Ward Reilly the VVAW Ranger
I’ve seen Robert Ward Reilly at several IVAW events including the Winter Soldier hearings last March (a year ago today, as a matter of fact). He looks pretty scraggly in that picture, but believe me, he looks worse in person. Notice the cammie jungle fatigues cut into short-sleeves and the boonie hat so that he looks like a real Hollywood version of a Vietnam veteran. Yeah, well, he’s not a Vietnam veteran. He was in Germany for his whole tour – that’s not news, actually. About four years ago Tim Blair blew his cover. Reilly said he never claimed to be a Vietnam veteran;
I served, proudly, for 32 months in Germany in the 1st & 16th(Rangers) as a mortar gunner, starting in 1971, when I volunteered for the infantry at age 17.(With 2 full years left in the ground war in Viet Nam)
I went where the army sent me…that what soldiers do. I could have just as easily been sent to Viet Nam, but I got lucky.
Well, that part about “two full years left in the ground war” isn’t exactly true. Reilly joined in October 1971 – ground forces in Vietnam were being reduced and by August 1972 all combat forces had been withdrawn.
That “(Rangers)” in Reilly’s statement jumped out at me when I first read it, so I did a little research and found that the 16th Infantry Regiment call themselves “Iron Rangers” and that’s why Reilly added it to his bio – hoping to scare every one into thinking he was a Ranger.
It’s like the 7th Infantry putting (Cottonbalers) on their unit designation because that’s their nickname (from the Battle of New Orleans when they fought the British from behind cotton bales). Could we assume that they’re actually qualified to bale cotton?
The actual ranger battalions used to be part of the 75th Infantry regiment (before they became the 75th Ranger Regiment) and did use the “(Ranger)” in their official designation. Reilly seems to be manipulating that fact.
Just to make sure, I requested a FOIA on Reilly;
No Jump school, no Ranger school – just Reilly’s manipulation of the language for the ignorant civvies.
By the way, I did Reilly a favor before I posted this FOIA. The Records Center left his social security number on the form and I blackened it out. We’re not in the business of screwing people – just publishing the truth about the more disingenuous ones.
In his AAR of last year’s Winter Soldier in Silver Spring, MD, Robert Ward Reilly writes that he can identify with the IVAW folks, because he’s “been there”, too;
I knew that the WSIA would be a success. I knew how important it would be historically, because I have “been here” before, when I was a GI Resister in the infantry from 1971 to 1974, the last time a GI Resistance was necessary, and I payed [sic] dearly for my stand. It is extremely hard to resist inside the military. But we did, and Vietnam can now be used as the model for those that say “we will never leave Iraq.” The same people said that about Vietnam, and today there isn’t a single US soldier stationed in Vietnam, in spite of the plans to never leave there.
See, if you didn’t already know that Reilly wasn’t a Vietnam Vet, from reading that paragraph, you’d get the impression that he did serve in Vietnam. Also, in that paragraph, he said that he “payed [sic] dearly for [his] stand” against the Vietnam War. I wondered about that, too. His “stand” was actually four weeks of being AWOL and being declared a deserter for a few weeks in May and June of 1973 (Spring time in Bavaria). The war in Vietnam was essentially over, US combat troops were all withdrawn in August of 1972 – so why’d he desert? Oh, yeah, here’s the Form 2-1;
Robert Ward Reilly left the military as a corporal after three years in the drawn-down military after a stint on the desertion roster. I don’t know how he figured he “payed” for any stand.
Yeah, I’ve watched Ward Reilly marching the IVAW clowns in their protests (I’ve got the video somewhere in my archives) counting cadence like he’s a drill sergeant. He was an Eleven-Charley E-4 deserter who joined at the end of the Vietnam War (when it was essentially over) the year before the draft ended.
Reilly is just another pretender on the VVAW rolls.
Correction: The video I have of Reilly marching the IVAW clowns and VFP geezers actually has Bill Perry counting cadence while Reilly holds the bullhorn for him (because Perry can’t hold the mike, the bullhorn and his bag of LCDs – Little Chocolate Donuts – all at the same time).
Category: Antiwar crowd, Iraq Veterans Against the War, United Nations
Another Phony Ranger??????????? While many RANGERS, n former RANGERS, (I am not one), may get upset at this, it must instill a certain bit of personal pride, just in knowing that ones service is valiant enough that the fakers try to emulate it. With no discredit to the S-4 types, I have not seen any of the phony soldiers claim to have been Battalion Supply sergeants. Uncle Jimbo has ’em pegged with his “DouChe bags” nom deGuerre.
nuf sed
Was this azzclown the same “Ranger” who threw red paint on Schwartzkopf during his book tour?
Another douchebag busted!
