Sean Beery: When good ain’t good enough
Chester sends us some stuff on Sean Beery, the director of Volusia County Gun and Hunt Club down in Florida. This is how he presents himself on his website – a Ranger-qualified scout sniper who jumped into Panama and led reconnaissance and infantry platoons;
Well, his records tell a story about a perfectly honorable career, but one which bears little resemblance to his own narrative;
His assignments show that he was probably in Desert Storm and earned a CIB, but the unit he served with during Operation Just Cause didn’t deploy to Panama and the unit that he deployed to Desert Storm with didn’t jump so there’s no combat star on his jump wings. There’s no Ranger School, so no Ranger tab.
I doubt there were many 11C (Mortarman) slots for scout snipers and also doubt that he’d have led a platoon anytime during his four years of service. The dude had an excellent career…he even has an Expert Infantry Badge which is very difficult to earn. I have no idea why he had to make shit up.
Category: Phony soldiers
502nd PIR huh? Last time I checked the 101st went off active jump status for good in 1974. You don’t even need a DD214 to tell this guy is full of shit. I understand the embarrassment of being in 5-0-douche but come on guy.
Another Division guy claiming Ranger or Special Forces. These clowns can woof the shit to civilians who don’t know. Fuck him. 101st/82nd… not too shabby, airborne, CIB, EIB, Air Insult, etc… again… not too shabby… again- fuck him.
I was very proud to have done Mess Kit Repair in Bosnia and Iraq. and for the firearms training I do, I explain that I once fired BB guns at a boyscout camp…and hit the tin can.
What the hell, why does this douche need to make stuff up? He has a record that would make many envious…..
IIRC, there was one battalion still on jump status when I was with the 101st in the late 1970s, and I do seem to recall it was the 502nd; it definitely wasn’t the 506th, and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the 327th, 501st or 503rd. Those on jump status may have just been their pathfinders, but there were some red berets floating around base then also wearing full-color 101st patches. I have no idea about what was going on at Fort Crumble during his service there, though, but as the full-on retards at Mythbusters say, “plausible.” On that point, at least.
I want to throw out there that from what I know of rangers they tend to have their hands further up the barrel, in fact if he were doing this right and not for show, it would probably be on the magazine well. this allows quicker “draws” and also helps with weapon stability in a standing position.
In Fact if he really were an NRA instructor (which I am) he’d know that the further down the rifle your hands are while in the standing or standing supported position, the more unstable the platform becomes
compounding this he is leaning too far forward, bringing his face to the rifle not the other way around. that cheek to stock weld is pathetic. If he was an infantryman he was probably a shitty one.
@6- Perhaps he was wiping off the front sight post, Sgt. York style, and the guy off camera was just timing how long it took Mr. Beery to notice he had no rear aperture?
“502nd PIR huh? Last time I checked the 101st went off active jump status for good in 1974.” true, but I think the regimental title was and still is P.aracute I.fantry R.egiment, whether on status or not. Some of the old glider regiments who were converted to parachutists(or lost status entirely), are still referred to as A.irborne or G.lider, no? Isn’t Jonn’s old 325th in the 82nd referred to as Airborne and not Parachute?
At 8:30AM EST, 12/18, I read at his VCGHC site:
“Volusia County Gun & Hunt Club
To all my loyal members and active participants at our matches, I will have my actual and unaltered DD214 form available for you if you would like to verify any of my prior military credentials. Because I am so busy and actually have things that keep my life busy and fulfilling, I cannot understand the mentality behind posting things that are slanderous against someone else. Let’s hope that these people become bored with their antics.”
11 hours ago
Nice. Tell him that the tort is libel, not slander.
#8,
All of the 101st’ BCTs have Infantry Battalions. I arrived at 3/187 IN in 2002 and never heard of PIR/AIR/GIR being used to refer to the modern units.
As for the 325th, I believe that it is an AIR to give credit to its origins as a Glider unit. I just scouted the websites for OPFOR, 173rd, 82nd, and 4th Brigade 25th ID, and it seems that the 82nd is the only unit that really even uses the Parachute Infantry and Airborne Infantry designations. The other units all use titles such as “1st Battalion (Airborne), 501st Infantry” (although it is labeled as a PIR if one hovers over the “Units” tab: http://www.usarak.army.mil/4bde25th/1-501PIR.html.
In short, outside of the 82nd, it is probably inaccurate to call most infantry units on jump status PIRs or AIRs in this day and age.
Yes, the 325 is an Airborne Infantry Regiment because they were a glider regiment during WWII. Just cause was December 20, 1989 and Beery was in the 101st according to his records and the 101st didn’t deploy to Panama and they wouldn’t have jumped in even if they had deployed because they are legs. And I know for a fact that even if he says he jumped with 504th, it was 325th AIR which jumped into Panama.
I served with 3/325 82nd ABN Ft. Bragg 1970 just before going to Vietnam..out standing unit. It was instrumental in preparing me for Nam. I ended up in the 11th ACR first tour, lol with armored legs but they were also out standing. Any way,I just saw my old unit and got excited
BTW – I have sent an email to Blackwater Security to enquire about his claim of being a pistol and rifle instructor there from 1992-1996 since Blackwater states that they were formed in 1997.
