Another phony WTF
Meet James Bryan who ran for Congress as a write-in candidate in Florida’s 1st District last year.
Believe it or not, he really was a Master Sergeant, a Jumpmaster, he really does have a Silver Star, he really does have Bronze Star Medal with a Valor device, 2 Purple Hearts and an ARCOM with a Valor device, but there’s no CIB, no Special Forces training, no Free Fall badge, no Pathfinder School, no First Sergeant assignment. He was a Red Leg, and last time I checked, there are no 13-series in Special Forces. Here are his records;
Can someone explain to me why someone with a record like that need to embellish. And then put the phony finery on a Facebook campaign page? Here’s what he says he earned;
Nw here’s another question, why wasn’t the Stolen Valor Task Force of Florida, Chuck Winn and Ed Maxwell all over this guy? It couldn’t be because he’s not a Republican, could it? Since they spend the evenings Googling their names, I’m sure they’ll be here to explain why.
Thanks to Ken for the link and thanks to POW Network for the records.
Category: Phony soldiers
Just be legit how fucking hard is that? I watched a guy get his Ranger tab get ripped off because it wasn’t legit. Shit be proud of who and what you are.
That class A jacket looks wayyyyyy to big for him. If your going to be a phony get a better tailor. What a fucking loser. Be proud of what you have done. This guy was a stud, its a shame he thought he needed to claim more than he already had.
Wow Brit Jump Wings as well! 10th Group phony as well? Just ax him where and when he got those!
“Can someone explain to me why someone with a record like that needs to embellish?” No, for the life of me I can’t. Half or more of the posers claim HIS ACTUAL RECORD! I hope to goodness there’s a reasonable and credible explanation forthcoming from him. I really do.
Precisely.
My best friends son was just accepted for SF through the 18X program. In April, he was a 19 y.o. civilian.
He went thru some unbelievable shit to be picked at the end of SFAS… one of the 3 that made it out of the original 37 18X’s he arrived for basic training with at Benning.
I could never have made it.
I simply can’t wrap myself around the idea that a certifiable hero (Which, to my mind, most Silver Star recipients are) did not find himself heroic enough that they have to make the crap up.
It’s like that mayor of Atlantic City back in 2005… Bob Levy… Special Forces, Pathfinders claims… when he had done 2 tours and had 2 bronze stars to show for it.
I see no mention in his records for the master parachutist badge either
WTF is the “Granada Campaign”…..did he invade part of Spain?
Here’s another question for you to ponder: Why does that Facebook biography read like a poor translation from the original Chinese? This is what passes for congressional candidates these days?
You would think that since he really was a MSG he would know where to put the fucking free Badge.
The Granada Campaign was for a 1980s Ford sedan.
# 7- It was an issue involving our repeated violation of the Nova coastal exclusion zone.
Holy hot shit!!!! I’m in! Every time one of these suckers shows up, I wish that he could live closer to me. This turd does, ( 8 miles), and I know of him. He wanted me to help him with his election campaign a few years ago. I am going to eat his lunch! We have a gossip line up here in the boonies that runs 10X faster than the internet. Thanx Jonn, I owe you big time.
And!!!! He is but about 20 miles straight up Florida highway 85 from the new 7th Special Forces Group home. Those studs will explain the SF Creed to him.
It truly is amazing that anyone feels the need to embellish a perfectly good record. Sad, really.
It didn’t last long, but there was some actual shooting going on on Granada. Also some heads rolled as a result of a pic on the cover of one of the weekly mags of an AF female on the island sporting blackout paint and an M-16 doing her job – engine running offloading a C-130. Of course, she was doing guard duty, appropriately prone in the dirt, so it appeared that she was in combat. And pretty much was of you consider returning fire aimed at your aircraft to be combat.
The phone number on his page, 850.652.3350, is still good. Just tried it and got his grandson, claims “Jim” isn’t home right now. I want him to explain himself to me.
OWB:
I think the comment about Granada was over the improper spelling, like I think you are referring to Grenada. Sounds the same, but a few thousand miles apart.
