Tim Poe: America’s Got Stolen Valor?
Editor Note: This post is stuck to the top of the blog, scroll for newer posts.
UPDATE x4: The audio interview with Tim Poe is up, it starts around 110 or so. Also more media coverage about this at Fox.
“I had volunteered for a team to go out and clear buildings and help out with the wounded,” Poe said during a taped interview on the show. “There was a guy who come up with a rocket-propelled grenade. I saw it coming down, and by the time I turned and went to jump on top of my guys, I yelled `grenade’ and the blast had hit me.”
It seems that Yahoo is reporting it as well.
NBC had no comment on the story, but if proven true, these accusations could turn a feel-good story into a serious scandal for the network. At the very least, it sounds as if someone at NBC didn’t do their homework before broadcasting Poe’s story into millions of homes. Poe got three “yes” votes from the judges and will presumably continue on in the competition; we’ll have to see how “Talent” addresses these very serious allegations in the weeks to come.
UPDATE x3: It seems that America Got Talent has finally responded about his military background. Thanks Chris for the link.
Got a second link to the America Got Talent about a ex-wife that talks about his past. Thank you to Parachute Cutie for the link.
UPDATE x2: I just spoke with a Major at the MN National Guard PAO who confirmed this press release. If he did all this heroic type crap, it wasn’t with this unit anyway, and he was assigned to the National Guard during the time he is claiming. So, unless he served in 2 units AT THE SAME TIME, this guy is full of crap. (cue Doggy Dog and his apology to me now.)
UPDATE: Insert Ace of Spades glowing skull here….
From a commenter, I have not verified yet, but this matches the other info leaked to me:
STATEMENT FROM THE MINNESOTA NATIONAL GUARD
~~ Attributable to Lt. Col. Kevin Olson, Spokesman for the Minnesota National Guard ~~
Sgt. Timothy Michael Poe served in the Minnesota Army National Guard from Dec. 3, 2002 until May 26, 2011, and performed as a supply specialist.
His military records indicate that he served with the Minnesota National Guard in Kosovo from Oct. 10, 2007 until July 15, 2008, and was deployed to Afghanistan from July 28, 2009 to Aug. 30, 2009.
Sgt. Poe’s official military records do not indicate that he was injured by a grenade in combat while serving in Afghanistan in 2009, as he reports. The Minnesota National Guard can also confirm that he was not awarded the Purple Heart Medal for wounds sustained in combat.
Have emailed the LTC, will update when confirmed. (The LTC emailed me back and gave me a second confirmation on this press release.)
Original post:
According to this cat, he got hit by an RPG which led to TBI and a stuttering issue….
That same thing happened to me, or just about the same. I got hit with an RPG, but I was quick enough to catch it in my teeth, and though it exploded, all it gave me was an aching priapism. But, I spit out the remains of that RPG thing and yelled at the dude that shot me, “Oh man, you done screwed a Royal goat now!” And I called on teh power of Greyskull and Odin to help me. They were both busy, but Odin sent the Valykries who picked me up, one under wach arm, and a third carrying my prodigous member, and they flew me around the battlefield to smite mine enemies with major smitage. Then I cut off all their earlobes and made a really cool lampshade.
And, according to a host of folks showing up all over the ‘net today, my story is apparently just as factually based as this numbnuts…
Ole Poe here has one defender..
Benjamin A Beers
Really people don’t you think the show would do there research before televising his addition as well as the network. The net work dose full on back grounds on the contestant and there stories before the show even comes out let alone be put on air and I’m sure if your story was true about Tim Poe the US Military would of already came out to say he lying after all these addition were over a month ago. I do respect and support are troops but this just seems like bullying to me.
Um, no. I doubt they do any research at all. How many times has there been a contestant that appeared on some dopey reality TV show and then weeks later they have to boot them for porn or a criminal record? This publicity will only make more people tune in.
I’m going to go out on a limb here and declare this one busted. I have a friend who met this guy and said s/he suspected Poe was full of shite from minute 1. Either that gut instinct was right, or someone went through a lot of effort to invent people in the 114th transportation company and their Facebook pages.
Now, if you don’t mind, I’m heading out with my Valykrie friends for some BBQ and Mead in Valhalla.
UPDATE: ok, so now we have like 15 gazillion people coming from Facebook, so since the vast bulk are new to TAH, better explain some back story….
