Gabriel Umila; homeless phony SEAL
A few weeks ago the Indiana News and Tribune wrote an article about homelessness in the area and they featured “Navy SEAL” Gabriel Umira in the article who claimed that he served in Desert Storm;
Well, of course, Mr. Umila wasn’t a Navy SEAL, but he was in the Navy. According to the DD214 that the Personnel Records Center sent, he actually left the Navy for the Navy Reserve a few weeks before Desert Shield began in August 1990. His records show that he reenlisted in 1992 and served honorably again until 2000, so Desert Storm was the only period that he didn’t serve in the Navy.
I hate to kick a veteran when he’s down, but then, he shouldn’t be lying about his service to get some attention from the media.
Category: Phony soldiers, Valor Vultures
I’m thinking a certain well-known retired SCPO would love to have a little chat with this guy.
And since both VA and IN both appear to be one-party consent states regarding recording phone calls . . . .
Way to flush your Honorable service down the crapper with lies digging for sympathy.
Are you sure HE said it, and that the “reporter” didn’t just Make Shit Up to enhance the story?
The reporter’s email address is in the article. Perhaps you could email her and ask that question, and tell us what she says?
I read (well, scanned) the article and did not get the impression that this Vet is the run-of-the-mill bullshitter using his actual or fictitious service as a crutch. I saw a single reference to SEAL and it was rather buried, but maybe I missed others. My personal jury is still mulling this over in the jury room…
The DD-214 is not his ‘final DD-214’. It was completed in 1990 then he had service after. I didn’t see BUD/S or anything listed that would lead me to believe he had advance training, but there are some gaps that make me wonder. Senior Chief would be able to answer the SEAL question, anyone forward this to him?
TheChief: that may well be the only DD214 the man ever received. I’d guess it is.
From his record of assignments, it appears that pretty much all of his service after 1990 was USNR service at shore duty stations. That would either have been full-time TAR service (active duty in the USNR) or service as a drilling reservist. The fact that most entries are for ADT or IDT indicates it was almost certainly the latter. If his post-1990 service was as a drilling reservist, his USNR service after 1990 was not extended active duty and he wouldn’t get a DD214 on discharge.
As you note, there’s no listing on his page 3 indicating assignment to Coronado for training. It’s also not listed on the 118 page that lists his training – and there is room for it to be listed.
Bottom line: there’s no indication in his records this guy ever attended BUD/S. He didn’t complete BUD/S during the period 1986-1990, or it would be on his DD214. And, frankly, if he was a drilling reservist after 1990 I seriously doubt he’d have even had the opportunity to attend BUD/S in that status.
Id like to hear where the SEAL reference came from. One blurb by the reporter. I see that in the Navy he went to Alcohol rehab.
I dont want to kick a Vet when he is down, based on a slip[ of what a reporter says.
That was not Rehab.
It was ADSAP … Alcohol Something Safety Action Program. Almost every drinker went to it in the 80’s when weed was out and drinking was in!
It was a no fault cautionary course.
Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program (ADSAP).
Master Chief:
Might be NADSAP, which is basically drug and alcohol awareness training back in the day. Definitely not CAC or Level 2/3.
Got off AD as an E-3, made E-4 in the reserves. Not stellar, but at least honorable.
Way for him to piss on it, though.
I went to NADSAP at my first duty station. Not because of any alcohol or drugs incident, but because the CO said that all newly reporting junior sailors WILL go through it if they want on-base driving privileges.
I was his neighbor and the dude talks about him being a ‘SEAL’ every fucking day. He tells everyone about it. Not only that but he talks about his time in Desert Storm. But don’t worry he’s not homeless any more he stays at the apartments back in Shively right pass the overpass.
He is an alright dude though. It’s just annoying him lying all the time. I used to live in the same apartment building as him and I thought about showing this article to everyone but I don’t want to do that to anyone. That would really ruin his reputation and I’m not an asshole. Besides I don’t think he’s really hurting anyone saying he’s a SEAL or not. It never changed my opinion of him really.
