Paul Tillson; Soup Sandwich’s older brother?

| December 21, 2011

[Editor’s Note: This Paul Tillson lives in New Jersey – he’s not the Paul Tillson in Oregon who we like immensely and served honorably without embellishing his military record]

AverageNCO sends us a link that was posted at Don Shipley’s Facebook page. This dude is at his own wedding dressed like this;

Yes, that’s a 2d award of a CIB over his right pocket, but it’s only because his left pocket is so crowded, I suppose. Of course, he couldn’t have pared down the number of weapons qualification badgesand the hangie-down thingies could he?

On the 2d award of the CIB, the AR 600-8-22 says;

f. Second and third awards of the CIB are indicated by superimposing 1 and 2 stars respectively, centered at the top of the badge between the points of the oak wreath. To date, a separate award of the CIB has been authorized for qualified Soldiers in the following qualifying periods:
(1) World War II (7 December 1941 to 3 September 1945).
(2) The Korean Conflict (27 June 1950 to 27 July 1953).
(3) The Republic of Vietnam Conflict. Service in the Republic of Vietnam conflict (2 March 1961 to 28 March 1973) combined with qualifying service in Laos; Dominican Republic; Korea on the DMZ; El Salvador; Grenada; Joint Security Area, Panmunjom, Korea; Panama; Southwest Asia Conflict; and Somalia, regardless of whether a Soldier has served one or multiple tours in any or all of these areas. The Republic of Vietnam Conflict Era officially terminated on 10 March 1995.
(4) War on Terrorism (Afghanistan, Operation ENDURING FREEDOM) and (Iraq, Operation IRAQI FREEDOM).
g. Subsequent awards of the CIB is not authorized for the same qualifying period, as outlined above.

So here’s a close up of his finery;

AverageNCO says that there are two Humanitarian Service Medals, but I went cross-eyed looking at that mess. He has a star on one of them, so I don’t why he’s wearing two. He’s also wearing a star on his Overseas Service Ribbon. Subsequent overseas tours are denoted by a numeral, not a star.

And that looks like an Army Distinguished Service Cross next to the Purple Heart. I see a Kosovo Service Medal next to the Iraq Campaign Medal, but no GWOT Expeditionary Medal or GWOT Service Medal, but like I said, I went cross-eyed and may have missed it. And is that an Antarctic Service Medal?

All I know for a fact is that the CIB should go on top of all that crap, the jump wings should go on the pocket and the two marksmanship badges should close up to his right.

He really needs to invest in some Brasso and clean up that brass with it instead of inhaling it.

And this is what he looks like from the right side;

Yes, that’s a Ranger Tab on his right pocket – all of those marksmanship hangie down thingies were more important than his Ranger Tab. I’m not up on current standards for unit patches on the Class A uniform, but I’m pretty sure that the unit patch isn’t a pin-on metal 82d Airborne Division thing.

It may be the light, but those buttons on his uniform look silver, not brass, and his service stripes indicate that he has more than 24 years of service and no Good Conduct Medal, unless there’s a Reserve equivalent I don’t see.

The wedding album said his first name is Paul and his name plate says “Tillson”. But there are no Paul Tillsons in AKO and there’s no Tillson who is a senior NCO.

Added by Sporkmaster:
For shame, for shame. I thought that you guys would have IDed these two medals. The Korean Service Medal and the United Nations Korea Medal. The funny thing I would like to hear how he earned them considering the ending date for the medals was 1953 and 1954.

UPDATE: POW Network writes to say they’ve already filed for a FOIA on this nose picker.

ADDED: Paul Tillson was convicted for defrauding the VA for 13 years and sentenced.

Category: Phony soldiers

196 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Frankly Opinionated

I wonder if Marlow White is aware of this post. And if, in reply to his messing with their name would share his billing/shipping address with us. h’mmmmmm.

Jon 11B

I resent the fact you call me a fony soldier. Please check the latest regulation an where I purchases my clothing, by sending in a copy of my DD214’S  WITH RIBBONS AUTHORIZED.   I EXPECT A FULL APOLOGY THANKYOU

http://www.marlowwhite.com/army-uniform-regulations.html

Paul Tillson

Sent from my HTC on the Now Network from Sprint!