1) I have a source on this I trust implictely.
2) there are 15 names of folks from his unit that are on the Facebook page. I suppose it is possible they are all plants, but that would be one hell of an effort, since I went to each individual Facebook page, and they were all started WELL before yesterday.
3) I have documentation showing his claims of having a Bronze Star and a purple heart. Other folks are emailing and PMing me that these are not accurate.
Is this guy’s story real? I wasn’t with him, but gun to the head and Occum’s Razor suggest no. In order for his story to be real, there is a serious effort afoot to malign him. Is it possible? Sure. Is it likely, no.
This stuff happens to us all the time. See for example Sergeant Major Mailahn who was the “youngest Marine Corps sergeant major in history.” We outted him, he threatened legal action, and months later admitted he was full of crap.
Would I like more info on this guy? Absolutely. For some reason all the principals have gone silent on this. I am told it is because the command of that unit told them to shut up for now as they work on a press release. I’d feel better with that press release, but go to the link I put in above. Come to your own conclusion, I’m just some dopey dude blogging. You have access to the folks saying he was lying, and his video. Assess for yourselves what you think.
Category: Phony soldiers
Like I told TSO in email, all we need now is an ex-wife to email us dirt on him in order to round out the Modus Operandi of our usual phonies.
please God, not another fetishist…
Nichevo, don’t forget Uncle Edgar Allen.
KTFBC, I happen to agree with you. Why it was just yesterday when the State Trooper pulled me over for doing 190, he let me go once I explained that I was driving like that to honor all NASCAR drivers.
Jeanne has Carrie Martin as a friend on FB – the fiance….https://www.facebook.com/carrie.morris.7
Blasphemy BNG!!! Blasphemy!!! As a former resident of Baltimore I often paid my respects at the grave of EAP, (it was a great place to take artsy chicks for some reason they found it a turn on.) That Poe at least moved on after getting kicked out of USMA, he didn’t try to embellish anything about his service.
@81, you were in “Mossel”? You mean MOSUL? I was really there (2005-2006). Next you’re going to claim you were in the dfac bombing. Fuck you chunt, you’re a liar.
sorry, I meant Carrie Morris.
http://www.agtnews.com/controversy-soldiers-say-war-hero-tim-poe-is-a-fraud?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=controversy-soldiers-say-war-hero-tim-poe-is-a-fraud
@92,lmfao
Nichevo, oh man Nichevo, why couldn’t you just put the bunny back in the box?
And yeah, looks like “mommy” is nothing more than an enabler.
“did you ever stop and think that perhaps he did not do this for himself, but to bring it to the American people and the Vets that have returned home injured too, that life doesn’t stop upon the return.”
Fuck. That. Shit. Fuck it in the ear with a stolen dick. There are HUNDREDS of ways to assist vets in need that don’t involve making up bullshit accounts of injuries; explain to me how any other veteran in need benefits more than Tim Poe for Tim Poe’s lies that landed him in front of a national audience soaking up applause and awed looks. Fuck you, fuck Tim Poe, and fuck your mealy-mouthed attempts at justifying his crap. I hope he’s publicly embarrassed for this pathetic charade, and I hope his kids know their dad is just another loser Walter Mitty who is only out for himself.
The article Chris cites above indicates that Poe’s claims have been publicly questioned by members of his unit, and that AGT knows that is the case. It also goes on to state that “Timothy Poe could not be reached for comment.”
Gee, I wonder why? (smile)
“Fuck it in the ear with a stolen dick.”
Expanding my vocabulary: The real reason I read milblogs.
Never say we don’t serve a need, Kriste.
What the fuck!On National TV no less. This fucking assjumper needs to be disqualified and at the least apologize on live TV.
Have we come up with a name for this guy yet? Or is it Tim Stolen Dick Poe?
How about “Po-boy the Poser”?
Something tells me he would go to AT with one boot and one PT shoe.
Is “profile” taken?
“Po-Po the Clown”?
And speaking of stolen dick fucking… I think this calls for an Action Figure Therapy video.
I don’t care what name he gets, all I know he’s already a lock for a 1-seed in this year’s JMBSV Tournament.
And he ain’t even from Jersey.
How is it going to give someone hope who is a wounded vet watching someone lie about being a wounded Vet on TV? Please explain.
TSO, lets call Tim “Bag of Smoking Hot Dicks” Poe.
