Another Ribbon Question

[Stonewall]

On my Mitchell, they spelled my name wrong.  I needed it for promotion to E-2 in the Army with no time to send up to NHQ to correct it.  I used a pencil eraser and a typewriter and fixed it myself.  Although the font was off by about 2 sizes....  Still in the same condition today, 16+ years later.

[BlueLakes1]

Technically it needs documentation...practically speaking, the odds of someone challenging his right to wear an Arnold are virtually non-existent!

If he wants to do it, I'd say let him go for it....do warn him, though, that former cadets/current seniors tend to snicker discreetly at anyone wearing anything less than a Mitchell or higher milestone award.

Or not so discreetly...

Funny, I wear my Wright Brothers, earned far enough back so as to be an award achievement rather than an achievement award. There are a number of higher ranking WIWACs that I serve with, including a couple of Spaatzen, and I've never gotten a snicker one.

YMMV.

(Thanks for the correction...I'm getting too old for 24 hour shifts!)

[MIKE]

I think you have that backwards.  When I got my Wright Brothers Achievement it conferred the grade of C/Sgt with one S.

[jimmydeanno]

Funny, I wear my Wright Brothers, earned far enough back so as to be an award rather than an achievement.

scratch that, reverse it.  The WB is an Award currently, it used to be an achievement...

[JohnKachenmeister]

You guys are right, the Arnold and similar ribbons are no big deal.  ANY documentation would work for me.

But, I want to caution everybody... The "Stolen honor" thing is real, and VERY pervasive.  There are a LOT of guys who come into CAP and try to pose as war heroes because they think our officers are a bunch of dufus jerks who won't check or who will fall for the "My DD-214 is classified because I was on secret missions as a green beret Navy SEAL Ranger sniper."

I did not know how common the practice was until I read a book entitled "Fake Warriors" that talked about how people will alter and forge DD-214's to either create awards and qualifications they never earned or to cover up a Re-Enlistment Code of "No Freaking Way."

After reading the book, I caught a liar trying to claim he was a Marine sniper in the Urgent Fury invasion of Panama who said he got a Silver Star, but could not show me the citation because it was "Classified."  His DD-214 was "Lost."

And I also noticed that a certain candidate for President in the last election posted his DD-214 on his web site that showed he got the "Silver Star with Combat V" which I thought was quite interesting from a fake warrior perspective.

Be careful, and ALWAYS check the DD-214.  There is no such thing as a "Classified" DD-214, and when a so-called war hero can't produce it, he is probably a liar.

[jimmydeanno]

There is no such thing as a "Classified" DD-214

You probably just don't have the clearance to view it - 

[Cecil DP]

There is no such thing as a "Classified" DD-214

You probably just don't have the clearance to view it - 

No such thing as needing a clearance to view a DD 214. It's  publically available document, through the Military Records. depository in St Louis. They issue it to "prove" you were in the military and to document your service.  BTW  if someone tells you their records were destroyed in the fire, the fire was limited to the Air Force section and mainly Korean War era documents.

[Flying Pig]

Ahhh, yes.  I too was a CAP C/Sgt.

[SJFedor]

You guys are right, the Arnold and similar ribbons are no big deal.  ANY documentation would work for me.

But, I want to caution everybody... The "Stolen honor" thing is real, and VERY pervasive.  There are a LOT of guys who come into CAP and try to pose as war heroes because they think our officers are a bunch of dufus jerks who won't check or who will fall for the "My DD-214 is classified because I was on secret missions as a green beret Navy SEAL Ranger sniper."

I did not know how common the practice was until I read a book entitled "Fake Warriors" that talked about how people will alter and forge DD-214's to either create awards and qualifications they never earned or to cover up a Re-Enlistment Code of "No Freaking Way."

After reading the book, I caught a liar trying to claim he was a Marine sniper in the Urgent Fury invasion of Panama who said he got a Silver Star, but could not show me the citation because it was "Classified."  His DD-214 was "Lost."

And I also noticed that a certain candidate for President in the last election posted his DD-214 on his web site that showed he got the "Silver Star with Combat V" which I thought was quite interesting from a fake warrior perspective.

Be careful, and ALWAYS check the DD-214.  There is no such thing as a "Classified" DD-214, and when a so-called war hero can't produce it, he is probably a liar.

People don't get awards for highly classified operations. They get a pat on the back and a "good job, you can't tell anyone about it". 

That's sad that there's people like that out there, that would so falsely misrepresent themselves.

