increased pay.

I think mainly because they think no one will take the time to check and verify their wild @$$ claims in a volunteer organization such as this. Never mind that it's staffed by quite a few former and current military members who actually give a turkey, never mind that we have FBI background checks. It's a chance to play dress-up and recapture "lost" glory (that they never had or embellished to the point of uselessness).

[Stonewall]

...or embellished to the point of uselessness).

When I graduated jump school (31 Oct 91), our guest speaker was a WWII veteran who made like 4 or 5 combat jumps.  He gave us one bit of advice that I will never forget, he said "always let the other guy tell his war story first, so you can make yours better."  However, what we're talking about here, is far beyond adding to your number of jumps, or how much heavier your ruck sack was.

[Devil Doc]

...or embellished to the point of uselessness).

When I graduated jump school (31 Oct 91), our guest speaker was a WWII veteran who made like 4 or 5 combat jumps.  He gave us one bit of advice that I will never forget, he said "always let the other guy tell his war story first, so you can make yours better."  However, what we're talking about here, is far beyond adding to your number of jumps, or how much heavier your ruck sack was.

How bout how many deployments youve been on? Does that count? lol

[manfredvonrichthofen]

Personally it doesn't matter Why. It matters when and how we find them out and get it taken care of. I don't think it should matter what means need to be used, any means should be able to be used to find out who the fakers and flakes are. If you fake your service, or flake on a draft, there should be huge amount of consequences, freedom kg speech shouldn't enter into the argument. Certain things should be protected against those who would strain and perverse the constitution for their personal agenda.

[Flying Pig]

I have no problem showing people what I have earned in this service. The one question I always get is, "Your in the NAVY and have an Purple Heart?"  Im amazed by some people. I see that 2 people said if asked they would show there documents. I only say one thing "WHY"? It is actually an law to show your DD-214, when trying to claim anything military. Is it Enforced? Hardly.

We had a guy years ago who had a purple heart and a submarine badge.  He had been a Corpsman at one point during Vietnam and then later went to subs.  He retired as an E-8 I believe.  He was the father of a cadet.  We used to always give him a hard time and make up stories for how he got it.  It was all done in jest with him laughing right along with us.   He caught pieces of a grenade in some rice patty I think........