I will contact you if I get confirmation that this is also a fabrication on Sean’s part.
@12 – You sure? I seem to remember that it was the elements of 1st and 2nd Batt of the 504.
I was in the 101st at the same time as this guy and the 502nd was not PIR. Also he claims an MOS of 11B4P. That means he claims a rank of SFC. No way in just four years. Literally impossible unless you are in the band. The duty descriptions are right out of the manuel. Guy is full of BS. Don’t understand why. You either know your shit or you don’t. I’ve known tabbed out morons and squared away 88Ms without a single badge. Sad.
And, oh, yeah, the 2/502d didn’t participate in Operation Golden Pheasant, either. The only 101st infantry unit that deployed to Honduras was Company C, 5th Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment. The 1/504 PIR of the 82d deployed to Honduras, but Beery was in the 101st at the time. So apparently he figures because he knew people who deployed to military operations, he thinks that’s good enough to credit himself with the deployments.
Cedo, the only guys at Campbell now on active jump status are the 2 Pathfinder companies and of course 5th Group. The 101st keeps the airborne tab but as far as the regiments within, they have dropped anything referring to them as airborne or parachute
#11 “In short, outside of the 82nd, it is probably inaccurate to call most infantry units on jump status PIRs or AIRs in this day and age” alright then, I was using the 82nd as a point of reference there. Truthfully I had no idea how the other regiments that had origionally been on status refered to themselves because overtime differ designations tend to be more prevailent or give way to others.
A good example is the AA or “All-American” tended to give way to simply the 82nd after Vietnam as the Division moniker. Though they both have always been Division designations since World War II.
#17 “The 101st keeps the airborne tab but as far as the regiments within, they have dropped anything referring to them as airborne or parachute.” I knew about the Divison’s designation was unsure about lower. I said above I really had no idea how all of the previous jump regiments or now brigades titled themselves. It’s by no means universal, there is a difference between the jump battalions today.
Well the 101st was converted during Vietnam into a second Air Mobile(later Assault) formation by Westmoreland. It lost its status partly because the Arrmy just could not field that many jump qualified replacements. Sometime shortly after the war a regiment or brigade was briefly on status before it too was stripped.
And another thing…the MF&O mission that he claims he was on in 1992 was manned by Brits who were replaced by Australians.
Also notice on his 2-1, 2/502 is designated as 2/502 Infantry Bn, not Parachute Infantry Regiment as he wrote on his website. His assignment to 1/504, however says PIR.
John, just to keep the record straight the 2/502nd was in the MFO in ’92, the Brits were the civilian contractors and the Aussies were North Camp Rotory Wing Aviation. USBATT has always been in South Camp. Please don’t defame an entire Unit just because one Former member chooses to embelish his record.
Not defaming anyone, Joe. The problem is; Beery was in 1/504th in ’92, not 2/502 and he’s claiming he was in the MF&O in ’92. So as long as he knew someone in the unit who deployed, he figures he was there, too.
I noticed that he took down the promise to show his DD214 on his company’s Facebook page…so I quit holding my breath.
I just commented on a post there with:
“What was the Ranger Class number that generated the Ranger tab? What unit did the Combat jump take place with? Inquiring minds are trying to clean up the loose ends.Seems Ranger “Tab Check” is having difficulty finding your name.
A few seconds ago”
You know, there is a definite pattern here. Guy embellishes, guy gets called out; guy agresses, objects, denies, threatens to sue; more evidence of the guy’s embellishment is laid on the table; guy either tries to make nice or runs and hides.
“I want to throw out there that from what I know of rangers they tend to have their hands further up the barrel, in fact if he were doing this right and not for show, it would probably be on the magazine well. this allows quicker “draws” and also helps with weapon stability in a standing position.”
Magpul Dynamics (and the guys who used to work for them) apparently disagree, as do a bunch of 3 gun shooters. Anyway, that’s the “in” thing right now. I’ve personally never tried it that way.
we can all ask him these questions.
Volusia County Gun & Hunt Club
4645 E. SR 44
New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168
ph: 386-717-1394
fx: 386-774-6729
volusiacountygunclub@yahoo.com
He’s blocked me on his facebook page, and even when his phone message says that he will get right back to a message, he hasn’t yet answered how he worked for Blackwater before they were even formed, nor how he has a Ranger Tab that Benning Tab Check is unaware of.
Seals it for me. If he were not guilty he should have been out here rebutting our claims.
Anyone that can, go to the link at the top of this post, then click on his FB thing on the right a little down the “home” page, and leave a comment in “recommendations”. But know that he will block you too, and you will never be able to be one of his BFF’s.
