Veteran confronts homeless poser
CavScoutCoastie sends us a link to the story of Garrett Goodwin, an Army veteran and activist who confronts a panhandler wearing an Army uniform in Tampa.
Then, said Goodwin, came the clincher.
He noticed the man had a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps patch on his shoulder, something a high school student would wear.
That’s when he started to question his story, and on the video can be heard lighting into the man about the uniform and the patch.
The video shows Goodwin following the man, who appeared to comply with his demands by taking off the uniform top, which Goodwin demanded he throw in the garbage.
In my opinion, these hobos are the worst of pretenders. They give credence to the drug-addled, ne’er-do-well veteran stereotype, when that is hardly ever true. While I don’t encourage folks to confront these bums, it does make me feel good to see vets taking back our image from the Hollywood perceptions.
Category: Phony soldiers
It takes a special kind of stupid to do this kind of thing in front of the turn-off for a military base.
People are compassionate, they don’t confront these scum to see if they are impersonators, they just hand them money…the bas-ards get LOTS of money ..I heard a number of years ago it was 200.00 or more a day!
One of the reports calls this “A growing trend to confront what is called Stolen Valor”. I hope it is.
Jonn, thank you, great story and video. Good for Garrett Goodwin!! If it were up to me, we could confront them and if need be, strip those phoney uniforms off of them and send them packing naked!
Sparks, obviously the conditioning is not working… you’ll have to be re-trained.
You are supposed to be angry at the guy in the blue shirt for publicly humiliating and verbally assaulting a harmless citizen. Said harmless citizen is just showing his admiration for you and others that served. You should just feel “flattered”. Why don’t you get that?
GDContractor…Thanks for having my 6 brother. I forgot and I promise to watch the PowerPoint again. Shame on me.
What’s a PowerPoint?
Does it have something to do with a slide projector and grease pencils?
Is it true some people get ARCOM’s when PowerPointing?
I’m old Army so someone newer will have to enlighten me.
CLAW131, I too never had a PowerPoint or computer based class in the military. It was all as you said, old, overhead projectors with those clear page, lesson point sheets and a grease pencil to highlight notes.
Same here. Projectors and butcher paper boards, chalkboards, or sticks and rocks in the dirt, or cardboard from C-Rats cases.
Going high tech was using an eraseable magic marker.
Yah, we used to call it “Death By Overhead [projector slide]”. I suppose the “kids” now have “Death By PowerPoint”.
And yes, I also suffered “Death by bucher paper” as well — not as brain-numbing as overhead [or PowerPoint], but it was effective in its day.
ARCOM from powerpointing? Shoot, they give BSM’s for that now a’days. I wish I was kidding… I was the S3 for a Signal Battalion in Iraq and they gave me a BSM for it… SMFH.
Not naked…please…
JohnE, I “see” your point, in my head. Now I need brain bleach. 😀
Is that what happened yesterday when someone pretended to be a lawer? Intel is scarce.
Geez, another one that “I’m not MOS yet”.
Florida? It figures.
This dude was obviously part of the All-Points Logistics “Homeless to Heroes” program.
You guys should not be to hard on him. After all, he was trying to “earn” some money to pay his dues to APL.
More like “Phildo’s Boots to Ballstrap” program.
Applications are available at any APL outlet.
Awesome.
BAHAHAHAHAHA ! ! ! Damn I just lost my OJ way to funny 🙂
“Homeless [former teacher, fireman, police officer, nurse, dog catcher, plumber, or truck driver]” just doesn’t have the same affect on folks as “Homeless Veteran.”
2/17 Air Cav, Yes what is it with that one I ask? Americans at large, do not understand or care for the military around them. (Neither does Obama or the Pentagon but that is another story). So why would I get more stolen money on the corner, with my old field jacket and a “Help A Homeless Veteran” sign than a “Help a Homeless Bricklayer, Carpenter, Plumber or UPS Driver”. I think because most Americans who work in the trade fields would know right away it is bull shit and all they have to do is go to the local union hall, or state agency (in my state they are a 24/7 service) which provide free emergency food and shelter to anyone “on the street”. Not counting the “Union Gospel Missions” most towns have and many half-way houses. But if you say “Homeless Veteran”, they do not understand the military or veterans, even though that it is the most absurd claim of them all. Much better chance of being a single, no family, laid off or otherwise out of work, non-union tradesman than a veteran.