—– Reply message —–
From: “Gustav”
Date: Thu, Dec 22, 2011 2:52 pm
Subject: Stolen valor act of 2005
To:

—–Original Message—–
From: jonpeter0420@yahoo.com [mailto:jonpeter0420@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2011 11:11 AM
To: gwph@comcast.net
Subject: Stolen valor act of 2005

I just wanted to bring to your attention the phony soldier you have posing
in your pictures of the Eleuza and Paul wedding 10/15/2011. It is illegal to
pose as a decorated soldier under the stolen valor act of 2005. I discovered
he was a phony by the placement of his ribbons. if he was truely a sergeant
first class who has service stripes of Over 20 years should and would know
how to wear a dress uniform. I’m notifying you so that you can do the right
thing and hopefully report this man who brings injustice to real men and
women who do wear the uniform. Thank you for your time sincerely Jon

Jon 11B

It seems to me that this was his general reply to whoever emailed the site. I emailed him again after I received this reply and I think he may have deleted his email address

Jon 11B

The email address he used was ssgpaultillson@gmail.com

Doc Bailey

Sent this to Marlow white:

Dear Sir/ma’am,

I am writting on behalf of several veteran and military Blogs (MilBlogs), in an attempt to clarify certain facts. There was a gentleman, a Sergeant First Class, whose wedding photos seemed a little odd. When questioned about his uniform being way out of standard, he responded that he was authorized all the ribbons shown (that were out of order) and that his service stripes (which were sewn parallel to the marching Surface) were in fact correct. He is sporting many Weapons Qual bars (6) Airborne Wings and a CIB with one star (which is on the wrong side). It also appears that the uniform does not entirely fit properly, and the Garrison Cap is not in fact the right size.

I understand that you sell the uniforms, and can not verify the DD-214 of all individuals that purchase a uniform from you, and I do not remember ever having uniforms shipped to me pre-made with all applicable patches and tabs already sewn on. Is this a service you offer? If so why would the service stripes be so far outside the regs of AR 670-1.

This individual’s e-mail is: ssgpaultillson@gmail.com

the thread which you can find the pictures in question is: http://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=28028&cpage=3#comment-578587

Please understand I’m a loyal customer, and have enjoyed the uniforms I have bought from you in the past, and greatly appreciate your services.

will advise when I have a response.

Bobo

Damn, Doc, you beat me to it. I was going to give them a call next week.

Marlow White actually used to update a URL on their site called “spot the fraud” (http://www.marlowwhite.com/army/uniforms/spot-the-fraud.html). They also helped out on getting a kid on the POW Network site who used their name in vein. Needless to say, they are very receptive to outing the frauds, and particularly helpful if the company has been used to help perpetrate the fraud unknowingly.

Doc Bailey

I probably shouldn’t have e-mailed them on the 24th of Dec. . .

Frankly Opinionated

@#107:
Doc Bailey, wait a few days and go to your “sent mail” file and resend it. I agree, it could well get lost in the shuffle.
Same as me leaving phone messages the past couple of days. Have 3 Ranger Tab checks in the works, and expect to have to re-phone on each of them.

Eagle Keeper

Peter Lorre? Naaaah.

An even more diminutive Robin Williams, perhaps. (But only with the hat on.)

And like MCPO (57), I though he was a woman at first.

doitright

SleeperShooter – You are incorrect with your information and need to remove it. Anita from Brick is his exwife and she does not need any further harassment from this poser or his fans. If you look at the posted wedding album of Tillson’s pictures you will see that he married Eleuza on 10-15-2011. The Bayonne address appears to be his valid address or that of his brother Thomas Tillson or Harold Tillson. Neither old enough to be his parent. Also the gmail address is an accurate one as Paul Tillson used it to respond to comments made on his own wedding album. Let’s be careful in our reporting please.

Joe

What a walking clusterfuck.

Sporkmaster

Sweet, I look forward to the updates.

AverageNCO

9:00 pm on Christmas Night…..and Jonn is tracking down phonies……RELENTLESS!!!

Doc Bailey

John, You make me wish I were as High Speed as you. Also kinda make me wish I were Airborne.

hueydoc

regarding the headgear. none is worn when wearing a bow tie as that makes the ASU, (or class A), a more formal uniform where headgear is inappropriate.

hueydoc

correction, the previous statement the word “inappropriate” should be not required or optional. i rechecked the reg.

