Steve Cushman; Stolen Valor is just a symptom

We’ve written several times about Steve Cushman who claims that he was an Air Force pilot for seven years, when it turns out that he was a low ranking airman in the Air Force Reserves for a year while he was in an ROTC program in Texas. He’s running for commissioner of Wakulla County. When we first wrote about him, he wrote to criticize us for our narrow definition of the word “veteran”, well, since he has not one minute of active federal service, he’s not a veteran, nor is he a now or ever an Air Force pilot. He’s never flown an Air Force craft…ever.

But, in this video, of a television program, broadcast as an introduction to the candidates, was taped two days ago. The moderator says that Steven Cushman is an Air Force pilot. I’d like for someone to show me where his military records indicate that he was a pilot of anything;

Oddly enough, Cushman decided that he didn’t want to be a pilot and left the ROTC program the same month that Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. Cushman even admitted that he wasn’t a pilot and forced his local newspaper change their original article, blaming the reporter for making the mistake. I guess enough time had passed, he thought we weren’t watching him anymore.

And, oh, by the way, apparently his military career isn’t the only thing he lies about. Read how he ripped an entire community of prospective oyster farmers;

A former Wakulla Environmental Institute (WEI) student in the fledgling oyster aquaculture program begun by Tallahassee Community College in January has filed a formal letter of intent to sue the college.

[…]

As a result of TCC’s failings, Taylor has suffered damages in excess of $100,000, the letter said. He will also be seeking punitive damages.
“They didn’t uphold their end of the student contract,” Taylor said, “and they didn’t give students an instructor with aquaculture experience or education.”

Guess who the uneducated, inexperienced instructor was;

As of October 2014, TCC and instructor Steve Cushman, a candidate for Wakulla County commissioner, had failed to deliver the promised number of oyster-growing baskets and oyster spat.

[…]

Taylor also alleges Cushman has no formal education in aquaculture, and no experience in teaching aquaculture. At one point, Taylor said, Cushman brought to the class wild oysters and tried to represent them as being farm-grown. Taylor, a Wakulla County native, questioned Cushman, but tried to work within the program hoping for an opportunity to have sub-merged land for oyster farming.

Further breach of contract occurred in June, Taylor alleges, when Cushman and Ballard informed students they would have to repay as much as $18,000 beginning in January instead of the $7,500 required in the contract.

And, oh, did we mention that he has virtually no higher education? None of the colleges that he lists has ever heard of him. Not to mention that he is in arrears for child support. This fellow is a shitbird of the highest order, but see, no one was looking into his background until we shined the Stolen Valor light on his ass. There is ALWAYS something besides stolen valor wrong with these guys. OK, so don’t make it a crime, but somehow make it probable cause.

Category: Phony soldiers