@24, Spade you’re correct. Costa and Haley (then with Magpul Dynamics) popularized this technique for driving the gun on multiple targets when outside. It’s reputed to be smoother and less chance of running the muzzle past a target. To their credit, the admit they did not “invent” the technique, but brought it in from the 3-Gun/Gamer community as you wrote. It’s a “square range” technique, and I’m personally not familiar with how effective/ineffective it may be when used on the “Two Way Range”. Like any other technique, you try it and if it works better than what you have been using, you add it to the tool kit. If not, you discard the technique at the end of the training class. I don’t use it as I prefer to run a VFG mounted as far forward on the rail as possible, which ends up being about 3/4 of the length of the rail in order to efficiently operate the rail mounted SF light. It works for me, so I haven’t gone over to this particular method. The men I train/have trained with (Rogers and Vickers) don’t use or teach it. In the photo above, he appears to be engaging a target from around a barricade, hence the appearance of leaning out and forward; plus it looks like his stock is pretty close to full extension, which won’t work if you have armor and a chest rig on; the stock has to be just about all the way in or the LOP is too long. That said, most instructors who teach the carbine focus on a stance that is as close to what is used for the pistol (modern isosceles) in order to keep body armor/plates as square as possible to the threat. In other words, squared and leaning forward to control the piece. There is, however, a SMU that prefers a more bladed stance, with the stock out a couple or three notches. LAV and Viking Tactical both teach that technique, and Vickers will correct his students for squaring off with the carbine, just as he did with me the… Read more »
[…] Sean Beery called today… December 19th, 2011 I just got off the phone with Sean Beery who called to apologize for his malfeasance as far as his bio on Facebook and company website which […]
Talk about a self inflicted wound…this guy had the right credentials and may well be an excellent instructor.
I suspect he’ll be doing something else in the future as these types of shenanigans are not, to say the least, looked upon favorably in the firearms training biz.
@12 I’m unsure of other units involved, but 2-504 most certainly jumped into Panama. That was before my time but I was in D co. from 91-94 and there were plenty of mustard stained wings and war stories.
Just Cause is what finally got rid of the “No War Oh Four” nickname given after the 504th didn’t participate in Grenada. Or something like that.
On the forum for his website, his avatar is still making him look all ranger.
I was in Bco 2/502 during desert shield and desert storm. The name sounds familiar but I can’t place the face. Anyway we were still considered 101st Airborne at the time (even though we didnt parachute). Maybe now they aren’t but to be fair that was what we were referred as. We did NOT JUMP in Iraq but we did Air Assualt if that helps? I only knew one Ranger in the company and he was not it. I also knew several snipers and he was not one of them. I am not sure what happened with his other claims and I dont pretend to know, but he was there and deserves recognition for that at least. Good Luck with your findings. Kevin
@RAK187-And when was the last time the ole show boats “cockasaans” do any good for the country?? Oh yeah the combat jump in the pacific in WW2!!!
You make me sad. Being an infantryman alone is an honor. Was I not good enough for you? Not good enough that you had to prove yourself more worthy of an individual to all the kids playing call of duty and a piece of shit to your true brothers. There are many great things a infantryman would do for someone they don’t know…. But there is no other complete stranger that would throw down for you knowing only your a brother of the infantry. Kinda fucking sad…
I pretty much knew you were full of shit when I watched you eat an MRE on the range and heated it up with all the windows rolled up in your truck with you sitting in it.
No infantry dude would heat up there MRE or eat one unless they had to.
You might as well have ate a veggie omelette.. Maybe then I would have been convinced. Haha
let me guess, next you’ll be trying to bash Audie Murphy, or Sgt York. Get a life and stop looking for people to bash. Your that guy (if you ever served) that everyone hated.
Someone got a case of the monkey butthurts.
You mad, bro?
“Your that guy (if you ever served) that everyone hated.”
What? They still all hate me. It’s my stock and trade. If you think I blog to make friends, it must be your first time here.
John Lilyea, I was in Bravo company 1/504 during operation Just Cause. My unit Was on DRF 1 and the 2/504 was On DRF 2 (deployment readiness force). If anyone is unsure of what that means I’ll explain. DRF one and two are the first units activated to be deployed worldwide if there is trouble anywhere that U.S. forces are needed. With that said I can tell you without a doubt (since I was there) that the 1/504 and 2/504 did in fact jump into Panama and we did get the combat jump wings. The 3/504 did not jump into Panama but were part of Operation Just Cause because they were already in Panama taking part in the jungle training school when hostilities started.
Just to continue to point out discrepancies: Operation Golden Pheasant took place in March 1988 – a month before he reported for OSUT. Just sayin’
After a brother bounced his name off the Blackwater Alumni community, a Bullshit Flag is on the play…
He was never with BW as an instructor and was most certainly was not deployed OCONUS as an operator. Lots of guys with a combat arms and specific security backgrounds were hired to work CONUS at Katrina and he ‘may’ have squeaked by to get on that gig but it looks like ‘if’ in fact he ever worked for Blackwater, he has polished up his claims much like he did on his Army career.
BW was formed in 1997 and their field security operations begun in November 2001. As far as the “Unaltered DD214” he clams to be prepared to present; I sincerely doubt it will be presented without some seriously skilled work on Photoshop.
This guy is an absolute twat he still tells people he is a fucking ranger, and all that fucking bullshit he was spewing before. Some of the people who go to his range get treated like shit when he is on site, he wants your damn money, but doesn’t want to provide a service.