SGM John Letuli: info request
We received this last night through various dependable channels. The Sergeant Major in the middle of these Sergeants Major pictured above is SGM John Letuli. He’s wearing a Special Forces combat patch in this picture. According to the folks at Professional Soldiers, they’ve contacted the Special Warfare Center and he’s never served with a Special Forces unit. Letuli is currently an operations sergeant in the North Carolina National Guard.
According to the people who emailed us yesterday, several investigations into this sergeant’s background have begun, but the various commands involved seem to want to sweep this under the rug. Apparently they won’t even respond to an Army Times reporter.
Of course, because he’s currently in the service, we won’t be able to get his OMPF through our usual channels in order to set the record straight, so we’re asking you guys for any information you can provide us. Someone out there knows this guy and can verify or refute his claims. You can contact anonymously with the form at the “Contact Us” link in our header our at the email address.
ADDED: I am aware of all of the possibilities that might have led to the SGM wearing an SF combat patch, I, myself, am authorized to wear either the 1st ID or 2AD patch for the same combat tour. Apparently these possibilities have all been negated by the folks at Professional Soldier, the SWC and the SOCOM CSM.
2nd ADDED:Seems that is not only the thing that is in question.
Besides the SF tab, he’s wearing the Soldier’s Medal and the Purple Heart.
Category: Military issues, Phony soldiers
I may be wrong, but you don’t have to be SF to belong to the unit attached to the patch right?
I mean, I was in an INF BAT. and we had pay clerks and supply, they all got to wear our combat patch; and I have heard that the same thing happens in Rangers BATs.
But, I am late to the party and am not up to speed on this one.
I knew him in Poon Tang, his named was Agent Orange.
In Afghanistan I’ve worked with soldiers who wore the emblem of the 1st Marine Division as a combat patch… That doesn’t make them Marines. They were attached at some point (in combat) to the 1MARDIV but would not have been assigned to it. By Army regs, they rate to wear that perticular “combat patch.”
perticular = particular. Ugh.
Billy Ray, is dat you? Man I ain’t seen you since we was in Ramalamadingdong tracking Col. Wat Da Phuck….. Dem wuz the dayz man….
Most National Guard guys I know wear an active duty combat patch for a unit they were attached to. Same with many of the active duty support guys who don’t belong to a division. Also, IronKnight is right, there are alot of group Support guys as well who are technically part of an SF Group. The more “elite” the better, and why wear a 769th ENGR patch when you can identify yourself with the Green Berets, Screaming Eagles, All-Americans, or another high-speed, highly recognized unit with alot of history?
Army Times itself did a writeup on a Florida National Guard unit back in 2003 or 2004 and how they were awarded the SF combat patch and proudly wore it. I don’t think I’ve seen it around here much, but many NG people down here wear the 82nd patch though most of them have been Guard their entire career and none (that I know of) have jump wings.
When I was at Fort Campbell, I knew most of the personnel walking around with a red beret were Group support. Of course, with ACUs some people choose not to wear their badges, but a couple of minutes of conversation with someone wearing an Airborne combat patch (minus 101st, of course) without jump wings is a tell-all about what they really did. Another downside to ACUs is that some people play musical patches and like to flaunt all the patches they were “awarded”. Just another tell-tale sign they didn’t do much of note. That said, even if they don’t wear badges, most of the Soldiers I’ve encountered will wear the tabs they’ve earned. An SF combat patch without a tab means either Group support or wannabe that is ashamed of his/her own unit’s lineage and honors.
yup. See it all the time with NG or Reserve units who supported SF groups in Iraq or Afghanistan.
For example, in my last tour in Iraq I am authorized to wear:
1st Cav
3rd ID
MNC-I
CENTCOM
MSTC-I
…but not the unit that I went over with, as we went over as a small group of 12 joes and were ‘attached’ to all the above over various times…
True, I was thinking “big Army” but there are many reserve units who send small detachments to augment larger units. Almost forgot one Old Guard kid who went to Afghanistan as an individual augmentee. His job was to help guard an airbase but he was technically assigned to an SF unit, so when he came back he sported the SF combat patch. Got promoted to Sergeant, received a J-COM in the mail, started messing up and blamed it on the horrors of his deployment (bear in mind he had not earned either the CIB an 11B assigned to a Special Forces detachment might be qualified for or the CAB he would have earned for actions if not). Long story short, I was acting Platoon Sergeant, he reported late for duty and our acting 1SG noticed he reeked of alcohol before I could help get him straight. A month of so later he was a Specialist once again, still sporting his high-speed combat patch and with another “woe-is-me” story to tell the Joes he liked to hang out with.
As for the Marine combat patch, alot of Marines were pissed about that one! I think it was some of 1st ID that earned it, but the only time I saw someone wear it was when one of my Soldiers decided to piss off the 1SG.
I would tell you that My company in Iraq(2004-2005) was detached from the Bn, and assigned to CJ-SOTF at the RPC for 7 months. And when we left a Letter from the 3/10 Group S-3(Cpt. Glauber) And a By Name roster of those who were assigned authorized us the SSI as well. In the last 5 years those who’ve worn the SSI have been harrassed left and right. The fact that I earned My CIB while with them Is the only reason I’ve worn mine, normally I wear 1CAV.
