The Hunters

“We are protecting our history” That was the answer to the question I asked Mary Schantag. “Because it needs to be done” Was the Answer to the question I asked Scotty Hughes.  The question was why you expose the Fakes. Those are very simple answers to what is not a simple question.

A few weeks ago when I decided to write on stolen valor I needed some insight. Retired SEAL Senior Chief Don Shipley was kind enough to give me an hour of his time, as we spoke I had the feeling there was more going on than I understood. Don was open with his answers but I realized I didn’t know what questions to ask.  I learned allot in my conversation with Don (I hope to God that I don’t piss him off by using his first name) There were a lot of numbers, Like only about 18,000 total People who could call themselves a SEAL since WW2, only about 500 total served in Vietnam, Only 1500 on Active duty, Less than 10,000 still living.  What really got my attention is when he talked about how he finds people.  Listening to him talk, it seemed that it took hours, even months sometimes to get enough information on a stolen Valor suspect to file for a FOIA.   Part of the process is verifying that they really said they were a SEAL.  As Don and I spoke I became aware that there was a team effort in tracking down and verifying the suspect’s information.  For every question he answered I had 5 more. I realized I needed to do allot of homework.  My thanks go out to Don.  When asked “What does it take to become a SEAL?” Don’s answer was “Never Quitting”

 

I sent an Email to Scotty Hughes introducing myself, He replied and I asked him for some of his time. It took a few days but he replied sure. I didn’t really know it then but I do now, Scotty doesn’t talk on the phone.  He spent over an hour talking to me.  We talked about several different things, mostly it was how he started exposing valor thieves and why he keeps doing it.   I was awed by his determination. We talked about how Facebook isn’t very kind to Stolen Valor Hunters, They seem to favor the thief rather than the victims.  He explained some of the risk he and others take personally to make sure that the valor thief is exposed. He gave me insight into what has to happen before we see a name on his site or on TAH.  I know for a fact now that by the time we know a name, it is very old news to Scotty, Jonn, Mary and Don.  I really enjoyed talking to Scotty.  I would ride the river with him anytime.

I spoke to Mary Schantag today.  She put all the pieces together for me.  She told me her story.

In 1989 Chuck and Mary Schantag began writing histories of Vietnam POWs.  They started getting tips about men who said they were POWs. As they talked to them they realized that many were fakes. They started keeping a list. That list grew to include not only fake POWs but phony Soldiers, SEAL Con men who claimed honors. Really everything possible.  By 1998 POW Network was online and the list was still growing. As the internet grew so did the list.  Not very long ago the list became too extensive to keep online.  Mary was spending a great deal of her time just maintaining it. A decision was made to take it down. This allowed Mary to devote more of her time to POW issues as well as the constant filings of FOIA request and making sure they had the right person.

Chuck and Mary were one of the first Hunter’s. They figured out how to track the Valor thieves, what to look for. How to navigate the government for FOIA request.  They were the first one to suffer the threats from those they exposed.  They have had their names drug through the mud time and again.  Chuck passed away just over two years ago.  Mary has continued the research they started together. Every November for the past 17 years Mary has organized and hosted Veteran’s from  all over the country in Branson MO.  Even at those gatherings she is hounded by Men of Dis-Honor that she has assisted in exposing to the world.  Time and again she and the others have been sued.  All of the cases have been dismissed before going to court.

Mary, Jonn, Scotty, Don and so many other that wish to remain in the background or whose names I don’t know, put in thousands of hours  every year to make the public aware of Valor Thieves.  They know that false accusations will come but they keep on being the Hunter’s.

I asked Scotty and Mary what people could do to help.  Keep the pressure on was the answer. Mary gave me some insight into how she and the others operate.  Like every large undertaking there is a need for cash. All of POW Networks operating funds comes from donations. The vast majority of their small budget is spent on the GALA in November. That leaves very little to track down and expose the Fakes.  Because Stolen Valor is such a volatile topic most large and small Companies don’t want to get involved. They are afraid of exposing themselves to risk or getting involved in a scandal.  So what that comes down to is they operate on donations of 5 and 10 dollars at a time.  They are experts at making do, at stretching a dime.   They put themselves thru this hell because it has to be done, and they are protecting our history. They don’t know how to quit.  They by every definition of the word are Heroes.

I am a small Business Owner.  I own a company Named Tiger Connections. www.tigcomm.com.  I spoke to my business partner and we are adopting POW Network they will be the only organization that gets a contribution from us.  We will add them to our web site in its next revision (Sometime in the next month) we are not afraid of the risk.  I urge all small business owners to consider making a contribution.

I have always hired veterans, I always will.  Starting tomorrow my new hire background check will include searching for Stolen Valor issues and false military claims.

I have mentioned several times that I collect Military Firearms.  I have a perfect WW2 1903a3 manufactured by Remington.  It has been completely professionally rebuilt and has only had 5 rounds through it since rebuild (To test for function). Its Value is somewhere north of $1000.00.  I will auction or raffle it (I have to do some legal checking to make sure I can be in compliance) All funds raised from it will be donated to POW Network.

Please click the link below to see how you can donate.  Every penny helps.

http://www.pownetwork.org/donations.htm

Category: Phony soldiers