Main Menu

Stolen Valor Confrontation

Started by C/SrA Ravlin, December 10, 2015, 08:18:06 PM

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

C/SrA Ravlin

I might add that said person who I encountered again yesterday was trying to get a military discount at stores wearing a Marine uniform. He had a combat patch plus a purple heart and the Nay Seal Trident on his person. This guy is trying to take away from our soldiers what they deserve! Can you call the police for this or not? Because if so the next time I see this guy, packing or not, I will be calling the police and having a chat. Now that said I know that as a cadet it is not my job to be the Stolen Valor Police but as a citizen of the U.S. it is. I don't believe in standing by and watching this man disgrace the uniform. Not to throw away what any of you have said about this but this is a federal crime and he cannot continue doing this. 
Cadet SrA Ravlin
Cadet Communications NCO
Boise RMR-ID-073
"Semper Vigilans"
www.gocivilairpatrol.com
www.boisecap.org

Garibaldi

Quote from: C/A1C Ravlin on December 11, 2015, 05:30:37 PM
I might add that said person who I encountered again yesterday was trying to get a military discount at stores wearing a Marine uniform. He had a combat patch plus a purple heart and the Nay Seal Trident on his person. This guy is trying to take away from our soldiers what they deserve! Can you call the police for this or not? Because if so the next time I see this guy, packing or not, I will be calling the police and having a chat. Now that said I know that as a cadet it is not my job to be the Stolen Valor Police but as a citizen of the U.S. it is. I don't believe in standing by and watching this man disgrace the uniform. Not to throw away what any of you have said about this but this is a federal crime and he cannot continue doing this.

He's really only trying to defraud the company he's making a purchase from. Here at Home Depot, we have a 10% discount for active and retired military, but we require that they show ID. Our cashiers are taught what a real ID looks like, for the most part. We took away the online discount for this very reason, that we were taking too many peoples' word that they were a vet when we couldn't verify it. Most people were OK with it when we told them why, but a few raised all kinds of heck about it. Those were the ones using it fraudulently.

Let it go, kid. If anything, you can tell the store about it, and let them pursue it.

Now, if he were claiming to be a vet or AD and trying to take money for something THEN I'd consider calling the cops. THAT is a federal crime.
Still a major after all these years.
ES dude, leadership ossifer, publik affaires
Opinionated and wrong 99% of the time about all things

goblin


Storm Chaser

Quote from: C/A1C Ravlin on December 10, 2015, 08:18:06 PM
So this guy I saw the other day was wearing ABU's with ribbons (including the purple heart ribbon), wearing his cover indoors, and did not have his boots bloused. He was carrying a hand gun so I did not confront him about it other than having a general conversation with him about his "service" and asking if he had his CAC card on him, to which he responded "I left it at home." (For those of you who don't know a CAC card is, it is required to be carried on all active, select reserve, and DOD officials by the Geneva Convention). He said he had served 2 tours in Afghanistan and been in combat in both tours with the Delta Squad. How would you handle this safely? I have seen many videos where the phony has tried to fight the person confronting them.
I know this is a little off topic from CAP but please let me know how this should be handled.
Sincerely,
Cadet Ravlin

The short answer is you don't. You should stay away from anyone carrying a weapon who doesn't seem to be all there. If you think your life or anyone else's is in danger, then call the police or 911.

PHall


TheSkyHornet

I think you handled it appropriately based on what you described; although, I didn't catch how the conversation ended and you both carried on.

Sometimes you do need to take a deep breath and just move on. It's not the job of civilians to enforce the law, especially military law, even when we know there's a problem and want to do what's right.

Don't put yourself into a situation that has the potential to become unsafe.

Garibaldi

It's not that we don't care. I personally would like to rip all the posers a new one and ship them off to a combat zone with a pickle and a salad fork, but it's just not worth it.

Let it go, youngling.
Still a major after all these years.
ES dude, leadership ossifer, publik affaires
Opinionated and wrong 99% of the time about all things

Flying Pig

Quote from: PHall on December 11, 2015, 06:54:32 PM
Cadet Ravlin. Give it a rest.

^^^Yes.   


That being said, it is not your "job" as a US Citizen.   You need to move on. 

SkywalkerRA

I echo the comments here...while it's noble of you to want to defend the integrity of those who've really served our nation, this doesn't sound like the hill you want to "die on." I've found that life has a way of taking care of these things in the long run.

C/SrA Ravlin

Cadet SrA Ravlin
Cadet Communications NCO
Boise RMR-ID-073
"Semper Vigilans"
www.gocivilairpatrol.com
www.boisecap.org

Live2Learn

Quote from: C/A1C Ravlin on December 11, 2015, 05:30:37 PM
I might add that said person who I encountered again yesterday was trying to get a military discount at stores wearing a Marine uniform. He had a combat patch plus a purple heart and the Nay Seal Trident on his person. This guy is trying to take away from our soldiers what they deserve! Can you call the police for this or not? Because if so the next time I see this guy, packing or not, I will be calling the police and having a chat. Now that said I know that as a cadet it is not my job to be the Stolen Valor Police but as a citizen of the U.S. it is. I don't believe in standing by and watching this man disgrace the uniform. Not to throw away what any of you have said about this but this is a federal crime and he cannot continue doing this.

Let the store 'loss protection' folk do their duty.  If past military a VA id card, retired military id card, or active card is required.  As far as I know, that's true whether in dress blues or scrubs. I personally very much appreciate your care, and the respect you offer to those who have served.  IMHO, a word to the store manager suggesting better 'loss protection' training if the fraud is successful, or if nipped (as it should be) by an alert employee, a word of commendation to both employee AND the manager might be a very good tactic. 

TheSkyHornet

Quote from: C/A1C Ravlin on December 12, 2015, 03:08:52 AM
Yes Sir's. I appreciate the help.

*Gentlemen (and there may be a female on here...hard to tell with usernames and mustaches  ;))

xray328

Google Don Shipley or look on YouTube for buds131...

vorteks


Flying Pig

#34
Quote from: varitec on December 15, 2015, 02:29:02 PM
Quote from: xray328 on December 15, 2015, 01:11:30 PM
Google Don Shipley or look on YouTube for buds131...

Why?
Because the guy he is confronting is a CAP member.

xray328


Flying Pig

James Decker.  We did have a  member on here who was a group commander who was outted as a fake SEAL here on CAPTalk.  I think he has since resigned from CAP.  I dont know if this is the same guy. 

xray328

#37

umpirecali

If he were applying for membership then the personnel officer should probe a bit further.  We had a member in our squadron who had served in the AF but was wearing a silver star and some campaign ribbons he didn't earn.  It began as someone noticing his SS and asked how he got it.  The story didn't pass muster and our CC requested his records.  When confronted with the info, he stuck to his story.  He was swiftly reported to national and kicked out.    As a matter of course now, when a person applies for membership and they claim prior service, we ask for their DD-214.
Capt Chris Cali, CAP
Deputy Commander
Deputy Commander for Cadets

mtb1998

You may not be able to do anything. I believe our current president signed into law in 2013 that wearing a uniform with no prior service isn't illegal, but lying about it for benefits is.