[BlueLakes1]

I think you have that backwards.  When I got my Wright Brothers Achievement it conferred the grade of C/Sgt with one S.

You're right, long day at the office (and I'm still here). Yes, when I got the award, it made me a C/Sgt as well.

[JCW0312]

That's sad that there's people like that out there, that would so falsely misrepresent themselves.

And there's a lot of them. However, I just can't see one of those folks lying about the Arnold award. I would imagine those folks would shoot for the Spaatz thru Armstrong area. No sense in risking getting 2b'd for Curry, Arnold, etc...

[jimmydeanno]

No such thing as needing a clearance to view a DD 214. It's  publically available document, through the Military Records. depository in St Louis. They issue it to "prove" you were in the military and to document your service.  BTW  if someone tells you their records were destroyed in the fire, the fire was limited to the Air Force section and mainly Korean War era documents.

sorry...should have put [joke] tags around it...

[O-Rex]

You guys are right, the Arnold and similar ribbons are no big deal.  ANY documentation would work for me.

But, I want to caution everybody... The "Stolen honor" thing is real, and VERY pervasive.  There are a LOT of guys who come into CAP and try to pose as war heroes because they think our officers are a bunch of dufus jerks who won't check or who will fall for the "My DD-214 is classified because I was on secret missions as a green beret Navy SEAL Ranger sniper."

I did not know how common the practice was until I read a book entitled "Fake Warriors" that talked about how people will alter and forge DD-214's to either create awards and qualifications they never earned or to cover up a Re-Enlistment Code of "No Freaking Way."

After reading the book, I caught a liar trying to claim he was a Marine sniper in the Urgent Fury invasion of Panama who said he got a Silver Star, but could not show me the citation because it was "Classified."  His DD-214 was "Lost."

And I also noticed that a certain candidate for President in the last election posted his DD-214 on his web site that showed he got the "Silver Star with Combat V" which I thought was quite interesting from a fake warrior perspective.

Be careful, and ALWAYS check the DD-214.  There is no such thing as a "Classified" DD-214, and when a so-called war hero can't produce it, he is probably a liar.

I knew a guy who claimed to be an SF Capt in VN: you know, even after an SOF operator gets out, there's still a kind of 'edge' to them:he didn't have it.  Also, he had jumpwings w/two combat jump stars (??)

The only UNCLAS jump in VN was the 173rd.  Yeah, I'm sure SF did them, but they wouldn't get awarded for it.

I tried to get a look at his DD214, but it never materialized, nor was he ever in town when we conducted CAP records audits. His name was not in the "Rolls of the Army" during the years in question, '67-69.

Sickening....

[Duke Dillio]

Having been one of those idiots, I don't think that I can really explain what it is about it.  I guess it is just to make yourself look or feel better.  In my case, it didn't work out so good.  It could have been much worse but then again we all make mistakes at some point in our lives.  To say I felt like a moron would be the understatement of the century.  If you find one of these guys who is actually wearing the awards, make sure you give him a good CONEX counseling session.

[AC]

People don't get awards for highly classified operations. They get a pat on the back and a "good job, you can't tell anyone about it". 

This is so true!

AC

[Stonewall]

People don't get awards for highly classified operations. They get a pat on the back and a "good job, you can't tell anyone about it". 

This is so true!

AC

Only people that conduct classified operations know what they get as far as awards, pats on the back, or ceremonies....

[mikeylikey]

I knew a guy who claimed to be an SF Capt in VN: you know, even after an SOF operator gets out, there's still a kind of 'edge' to them:he didn't have it.  Also, he had jumpwings w/two combat jump stars (??)

Sickening.  He should have claimed Major.....Captain is such an "everday" rank.  

And yes.....214 and ORB's are accesible to the general public.  You can actaully request a copy of people or organizations that have requested to see your files.  National Archives has a whole website section devoted to accessing them.  

[AC]

Believe me...Getting records from the military is a lot easier than getting them from the CAP! I have been told there is no record of me even being in the CAP! I still have my uniforms w/ribbons from my past membership, and the memories in my head. CAP squadrons destroy records after 5 years. National HQ is all computerized. Any records before 1983 do not exist! I have rejoined, and have to start all over again!

AC

[Duke Dillio]

Anyone know how you might go about getting copies of award certificates, like Mitchell, Earhart, and Eaker?

[jimmydeanno]

If you are looking for replacement copies, just call member services at NHQ.  Tell them your name and the aproximate date you earned the award.  They will send you one in the mail if they can find it.