Staff Sergeant Justin Druskis and stolen valor
MrBill sends us a link to the Military Times in regards to this Staff Sergeant Justin Druskis fellow who was busted on Facebook for telling a Marine that he had a Purple Heart. The problem is that Staff Sergeant Druskis was in Air Force Officer Training School and now his commissioning is on hold while the investigation continues. The original content is at Guardian of Valor’s Facebook page (I won’t steal it).
It all started with a Facebook discussion where Druskis was conversing with Marine John Irwin wherein Druskis told Irwin that he couldn’t wear his Purple Heart for his commissioning because of some nebulous VA problem and Irwin offered to talk to his command about that. Eventually, Drukis came clean, but too late.
I’m not sure that I would have taken it that far – I probably would have called him out and threatened to tell his command about it if he didn’t stop. I’ve done that more times than any of you will ever know.
But, that’s me.
Category: Air Force, Phony soldiers, Valor Vultures
Atta boy, Justin. At least you exposed your asshattery before you got your commission.
A buddy of mine in the NANG rents an apartment at the complex where this douchenozzle worked. He said he had talked to him several times and knew he was foul of shit.
‘foul of shit’.
So he would be a shitbird then? 😀
Yeah, I’m a little torn on this one. If it were handled privately the kid might have learned his lesson and stopped for good. If he didn’t, of course, then definitely drop the hammer on him. Kind of like pre-trial diversion for a first offender: keep your nose clean and you’ll avoid a conviction. On the other hand, the guy’s about to get commissioned and he’s pulling this nonsense, even privately? Like I said, I’m torn.
I agree.
Have to disagree, MrBill. The guy was about to receive a commission. Better IMO that a propensity for stretching the truth/lying be brought to light now than when he’s finishing flight school a year from now (or after the USAF has spent mucho dinero on training him in some other officer AFSC).
He may well still end up getting a commission; that’s apparently on hold pending further investigation, not cancelled. But the USAF IMO deserves the opportunity to sort this out now so they can make a fully informed decision about the guy.
I would hope it would be cancelled. Integrity being a huge issue like it is, especially in the officer corps, to have a known liar/bullshitter getting a commission would be a slap in the face to not only every honorable officer, but every person this guy commands.
Personally, were I an enlisted subordinate and I knew he pulled this, well, the UCMJ only goes so far.
He’s been in since 2006. Some E-1 right out of basic might deserve a private “knock it off.” An NCO with nine years in, trying to get commissioned? Nah. He knew better.
I totally agree w the grunt. This is an E6 w 9 years in. He has passed his ‘probationary’ time.
An officer is assumed to act in a role model manner….
And of all the grunts, you are the drummest.
Snotcrow, one slight correction.
In the AF, a Staff Sergeant is an E-5 and a Technical Sergeant is an E-6.
I concur. This sounds like a situation where the Shitbird flushed itself out into the open, and if he’ll lie like this to get attention before being Commissioned, what kind of shit will he pull afterward? Sounds like this critter has some character flaws, and if he’s been lying about being a PH recipient there’s no telling what other kind of shit he’ll pull!
Back in my ROTC days, the CC had a rubber stamp that said simply “NOT IN MY AIR FORCE”. This situation warrants it 100%. Dude was an NCO looking to become an officer. The military already has plenty of O’s that are full of shit, and this is an easy way to keep one more from infiltrating the ranks. Plus at this point it’s been so public that it will follow him around for the rest of his career and no commander worth his salt will have confidence in his ability to be a leader. Just my $.02 though.
Yeah well, “the kid” has been in service nine years or so and is a Staff Sergeant. He was also selected to be an officer where, at least early on in an officer’s career, integrity carries weight. Yeah, I saw his pic and he does look transgendered, although I can’t tell which direction, but screw him. Tough shit and all of that.
I did not realize he had nine years of service.
My opinion just changed.
He actually didn’t have nine total years, he separated, got his degree than applied to be an officer. But still had enough time to know better…
Yep, nothing says being Officer material better than having nine years in and having no “personal” decorations higher than a single award of the AF Good Conduct Medal. No AF Achievement Medals, no AF Commendation Medals, etc.
But he does have a full four row “starter rack” and a good looking haircut, so he’s got that going for him.
But as you say he does appear to be quite PC, but perhaps a little TG direction impaired, so I’m sure he was at the top of his class both physically and academically.
