From AverageNCO; Stealing Valor 2016
From AverageNCO:
I humbly offer my film for your viewing pleasure. This was the culmination of my graduate research project for my master’s degree. I presented it for faculty review and earlier in the week and graduated today with a master’s in communication degree.
I retired from the Air Force in November 2014, and enrolled in school the following January. I was concerned I’d encounter left-wing professors who would scoff at my plan to concentrate my research on stolen valor. While a good portion of my instructors were liberal, they welcomed the marketplace of ideas and supported my research enthusiastically.
If you’ve followed the topic of stolen valor on TAH over the years, there isn’t necessarily anything new you’ll learn from the film. Its audience is people who are not familiar with the subject. With that said, I anticipate a few questions from my TAH friends and I’ll try to answer them in advance.
1. Why didn’t I interview Don Shipley? At the time I made my east coast trip for interviews Don and Diane were moving from Virginia to Maryland and the schedules just didn’t work.
2. Didn’t Guardian of Valor and Bulldog also help out Tim Poe? Yes, I remember two simultaneous efforts to out Tim Poe the week after he appeared on AGT. Unfortunately, sometimes time and editing only allow time for one part of the story.
3. Why didn’t I interview Scottie or Mary? Again, I was limited on time and budget so I couldn’t’ interview everyone. I am a huge fan of Scottie’s work but had never worked with him on any cases. I do consider Mary a good friend, and just spent time with her at the POW Network Gala last November. I asked Mary and she respectfully declined. She’s faced legal nonsense from the DRG and other assorted idiots. She was worried the film may attract some more. I was disappointed but I completely understood her reasoning.
Well I hope you enjoy it. It was a great experience getting to travel the country and meet some amazing people who do amazing work.
Category: Stolen Valor Act
Nice rogues gallery, Average NCO. I know all of us would do X, Y, and Z, with the operative word being “would.” (e.g., I would have included ______ or mentioned ________ or showed ______.) But “would’ and did are two different things. You pulled it together and did a fine job. And heartiest congrats on acquiring the M.A.
John, this is great and I would like to post it on my Facebook page, but I’m not sure about copyright and permission stuff. So I am asking if it is okay for me to post it.
Thanks for all you and the guys and gals do.
Yep, post it everywhere.
I always like the way a perfect stranger comes up and starts hammering the fakes with questions and they try to answer every one.
A real NCO would tell you to fuck off after the 3rd one…
Unfortunately the wrong people are targeted from time to time. This is usually by people with little or no knowledge of how to look into or investigate SV who have a cell phone and an urge to come off as a hard ass in public.
That being said, a lot of the phony busts are done because they are so obvious that its like shooting fish in a barrel.
That being said, very good video on the subject.
Thunderous applause and a standing ovation from both myself and Scooby. Well worth the 32 minutes of my time.
Sincerest congratulations on obtaining the degree.
“Two enthusiastic thumbs up!!!”
Outstanding!
Should be shown in public schools.
At about 14:29 there is a soldier standing in front of what appears to be the WH fence.
Can anyone id the right shoulder patch?
I thought it was 1st Sig Bde but it ain’t.
Looks like a sword of lightning though.
That is media whore Dan Choi when he handcuffed himself to the White House fence. I’m not sure what unit he was in, but Jonn has covered him a lot on this site.
Dan Choi = 10th Mountain (1/22 Inf) combat patch.
That would be the left shoulder as shown in other images. This is the right shoulder.
Tnx, I’ll poke around in the bushes.
I’m an idiot. It’s an American Flag.
Didn’t have them when I was in.
Never mind.
He also served with 1-69 Infantry, part of the 27th BCT (NYARNG).
Yes indeed, Choi is QUITE the attention whore, punching his Platoon Sergeant in front of witnesses? I’ve been in units where the PSG would have fought back without being charged and the Lieutenant’s career would still be over! Choi sounds like he was the type of LT that NCO’s like me would allow to fuck up enough to get a shitty OER and let them get flushed out of the Army, I may or may not have helped allow that to happen to a shitty LT or two!
Never heard of the guy until yesterday. Had to brush up on him.
In the Viet of the Nam it would have been handled quite differently.
I’ll never understand Stolen Valor. I’ll never get why folks lie . Especially in this day and age where Google is everybody’s best friend . I guess it must be low self esteem mixed with a desire to defraud. All this grandstanding by these phonies. And embellishment . Has done so much damage. Not only to the ones they lie to , but is so prevalent. That even Veterans are unintentionally looking at other veterans with suspicion. And folks still want to call it victimless crime. I used to think well it’s some guy playing make believe. Then as I saw more and more phonies get busted. I got angry. When I see these folks with their silver stars Purple Heart etc and did nothing to deserve it . While I served in Iraq supporting so highspeed real heroes. And you don’t know who they are. I’m sure phoneys are happy with their store bought heroism. Still don’t beat my highest personal award of 2 AAms lowly as they are but at least I earned them.
