Geoff Millard; the latest IVAW phony soldier (Updated)
The anti-war movement loves the Iraq Veterans Against the War. In an interview, Head Hag of Code Pink bragged that IVAW gives the anti-war movement credibility;
“The vet groups are our street cred,” a California-based anti-war activist tells me at the group’s barbecue. Medea Benjamin, co-founder of feminist anti-war group Code Pink, says the veterans’ group appeals to the American glorification of the military, even within the anti-war movement. “People who have been part of a war that I consider immoral and illegal still have more legitimacy than people who were against the war from the very beginning and refused to fight in it,” she explains, sitting in the vets’ living room while her college-age cohorts chat with the veterans and eat hamburgers and sausages. “They command more of a sense of authority and more of a sense of understanding of what’s actually happening on the ground.”
Let’s take a look at the credibility that Medea values so much, shall we?
The president of the Washington, DC Chapter, Geoff Millard, for example, is a real gadfly on the Washington, DC Leftist scene. I saw him going into the William Ayers book signing last month. Here’s a picture of him sitting behind then-candidate Barack Obama at a speech leading up to the election in Pennsylvania;
This is his profile on the IVAW website;
In his profile, Millard brags “Along with a peace delegation Geoff became the first Iraq war veteran to meet with members of the Iraqi parliament about their 26-point peace plan. Also Geoff has traveled Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Iran meeting with Iraqi refugees at every chance.”
But he’s being modest. He’s also addressed the Socialist World Forum in Venezuela and fawned over such luminaries as Hugo Chavez and Cindy Sheehan. Here’s a picture of him marching with Medea Benjamin and Cindy Sheehan a few years back exercising his “street cred” for the anti-war movement;
My buddy/alter ego Robin at Chickenhawk Express did some extensive research on Millard a few years back when he first started making the IVAW scene while he was AWOL. Robin includes his history as a malingerer complaining constantly about his bouts of pain from a old wrestling injury – he claimed an Iraqi doctor said he should go back to the States, but Army doctors disagreed.
After he finished his tour of Iraq and the Army wouldn’t give him a medical discharge, he became a conscientious objector and went AWOL for nine months. Familiar story, isn’t it? It’s always some sort malfeasance on the part of IVAW members that preceeded their “conscientious objectors” or “resisters” status.
Notice, like most of the other folks in IVAW, he lists himself as a Sergeant. In addition, he claims he served in Germany, Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq. It sounds more like a flight path than a career path.
I got a hold of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) on Geoffrey a few weeks back and it was a little light on information;
It said that he is a specialist and not a sergeant as he claimed, and his awards were only two medals and ribbon – quite a bit different than what he sports in public;
That’s a lot more than what’s in records, no? Need a closer look?
That’s three awards of the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) on top – but none of them are in the FOIA.
Well, see, I’m a fair guy, so I decided before I posted anything, I wanted to give Geoffrey a chance to respond – actually, TSO and Uncle Jimbo advised me to proceed cautiously.
Thanks to some prodding from Army Sergeant, I’m sure, he responded the same day, and sent me one of his three DD214s – of course, he sent the best one of the three, the one that says he earned all of those medals and that he’s a sergeant. The only thing I’ve altered is his Social Security Number, his mother’s name and address and his home address;
Now that would seem to settle it, right? Well, not quite. I sent the DD214 to my new friends at POW Net and, eagle eyes that they are, they noticed right off that even though he has awards for foreign service in block 13, there’s no foreign service time in block 12f.
The folks at POW NET sent the FOIA request back through St Louis with the DD214 Millard sent me.
Guess what? The Army sent the same FOIA information back even though they had his DD214. His form 2-1 doesn’t mention any service in Iraq.
The folks at POW NET are forwarding the FOIA and the DD214 Millard sent me to the FBI for further investigation.
1stCAVRVN11B emailed this picture of Millard wearing a CIB, which also isn’t in the DD214 or the FOIA report;
He explained in his email to me;
[The DD214] will not show a CIB that is a longer story of my being pined [sic] in Iraq but not having it on paper back home because of Army FUBAR. I was unsure about wearing it and I admit I did once but never felt comfortable with it on.
