Ernest Henry Walker goes to Chili’s on Veterans’ Day
You probably remember the story of the Chili’s manager who took away the free Veterans’ Day meal from a guy he thought was pretending to be a veteran, Ernest Henry Walker. We’ve withheld comment until we could verify Walker’s service – it turns out that he is a veteran with more than two years of service with the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii, 1986 – 1988.
I thought it was a dick move from the manager to take the meal away from him anyway – maybe he could have charged the man for the meal if he had real doubts about his service. From KTLA;
The Army veteran, who was with his service dog and wearing fatigues, wrote that the meal was taken away after another diner questioned the uniform Walker was wearing.
The restaurant manager approached Walker and said a customer had said Walker was “not a real soldier because he had his hat on indoors.”
Walker showed the manager his military identification and discharge papers, but the meal was still taken away.
Walker said he bought the fatigues he was wearing after he was discharged as a tribute to his service.
There were a couple of assholes in that restaurant that day and neither were Walker.
Category: Who knows
I won’t boycott Chili’s, because it’s the manager at fault, not the restaurant chain.
Not that I eat there very often anyway, but I concur. Same as with the Pepsico CEO supporting hillary. For one thing boycotting Pepsi or Coca-Cola 100% would restrict so much of what people consume it is ridiculous.
Let alone, boycotting wouldn’t really hurt the CEO, it would only hurt the employees. At most the CEO takes their golden parachute and goes home. Same with grubhub.com and their dumbass CEO who’s getting some serious censure because of his anti-trump tantrum.
I think the only thing I consistently boycott is Jane Fonda. I don’t watch movies with her in them, etc.
Why boycott anything?
This guys got a picture in Navy uniform. Isn’t that stolen valor?
Showing pictures of your family members that also proudly served in the military is now Stolen Valor?
Vic, Perhaps Yef was being facetious, I could be wrong though.
I doubt that he’s clever enough to be facetious. In my short time here all his posts have come off as the ramblings of unmedicated mental patient. I could be wrong though.
“….the ramblings of unmedicated mental patient.”
muhahahaha!
Service dog? Hit in the head with an IEP in Hawaii? For the non-Veterans, an IEP is an Improvised Explosive Pieapple. E2 over 2+? What did he get the free meal for, good intentions?
Last time I was in Hawaii, the girls on the were very nice. No service dog required.
. . . on the beach. . .
Last time I was in Hawaii the drinks could not come fast enough as we waited for the bird to refuel. Next stop Cam Ranh Bay.
Good intentions? HA
To think you deserve any special treatment for serving 2 years during peacetime in Hawaii is ludicrous.
And if his discharge was dishonorable or OTH then his is entitled to NOTHING. Not even and free cheeseburger.
There is a redaction in his duty assignments sheet right after discharge. Wonder what it said…
And why 4 different companies in the same duty station over a short 2 year period? Does that make sense? And why under “Court Martial Transcript” is says “not in file” vs. “not applicable”?
He is still a veteran, but he was probably a problem child. I wish I had fiver for every time we had someone show up in the five different rifle companies I served in on AD who was a disciplinary transfer from the last unit where he dickstepped. I don’t know about the late 80’s, but in the late sixties through the 70’s it was Army AG policy to reassign people who were disciplinary problems to new units until they finally effed up sufficiently for a general discharge for the good of the service.
Commonly referred to as “passing the trash”. The only problem is that some command may pass a bigger bag of trash to you.
Why does he have two pictues one in a Navy uniform and one in Army?
Those are various family members.
I just googled that dude and he is full of shit.
He claims he was wearing his old uniform, ACU, which is bold faced lie because he served before ACUs.
His dog is called Barack…
“Chili’s is apologizing for what happened next.
As Walker tells it, an elderly white man wearing a Donald Trump shirt approached him and said that he was in Germany and that blacks weren’t allowed to serve there. Walker, who is black, says he was wearing his old Army uniform. ”
Trump shirt my ass. I don’t believe a word out of his mouth. And the Chili manager got fired over this crap. I hope he sues.
Linky:
https://www.sott.net/article/333903-Chilis-removes-Cedar-Hill-manager-who-took-away-mans-free-Veterans-Day-meal-despite-being-shown-military-I-D-and-discharge-papers
I’ll boycott Chilis. Why? Because they give free meals to just anyone. Actually, I hate Mex food. Reminds me of Mexico.
A few months ago Hack Stone went to Uncle Julio’s in Woodbridge VA. Up to that point, Hack never heard of them. He order the chicken and bacon fajitas. Verdict? Friggin’ awesome!!! Best fajitas that he ever had, and probably in the top five meals that he ate in a restaurant.
Thanks for the tip – didn’t know we had one in town – but then I generally stay away from Potomac Town Center as the wife tends to spend a little too freely for my income…
The first time that I went into Wegman’s, I was extremely impressed. That assessment was based on their beer selection.
Hack is apparently in my AOR… Unca J’s in Woodbridge, huh? Never been there. Sounds delish. Which Weggy’s? Up there or a bit South? Both very nice. Jonn et all are cleared hot to provide Mr. Hack my PM. Maybe a lunch or some range time. I work somewhere in the middle.