Sparks: if you haven’t, read B G Burkett and Glenna Whitley’s book Stolen Valor – well, after you’ve healed from your surgery a bit more. (That goes for anyone else out there who’s not read it as well – read it.) It explains precisely how and why this kind of behavior became so common after Vietnam, and who encouraged it.
However, make sure you remove any heavy ashtrays (and other similar objects) out of the room while you’re reading. Fixing holes in the wall because you got p!ssed as hell and threw something is no fun. And while reading that book, believe me – you’ll get POed.
Also, I am tired of seeing the “Help a Homeless Veteran” park his late model, (newer than mine) car way up it the WalMart parking lot and get out his daily “sympathy on the corner kit” and walk to the intersection to set up shop. I am coming to a point of leaving him with 4 slashed tires to spend his stolen money on. Plus a tow. Out of town, stir the shit, liberals helped throw the city counsel into disarray over the debate to require a permit to panhandle. So it was tabled…for eternity and they are free to roam like the thieves they are, only with a smile instead of a mask or hoodie.
Sparks. A pebble between the air valve and cap will work just fine, w/o destroying the tires. (You have to watch those lot cameras though.} A well placed nail, angled properly, also does wonders and takes only a second to position. If none of that is up your alley, a counter-sign “Drives a better car than you do!” is a nice piece of info. for prospective donors to have.
Sparks, perhaps you should talk to this guy and verify if he is truly who/what he says he is first…don’t engage too heavily, just start with the standard “Hey buddy, who did you serve with?”
If/when you establish he is fake, then go deeper…then make the sign as 2/17 suggests.
Many moons ago I was listening to talk radio program that had an advocate for solving the homeless problem as a guest.
He had did a project where he was going to spend 3 days as a homeless person in San Diego. The 3 day project turned into 3 weeks.
The was he described it, the homeless population consisted mostly of addicts who had a system figured out. They could always rely on a church or shelter for at least one-two meals a day and a place to shower up and get a change of clothes once or twice a week. They had enough “gear” to sleep out and could get addition items from shelters.
Depending on the area they were in they could bring in 75-200 bucks a day panhandling. Practically every penny went to substance abuse.
The homeless advocate worked for a program that would help them and get them off the streets. They would approach the homeless and offer them a chance to go top the program. If the homeless person refused they would have a person stand next to him with a countersign saying “DO NOT ENABLE AN ADDICT, THIS PERSON WAS OFFERED FOOD, SHELTER AND FULL TREATMENT TO GET OFF THE STREETS AND REFUSED”
Excellent ideas, 2/17, but please… it’s best you don’t encourage my bad side with such tips. 🙂
2/17, there’s many a pimp and drug dealer who learned that lesson. That was in the days before all the surveillance cameras.
Should be careful approaching some of these guys, Florida is a stand your ground state right?
What happens if the hobo states the guy appeared to be threatening bodily harm and he used self defense to keep him away?
I don’t wear any Army stuff since I left and I never will, but I’m not having any fool on the street up in my face either…you better be careful when you get in my shit about anything cuz at my age it’s safer to kill you and go to court than wait and see what the noise is about.
The guy must have been a former NCO. Even as he was berating the “homeless” turd he was concerned for the guy’s safety, “Get out of the road!”
Nahh…I never heard him ask “Where is your goddamned reflective belt!”
ArmyATC said NCO, not Senior NCO, so I think he’s gotta be dead on. That’s the main thing I noticed as well…
Nothing about policing that mooostache either… 🙂
Well I think it’s safe to say he was not a Drill.. Because he would have said front leaning rest MOVE ! ! ! ! Lol…
You got it wrong. Its “Front leaning rest position (pause before the command of execution), MOVE!!!!1111!!!”
Bahahaha you got it 🙂 right on the money 🙂
Followed by “RECOVER!” before you even hit the ground.