Steadfast&Loyal

Catching up after a break and find this. nice.

I will have to admit I have never been able to figure out the order of ribbons without a book (or NCO). All I know is where the “Glad You Made It” Ribbon sits and badges.

One thing though….if he is a retired E6 (Guard or not) don’t you think he would have known what right looks like and could have at least pulled off a fairly good fake?

Integrity…you can’t teach it.

Doc Bailey

I have gotten this response from Marlow White. So obviously he lied (as if we didn’t know that) about where he got his uniform.

Mr. Bailey,

“Wow” is all I can say right now regarding the pictures you sent. To answer your question, we do alter uniforms and send them to Soldiers with everything sewn on, but only if we physically saw and fit the person. We alter our uniforms to the military standards outlined in AR 670-1 with numerous inspections done prior to the Soldier ever receiving their order. In the case of the pictures you sent, it appears that the local tailor this person used did not check any military regulations prior to altering the uniform.

Regarding the pin-on badges and awards, we do not normally attach those to the Army Service Uniform (formerly the Dress Blues) as Soldiers are ultimately responsible for putting their own uniforms together.

Please keep me posted on the actions you may take, there are definitely some issues with this one.

Thank you,

Kevin

Kevin Harrington

Chief Operating Officer

Marlow White Uniforms, Inc.

400 Seneca Street

Leavenworth, KS 66048

913-651-6358 x1039

kevin@marlowwhite.com

Andy Kravetz

Hey all, I have a question as I am trying to keep on this (we have had instances like this in the past in my area). I am NOT a veteran though I have been around the military my entire life. My question is that I thought a unit patch was to be worn on a shoulder wasn’t a metallic pin. Am I wrong or are there instances that you would wear such a thing. And also, I thought the ranger tab also went on the shoulder. Forgetting this guy completely…. are there instances where either would be wore elsewhere. I guess I could read the Army regs but well, they are Greek to me. I have tried as well, I am asking here. Thanks

Andy Kravetz
http://blogs.pjstar.com/kravetz

Doc Bailey

In the old Green uniform yes, Unit patches were on the left shoulder, and the Combat Patch on the right. Recently the Army went to the ASU, which is a modification of the Dress Blue uniform. The combat patch is not centralized on the right chest, and is metal.

Andy Kravetz

I know the ACUs have the patch on the shoulder. I confess I haven not seen the ASUs as often simply because most wear the ACUs or when they get back from Afghanistan, still have some Multicam on them. I’ll have to try to find a picture someplace. In theory, how would he have wore his Ranger Tab and 82nd Patch? If you don’t want to post here, please email me. I am just curious as I am a reporter and we talk to a lot of veterans. I routinely ask for DD-214s if the story seems outlandish but tips on looking at a uniform helps as well.

Andy

Yat Yas 1833

You fellas gotta be kidding, right? I’ll admit I’m not real familiar with all Army ribbons, I come from a Marine Corp family, but there are too I don’t recognize. How did this person earn a Navy/Marine Corps Combat Action Ribbon? How did he earn a Korean War medal? (Two uncles were in Korea…in 1952/53!) All this infantry hardware yet he has an Antarctic ribbon? A NDSM with no service stars? Isn’t his NCO Education ribbon a little too frayed to be worn? I thought you guys (Army) spaced your ribbons? This rack looks like it was run over by an Amtrac!?

I thought the Army had a rule like the Marine Corps that if you couldn’t make a certain rank in ‘X’ years you were out. An E-7 with eight (32 years) service stripes? I also thought you guys limited your marksmanship “q-bars” like we did? I also thought you guys had regs that dictated where certain awards or badges went?

This fool needs a “blanket party”! He’s not an embarrassment to the Army, he’s an affront to every service member who served honorably and earned whatever they EARNED.

OIF2Soldier

I was put in for a Bronze Star when we finished our 13 month tour in Iraq but didn’t recieve it because my Company Commander wouldn’t sign off on it. Screw it, who needs a signature? I can just go buy one lol

charlie six

I want to correct my assessment in #42 above. AR 670-1, para 29-16b does authorize three clasps per marksmanship badge. I stand by the rest of my assessment of this get-up.