Ward Reilly is a POS wannabe. I was actually in Vietnam in 1971-’72 as an infantryman with B 2/5th Cav & D 1/12th Cav. And we definitely had our shit together. Idiots like Ward Reilley were usually sent home with some kind of physical medical profile if they refused to carry their weight in the bush. We sure didn’t want any fuckup with us and getting us killed. It was one helluva team. Yeah, we were still in the bush, even months after Nixon said we weren’t. Some of us were involved in the first jeep mounted TOW missile firings that killed T-54’s in Kontum Province in May of 72. (Task Force Salvo). You won’t find much about thatin searches, because we still don’t whine like the shithouse “Lawyer” Ward Reilly. And Ward, I ETS’d at 19 yrs old. Honorable.
ps for Wardy – What did you and VFP do with all the money and supplies (~300k) you stole from the Red Cross Katrina Relief / moveon.org in Covington, LA? Didn”t y’all take the electric kool-aid test train to DC for the anti-war march? That must have been a psyco-delic-ious trip. With so many of your comrades hurting and FEMA not showing up? Screwed your own allies did ya? Par for the course.
Even Yogi and BooBoo wouldn’t mistake Reilly for Mister Ranger.
Ward sometimes wears the old bubble style sunglasses that make him look like a bug.
Hot damn….1stCav! Sic ’em bro…I’ll keep your six covered in case ol Bill Perry decides to try and sneak up on you from behind er the left er the right er……Wait a minute.
He’d be to easy to spot so he might camo himself as a doughnut bag….??
*snerk*
No sweat streetsweeper. Perry and his bunch’s rank odor can be smelled from over a klick away. Maybe that’s why he went and hid when he knew beforehand his fellow troops were walking into an ambush? Maybe was only trying to keep his stench from giving them away. (sarc) Bill Perry is noting but a cowardly dou-che’.
Hahaha!
This is an E-mail I received last night from him. Dear Steve, > > As a “Life Member” of the DAV, and a volunteer infantry veteran (71- > > 74), I just wanted to write to you and tell you that you are > > shaming the brother/sisterhood of veterans with your harassment of > > VFW member Sgt. Selena Coppa. I read your “stuff” on a blog. > > > > Sgt. Coppa is well within her rights to stand against the criminal > > occupation of Iraq, and if you had a patriotic bone in your body, > > or ANY courage, you would be standing with her, as she fights for > > the rights of GI’s, as an active duty soldier, and against the Iraq > > War. > > > > I have every intention of reporting you and your shameful actions > > to the national leadership of VFW, and I embarrassed to think that > > you are a veteran. We took an oath to defend the Constitution, and > > your actions toward Ms. Coppa seem to show that you have no regard > > for that sacred document. She is simply standing up for what she > > believes in, and she is well-within her rights to do so. I’m sure > > the Army considers you to be a nuisance, and I think they are > > probably MORE than capable of investigating Sgt. Coppa without your > > “help”. > > Do us all a favor, and leave her alone. You are simply an > > embarrassment to the veterans community, and your actions, in the > > opinion of this infantry veteran, are despicable. It’s one thing to > > have a difference of opinion, but it’s a different thing entirely > > when you overtly harass someone that is struggling to raise a child > > on her own, and serve our country at the same time. > > > > Sincerely, > > Robert W. Reilly > > 1/16(Rangers) First ID > > Life Member—DAV Steve… Read more »
I would just ask for a tab check.
Reilly is a tool. And like any tool, it needs to be beaten severely with a hammer until it works right.
POS Ward Reilly brings a whole new meaning to “never leave your Buddy’s behind!” BTW I’m to am a life member of the DAV!
Is this nut in jail yet?
It bothers me that this guy gets so much respect. I thought he was a Vietnam veteran, based on the way he presents himself. Apparently, all it takes to be an important member of “the movement” is to be a loudmouthed fraud.
“It bothers me that this guy gets so much respect.”
Fucktard couldn’t hang with going to Graf & Wildchicken a few times, sweeping the motor pool & pulling some guard duty. Sheesh, they didn’t do piss tests back then, so his pot-smokery shouldn’t have caused him any grief. Kicked outta the Army before his enlistment was up & Dresses in OG 107 Jungle Cammies and acts like he was a ‘Nam Ranger/LRRP.
Yup, perfect icon for the anti-military wing of the peace movement…
Ward’s DOB is 18NOV54 so if he enlisted in October 1971 he would have only been 16 years, 11 months old…go figure!
[…] The protesters at the White House yesterday, some of whom were veterans can’t get any respect from the media. The protesters reported that over a hundred “veterans” were arrested yesterday in front of the White House. I put the word “veterans” in parenthesis because the only names I saw of arrestees were names like Daniel Ellsburg, Debra Sweet, and Elaine Brower – none of whom are veterans. But this comes from Ward Reilly; […]
[…] “PowerPoint” Millard Matthis “I Oppressed Baskin Robbins at BAF” Chiroux Ward “Not a Ranger” Reilly Billy “Guitar strumming hero” Adamson Cobb Public Safety Director Mickey […]
Great work here!
