SGM James R. Burch; the records
You might remember this guy from earlier this month;
His name is James Reginald Burch, and he is indeed a sergeant major, and a ’93 grad of the academy. All of those foreign jump wings look legit, however, the AR 670-1 says;
29–19. Wear of foreign badges
a. Personnel may not wear more than one foreign badge at a time.
So here’s what his FOIA, that we got from Mary this morning says he’s authorized to wear;
Now, I see the SF tab in his records but no Ranger tab, I don’t see the Diver badge or Pathfinder badge, either. I don’t see in his assignments where he should have a combat patch, either;
And, whatever the 82d badge is, I’m sure it’s only authorized while you’re assigned to the 82d, the same with the arrowhead thingie. So, this is just a case of embellishment and a sergeant major who thinks that he doesn’t need to adhere to the regs. His idea of looking like a stud ends up looking like a badge-hunting freak to the rest of us.
Category: Phony soldiers
OK…. Since I was indirectly called out for not keeping my OMPF in line. How about this…. I was USAR-AGR assigned to an AD unit. AD unit could NOT update my OMPF (i.e. “Field to File” upload not available because my records were maintained in St Louis and AD records were in Alexandria or Knox or ??? Needless to say, I maintain a very nice, neat folder of my records. I also maintain, in triplicate, three separate email accounts that hold all of my records, just to ensure that the lowly GS-4 or GS-5 clerk that couldn’t get their poop in a group to upload my documents to iPerms. Now, I know that there are a lot of helpful people on this site. But there are also a lot of people that don’t know everything about every type of situation. When my records went before the SFC USAR-AGR board, my OMPF/iPerms were so jacked up that I had to write a nice, pretty letter to the President of the Board explaining why. I got picked up for my promotion (9 years to E-7) because I knew my shit and took care of my records. While the AD guys were able to walk over to S-1 and get their ERB updated in a matter of minutes, I nearly had to catch a flight to St. Louis to blow a LTC to get my shit updated within a 9 month timeframe. While this guys records don’t show periods of AD for every time that he was sent to wherever, that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Where I WON’T give the guy a pass is on the wear of the uniform. As a CSM, the guy should be aware of the regulations and shouldn’t walk around looking like a member of Khadafi’s Army. He clearly did some pretty Hooah shit while in the Army…. my experience is that the really good SF guys are more than content to keep all of their Hooah shit in a box under the bed next to the dead llamas and alpacas. But that’s just my take on… Read more »
The 2-1 on display here is incorrect. An entry as 91B4 indicates E7. There is no entry between his time as an E4 and 91B4. I’m not saying he typed it up himself, but I’m saying whoever typed it didn’t know what they were doing, and didn’t do it correctly. The 71L’s in my day would have gotten that right.
WOTN: not sure about that, amigo. The column you reference is DMOS, not PMOS. I believe the authorized grade of an ODA Medical Sergeant at the time (and today) was/is indeed E7. I could be wrong.
RetSFCinME: your situation is not applicable to Burch’s case. Burch was a “classic” TPU reservist. His units were responsible for submitting his stuff, were capable of doing so, and presumably knew how. Your situation was different.
As a very senior NCO, unless Burch royally POed his PAC NCO by about 1990 he’d have been able to take his stuff to his PAC (or send it) and say to the NCOIC, “Hey Sergeant – how about a little help here? Can you get this into my fiche at STL/State HQ? It needs to be in there, but it’s missing. Got a board coming up soon.” I’m guessing it would have been in his fiche within 60 days.
From personal experience, I know that from about the mid 1990s on STL was actually pretty good about getting stuff into one’s fiche they received from the field (or from individuals, for IMAs). You did need to follow-up, but eventually the stuff ended up in your file if you kept at it. And it usually didn’t take all that long – in my experience, a couple of months or so.
Bottom line: given this guy’s seniority by the 1990s, if there’s stuff missing in his OPMF that should be there – then shame on him. He knew/should have known better, and was definitely in a position to make it happen if he cared about it and followed-up. If he went to an Army school (and passed it) or deployed to a combat zone, there should be something in his OPMF documenting that fact – e.g., AER, orders for qual badge/MOS/ASI, orders for deployment, DD214, something. Since nothing’s there – too bad. IMO that means it very likely never happened.