Between fat finger syndrome and never spelling worth a flip – ya got me! And, yes, now that you mention it, once upon a time I DID know the dif. Just one of the hazards of the aging process.
Thanks! Gonna go sit quietly in a corner now… 😉
Wait! Wait! Wait!
Y’all did REALLY GOOD on this one.
Carry on.
Yea these types of cases in particular just make you scratch your head.
His real accomplishments were pretty amazing in itself, yet, it was simply not good enough for him.
I was just conversing with him on the phone, without having this post open. I suggested that he was falsifying the SS, rather than the things cited above. He’ll be here to look it over, and as usual, I assured him of a full apology from us if/when we determine his story to be the valid one.
I am still not interested in his politics. LOL
Is that a gold “combat jump” star on his wings?
This was a family picture that was done for private viewing and a play, and was passed around thru several outlets by other than me, I am not and have never said that I was SF and for 2 runs for the US Congress have only put my record out on my cards. Yes I am running this time for the US Congress and the local paper has copys of my record. My records stands alone in documentation starting at the age of 19 as a PFC, if anyone reads my book you will see it says US Paratroopers …. The Artillerymen, NOT anything other, I am very proud of my record…. 1st Sgt retired James E Bryan
why in the world would someone with his record of service need to embellish it in the least??
Why, pray tell, would someone with a good service record have a need to wear a souped up version of his salad? For a family picture and a private viewing? And a play? On Broadway? Guess the Military records people missed the E-8 accomplishment……
If he was dressed like that for a play I guess…still, if he was retired he should have refused to embellish his uniform as with his record it most certainly did not need it
I had a conversation with this gent right after I noticed this photo on his FB page.. his excuse for it was that he was taking a photo that only his grandson was going to see.. when I asked WHY he posted it on his FB page and IF he was SF..he actually admitted he was not to me.. no explanation of why he put it on his page.. I suspect he was/is a dumbass.
What a boner.
Now even his Silver Star has been proven to be a fake. Check the “Seal” at the bottom. The “War Office” ceased to exist and was re-named in 1949 as the Seal was re-formed as well. “Stolen Valor” anyone?? This asshat needs jail time. And he was running for office…..how many ‘others’ have been elected from their military history/false past? I’ll let you decide.
James, right in the screen shot above, in the post, you said that you did a tour with SF in Vietnam and that you were in SF at Bragg. So your comment that “I am not and have never said that I was SF” is not exactly true, is it? Why would you need the extra bling for a play? That makes no sense. And a portrait for the family? With phony bling? Your record of assignments show no time as a First Sergeant so there you’re lying to us again.
Unless this guy was at the Louvre when the pic was taken, the backdrop sure looks like it belongs in a stage set. On the other hand, the back of the chair showing says that no pro took the shot.
AirCav, that actually looks like a Green Beret tucked under his epulette(SP?). Looks like the back of a chair at a quick glance though.
And under the beret you can barely make out what looks like the edge of a CIB…but does he rate it?
There isn’t any reason in the world to pin on unearned decorations. Play, unauthorized portrait, or Halloween; no reason, no excuse. If the Silver Star and other decorations are legit, this is sad and probably ranks as the most bizarre phony I’ve seen.
Yes, that’s a beret under the epaulette. It looks like SF DUI, too.
Well James, if you were a 1SG then you were a piss poor one because you can’t even get your awards in the right order.
Oddly enough, he reminds me of Alan, a non-member drinking buddy from the VFW. Only, Alan is proud of his undistinguished mid-50s service–the height of which was his time as an Army boxer–and more proud of his Airborne Ranger son, Matthew (I call him Captain, though).
That I can see, there is no listing for him over at homeforheroes as having a silver star.
I keep coming back to this thought. If you’ve done honorable service, isn’t that enough?
Doc Bailey:
I felt the same about him and the rest of those that embellished rather than made up the whole thing. But on consideration the explanation is sooo very clear. He is not merely a Democrat, he is an extremely liberal thinking one. That shit eats at ones brain.