Well, the real reason he should have felt uncomfortable about wearing a CIB is because he never earned one no matter who “pinned” him – it wasn’t an Army FUBAR. To earn a CIB, a soldier has to be a qualified infantryman in the 11 or 18 series MOS and be serving in an infantry unit lower than brigade level. Millard was a 12B combat engineer not an 11 or 18 series, and he worked for a general – there are no generals below brigade level. I told him all of that in an email, but he didn’t see fit to respond.
Millard wants the honors accorded an infantryman who served in combat without having to put up with the shit of actually being an infantryman. Stolen valor.
So let’s recap the “street cred” of the anti-war movement; Millard claims to be a sergeant, the Army says he’s a specialist. He claims to have a chest full of medals, the Army says he has two and a ribbon. Millard claims to have been awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, even though he was never a combat infantryman and the Army disagrees with him. Millard claims to have served on the Mexican border, Germany, Qatar, Kuwait and in Iraq and the Army has no record of him ever leaving New York State except for basic training and advanced individual training.
Oh, and the FBI will be investigating him for falsifying his military records.
At least he’s got experience doing a perp walk – he may need that skill.
Now, I’ll admit that I have a hard-on for Millard since he tried to intimidate TSO and me at Winter Soldier by asking us for our blog URLs so they could monitor what we were writing about them from the inside. I’m pretty sure he didn’t ask any of the friendlier bloggers for that same consideration.
Later, he threatened to throw TSO, Rurik and me out of Winter Soldier because TSO talked to a Washington Post reporter. Oh, and he made one of his minions remove me from the Congressional hearing room for Winter Soldier after I filmed him playing general’s aide before the hearings checking mikes and shuffling paper.
So this post is my pay back – and that’s why it’s languished for three weeks in my draft folder waiting to get the facts just right. It’s been rewritten countless times and a number of people have contributed to it and they’re all credited.
I’ve got several other records requests being processed, so you may see a spate of “phony soldier” posts in the next few months. Ya’all phony soldiers had better adjust your narratives.
UPDATED: For all of you sharpshooters, someone sent me a clearer picture of his medals;
Category: Antiwar crowd, Code Pink, Hugo Chavez, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Liberals suck, Phony soldiers, Politics, Winter Soldier II Live blogging
“So any of your tanker buddies who’ve been sewing a CIB into their pockets? No orders, no authority.”
I completely agree. That’s why they were in the pockets. They’d checked all the blocks listed above – to include being assigned to an infantry unit – but had a 19-series MOS and were therefore ineligible…
I’m a National Guard E-6 with one trip to Iraq, so I pulled out my DD-214 to compare.
First, not only is there no time listed in the foreign service block, there is no time listed in the prior inactive service. That block should tally up all of your Guard time served.
Second, the army gives a ribbon for going to PLDC or WLC. So unless he was promoted without having the NCO school he needs, there should be a ‘NCO Professional Development Ribbon’ listed in the awards.
And you can’t receive the GWOT service and expeditionary medals for the same deployment.
Also, he has listed the reserve components overseas training medal, which he would only get for doing an annual training period in a foreign country, but he is missing the overseas service ribbon that he should have for service in Iraq. Either he got the two mixed up, or he is trying to claim the overseas training medal for duty on the Mexican border, which does not qualify.
And as you mentioned in your post, he should have the CIB listed if he wants to wear it.
Last thing I noticed was his time in service. If he enlisted in May 1998 as the FOIA says, he would have been able to get out in May 2004, 2 months before the deployment. So either he re-enlisted voluntarily, or he got put on stop-loss, but I don’t see any mention in his rantings of being stop-lossed. You would think that would be a huge issue for him.
The easy way to resolve this is for the guy to provide the MSM award citations. That’s the real rub, since he’s already admitted he’s not entitled to the CIB.