Btw Awesome Video!!!
The problem is…there is a SEVERE lack of honor in America…its rampant…The ones I don’t understand are actual veterans, some one tour, some retired, at necessary jobs, yet they think they need to build up some phony crap to make them look like a hero? Everyone that served did a job that could be thanked for, every function was necessary for the completion of whatever mission, remember the old line “for want of a nail a shoe was lost, for want of a shoe, a soldier was lost, for want of a soldier the battle was lost, for want of the battle, the war was lost…..” ALL that served Honorably……served HONORABLY!
I couldn’t agree more
Excellent job! Please tell me there will be more like this.
Well done, Average NCO! Well Done!
You’ve shown the world what we at TAH are up to every day. While we are pretty used to seeing the phonies exposed, the average Joe isn’t. Even active duty NCOs are not aware of just how widespread the stolen valor thing really is. Thanks for showcasing “what we do”.
And frankly, a disbarred lawyer, an over the hill skydiver and their running buddies are not really worth the notice. I was relieved when I saw that they didn’t get anymore limelight.
Excellent…!
Well done! Absolutely well done!
I was not aware of the history behind the Stolen Valor Act, or of the people who were involved.
And, it’s nice to finally get to see faces behind the names I read here, or on other sites.
Finally; it tells me that Jonn is a lot uglier than I thought.
How do you get through life, Jonn?
I try to stick to radio.
Yeah I noticed you and Seavey both have dings on the forehead…both married tough chicks, huh?
Seriously, Average NCO is well beyond average with this production. I’m thinking I need to write a piece for the civilians over at American Thinker with the video embedded.
Well done Average NCO, very, very, well done. This old soldier salutes you.
That’s why they call us “Grunts” we never say they want too look like us, or be with us!
All they want is that CIB!
Smile
Well done ANCO 😀 Congrats on earning your Masters.
Happy Christmas/Holidays 😀
Excellent work Average NCO! I hope you are as proud of your efforts as I am for you. Thank you for all of the hours and efforts you put into this and Congratulations on your Masters Degree!
I don’t like to talk about myself but I will brag on my brothers that I served with.
Great job my friend.
Thanks for posting it, I shared it in several places.
Congrats on your MA Degree too.
Hopefully it will help you get more of those awards and recognition that you so richly deserved.
KUDOS, Average NCO, WELL DONE!!
Great film. Thanks!
BZ!
Congratulations on the Master’s Degree!
BZ!
Great film and congrats on Master’s Degree.
Congrats on achieving your Masters, and, producing an outstanding video.
Thumbs Up and a SALUTE to you, Average NCO and your family for a job well done.
Congratulations on obtaining your Masters Degree!
??????
BRAVO!!! BRAVO!!
(THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE!)
(damn! it’s a little misty in here)
And if I’m able, I will post this to my FB.
Will there be more?
Yep, me too.
Excellent! And congrats on the Masters. It was well nd truly earned.
AverageNCO…..time to change your username to AboveAverageNCO.
Well done!
Nope, the name comes from a real EPR I received during my recruiting days. I’ve used it as motivation ever since. No plans to change.
Very well done video, good sir. Getting the input of everyone was excellent.
Sadly, the DRG has nothing except dragging people through the legal system. It is my fevered hope that someday their shenanigans will end and the full story can be told.
This video is…………outstanding. Well done!
Sharing this one.
Bravo Zulu, Average NCO. Great video.
Well done, sir.
And I can get away with calling you sir. Even though you worked for a living, you’re a civilian now, so neener neener.
Nice video but some of these posers have mental issues. It’s always going to be a issue to a certain degree.
Great video. I get the same question from people, who cares? I care.
People seemingly do not care at all around my parts. I’ve met many posers. When I point it out to people they act like I am the one with issues. They think it’s no big deal.
Well done, AverageNCO! (Yes, please notice that I spelled it out completely. That just doesn’t happen all that much. You earned it. Well, once, anyway. 😉 )
Yep, very well done. A lot of folks have done some stuff on the periphery. For decades. It took al that effort plus some folks willing to go public to have the successes we see today.
Many thanks are due to those who softened the target and those who are now finishing it off.
Very well done, Average NCO! Congratulations!
Well done!!!! I have subbed!!!
High-Five from the skippy clan
Great work and well done Average NCO….
Awesome work, just awesome! Congratulations on your degree AverageNCO.
Semper Fi