My NAVY commissioned an AF E-5 non-rated security policeman (no schools, just guarded empty buildings) with 12 years AD as an O2. He showed up to OIS, in December, wearing whites with black shoes and O-3 shoulder boards.
Busted at first duty station for impersonating an O-5 Medical Corps officer. Retained as O2 for 8 years, allowed to retire at 20. Now an SES.
Guy still thinks a Boolean Loop is a way to tie your tie.
9 year E-5 in the Air Force with no personal decorations. Dipshit is written all over this guy.
Yep, this guy had the potential to be the Air Force version of the Army’s LTC(R) Royston Edward Potter who put in 28 years of combined active and reserve service and never received any personal decorations for that entire time.
But perhaps this young Officer Candidate nipped his run at the record by claiming a PH, if so Potter’s name will remain at the top of the list for “Greatest Non-Accomplishments During a Military Career.”
But if the AF does indeed go ahead and commission him, he could still make a deep run with only 19 years to go.
Nah. He’d need to have 3 simultaneous wives for that. (smile)
I just looked at his pic and yeah, he DOES look a little “light in the loafers” if ya knowhutimean!
Someone commented about this subject:
“This guy looks like a lesbian”.
Yes he does!
I ask you, how does this garbage even come out of their mouths in the first place? Take my situation, for example. Sure, I work in a hospital. But somebody please tell me the mental leap I would have to make to start telling people I was a Vascular Surgeon at the Mayo Clinic — or something equally absurd? The closest I’ve ever come to doing any kind of a surgical procedure was when I removed my dog’s stitches after she was spayed! So how does someone claim a Purple Heart they never earned?!
I swear that sometimes I think there is something in the water somewhere.
Assclown fucked up… if someone has the balls, they would not commission him and let military justice handle it. But, with the climate in the military now, it will be one of those “he was misunderstood” moments and they’ll commission him.
I agree. These times are the downfall of the military as we know it.
Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s any offense here under the UCMJ. He’s not yet an officer, so he can’t be prosecuted for “conduct unbecoming”. Unless he actually wore the decoration on his uniform or falsely certified his ERB, IMO he’s probably clear.
Lying is not acceptable, but outside of official reporting it’s generally not criminal. If this happened in a private conversation or Internet exchange, my guess is he’s legally in the clear.
Hopefully someone in the chain that has to approve his commission will see this, investigate more fully, and then do the right thing.
Anyone who falsely claims the PH need should be forced to go to Walter Reed and apologize to all the men and women there that actually earned it.
When I first PCS’ed to The Old Guard I volunteered to deliver care packages to Walter Reed for a charity organization (I guess they couldn’t be mailed unless they were for a specific patient). I ended up passing some amputees the first time I went there. It was a damned sobering experience walking down the hall in my buck SGT Class A uniform and sporting a CIB while greeting PFCs in wheelchairs who were missing limbs. The Purple Heart is a medal that no one (in their right mind) wants, but that holds more meaning than almost any other.
Once more- AGAIN- Stay Offa Facebook and that other “social media”. Leave it for the teenage girls. And remember what Abe Lincoln said- “Don’t believe anything you read on the internet”.
I may have read that this just wasn’t a facebook one-time issue. The guy was apparently telling a shit-ton of people in his classes the same story.
As an old retired flightline SNCO if that is his official photo it amazes me that he does not even have an AFAM and is not wearing any qualification badge which is also unusual. How could a SSgt like this get a package through the selection boards? With no notable achievements like a AFAM or AFCM after nine years is ridiculous.
Years ago I had two of my Airmen get through the process, one we managed to get one on the Thunderbirds which in itself was a ridiculous process since he was a primary F-15 avionics tech, but while there finished his degree off to OTS and went on to fly F-16’S. The other we got through the SOAR process and he finished up with ROTC at Embry Riddle, he’s now Major flying tankers.
This guy is obviously a shit bird and should be sent back to the ranks without delay. Hopefully there are still crusty SNCO out there that can help him out.
Billmill, I don’t think that’s an official photo. There is no flag posted in the background and the lighting is all wrong.
The photo looks to me like him and one of his identity impaired “bros” were playing dress up in the bedroom and ended up taking selfies of each other.
Who the hell in their right mind would want a PH? I’m glad I don’t have one. That would mean I got shot, blown up, or was dead. All these shit heads want the glory without the story. Fuck ’em!