Just a quick thought from your friendly neighborhood rabble rouser: I am an Army Reserve NCO. There, I admit it. I rate both the GWOT Service and the GWOT Expeditionary. I was just wondering, How the hell does a ARNG “Soldier” (He gave up that title when he went AWOL) rate an Armed Forces Reserve ribbon? He was in the NYARNG, for Crissakes! Also, when I was deploying, we busted out a CPL from BDE for wearing a CIB and a 25th ID Combat Patch for “Service in Bosnia” To my knowledge, Tropic Lightening was nowhere near that part of the globe in 1998-1999. I do so enjoy watching posers like this idiot squirm when confronted with their lies. Amongst the Veteran’s groups around here, its almost a pastime! Keep up the great work!
And it is my firm belief that the rejects and Section 8’s in VVAW and IVAW gave up their right to call themselves Marines/Soldiers/Airmen/Sailors when they decided to turn traitor and attempt to screw with morale. That includes Army Sergeant, who I see as a pitiful excuse for an NCO
Actually what I say is:
Either way there is no real honor in an organization whose history is so tragic to those who have served in its ranks and to multitudes of those that have been murdered, been raped and pillaged in its tracks. We can find honor in ourselves but I believe if we follow that honor we will not blindly follow.
Seeing that I said he shouldn’t wear it I am not sure why you think I am defending the wearing of a CIB.
What I am defending is a person from some paperwork crap and accusations. Seeing that I have known the guy since 2001 and was in the same unit I feel like I am in a better position to draw conclusions.
I’d rather have faith in a person than some crap ass paperwork. You can look at that DD214 and see right away it only covers the deployed period. I don’t know if Thul deployed with his unit or another new one, but if you take into consideration that the DD only covers that period it makes sense. I just don’t see anything here that hasn’t already been discussed. We can rehash over and over again, and I can be insulted again, but it doesn’t change anything important.
Some people re-enlist because they are told they will be deployed under stop-loss, so why not just get the bonus? Especially when the unit is stop-lossed. I am not sure when he re-enlisted the second time, seems like it was just once.
Actually Jen the DD covers all active service. Info from my first deployment gets transferred from that 214 to the next one.
‘Paperwork crap and accusations’ doesn’t cover 3 MSM’s. If they are legit, then he should have been featured on the cover of Army Times for his exemplary service.
I do have to disagree with Lucky, though. Folks in the IAVA who served and want to stop the war have every right to speak their minds. But when they do it in uniform with a chest full of medals, they have crossed the line.
And lastly, Jen, I find incredible honor in a military where no one is forced to serve. 17 and 18 year olds stepping forward, raising their hands and volunteering to serve their country is the definition of honor, in my opinion.
I was at the GOE event when the altercation occurred between Arredondo and the guy he TACKLED. I was sitting on the grass IMMEDIATELY in front of them when Arrendondo went running down the sidewalk and tackled the other guy from behind. I was reaching for my video camera as I watched Arredondo continue to fight and the other guy begin to fight back once he was able to get up off of the sidewalk. I have video of the skirmish between the two and many attempting to pull them both apart. Arredondo had NO cuts, scraps, etc. The other guy was bleeding in a couple of places and had several tears in his clothes (knees and arms/elbows). I was interviewed by the police and told them THE TRUTH. I saw the other guy grab the photo. But then I saw the assault by Arredondo.
For the record – the police offered to drag Arredondo to jail but the other guy made the decision not to file charges because, as he told me personally, he didn’t want to have to spend all day and then some AND have to return to DC in order to deal with the situation that Arredondo had caused.
Save your pity, Army Sargeant, for when it should be used. Good Lord it pains me that you suck tax dollars out of our government.
I love how Jen admits that IVAW has no honor amongst it’s members, I really do. I know that she can’t possibly talking about the all VOLUNTEER service that I joined. It can’t possibly be the same one. Oh, and Jen, those pieces of paper have more honor and integrity printed on them than the entirety of your membership will/has ever had. And in terms of the 214, does anybody remember a former member of IVAW, Jesse MacBeth, who altered his 214 to appear to have been a real Soldier?
Dave, if you read my comment I say that the honor is in the PEOPLE, just as you did above.
Lucky, if you read what I wrote you will see the same. The people good, what it has historically been asked to do- not good. I think I’ve been over this before on Dennis’s site. We are not gonna agree, but I stand by my comment. I don’t expect you to, not even AS, to agree. That is why it is MY opinion. I don’t think the paper has any honor or integrity, the people do. The paper is just proof.