But since you were too SLOW, let’s try it again. And again. And again…
LOL, if that was Chief Dunkle (ICC Dunkle was my senior RDC at Great Lakes back in NOV1996-JAN1997), he’d just say, repeating if necessary, “Drop.”, in a cool, professional, matter-of-fact voice. On the other hand, if that had been Petty Officer Breckenridge….well, let’s just say it would not have ended very well for our homeless, sign wielding friend. 😀
And let’s not forget “Get down and beat your face.” Learned that one in the 101st (mid to late 80’s) and used it effectively against subordinates with attitudes at my next post.
the most feared Drill on Ft. Leonard Wood in ’76-77 time was a big guy who would hold up one finger for you to drop, give him a push-up, return to attention – two fingers was two pushups, etc. His hand never got tired and he never gave more than 5 at a time. He could break ANYONE,
It was the combination of yelling at him and being concerned for him that made me fall down laughing. That, and the man yelping, “Yes, SIR! Yes, SIR!” 😀
99% of the beggars I see are “homeless vets” as denoted by their signs. I want to stomp their throat when I see them too.
I swear that goddamn bum must’ve said Sir over 150 times. Good thing I decided against playing that drinking game I had in mind. Christ, I’d be in the ER right now getting my stomach pumped! 😀
Go ahead and stomp some dude…then what do you do when you find out he or she was the real deal and has genuine issues brought on by their military service?
There are real vets out there who are homeless and have true mental health issues…and yeah, there are many scammers. How do you separate the wheat from the chaff? Whats that whole thing about judge not lest ye be judged?
Where is your humanity anyway?
I have yet to see one around here that has been the ‘real deal’.
I save my humanity for those who don’t try and take advantage of it.
I think your probably right…but…(Copy/pasta/edit follows…) Who are homeless veterans? The VA states that homeless veterans are predominantly male, single, live in urban areas and suffer from mental illness, alcohol and/or substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders. About 12% of the homeless population are veterans. Roughly 40% are African American or Hispanic, despite only accounting for 10.4% and 3.4% of the U.S. veteran population. Homeless vets are younger than the total veteran population, approx 9% are between 18 and 30, 41% between 31 and 50. 1.4 million other vets are considered at risk of homelessness due to poverty, lack of support networks, and dismal living conditions in overcrowded or substandard housing. How many homeless veterans are there? Although flawless counts are impossible to come by – the transient nature of homeless populations presents a major difficulty – HUD estimates that 49,933 veterans are homeless on any given night. Approximately 12,700 veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation New Dawn (OND) were homeless in 2010. The number of young homeless veterans is increasing, but only constitutes 8.8% of the overall homeless veteran population. Why are veterans homeless? In addition to the complex set of factors influencing all homelessness – – a large number of displaced and at-risk veterans live with lingering effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse, which are compounded by a lack of family and social support networks. Military occupations and training are not always transferable to the civilian workforce, placing some veterans at a disadvantage when competing for employment. What seems to work best? The most effective programs for homeless and at-risk veterans are community-based, nonprofit, “veterans helping veterans” groups. Programs that seem to work best feature transitional housing with the camaraderie of living in structured, substance-free environments with fellow veterans who are succeeding at bettering themselves. Government money is limited, and available services are often at capacity. It is critical, therefore, that community groups reach out to help provide the support, resources and opportunities that most Americans take for granted: housing, employment and health care. Veterans who participate in collaborative programs… Read more »
Right on! Rule #1 Ask and confirm
OND Veterans? Homeless in 2010? That was quick. OND lasted from SEP 2010 – DEC 2011.
You must be trolling. I have NEVER evah encountered a homeless vet. The ones I have aproached and started questioning failed the unit and MOS identification test.
Do you have any idea how many programs are out there to help vets with real issues? Quite a few.
I have a friend – retired Air Force Colonel – who works with homeless vets all the time. They do exist, and many of them are too proud to go to a shelter or actively ask for help. She says many also have mental issues, but the charity she works with definitely focuses on the homeless veteran population, and apparently it’s pretty significant. Although, I have my doubts about the ones who use said status to get money.