I’ll cut him some slack on the LOM – that could be a retirement award that slipped through the cracks. But the rest? Um, no.
Hondo – I was interrupted earlier! Thanks for the response somewhere back there. It was as I would suppose it should be, but then, common sense is not so common these days.
Hondo @35: For that listing you are looking for, check out AR 670-1, par. 28-17b(1) through (14). The only one missing is Operation New Dawn, and that’s because 670-1 hasn’t had a full update in more than 8 years.
Ben: thanks. Knew there had to be an official list somewhere, but didn’t realize it was right in front of me (AR 670-1).
Live and learn.
But Jonn’s a grunt. If it’s one thing i’ve seen enrage a grunt to no end, it’s calling him a POG.
@58.
How many letter jackets does your mom still have in the closet?
Can you pick the right one?
Get lost, Turd.
@58 most of the time when I see someone tossing out POG it is usually some bitter 11 Bang Bang that was too stupid to get into a better MOS. Calm down Francis….
Who cares what your MOS was, point being, some old farts who can’t let go of their military days decide via their blog what they want and don’t want to post and try to destroy good mens careers. Add to that the monetary aspect (ad revenue) and these Letter Jacket wearing morons are as biased as their friends at the Huff Post. This man served his country honorably in some elite units and people like Mr. Lilyea and butt buddies are trying to create some scandal. Let the man be and go back to tending your diseased riddled body.
You call the admin of this site a POG and then go on to say “who cares what your MOS was” when it is pointed out to you the he is not a POG. You are a walking stereotype.
@62, easy there with the “stupid” or “better MOS” crap.
@63 He is retired, so nobody is trying to destroy his career. If serving CONUS with 11th SFG is Elite, then I am a fucking Jedi Knight. And if he didnt earn a Ranger Tab and Pathfinder, then he can go fuck himself. How the fuck did he never deploy, anyway!??
I know AGR MSG’s, SGM’s, 1st SGT’s, and CSM’s that volunteered to deploy to OIF even though USASOC/CAPOC were against it, but these SNCO’s had honor and integrity (and they were fobbits, but you arent gonna get on a team as a E-8/E-9 37F or 38B). My opinion, this fuckstick CSM avoided deployments, held down a GS job in USARC, and now walks around with cool guy badges saying “look at my awesome green hat”.
@ 58 … I give a fu*k.
If I wore my uniform in retirement like the subject referenced here, I would be called out quicker than graphite grease on a removal latch pin.
BTW … what branch of the service and what dates did you serve?
POGsRus: Burch was acting like a clown in the way he wore his uniform, thus giving the Army the proverbial finger. He was doing so as a retired “CSM”.
Yeah, I’ve got a problem with that.
I’ve also got a problem with him wearing Ranger, Scuba, and Pathfinder badges he never earned. As well as claiming combat service he doesn’t have. And he was also apparently lying about being a SMA grad and being a former 73th Troop Cmd CSM, too.
Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.
You want to represent an organization, ANY organization, you do so with dignity, class, and respect, and do it in accordance with the rules and policies set forth by that organizaion. I don’t care if it’s military or civilian. And when you walk around looking like some bad imitation of Khadafi, you beclown that which you are supposedly respecting or representing.
THAT’S why people get pissed off at shit like this, @58.
Twist gotta poke the 11B’s when I can 😀
Honestly though I only meant the type that toss out POG like its some sort of bad thing to be taking care of the guys kicking in doors. I know for a fact that that even being support downrange isnt the same thing as being safe, I’m lucky that I’m alive right now due to a great man stopping a VBIED from getting any closer to where we were standing at FOB Warhorse back in 04, he was support and he didnt come home with us. So to me POG is insulting, yea I dont kick in doors but I damn sure did make sure that their NVG’s were working so they could. I have more respect for the infantry guys who knew our job helped them do theirs and respected us for it, than some kid who looks down on us with distain and says shit like 58 did.
@70, No worries, I just get tired of the dumb grunt meme. I use POG for a special class of Soldiers. The ones that go out of their way to not do their jobs. Those Soldiers and my MP buddy that we go back and forth with good natured jabs.