Thul, I am not sure about your DD214, were you deployed with a unit other than your own? Did you do 6 mo trainup prior to deployment? I’ll asl some other peopel I know who were in teh gaurd and see what they say about thier post deployment DD. I know your final DD has everything, but the one above is from right after a deployment.
John, I really don’t have any bad blood towards you. I understand that if what you say about Millard is true that you would be crazy not to be mad. I just think that if it wasn’t true you wouldn’t be upset, and I see much of it that I know first hand isn’t true.
But, just so you don’t have to work as hard, I’m not actually gay, its all a ruse. TSO, get in line.
“And lastly, Jen, I find incredible honor in a military where no one is forced to serve. 17 and 18 year olds stepping forward, raising their hands and volunteering to serve their country is the definition of honor, in my opinion.”
Amen!
Jen, I agree, it is the people who have Honor, or in IVAW, have a distinct lack thereof. I did a two month trainup for mine with a subordinate BN. But, as I stated, I am a Reservist, not a NG Soldier. The core issue Jen, is that IVAW has no respect for Core Values, such as Honor, Integrity, or even Duty.
Jen-
that’s a new twist on the we support the troops but not the mission argument. Are you saying you find honor in the troops but not the military?
The troops are the military.
If you have AKO access, look up my email (or talk to John, he should have it)and I will send you a copy of my DD-214 so you can see why I am questioning the one posted above.
I did six months trainup for a 12 month tour in Al Asad that was extended to 16 months for the surge. Then I did 6 more months at home station for the cleanup and reset. Where were you stationed at?
Lucky,
You say that like AWOL, desertion, court marshals and treason are bad things.
How judgemental of you.
I am only slightly judgmental 😀 I take Honor, Integrity and Duty VERY VERY seriously, and have nothing but contempt for those who have none of those qualities (IVAW/VVAW)
“The core issue Jen, is that IVAW has no respect for Core Values, such as Honor, Integrity, or even Duty.”
Not only that, the IVAW is a bullshit organization, especially since serving in Iraq is not a requirement for membership.
Seriously? They don’t even have to be Iraq vets? WTF? Do they at least have to be real Soldiers/Sailors/Airmen/Marines?
Jonn wrote: No, they don’t have to be veterans of the War in Iraq to be members of the IVAW (I know it’s the first two words). The only requirement is service since Sept. 11th, 2001. In fact, many members have never left the Continental US. Jen Hogg, the young lady defending Millard in this thread, is one of them.
Do they at least have to be real Soldiers/Sailors/Airmen/Marines?
No.
I have video of the skirmish between the two and many attempting to pull them both apart. Arredondo had NO cuts, scraps, etc. The other guy was bleeding in a couple of places and had several tears in his clothes (knees and arms/elbows). I
I’d love to see the video, tankerbabe. What A/S purposely ignored were the bloody wounds displayed by the GOE participant that are in concordance with his statement of being attacked and knocked down from behind by Carlos. After being ‘banged up and bloodied’ Carlos was standing unruffled, talking to groupies before answering questions from the DC police. His posture and gestures to the officers indicated that he was not seriously wounded anywhere. His alleged wounds and his state of appearance DO NOT match up with the description AS has provided.
IVAW members don’t know what INTEGRITY is, so thats not surprising. A/S really doesn’t follow the Core Values, its a disgrace, none of them do.
I like Jenn Hogg. Not as much now, I mean before we atleast had a common love of the females of our species in common.
I like Jenn for one reason above all others, she waded into LGF, and managed to win them over. I still marvel at that, because the Lizards aren’t often the most easily impressed folks. But Jenn always seems to have a good sense of humor etc.
On the larger issue here of Millard….I still think that Uncle Sugar may be partly to blame, but I still think he is/was padding the shit out of his resume. And if someone was bashing me, I would sure as hell correct it. But clearly he is NOT an E5, and he DOES NOT have a CIB. The second is not a remedial deficiency once you have claimed it, and been pictured wearing it.