JohnE.. For about the last 8months I’ve had the opportunity to volunteer here in Tucson Az. To find count and pass on info and offer resources to homeless Vet. At one time I thought crap it’s bad seeing all these signs around town asking for money and food.. Sad thing is out of 67 homeless vet I found. Not one of them way panhandling in fact the lady that I worked with told me very few panhandle that where OEF/OIF now she did state that Vietnam Vets that they knew of maybe 8 or so that you could be found asking for money.. She said its a bigger vet population. So I find it odd that I’m not seeing more asking for money on a street corner.. So all of these turds asking for money claming to be a vet that are not make all vets look like Shit. I support confrontation as long as it dose not cross the line as far as physical violence goes.
To state Vet population here in Tucson per 1980 vets outnumber the rest 3 to 1 and you see it at the VA here.
That would be pre not per Lol
Skippy, you’re right…those who aren’t who/what they say they are make the rest of us look bad. But we are called by many sources to help those in need. Sometimes that help maybe in the form or a swift kick in the ass, and sometimes a helping hand up. It is up to you as to which to administer…
Skippy, where do you volunteer? I just might know a couple people interested in helping out…
Tucson Az we being me and my wife also Donate to a program here that helps vets get off the streets gives them housing clothing and helps with getting them Jobs and helps with thier VA beni’s and other stuff. The sad thing is the resources are here but a lot of homeless vets don’t want help…
We must all remember no matter what it takes the Vet to want to do it to do it… So throwing stuff or giving money clothing and exc… Is useless if they don’t want the help
To help themselves that is
Your outrage is misdirected in this particular case. And any vet, even homeless, is going to be able to answer basic questions about their service, even if they don’t have ID on them.
And if you knew this group, you’d know that there’s more humanity in any two of them, than you’d find in most packed auditoriums. So READ a little, before you go flinging your arms around here.
That’s what I am saying Pinto…get a positive i.d on them, confirm first before you make an idiot or criminal of yourself.
BTW, I am not outraged in any way shape or form…just trying to remain objective.
No, you weren’t being objective, you were letting your heart get in front of your head. Objective would have been seeing that the man was wearing an Army uniform and flying a sign on a street corner. Objective would have recognized the incongruity of wearing a JROTC patch. Objective would have been wondering about the man running away from someone he should have been able to talk to and get help from if help is what he really wanted, instead of money.
You’re preaching to the choir here. And do us a favor, okay? Don’t cut and paste. Just put in a link. This is a blog, not a library, and I’d rather read what you think, and check out the statistics when I have the time and inclination.
Doubling down on what Pinto said.
I have seen very few homeless vets that have honorable discharges.
Just saying.
So, one is devoid of humanity if he publicly berates a lying sac-o-shit? Is that it? We are to feel compassion for the guy who grabs a used uniform out of a clothes donation bin and uses it to induce others to give him money? Is that it?
There is a wee bit of difference between a run-of-the-mill panhandler and one who presents himself in uniform or bearing a sign falsely claiming to be a Vet for the purpose of inducing people to give him money. The former reflects nothing but on himself while the latter reflects (falsely)on all of us. We are not a collection of unfortunate bums, drunks, druggies, and ne’er do wells, believe it or not, and no one ought to represent us to be.
No…not at all. But are you saying that there are no Vets out there with real problems? Are you denying that any Vet is homeless or dealing with mental/alcohol/substance abuse issues?
Guys (And girls…) all I am saying is that there is a problem out there, and we must acknowledge it before we go out and start arbitrarily beating asses.
Of course there are Veterans with genuine problems. And that means what, exactly, in terms of frauds attempting to part money from people by posing as Veterans?
There ya go again, JohnE, ascribing things which were not said either by the guy on the video or any of us. NO ONE has suggested “arbitrarily beating asses.” You saying it just doesn’t make it so.
Now, until your reading comprehensive improves, I’ll just assume that you are an emotional troll because you actually did not respond objectively and you lied about what was said. Additionally, you have no grasp of what any of us advocate, but I would not expect you to since you likely don’t know any of us, and have demonstrated the antithesis of having gleaned any knowledge about us from reading this blog and/or the comments contained therein.
I never ascribed anything to anyone, be they here or on the video. There are those who have suggested just going out and laying the smackdown on homeless folks, whether they be real of masquerading as Vets. I simply pointed out that it may be cooler to ascertain if the guy or gal is truly a Vet or not…if so, they are a brother in need of help and should get same.
Read back and find for yourself the comment suggesting throat stomping…that is what I have been referring to.