And it’s not like he can use it for a job.
way to go Flush it all down the toilet…
Appears that this feller was your run-of-the-mill undesignated Deck Seaman that got advanced to BM3. No special schooling and as mentioned by others, absolutely no mention of BUD/S or amphib base/Coronado.
I wonder why………..
I have a fellow CPO brother that I served with at my last duty station that used to drill with the Emory S. Land unit in the ‘Ville during that timeframe – reaching out to him as I type this for more info on this guy.
He was a BM1.
What I find interesting is that he was discharged just shy of of 17 years of service.
OK, I see BM2 in his records. But maybe I’m missing something. Where are you seeing/getting BM1?
Disregard – found it. You’re correct.
As far as rank is concerned, I was referencing his rank when he separated from AD.
I thought I recognized the last name. I checked with my office manager, seems I have some of his family members on my payroll.
One of them is a rather exceptional employee. I will find out about this guy.
Dude is one of them “sekrit nekkid combat swimmers” that nobody knows about…sooper squeals.
Flushing honorable service down the crapper…
“Secret Naked Combat Swimmer”? I thought it was “Secret Naked Combat Warrior”. You will find about my mistake tomorrow. Or, maybe you won’t, if Jonn does not feel that my submission is worthy of the Open Thread.
First and foremost, My Dad was a very respectable man, who came over from the Philippines and went into the US Navy, he was in the Navy for 20 years retired Master Chief, second, my Dad then received his Bachelor’s Degree followed by his Master’s Degree at Miami of Ohio! And then wrote a book called Trials and Tribulations by Gabriel Umila, DO NOT get these two people mixed up, this is my brother and he is not and has never been in the Navy Seals! How dare him say and disrespect my Dad’s name! I own my own business in Louisville, Kentucky and I do not appreciate the fact that my brother has 5 children, 4 of which he does not see and one that he just had a couple years ago, I believe! This man is 48 years old and has two healthy arms and legs like everyone else! Quit living off the system! Thank You
As I thought, this man comes from a good family. From what I have been told most of them do not have much to do with him.
Not a SEAL but did serve in the Navy. He followed in his fathers foot steps for a while. His father was an exceptional man with an exceptional story.
I sat down and talked with some of his family at one of my restaurants today. They are great people and I am proud to know them.
This piece of shit seems to have thrown most of his life away on drugs and alcohol. Nobody seems to remember him saying he was a Navy SEAL but it wouldn’t surprise them if he did.
If the man is even really homeless it is because he chooses to be. His father was a fine example of living the American Dream. Shit for brains here has dedicated his life to pissing all over it.
Drug use (and p!ssing hot as a result, or civilian legal troubles that impacted his USNR participation) could indeed explain being discharged as an E6 a few months short of 17 years total service.
Thanks for the update, DH.
That would certainly do it. I personally saw this happen to several senior petty officers when I was serving as a CMAA during my USNR days.
I’ve seen Army NCOs flush their careers down the shitpipes via pissing hot while on AD and in the NG, neither one plays around with that shit anymore, they didn’t screw around with that in the nineties either!
Yeah, I figured that this was going there. Drugs and alcohol have destroyed many a person and hurt many a family. The worse the problem, the more the problems mount, and a once promising life is down the tubes. Family. Home. Job. Freedom. And, finally, life itself. All gone. Not starting is always the best way but millions have stopped, usually with help. In a drugged or drunken stupor, he probably claimed all sorts of stuff. I wish him well.
Sad to see guys like this get “press” for the wrong reasons. So heres to all you guys and gals who served, did their jobs, either ETSed or retired. Raised a family and became productive members of society.
This guy used to be my neighbor and you know why I even found this page? Because he said he was a seal EVERY fucking day. Plus he’d go into his tour in Desert Storm all the time. Plus I guess he’s been to Greneda and all that. It’s funny that he had uninterrupted service up until the Gulf War.
But to be honest besides the lies he is an alright dude. I just wish he’d stop lying, you aint gotta lie to be cool man!