10th MTN NCO

Just coming off Staff Duty when this caught my attention! I agree with you on numerous VALID points, his bride to be has a set of sweater cows that won’t quit, Jesus! Tell me that this Jack Wagon doesn’t look like Sting w/ early stages of AIDS? The Humanitarian Service Medal w/ a star had to been for Katrina right? Really, what else natural disaster must you serve in to get that coveted star & the additional ribbon? He served in the Korean War, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan & Desert Storm. One more deployment and this dipshit gets the free set of steak knives….It never stops!

IEDmagnet

This guy needs to be beaten. What a douche….

KJR

That many medals and only one National Defense Service Medal?

TPM

“One more deployment and this dipshit gets the free set of steak knives”
That is great! I am adding that to my list. I will give proper accreditation if using it in a written piece 😉

bkay

Has this been proven yet that his military service was all fake? Has anyone contacted his new bride to see if she was in on it or a victim of a scam? Any update?

Dano

Awesome John. This will be nice to see the proof come on out. Neato!

PondPirate

He obviously went the way of the “If it’s worth doing, then it’s worth overdoing” approach. He is seriously nuttier than a J-John at a peanut convention.

jonp

Frankly I’m disappointed that he didn’t winter over in Antarctica and have that nifty multi-blue ribbon like Soupy.

trackback

[…] […]

bkay

I have read online about this stolen valor case and it appears Paul & Eleuza Tillson of New Jersey scammed the photographer Gustav by claiming the groom was an American war hero with honors. I have heard of those bridezillas who lie and will do anything just to make their wedding day better but for the life of me I don’t see what could have been gained by this cheating couple to fake out a wedding photographer and a handful of unimportant friends and family. It looks like a small nondescript wedding that anyone walking by wouldn’t stop to notice so why all the pomp and trouble unless they wanted the pictures for some future or on going scam.

bkay

Does anyone have an update on this? Has he been charged or cleared?

Scottys Hideaway
bkay

So the FOIA linked above proves that the couple Paul Tillson and Eleuza Santos Tillson of New Jersey scammed the photographer Gustav and many others with their false claims that he was an American military hero. Do we know if charges will be pressed against both of them and has anyone checked out how deep does their fraud go? Has anyone been in contact with them to see if they are ready to admit they are just lying lowlifes.

trackback

[…] Tillson; the verdict April 23rd, 2012 I’m sure you remember this guy, Paul Tillson, who beclowned himself at his own wedding with this load of […]

trackback

[…] Paul “Prince Chumming” Tillson […]

Yat Yas 1833

Modesto Fulwood, man you are DEFINITELY in the wrong place to be going space cadet! I suggest you put your aluminum hat back on and go back to your closet.

trackback

[…] Munch” John 4 Dave “Tiger Hunter” Groves v. 13 Micaiah “Marine Terrorizer of OWS” Dutt 3 Paul “Prince Chumming” Tillson v. 14 Brian “Pound me in the ass Prison Bitch” Culp 6 Ken “Tri-recycled 18B Wannabe” Aden […]

Evil Genius

Row 9: New Jersey Merit Award; New Jersey Desert Storm Service Medal; New Jersey Good Conduct Medal;

El Marco

Personally I like the CIB with star on the right side along with the Ranger tab. Oh, can’t wait to vote on Monday!

John Robert Mallernee

Doc Bailey:

Your headgear nomenclature is incorrect.

He is wearing the Army SERVICE cap.

The Army no longer uses the garrison cap (which most guys call a “cunt” cap).

The garrison cap was a stiffened version of the Army’s overseas cap.

But, I am surprised at what I’m seeing in that photograph.

Very, very FEW regular Army NCOs are authorized to wear a sword.

I’ve been out of the Army for a long time, and so much has changed, that I no longer know anything about being a contemporary soldier in today’s Army.

When I was married, I wore my Class “A” uniform (AG-44 dress greens) with a white shirt, black bow tie, and my full sized medals.

WHY would someone deliberately ruin their own wedding by fraudulently misrepresenting themselves?

I just don’t get it.

In the coming years, those wedding pictures are supposed to be cherished and looked at by the entire family.

How is that dude going to explain his actions?

When his children start asking questions, how is he going to rationalize or justify what he did?

trackback

[…] Paul “Prince Chumming” Tillson v. 15 Timothy “Durango + Delta = Douchebag” […]

trackback

[…] Paul “Prince Chumming” Tillson v. 15 Timothy “Durango + Delta = Douchebag” […]