Read somewhere: “The trouble with liberals is that they believe so much that just isn’t so.”
The guys “Explanation” at comment #22 is actually an admission of his phoniness.
Most serious question here: Could a “Redleg” Cannoneer who is working his MOS in an Infantry unit’s “DivArty”, i.e. 509th ABN Inf; earn a CIB? Even back then? I don’t know.
I just returned a call to him and he had to let his wife speak for him. She told me that photo was just for family. Hehehehe, I guess he only wanted his family to see the phoniness. And she pretty much locked our appraisal in when she told me that “You guys will be hearing from our attorney, this is harassment.”.
@39 FO – I served with the old Army Security Agency (ASA) back in the day. During Vietnam we had some guys attached to the 101st doing intercept and DF. A few of them were awarded the CIB by a 101st General for actions during the battle for Hue. Funny thing is, the ASA General wanted to stop the award. The 101st General won that battle.
This is documented in the book ‘the Sentinel and the Shooter’ that was published in August 2010. Some of the stories of the ASA are finally coming out.
“You guys will be hearing from our attorney, this is harassment.”.
Four times this week. And still only Tuesday. A real case of, “WTF?” And hon, Jimmy, no, it doesn’t matter who was meant to see it–it’s out there. You made the claim, and poorly at that.
Reap it.
I have apologized several times over, my record stands as Silver Star, 3 Bronze Stars 1 /V 5 Arcoms one w/V 2 Purple Hearts third not awarded documentation lost, 2 RVN decorations, Jumpmaster, MSM several Army aceivemnets, Brit Wings…. Silver given to PFC Bryan by Historian Gen SLA Marshel. 1974 thru 1977Jumpmaster Instructor 509th Italy with 2 Lt David Petraeus…. weapons test manager for Brit Lt 105 and 198 Heavy drop record holder, this is it no more, I have work on projects with 5th in RVN and Ft Bragg, NO I am not Q I have been in the positions of Gunnery Sgt, CFB, 1st Sgt Test manager S-3 jump slot 1/39th for the heavy drop test done for the first time 198485 2 tailgates behind 198 and 5 ton truck, this is my record and I stand by this and no more…… Jim Bryan
FO: good question. The rule for awarding the CIB reads “MOS.” It doesn’t specify PMOS, SMOS, or DMOS; or, it didn’t in 2004. That caused great angst and agitation back in 2004 with my unit. Personally, I’m fine with the CAB.
If one really wants a head-scratcher: what does an 18D qualify for? A CIB? A CMB? Or, a CAB?
I have work on projects with 5th in RVN and Ft Bragg, NO I am not Q
But yet you have claims of serving WITH SF. Hey, I had a bunch of SEAL guys ride both my boats, but I don’t ever claim I served with them, nor do I wear the devices.
Answer this question–are you entitled to wear a CIB? A simple yes or no will suffice.
I smell smoke, and through the smoke, I see a duck. What are the dates of the 101st RECONDO and Jumpmaster? Handwritten 2-1s are common, but this looks fishy to me. As for wearing the SF Tab in a photo… then stating it was for family, then stating I worked with SF… more smoke and quacking. In the past thirty plus years…I can count on five hands how many “Division” guys say they were “Group” guys. This looks like I’ll add it to the sixth hand.
FOIA is needed and the real DD214. That will clear the smoke AND record.
from his Facebook log-
“Are you the guy that got run out of Prescott Valley, Arizona for posing as a “Viet Nam Green Beret” and they discoverd you were not? If you are intending to run for office now would be a good time to come clean, you might as well get it over with.”
Also, if this is the way he formulates the English language, I have a good idea on why he never made first sergeant…
I went drinking with a SEAL many moons ago, he got shit faced and started pouring drinks for everyone, I thought it was a great idea and helped. DO I get to claim serving with the SEALS?
Two purple hearts and a Silver Star.I just cannot get on this ride if this man’s claimed awards are genuine. With that service record, I just can’t. You guys have a case. I don’t dispute that. I just can’t get with this one.