Two things:
When an asshole like Medea claims that “People who have been part of a war that I consider immoral and illegal still have more legitimacy than people who were against the war from the very beginning and refused to fight in it”,it demonstrates how full of shit one person can be. What she means is: As long as the people who ‘fought in it’ are against the war, then it’s ‘legit’.
As for you, Army Sergeant:
The longer you afiliate with the IVAW, the more foolish and illegitimate you look.
The motley crew of miscreants tend to fake, and fabricate awards, decorations, and experiences. They falsify documents and lie in front of gullible media sources and anti war groups hungry for anything that smears honorable veterans and their service in this war. I am an Iraq war veteran and I take those insults personally. Any time you’d like to access mine through the FOIA, feel free.
Leftwing nuts and the anti-war crowd have yet to say where and when it would be a good idea to take up arms against an enemy hellbent on making the world into a Caliphate. You want to wait until Ahmed nails a decree of Sharia Law on your front door? If you think we should have or could have limited this war to just Afghanistan, you’re even more ignorant that I thought. Terrorists cross borders, and are not limited to any one Middle Eastern country.
I just love how IVAW, Code Pink, and the rest of the anti war idiots pick and choose which wars they think are “illegal” and “immoral”, although there’s beaucoup wars going on around the globe as we speak.
The common denominator is U.S. involvement only (fighting back against an aggressor)and if that aggressor happens to be an ideological soul mate of the anti war movement.
How convienient.
Army Sergeant:
Access DD214 through the FOIA, that is.
Note to self: Stop wearing my Civil War Service Medal out in public. That “drummer boy” thing was playing well with the broads, but Lilyea may be on to me.
TSO, not to mention the Badge of Military Merit…..
It’s when I start wearing a good conduct medal that EVERYONE will be on to me.
(For the record, I rate one, but my command never did the paperwork. UNLIKE A CERTAIN ASSHAT, I just don’t wear one, rather than self award the thing….)
Hahahahaha! I have rated one for a while now. I don’t really want one. I rate a Combat Action Badge, and I wear it, for the IVAW crowd, note that I said I rate one, that means I actually have ORDERS with my name stating that I have been there and done that. Its on my 214. Hell, when I was first registering for classes, the head of Financial Aid tried to tell me that I was “technically not a combat veteran”, because my 214 said the word RESERVIST on it, even though it also had the word AFGHANISTAN, the CAB, and a few other awards. Gotta love retardation.
What is also missing from that DD214 is his Overseas Service Bars denoting each 6 month period in a combat zone. Also, he would have to have done 2 tours to be eligible for the GWOT Expeditionary Medal and the Iraqi Campaign Medal. You don’t get both medals for the same tour.
Douchebags DD214 has a few other holes in it.
Issue #1- He claims to have been awarded the GWOTEM and the ICM. He can have either one, but not both. IAW AR 600-8-22, Military Awards, Para. 2–17. Iraq Campaign Medal
a. The Iraq Campaign Medal was authorized by Public Law 108–234, 28 May 2004 and Executive Order 13363, 29 November 2004, as amended by Executive Order 13289, 12 March 2003.
b. Individuals authorized the Iraq Campaign Medal must have served in direct support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF). The Iraq Campaign Medal period of eligibility is on or after 19 March 2003 to a future date to be
determined by the Secretary of Defense or the cessation of OIF.
c. Service members qualified for the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal by reasons of service between 19 March 2003 and 28 February 2005, in an area for which the Iraq Campaign Medal was subsequently authorized,
will remain qualified for that medal. Upon application, any such service member may be awarded the Iraq Campaign Medal in lieu of the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal for such service. No service member will be
entitled to both medals for the same act, achievement or period of service.
Issue #2- Subsequent MSMs are awarded as oak leaf clusters (2OLC, 3OLC, etc.) and posted on the DD214 as such. Not second award, third award as posted. AR 600-8-22, Para. 6-3, Oak Leaf Clusters.
Issue #3- MSMs are not wartime awards. They are for peace time duties IAW AR 600-8-22, Table 3-4, US Military Decorations- Continued. Considering that I just received my first MSM as a CW4 with 20yrs on active duty, I am a bit surprised that a ARNG SGT has three of them. That is even alot for an Air Force bubba.