What exactly are you advocating? Doesn’t sound like you are getting in line to help anyone. And I think it is a safe assumption that not everyone thinks the same here…there are divergent opinions.
I’m looking for thoughts on how to prevent events such as the wanna-be on the corner wearing a BDU begging for money. Joe Average Citizen Jr has no idea BDU’s have gone the way of the 1505’s; so, a person wearing a uniform must be GI.
Mrs Dennis – not chevy recently took a bunch of old uniforms to the Sally Ann store. I asked if she took the patches and stripes off; she said she did until she got tired. I look forward to the day I see someone wearing one of my old shirts asking me for money.
I hate throwing the old uniforms away and I hate seeing wanna-be’s wearing them.
Is there anyway to give the old uniforms a new use?
One company that I know of works with old uniforms, and their clothing and accessories are pretty upscale. They’re called ‘Sword and Plough.’ Here’s the link:
http://www.swordandplough.com/
Thank you.
The proper way to dispose of uniforms is to cut them down to little pieces. Burn them if you can do so safely. Here in Fort Campbel we got special dumpsters just for uniforms, but outside, burn it!
Gal here takes them and makes book covers, purses, pillow cases, even baby swaddlers out of them…
This is my read:
Yeah, the panhandler is a scum bag!
Nah, you never chase down a retreating low life.
Rather, you say, “yo buddy, I need to speak to you”.
Get him to stop! Then commence the verbal bashing!
A voluntary encounter looks much better, we must create a witness friendly environment.
What I saw, in addition to a punk in uniform, was a large man pursuing a much smaller man while the smaller man retreated twice into the street.
The causual observer no doubt saw the larger man as an agressor.
Having said that and considering no one was hurt, GOOD JOB!
Precisely
Yea Hit Da Nail on Da Head ! ! ! !
Yup…
I saw one genius in camo’s with a sign begging money and “vetaran” under it. I didn’t know what to say
I was reading comments on some of the reporting sources about this story, and had to quit due to my blood pressure getting high after about the 50th person complaining about the “bully” and how he should leave the poor homeless guy alone.
At what point does common sense take over?
Saw another one of those “I was Special Forces” around here, looking like two bit bum staring at my hat in a store came up thanked me for serving then told me he was SF. Asked when and where, he waved his hand around in the air giving me the secret squirrel crap.
Told him was okay to talk about long gone missions, them were no longer classified and neither are his service records if one were so inclined to FOIA them. Asked what I did while I was in, told him “MP” and watched his face change expression and walked off to find his wife, no handshake, nothing.
Then, an off duty city cop here was standing a few feet away waltzed up, thanked me and said MP’s were pricks. We laughed about it, said he served with 4ID and went through the store looking for “SF”. He wanted to know more, lol.
The East/West Interstate-10 corridor is a major route for migrating posers. Many are what I would call professionals at the begging business. It’s been happening for at least 35 years that I know of. For several years way back then I would go out of my way to try and help some of them. That is, until I wised up after to many BS stories caught my attention big time. For a long time the exit ramps were full of so called homeless vets. Brought this to the attention of several other combat friends and active LEO. We decided to conduct surviellance on them by distance with binoculars. What we found was unbelievable. There was a RV with 4-5 male fakers parked a short distance from the exit and they were taking shifts panhandling. Trading out the signs and uniforms as they changed shifts. We actually determined they were averaging over $200-300/hr. They all knew where the local charities were for free food and/or shower and beddng was available. There were several rings of them working the Louisiana area. Previously LEO would just make them move on and they would pull up stakes and move to the next town and set up again until again told to move on. We confirmed this with several cities throughout the Louisiana area. Hell, one of the directors of the main local shelter claimed to be an “Area Vet”. We later got him too after an examination of their accounting practices. In culminating our investigation with video and other documentation they were jailed and convicted. Eventually they were let loose. Every few years they would do the same thing and we’d round them up again. It’s a very lucrative operation that still occurs off and on every few years. But now word has traveled within that band of grifters that Lafayette is not a place to set up shop anymore. And not one of the ones we’ve ever busted had any military background. Every once in a while there may be a single panhandler at a nearby exit but mostly now their signs just… Read more »