The Stuttering Poeser, Star for a Minute
The one sad thing about eradicating stolen valor is that we won’t have hilarious comment threads like these anymore.
The Stuttering Stealer.
How about that for a name?
We are interviewing Tim Poe live in about 15 minutes on You Served Radio to try and clear all this up. http://www.youservedradio.com
Listening now CJ. Expecting to get even more angry.
Maybe call in if I have to.
God, I love this site.
I also served with Poe. He left Afghanistan before we even moved to our forward base. The only injury he received was from a training exercise while we were training in Camp Atterbury, Indiana. It couldn’t have been too bad, because he didn’t seek medical attention then. By the way, we were truck drivers, not Infantry.
Krause: that wasn’t TSO who spoke about Poe being in Bosnia; that was me. And according to the MN ARNG, Poe’s military records show that he was in Bosnia from Oct 2007 through Jul 2008. That’s pretty clearly stated above.
You really need to work on your reading comprehension skills, lady.
I don’t think Jeanne Krause is a fair target – she might very well be Poe’s mom, and she’s just not coming across as “all there” if you know what I mean. She’s a victim of the situation and I don’t think she completely understands it all.
131: nonsense. Nobody forced her to post.
I can confirm through a Full Timer with the MN NG that Up North probably knows as well. Tim Poe is a fraud where his military claims are concerned.
@132 agreed.
Krause was expecting all of us to be quiet after she posted….d
Listening to the radio show now. If anyone there is reading this, ask this blithering inconsistent turd why he’s telling people he served and was shot in Iraq.
http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Charity-helps-disabled-veterans-get-back-into-the-workforce-155855655.html
132 and 134. I don’t kick people when they are down and this woman is clearly not upright and functioning. The moderator should just block her, she’s not coherent.
I listened to the radio show, it was bizarre. The guy seems to believe in the fantasy he has woven and even tries to make reality match it.
I’m mad about all this too, I served, family members served, I was so pissed when I started to learn about the deception. But this is starting to seem more like mental illness than intent to deceive for gain.
0311
They are talking about it now. They said that the full interview would be ready tomorrow.
I agree, clear mental issues.
I still partially blame him, but how could no one who knows this dude not step forward and let AGT and other know that guy is not in his right mind? Its almost as if he believes his own story, which was hard to make out because of the stutter.
It seemed to be that no one else saw what happened to him. But, his defense to why he was pictured with a PH and a Bronze Star was that it was just something that was there. Um, yeah. And you didn’t say shit about itz?
He admitted to not earning a Purple Heart or Bronze Star.
Also has a CIB on the thing. I can send to you CJ, but can not be posted or used etc. Internal only for now.
Also, his claims of hit by RPG last night have changed. Dramatically.
TSO, do you have the pic of him with the BSM and PH? BTW, congrats on being able to now provide legal advice. Well done.
nnels: A mentally ill Holocaust denier may well believe the Holocaust never occurred, too. But that does not mean we should all stand idly by and allow them to spew their falsehoods unopposed.
Some things are just plain wrong. And lying about being injured in combat for personal gain – or covering for someone who does – is one such thing.
Self-delusion may be an explanation of the behavior, but IMO it isn’t an excuse.
On top of all that, let’s not forget his other story (follow link from 135 above)…shot in the leg in Iraq in 2005. He even shows off the scars. This is more than a man whose problems can be excused as mental issues…this is obviously a clever manipulator and con man.
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/06/05/no-record-america-got-talent-contestant-claimed-combat-injury/
its made the National news now…
Regarding the shrapnel wound or shot to his leg:
“Alteen Mary Mortenson Bonham – i believe he told everybody in benning a kick stand to a motor cycle is what went through his leg…”
JUdi, that FOX story is picked up from AP…which is now hitting EVERYWHERE.
Doug: see #41 above. (smile)
And yeah – it’s kinda hard to get shot in Iraq when you were never there.
this guy is investigating also: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=123767
Hondo…this is just evidence of what we’ve always believed…a pattern of lies and abuse. After listening to his radio interview (Great Work CJ) I’m sure there will not be those wanting to give him a pass for some perceived mental problems. But the pattern of lies tend to indicate someone with a clear ability to work up tears and manipulate others, while compounding one line with another.
Please email to me. I won’t publish. I have his cell phone number and can call him to explain.