Matt-
I got the GWOT expeditionary and ICM for the same deployment. There was an overlap in the eligible periods in 2006. Subsequent awards don’t show on the 214 as OLC’s, they show as 3rd award or 4th award. At least they do on mine.
As for Ortner’s comment about awards he doesn’t wear, I got an AAM for treating an injured soldier, only to find that he wasn’t really injured. As a young dumb private, I asked all the right questions for a neck injury, only to realize later that I was playing into his fake injury. I have 4 AAM’s, but I only wear 3 on my dress uniform.
The bottom line is that you cannot wear an award or medal that you can’t prove you earned. But you don’t have to wear an award even if you have earned it.
Gee, there’s a shocker. Another big wheel in the Axis of IVAW/IAVA/VVA/VVAW/VVAW-AI/VFP turns out to be a four-flusher, a legend in his own mind.
What a novelty. What a surprise. What an aberration.
I mean, except for all the other IVAW/IAVA/VVA/VVAW/VVAW-AI/VFP frauds and phonies out there. It’s hard to tell who’s more pathetic, the phonies or the few actual vets who let themselves be led by the phonies and come in here defending them.
It’s possible for someone to have a couple things awry in his records, but this boy’s whole record is awry. He’s got a lot of growing up to do, and hanging around with the permachildren of IVAW ain’t gonna get that done.
About the only things we haven’t seen from this particular waste of sperm and egg are, “my records were burnt up in the fire,” and, “my records are classified.”
I rate both the GWOT Expeditionary and the GWOT Service, there was an overlap in 2006 alright, but my unit deployed in 2003, and I am on the orders (I was on my way to Basic), and the GWOT Service I got for Afghanistan a year later. MSM is a wartime award. I work at a Division level element, and I have seen departing Soldiers of high rank receive it on at least a dozen occasions in the six years I have been in the Army Reserves
IAW AR 600-8-22 Para.2-17c. Service members qualified for the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal by reasons of service between 19 March 2003 and 28 February 2005, in an area for which the Iraq Campaign Medal was subsequently authorized, will remain qualified for that medal. Upon application, any such service member may be awarded the Iraq Campaign Medal in lieu of the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal for such service. No service member will be entitled to both medals for the same act, achievement or period of service.
If you are wearing or were awarded both the GWOTEM and the ICM/ACM for the same time period, you are wrong. One or the other.
The MSM is a peacetime award. It is not to be given out for actions in combat. I was awarded one recently for PCS from a BN assignment. Our nation is not at war. Parts of our military are at war and rate wartime awards. If you are CONUS, you rate peacetime awards. If in a combat zone, you rate wartime awards. Sometimes peacetime awards (i.e., MSM or LOM) are awarded in a warzone for a PCS or transfer in the theater. These tend to be rare and special cases. My MSM for service was processed in a warzone, but it was not for service in the warzone. Subtle differences. Point being, our AWOL SGT has some explaining to do. Extremely junior NCOs are not awarded three MSMs then go AWOL. The award system is bloated, but it ain’t that bloated.
Your DD214 is YOUR record. When you sign it, you are attesting that everything is correct on it. Failure to find and fix the mistakes are on the owner. My DD214 from both USAR ADT and USA AD service reflect OLC for subsequent awards IAW the regulations. Sounds like sloppy PAC work if it doesn’t. Just another reason to throw the BS flag.
Out of curiousity, as someone that has never ETSed from the military, what happens if you don’t sign your DD214? If you think that it’s incorrect? Does it stop your exit from the military? Can you clear with an incorrect DD214?
Jonn wrote: They’ll retype it with your corrections. You can clear with an incorrect DD214 if you’re willing to sign it with the inaccuracies.
The MSM is neither a peacetime nor a wartime award — it’s an award for Meritorious Service, and can be awarded to a paper-pusher in a combat zone. But three of ’em to an E-4? That raises a flag, even considering how ate up the 42ID is.
And 42ID is not a MACOM — NGB is.
The Reserve Component (ARNG is a reserve component, BTW) Achievement Medal award criteria changed in 1995. It used to be every four years, and was reduced to three years of *faithful* service — time AWOL doesn’t count — so even though his service is listed as ’98 to ’07, he wouldn’t qualify for three awards.