Several of Our men were pulled and used as Gunners, and a few to al Kut to help a ODA build a Base with either the Ukrainians or Hungarians(CRS syndrome)since they were Building contractors in civvie life.
I had a buddy in 2AD (what was left of it) at the begining of Desert Storm, they were deactivating and still had an armored brigade left which they attached to a Marine division. I don’t know which one he was authorized to wear but if it was both I’m sure he would have stuck with Hell on Wheels.
We have a ‘patch of the day’ thing going here. You wear your most obscure SSI and then people have to guess what it is and where you got it.
Not completely on topic, but I don’t care-
Who in the **** is making the schedule for the new (not) dress blues combat ID badge thingy. Yes, we already have full color patches ($5.00) we could sew on our uniforms, but now we have an $11.55 metal badge we pin on our pockets.
Notice, however, some major players don’t have one yet, and people with the 735th Industrial Support Dishwashing brigade do?
The Rangers don’t have one yet? WTF?
…and not we return you to your regular scheduled insanity..
I saw the same in 2005, National Guard kids wearing a 2nd MARDIV patch. Had to stop and ask them what the frik was going on, they explained to me that they were attached to the Marines out at Haditha and thus rated the patch.
Iron Knight? Sounds like 1-35AR. The wear of the combat patch is for the unit you went to combat with (what’s the term- your parent organization?). In OIF 07-09 the Iron Brigade was under the 3rd ID, 10th MN, 1 AD, 4th ID, and 1 CAV. But we were not authorized to wear 5 different combat patches – just the patch of our DIV -1 AD. I don’t know the circumstances of this SGM. But I saw Soldiers in Afghanistan in 2003 who worked with SF units and got a memorandum from the SF unit authorizing them the wear of the SF patch as a combat patch. Surprised the hell out of me, but they told me it was authorized. 1/1 AD is authorized to wear a unique patch with Marine Expeditionary Force written on it(or something like that) because during their deployment to Ramadi in 2006-2007 they were attached to the Marines. So who knows what this SGM has done. I hope someone finds out. Strike Hard!
The combat patch is not just a “roll your own” deal. Just because your unit was OPCON or TACON to another parent organization you are not neccessarily authorized to wear their patch. Although they don’t appear in your records brief, there should be a copy of your SSI authorization memorandum and an attached battle roster in your actual records (just doesn’t appear in the summary). Those are the rules. If the adjutant does his job, the documents should be submitted for everybody at the end of tour. That being said, it is the individual soldier’s responsibility to ensure their records document the wear of the SSI. Probably not a big deal until you go to a centralized selection board (E7 and above)or someone throws the bullshit flag.
If you want to get technical..
http://www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/uniform/docs/ALARACT%20030-2006.pdf
They guys at Professionalsoldiers.com are 100% on top of possibilities. They will not call someone without cause. THEY ARE VERY THOUROUGH. As such, if this guy was attached to an SF unit then they would know about or find the information. I have been a member on the site for 3+ years so I knwo first-hand that they are sharp.
It is nice to see ‘fakers’ finally get what is due.
No doubt. I don’t know the guy from Adam but trust this site. Just channeling my inner adjutant since there were some misperceptions floating around.
I just don’t get why people have to lie about their service. Every job is important.
Looking at his left shoulder reveals an Airborne and possibly Ranger/Special Forces tabs. He’s seems to be in good company.
On the other hand, that commercial bucket boonie is way outside the regs. As a SGM, he should exemplify the standard.
Yeah, he looks like Bill Murray’s character in Caddyshack. “Oh, Mrs. Green, you’re a tramp… “
“…Cinderella story…”
“…licensed to kill gophers, by the government of the United Nations…”
“….I don’t think the heavy stuff is gonna come down for awhile….”
fm2176 you’re right about the telltale signs. I have a buddy, hit Panama, DS/DS and Somalia as a Marine Riflemanm Afghanistan as an 11B, and Iraq as an intell weenie in Cav SQN. He like to switch patches every hour on the hour.
He sure hasn’t “done much.” He only has three PHs after all. Oh, and a CIB, MC CAR and a CAB.
Me? I’m just proud that I got to serve with men like him.
“…correct me if I’m wrong Sandy, but if I kill all the golfers they’ll lock me up and throw away the key.”
“I smell varmint poontang. And the only good varmint poontang is dead varmint poontang, I think.”
“I smell varmint poontang. And the only good varmint poontang is dead varmint poontang, I think.”
Yer a sick man, Lilyea….must be a part of why I like ya! Anywho, as I recall from “old regs” I may legally fly the 1st Cav patch (which I don’t except for on my blog) because the company/battalion either provided Law Enforcement(including Garrison)or Phys Sec (Physical Security, weapons, ammo) for any other company associated with them.
I do however fly the cross pistols with a certain amount of pride. Not everyone can be an MP same as no everyone can be airborne
“I smell varmint poontang. And the only good varmint poontang is dead varmint poontang, I think.”