[…] heard that there were hundreds of protesters arrested on Wall Street> well, Ward reilly, the phony Vietnam Veteran and phony Ranger, in a link sent by Toothless Dawg, posted on his Facebook page that a group of […]
Only 1-16 call themselves “Iron Rangers”. Kinda like 3-187 were the “Iron Rakkasans” when they were with 24th ID. 2-16 is just “Rangers”. Also if you ever watch “the Big Red One” they are in 3-16. Little trivia for you.
the story goes while doing the assault at Normandy elements of the 16th and 75th regiments got mixed together ans the 1st was so good at what they did (they had been in just about every major battle in the ETO by that point) that Germans would surrender to “rangers” that were actually part of the Big Red One.
This fuck stick still pisses me off, because 16th Inf has a long an proud history, and he takes a steaming turd on that every time he opens his mouth.
Doc, when were you in 2/16?
Responding to # 17
Daniel Ellsberg was an officer in the Marine Corps. Between 1954 and 1957, he served as a rifle platoon leader, operation officer, and rifle company commander. Get your facts right, chickenhawk!
[…] me this screen shot of Vets for Peace, Vietnam Veterans Against the War pretender and IVAW advisor Ward Reilly‘s Facebook page […]
I know this is old but it is the first time I’ve seen it. As Doc (#21) says, the 16th Infantry Regiment has an extremely proud history. I was in 1/16th both B & A co for nearly three years. Yeah our battalion name was Iron Rangers…none of us went around calling ourselves Rangers though. If we had, the actual tabbed people like SSG Gary Collins (KIA 11/8/2003) would have beat our asses. Fuck this clown
[…] kind of reminds me of Ward Reilly who claims he went AWOL in Germany to protest the Vietnam War at a time when there were no more […]
[…] could score some hairy-legged hippie chicks. After I told the world what he said, Perry, along with Ward Reilly, threatened to kick my ass. Needless to say, I laughed at him and continued to interview him and […]
This is the type of guy that is all about the nutsack….
dude, I love this website and all it does for busting phonies, But I can tell you striaght out, Ward rielly is not a phony. I met him two years after getting back from my second tour in Iraq. I had severe PTSD and A friend of mine introduced me to him. We are both from Baton Rouge. Ward never, ever claimed to be a vietnam veteran or a ranger to me. He showed me his unit deistinction and told me all about his GI resistance days when he was in. This man and his wife opened up their home to me and helped me in ways that I will never be able to repay. He has done the same thing form many of my veteran friends, some of which served honorably only to find themselves treated like shit by the VA and doped up with medicine. Whoever told you this stuff about Ward lied to you. If you want to contact me for more informatoin, feel free too. I served with 1st battalion 64th AR out of Ft. Stewart GA. Did two years in Iraq in the infantry and got out honorably. I would not associate myself with any phony. Ward rielly has been like a father to me. Get your shit together troop. Stop posting this stuff until you have all the facts.
Thank you Anonymous …. I read this post and it all came off to me as someone with a lot of issues with someone who was anti war. We need to read between the lines here and not just jump to conclusions based on an intense dislike for someone because of their stand. We were always told we were fighting for freedom …. so let him be.
Fuck Ward Reilly.
Deserter.
IVAW = Losers.
I also bet you a dollar that he when that picture was taken, he was looking to swipe a purse or something off the backseat of one of those cars.
Maggot.
Man, I just don’t get this bullshit attitude of yours. I’ve helped bust phonies left and right with guys ( some who even ended
Up on this website ) but busting phonies is one thing, hating a veteran because he has anti-war sentiments is quite another. I did my time as a grunt, got wounded, watched a bunch of my buddies come back and commit suicide. I hated the war before during and after I got out and I still do. But I rucked up and did my fucking time because I beleive in service. Busting all these phonies can make you mean and bitter at everybody, and from the looks of it you have become just that. Just know that every veteran’s experience is subjective. Not all these guys are bad. You don’t have to even be in combat to know that it sucks. Ward Rielly is not a bad dude. He never lied to get money from gullible people, he never actually claimed to have been in Vietnam. And if you knew the guy personally, you might see he’s actually a really good dude who cares immensely for
Veterans. Chill out a little bit. Maybe go read up on some philosophy and challenge your own views of what you think about the miltary and war. Hell, eat a pot brownie and go for a hike and reflect on your time in service. You may just come back realizing that there are always two sides to the same story.
Not everyone here hates him because of his anti-war sentiments. Some of us don’t even hate him at all.
Speaking only for myself, I dislike him intensely because he’s a lying fool. He has told lies about friends of mine and veterans in general.
There are not enough doped up brownies in the world to alter my low opinion of this clown, IVAW, or anyone else who lies in general, about themselves, or about friends of mine.
You do understand, Orry, that we are all anti-war, right? Some of us are just bright enough to understand that it is impossible to avoid war completely no matter how much we would prefer to live the fantasy of human nature allowing for everyone to ever get along peaceably.
Yeah, I met Ward once. he was with Bill Perry and he said that if we weren’t in a crowd, he’d punch me in the face. Nice guy. And then when he was walking away from me, I noticed that this fellow who isn’t trying to fool anyone, had a Ranger Tab sewed onto his boonie hat.