The Armed Forces Reserve Medal, however, is a ten-year *service* award, and is only given for ten complete years, so he shouldn’t even have *one* award. Notice also that it’s listed *twice*? The second time (Block 18) awards it with an “M” for Mobilization, which should have been included in Block 12 as an additional parenthetical.
The Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon isn’t awarded for anything but an OCONUS AT (usually in Germany), and there’s no indication Millard did anything of the sort.
My “Retired-After-37-Years” jaundiced CW4 eyeball tells me that there better be some unit orders — with citations for the MSMs — backing all that stuff up, or the lad’s going to be doing a tour in Leavenworth…
Jonn:
My question is more: what if your DD214 is wrong, but you don’t have the papers on hand to prove it wrong? For example, let’s say you’ve already had your household goods with your file cabinets sent back to your home of record.
Is there any way to do some form of “DD214 is naccurate and will be disputed later” item?
This is currently intellectual curiousity, but it does have some bearing on the situation.
Jonn wrote: Well, that’s an argument for keeping your 201 file current, I suppose, because they get the information for the DD214 from what’s in your 2-1 and the orders in your 201.
“Is there any way to do some form of “DD214 is naccurate and will be disputed later” item?”
Yes, it is called a DD215, and I can help anyone who needs help filing the paperwork on it.
“The Armed Forces Reserve Medal, however, is a ten-year *service* award, and is only given for ten complete years, so he shouldn’t even have *one* award. Notice also that it’s listed *twice*? The second time (Block 18) awards it with an “M” for Mobilization, which should have been included in Block 12 as an additional parenthetical.”
Yeah, that’s true, however, the AFRM is also awarded for mobilizations. I was in the Reserves for 8 yrs, and mobilized twice. I have the AFRM with the “2” device and “M” device. It’s legit.
That being said, I think it’s obvious that this joker is a fraud.
TSO, I can also help with that paperwork, I used to work with a State Veterans Claims agency. It is easy to correct a DD214, so any excuse of Mr. Millard’s as to why he hasn’t is an instant raising of the BS flag. My question, is, How the hell can ANYONE defend these jokers when they are so obviously lying about one thing or another?
Lucky,
Short answer is they can’t.
So why do they persist in trying to start things?
Jonn:
Yeah, point. I know I’m bad about that though, and can’t really blame anyone else for not keeping current.
TSO: Fabulous. You’ll have to explain that to me sometime. I’ll keep it in mind for whenever I get out. Or if you want to explain it sooner, I can pass that along. For those who don’t read 95 comments down.
Has it even crossed anyones mind that the more these IVAW twits stir shite up, the MORE likely it is they will get their chance to have their false testimonies recorded in the Congressional Record????
streetsweepper,
There will be a Winter Soldier investigation of the Winter Soldier investigation.
To clarify a bit… In my unit (Civil Affairs) you’ve got teams that go outside the wire daily and folks that primarily work on the FOB in the CMOC. The ones that go outside the wire can be awarded the Bronze Star for their service. The ones who do not go outside the wire are not supported for a Bronze Star and can instead be awarded the MSM. This is not uncommon in Iraq at all.
Further, the AFRM is indeed awarded for both periods of service in ten year increments (changes the color of the hourglass device) and/or for periods of deployment. For example, I have been in the Reserves for less than ten years so no hourglass for me yet but I have been mobilized three times so I have the Roman Numeral Three device along with the M device.
I cannot imagine an E4 getting three MSMs. I couldn’t care less about awards, that’s not why I do this. I guess IVAW doesn’t feel the same way.
In addition, if our good man was kicked out of the Army for being AWOL (or UA) he would almost certainly have received an OTH characterization of service precluding him from the wear of his uniform or utilizing his former rank. His rank on discharge would be the only rank he could claim, assuming he didn’t get an OTH. If he did make E5 (I refuse to say Sergeant because this guy was CLEARLY never an NCO) but was busted to E4, that would be all he could claim.
So, former SPC Millard, please get yourself a nice tall glass of STFU and crawl on back to Medea and her Harpies.
