Tim Poe: America’s Got Stolen Valor?

Editor Note: This post is stuck to the top of the blog, scroll for newer posts.

UPDATE x4: The audio interview with Tim Poe is up, it starts around 110 or so. Also more media coverage about this at Fox.

“I had volunteered for a team to go out and clear buildings and help out with the wounded,” Poe said during a taped interview on the show. “There was a guy who come up with a rocket-propelled grenade. I saw it coming down, and by the time I turned and went to jump on top of my guys, I yelled `grenade’ and the blast had hit me.”

It seems that Yahoo is reporting it as well.

NBC had no comment on the story, but if proven true, these accusations could turn a feel-good story into a serious scandal for the network. At the very least, it sounds as if someone at NBC didn’t do their homework before broadcasting Poe’s story into millions of homes. Poe got three “yes” votes from the judges and will presumably continue on in the competition; we’ll have to see how “Talent” addresses these very serious allegations in the weeks to come.

UPDATE x3: It seems that America Got Talent has finally responded about his military background. Thanks Chris for the link.

Got a second link to the America Got Talent about a ex-wife that talks about his past. Thank you to Parachute Cutie for the link.

UPDATE x2: I just spoke with a Major at the MN National Guard PAO who confirmed this press release. If he did all this heroic type crap, it wasn’t with this unit anyway, and he was assigned to the National Guard during the time he is claiming. So, unless he served in 2 units AT THE SAME TIME, this guy is full of crap. (cue Doggy Dog and his apology to me now.)

UPDATE: Insert Ace of Spades glowing skull here….

From a commenter, I have not verified yet, but this matches the other info leaked to me:

STATEMENT FROM THE MINNESOTA NATIONAL GUARD

~~ Attributable to Lt. Col. Kevin Olson, Spokesman for the Minnesota National Guard ~~

Sgt. Timothy Michael Poe served in the Minnesota Army National Guard from Dec. 3, 2002 until May 26, 2011, and performed as a supply specialist.

His military records indicate that he served with the Minnesota National Guard in Kosovo from Oct. 10, 2007 until July 15, 2008, and was deployed to Afghanistan from July 28, 2009 to Aug. 30, 2009.

Sgt. Poe’s official military records do not indicate that he was injured by a grenade in combat while serving in Afghanistan in 2009, as he reports. The Minnesota National Guard can also confirm that he was not awarded the Purple Heart Medal for wounds sustained in combat.

Have emailed the LTC, will update when confirmed. (The LTC emailed me back and gave me a second confirmation on this press release.)

Original post:

According to this cat, he got hit by an RPG which led to TBI and a stuttering issue….

That same thing happened to me, or just about the same. I got hit with an RPG, but I was quick enough to catch it in my teeth, and though it exploded, all it gave me was an aching priapism. But, I spit out the remains of that RPG thing and yelled at the dude that shot me, “Oh man, you done screwed a Royal goat now!” And I called on teh power of Greyskull and Odin to help me. They were both busy, but Odin sent the Valykries who picked me up, one under wach arm, and a third carrying my prodigous member, and they flew me around the battlefield to smite mine enemies with major smitage. Then I cut off all their earlobes and made a really cool lampshade.

And, according to a host of folks showing up all over the ‘net today, my story is apparently just as factually based as this numbnuts…

Ole Poe here has one defender..

Benjamin A Beers
Really people don’t you think the show would do there research before televising his addition as well as the network. The net work dose full on back grounds on the contestant and there stories before the show even comes out let alone be put on air and I’m sure if your story was true about Tim Poe the US Military would of already came out to say he lying after all these addition were over a month ago. I do respect and support are troops but this just seems like bullying to me.

Um, no. I doubt they do any research at all. How many times has there been a contestant that appeared on some dopey reality TV show and then weeks later they have to boot them for porn or a criminal record? This publicity will only make more people tune in.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and declare this one busted. I have a friend who met this guy and said s/he suspected Poe was full of shite from minute 1. Either that gut instinct was right, or someone went through a lot of effort to invent people in the 114th transportation company and their Facebook pages.

Now, if you don’t mind, I’m heading out with my Valykrie friends for some BBQ and Mead in Valhalla.

UPDATE: ok, so now we have like 15 gazillion people coming from Facebook, so since the vast bulk are new to TAH, better explain some back story….

1) I have a source on this I trust implictely.
2) there are 15 names of folks from his unit that are on the Facebook page. I suppose it is possible they are all plants, but that would be one hell of an effort, since I went to each individual Facebook page, and they were all started WELL before yesterday.
3) I have documentation showing his claims of having a Bronze Star and a purple heart. Other folks are emailing and PMing me that these are not accurate.

Is this guy’s story real? I wasn’t with him, but gun to the head and Occum’s Razor suggest no. In order for his story to be real, there is a serious effort afoot to malign him. Is it possible? Sure. Is it likely, no.

This stuff happens to us all the time. See for example Sergeant Major Mailahn who was the “youngest Marine Corps sergeant major in history.” We outted him, he threatened legal action, and months later admitted he was full of crap.

Would I like more info on this guy? Absolutely. For some reason all the principals have gone silent on this. I am told it is because the command of that unit told them to shut up for now as they work on a press release. I’d feel better with that press release, but go to the link I put in above. Come to your own conclusion, I’m just some dopey dude blogging. You have access to the folks saying he was lying, and his video. Assess for yourselves what you think.

Category: Phony soldiers