Honestly though I only meant the type that toss out POG like its some sort of bad thing to be taking care of the guys kicking in doors.
Sounds like a couple of the trolls that pop in here and shit on the carpet, right Dude, Knees, etc?
@71 Roger that, I tend to do the cross service jabs with my friends. Gotta give the squids and jarheads a hard time, all good natured of course.
Told a Marine buddy of mine recently “You know why the Navy keeps Marines on their ships right?” after he gave me the glare and scowl he finally relented and said “why?”
“Sheep would be too obvious…” needless to say after he dog cussed me for a few minutes he had to laugh.
Honda or Hondo,
Whatever your name is you’re the biggest moron and hypocrite on this site, I’m guessing you never served unlike the CSM, and if you did probably some envy kicking in
Rutgers’ standards for admission must have slipped dramatically. Apparently POGsRus can’t read (or can’t comprehend) the “About Us” page.
Or maybe they just have bad security on one of their proxy servers. On your previous visit, you were using a German proxy server.
ha-ha you said “German Proxy Server”
Probably pogstick is someone whose normal kiddie porn server was down so had to come here to be an 4sshole instead…
You can fight without support – for a while. But you won’t fight very long, or very well. And getting home gets kinda dicey without fuel/ships/aircraft, too.
All the MOSs/specialties are important. Which one is most “important” at any particular time depends on the situation.
VOV: I said “proxy” server, not “poxy” server. (smile)
@ 74 … you are correct Honda never served …..
What about you?
I thought Honda was an auto company. Did I miss something?
MCPO: not true. Honda did serve – during World War II.
But it wasn’t in the US armed forces. Lieutenant General Masaki Honda commanded the Japanese 33d Army in Burma in 1944-1945. (smile)
Ex-PH2: I think you may have missed a rather lame attempt at an insult by a drooling idiot.
@82 TAHarePOGs: Your post id says it all. Get lost, troll.
@82, This Infantryman gives you a giant FUCK YOU. We can’t do our jobs without the people you are insulting.
@85 My mama would say “God don’t love ugly.” Your last sentence didn’t win you any friends, shit for brains. And just remember: nobody gets out of this life alive. So enjoy yours…you might just end up worse.
Yeah, I deleted that comment that was formerly #85. I know who the troll is and if he can’t be part of the conversation, he doesn’t belong here. He doesn’t have a CAR or a PH. He’s a fat-assed troll.
Twist: Sorry! Troll got moderated, #86 wasn’t aimed at you!
I had to read twice, but I figured it out, Pinto.
Loser slugs who never served
Claiming medals never earned
Men who lie, cheat and steal
These are the men of the poser brigade
Posers Wings upon his chest,
Pretends to be Americas Best
1000 Men, they fake today
None of these earned a Green Beret
By the way, that was directed at the Troll since deleted not at CSM Burch. Just want to be perfectly clear,
Hey! We had Hondas in DS/DS/DS!! Well, I didn’t, but there were several at my location.
@39: yeah you touched on a few issues that piss me off to no end. One I hate USAR/NG who wear active duty combat patches (unless rare case of being active while earning said patch) and the wearing of USMC patches (I am sure that thrills the Marines as well). Bottom line be proud of the major command you are assigned to and not attached. More often than not these people are trying to pretend they were something they were not. And yes, I was in IFOR & SFOR in 95′ & 99′ Camp Bedrock and even though the minefields & living conditions sucked serious ass, it in no way deserved a combat patch!
Great way to end a career.
Weak.
Maybe career TRADOC NCOs are so bad after all compared to this clown.
Wow.
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Is he wearing Corcorans in his blues????????
@22 Just curious…what do you mean by your DD-215 “making it on to” your DD-214?
I have a DD-215 but never requested another DD-214, nor knew that one can be updated after receiving my DD-215.
Should I request another DD-214?
Roger that.
I know SGM Burch, I have seen his personal records that he has kept and the items he possesses would not be possible without having been certain places and knowing certain individuals. His records are fucked as are several NG SF types from that area during that era. You think everything an SF dude ends up on his ERB? It would be 15 pages long… Come on, no one says shit to the VFW guys wearing Korea era uniforms however they want..