On a slightly off-topic but related comment:
Congressman Sestak, of Pennsylvania, is another of these asshats. He was a Vice Admiral in the Navy, but so pissed off everyone he came into contact with (basically walked over everyone else to get up each rung of the promotion ladder) that he was forced from his job and forced to retire as a Rear Admiral.
Why, you may ask, is this important? Because whenever he’s on a panel discussion or at a hearing etc, he gets introduced as VICE Admiral Sestak, rather than Rear Admiral Sestak, even though he knows it’s incorrect. He has even appeared on the campaign trail in Uniform, a big no-no, but apparently has enough friends in Congress to keep his butt covered.
Just sayin’ that crap like this isn’t reserved for former enlisted. There are certainly plenty of officers who are padding their resumes. 🙂
“There will be a Winter Soldier investigation of the Winter Soldier investigation.”
Raoul? Have I ever told you that you’re a *smartass*? LOL.
CAdude, that was my point when I was speaking about seeing MSM’s handed out so frequently. In the Civil Affairs community, they give us such awards quite often. Although, I have only seen Senior NCOs or Officers get them. I have heard of SSGs and SGTs at BN and BDE level receiving them in the sandbox though. I could never see an E-4 receiving an MSM, because in our community, for an E-4, the award is reduced to either an ACM or AAM. Hell, I don’t even bother to keep my awards in order until a month out from the Command Christmas party, or the month prior to a promotion board. Medals and ribbons do not breed good Soldiers, courage under fire does.
Hearts and Minds,
Lucky
One thing I keep seeing is the people are saying 3 MSM aren’t out of the question for an E-5 at brigade level.
The only proof I see for saying Millard isn’t an E-5 is a FOIA that obviously isn’t up to date.
I have a picture of Geoff right after he got off the plane from Iraq, along with his whole unit where he has on sew on E-5 rank. I can’t imagine that being something that got past everyone. At most he *could* have been busted down after he got back, when he was doing a lot of speaking out and his home unit knew about it. Being targeted for your political activity doesn’t seem like someone is just lazy, especially after they are hand picked (and the only soldier from our unit) for the assignment in Iraq.
If the DD 214 is faked why isn’t the CIB on there? It still seems like the CIB is the only wrong doing that is valid.
My mother, Jen, is from Missouri, the Show Me State. As my mother would say show me! Produce the picture for Jonn to prove that SPC Millard is (or was) in fact SGT Millard. Jen, you have said that the FOIA is not up to date, you say there is proof, yet you do not produce it. Otherwise, stop defending the cowardly little dipshit.
Lucky:
Jen did point out the promotion records upthread.
Jonn wrote: Here’s the thing; I’m not disputing the fact that he was once an E-5. My point is that he wasn’t a sergeant when he was discharged, so calling himself sergeant is disingenuous. If a sergeant in your unit was busted to Specialist, would you still call him sergeant? Even Kokesh admitted that he felt uncomfortable when the media called him sergeant – mainly because he’s not.
It’s like Chiroux calling himself an Afghanistan veteran with six days in country and claiming he’s been honorably discharged. It’s all part of the illusion that IVAW is trying to present that many members are something they’re not because they’re ashamed of the reality.
By the way, I wrote the Scott Camil thing and the Bill Perry thing just for you, so you don’t deny knowing anything about their past again. I hope you appreciate the trouble I go to for you.
Pointing out, and proving are two different legal standards of proof there AS. One is concrete, the other hearsay. Put up or shut up, one of the two. And Jonn is right, even if he WAS an NCO (which I doubt, due to his current behavior), according to Army records he was discharged an E4. IVAW members seem to be ashamed of their service records (not all members AS, you seem to be the exception) and attempt to protray themselves as something they are not. If they ever were NCOs they sure as fuck do not act in a professional manner that belies that rank they once held. The point I was trying to make, is that IVAW and VVAW seem to talk big about their experiences in the military. But, when it comes to actually proving their statements or accusations as fact, they either cannot produce evidence, or refuse to swear out a statement, or to testify under oath. From a legal standpoint, that makes y’all look like a bunch of whiny little punks who couldn’t hack it in ranks and are making up stories to get attention and to justify their failures as service members and human beings.