Yer a sick man, Lilyea….must be a part of why I like ya! Anywho, as I recall from “old regs” I may legally fly the 1st Cav patch (which I don’t except for on my blog) because the company/battalion either provided Law Enforcement(including Garrison)or Phys Sec (Physical Security, weapons, ammo) for any other company associated with them.
I do however fly the cross pistols with a certain amount of pride. Not everyone can be an MP same as not everyone can be airborne
FWIW – the larger issue with this guy is not related to the SF SSI but the fact that the SGM is wearing the SF Tab and has never gone through SFTG/SWCS – he’s a ‘wannabe’!
The bigger problem is that he also wears the Special Forces Tab.
As SFODA726 noted – The key is the Special Forces Tab (Long Tab) on the left shoulder.
As already stated…the issue is his wearing of an unuthorized badge. “Outing” these posers in as many outlets as possible is one way we keep our collective houses clean.
As others stated biggest issue is he is wearing a Special Forces Tab which he never earned. and is in direct violation of the Stolen Valor Act, and the fact taht he is a SGM.
“They’re like the Viet Cong… Varmint Cong!”
He is not SF Qualified, did not earn the tab, he is a fraud, a poser!
“I got to get into this dude’s pelt and crawl around for a few days.”
This Guy is a good story teller. CSM LETULI. HAHA what a fuckin joke. Ask anyone around Bragg.
Guys, I have known John from 1984-1992 before I retired. We have serve together at C co 11th SFG until 1990 than transfered to CO B 20th SFG at APHILL Va. Don’t get me wrong he been there as a brother for me. I have known him coming out of the 82nd Division back than. Mission first Family always
This morning I have received a telecoms from Stevens about John to all of you that are still listening and reading this messages don’t worried about this let it go. We need to move on and take good care of our families and Be prepare for more upcoming missions cause alot of it is coming your way. John is one of ours, So everyone of you take good care of yourself and be vigilant what ever you do. Ed don’t forget to tell John to give me a call if you talk to him first.
Yes I know CSM Letuli he was in CIA,FBI,JSS,DELTA FORCE who cares! The only thing I know he has served multi Combat tours from 1983-Present and serving our Country proud. This is what I knew then from the Special Forces Commands never cares about us. They have treated us like red hair step children. so if you need some information ask your wife where she got her Poon Tang from. Your SF brother suck it!
CSM Lopez; with all due respect, would you want to “let it go” if someone was wearing a decoration or tab that they didn’t earn, but you did? Just as with the Ranger tab; should I be able to put it on my uniform, because the unit I was in supported the 1/75th on occasion? I couldnt do it, because I know what they went through to earn it. My conscience wouldn’t allow it for 10 seconds. Just like Airborne wings; should I be able to put them on my uniform, even though I didn’t go to jump school in the military? I did many jumps as a civilian while I was in the military and in fact had more jumps than many soldiers that wore the wings. But since I was jumping with Airborne qualified troops on a Saturday afternoon, shouldn’t I be entitled to put them on?
Old Trooper you sound like a crying Officer who cares go ahead and make my day. As far as I can see that’s you but don’t question the CSM because he knows what he’s talking about just don’t hate the player hate the game and please keep on jumping maybe one day you will have a Ranger Tap print on your chest. Oh I am sorry I authorize you to wear a Delta Force black marker too! ish, ish. I think the words is out and all of you that are haters will here it soon. Do you here what I say suck it….
You’re an NCO when you write and spell like THAT? Seriously? I’m still having trouble deciphering what you’re trying to say, but somewhere in there I think you’re just excusing bad behavior, which NO NCO worth a shit would do, regardless of the rank of the transgressor.
Hey Old Trooper join the 19th SFG or the 20th SFG so we can throw you ass out of the balloon and stick your junp wings in your ass buddy ho ho your mama I got you daddy hanging haters. DO YOU SMELL IT????
In case no one has figured it out yet, these are all the same guy;
The IP is coming from Sanford, NC (outside of Fayetteville) and he’s been googling “John Letuli” to get here. I suspect it’s John Letuli himself.
I am confused.
I tried out for 20th grp at AP Hill in 1997. Great time, but I definitely didn’t have it then.
Sorry I just woke up I will do better next time got to go to see my girl friend DO YOU SMELL IT????
Speaking of fucking posers. Not the smartest peanut in the turd, are ya CW3/CSM?
Hey F_ _ _ all of you, Who’s give a F_ _ _ leave my BDE CSM alone I am happy as a Ranger because I heard Special Forces f_ _ _ their team mates wife while on deployment that’s really fucked up Infantry lead the way.
Yeah, Jonn, I figured it out before I even wrote my first response. The round of responses I got in return show that whomever it is that is writing them is about 12 years old, or has the mental capacity of a pre-teen wannabe.
I guess he has MPD – Infantry has the same IP address as all of the other guys. There’s certain kind of crazy that spends 4 hours googling his own name and creating screen names to defend himself. Of course, there’s always the possibility that all of the people above were at a down-low sleepover and used the same computer.
Teh stoopid is strong with this one.