VFP Phony in Seattle?

Rurik sent me a link to this post at Geobent about a gaggle of organizations who protested the war in Seattle. I see ANSWER signs, a Military Families Speak Out sign, and some Veterans For Peace banners and participants. One guy from the latter group stuck out to me. He wore four rows of ribbons with the Combat Infantry Badge beneath them. Anyone who was ever earned the CIB knows that it goes above everything. Well here’s a picture of the hero;

I blew up another picture that shows his rack a little better;

I may be off a bit, but it looks like his highest award (reader’s top left) is the Korea Defense Medal which is certainly not the highest among the medals he’s wearing. Next is a single award of the Army Commendation Medal which is plausible, but the next is a Meritorious Service Medal – the highest award of the whole mess. Then the Army Achievement Medal, then the Reserve Components Achievement Medal 4th Award followed by the Republic of Korea War Service Medal – a foreign award which goes after all US Army awards – and it has some funny devices on it that I don’t recognize. The ribbon on your far left in the second row from the bottom is the South West Asia Service Medal. The next one is the Overseas Service Ribbon – not a medal so it’s lower than medals. Next is what looks like four awards of the Army Service Ribbon – awarded for six months in the Army. I’m not aware of consequent awards of the ribbon. I’m pretty sure you only get it once without any palm leafs. Following that ribbon is the National Defense Medal which should be above the two ribbons preceding it – it’s a medal. That’s followed by the foreign award of the Saudi Arabia Defense Medal, it’s followed by the Kuwait Liberation Medal, but it should probably be right-side up instead of the way this doofus is wearing it.

Now, below that is the CIB and master Sergeant rank, so I have to think that he’s trying the give the impression that he’s a Master Sergeant with combat infantry experience. Now he has some reserve medals, which mean he was in the Reserves. If he was in the Reserves during Desert Storm, he didn’t get a CIB, because no reserve infantry units deployed to Desert Storm. If he was on active duty when he deployed to Saudi Arabia, where is an Army Good Conduct Medal? Just one for three years of service without stepping on his dick.

There’s no NCO Development Ribbon, yet he made it to Master Sergeant? Impossible if he was promoted after 1986. So he thinks he’s a Master Sergeant, but got his ribbons and medals mixed up and upside down? And if I’m not mistaken, the Korean Defense Medal is for combat.

But I do know that if everything on his uniform true, and someone walked alongside of me with that sign, I’d seriously think twice about the company I’m keeping because associating myself with someone that stupid doesn’t honor my fallen comrades.

Category: Antiwar crowd, I hate hippies, Phony soldiers