When that miscreant Seavey makes a guest appearance in the National Capitol Region, we usually arrange a meeting in Old Town Alexandria to hold a Beerathon to help raise awareness of missing and exploited female executives of proud woman owned businesses selling overpriced outdated software to the government. I could make it down to the Potomac Mills area on occasion. My lovely bride could stimulate the economy by buying me clothes on sale at 75% off, despite me having no need for said clothes and they not fitting me. I know of at least one other frequent TAH commenter that is within small arms range of Woodbridge.
Uncle Julio’s is one of Junior’s go to places.
Thanks in advance for my upcoming lunch or dinner destination. Have to go TDY to the five sided daycare center next month.
Stonebridge baby! haha right where I live. Yet to go to Uncle Julios, did go to Brixx though. Seem to love veterans in that place.
Golly Vern, I eat Chili’s cheeseburgers and the best turkey sandwich in the world…..I didn’t know those were mexican!! 😉
A service dog after duty in Hawaii? I’m sure it was tough duty.
Better believe it was.
Tape delayed football, having to dive off Electric Beach in a rip, the Tarzan yell/bikini contests every Sunday at the Shorebird…pure hell, I’m telling you.
We either got up at 5-6am for NFL football or we did without!
It must have been four companies in two years and only an E-2, met a few like that. I spent three years in the 25th in the same company and platoon and went from E-1 to E-2 (twice) then eventually to E-5 and never got a dog. Did buy a couple though.
Why would somebody get passed around from company to company like that? Problem child? Yet you say you were a bit of a “problem child” but still stayed in one company for 3 years…
I’m curious I was never infantry (signal) so not sure how that works.
Were there no shitbags in signal?
If they offer free meals to vets and the guy showed ID and paperwork what the fuck?
So the guy was wearing dicked up old fatigues? Half the fucking morons I see riding motorcycles here in the Baystate are wearing some dicked up conglomeration of vests, camo, whatever…
Simple rule, if you have the ID you get the meal. I don’t care if his service was only a couple of years and he was an E2…the restaurant doesn’t state you have to be a super stellar god send of a trooper to get the food…just an ID….
Fortunately I don’t give a flying fuck about what any restaurant or car dealer or any other asshole wants to give me as a discount for my service and the last fucking thing I’m ever going to do in a restaurant is fuck up somebody else’s day by being a prick about their uniform after their service is obviously long over with…
I’m not certain I’ve ever even been in a Chili’s restaurant, it’s mostly pub food from a chain so it has very little appeal for me….if I’m dropping money on restaurant food I’m getting something a bit more than industrial quality ribs from a chain outfit….but they made their rules and the manager ought to take this hit for being a fucktard when it was unnecessary and apparently incorrect as the man served and had his papers.
I love how he took another person’s word over this guy’s own documentation, that’s a termination level offense for me, the company made the rules. They didn’t tell managers to take it upon themselves and deny meals if people had appropriate paperwork. Gross insubordination at the managerial level is usually not well tolerated.
How do you know any of Walker’s story is true?
Who says he took another diner’s word over his documents? If his documents looked anything like the ones published here, I would have been pretty suspect.
Another lady who was in the restaurant and posted on Facebook which she has since removed that she saw the man walk in (wearing full military cammo from hat to boots), sit down and when asked for his proof of military service he told the waitress that he had none.
It was only then that other diners told the waitress who told the manager that they thought the man was scamming them because his “uniform” was not even close to “regulation”. The story goes that it was only then that he pulled out his paperwork. There was never any “old white man in a Trump shirt. That is a fabrication.
If I were the manager I’d be pretty angry if someone said they had not ID, I served them anyway and when some other people told me I may have served a scammer, THEN you pull out your ID. I fault the manager for not smelling a scam immediately, and just walking away. I think that’s what he tried to do, but taking that go box, on video just played right into Walker’s trap.
Just working with what was in the link provided which mentions nothing of what you bring up.
My comments are based on the posted link that was provided…no doubt as with all things there will be more information released later at which time a more appropriate response may or may not be in order.
I based my comments on the idea that what was reported in the article was the manager being removed for taking back the food in violation of the company policy.
If there were additional information in that article making the claims you bring up my comments would normally be tempered accordingly as there was nothing in the article suggesting the company believed the veteran to be the cause of the dustup it’s easy to believe there was enough there that the manager made more of it than he should have….
I’m with you here. No such thing as bad publicity? I doubt Chili’s is reveling over this. On a practical level this is just so wrong. If a customer really felt it necessary and indeed responsible to dime-out another’s vet cred based on his delivering an “UNSAT” from an unannounced inspection I do hope, at least from his perspective, that honor was restored. Look, the meal offer is a nice gesture. I guess. Whatever it is, I’m not sure that I see benefit in confronting someone so publicly in that manner is good for anyone. Seriously, if one person follows through with a boycott pledge where does that leave you? You know, I have a problem with the premise that a Chili’s manager or the assistant manager at Conoco is granted some arbitrary power to establish my or anyone else’s legitimacy as a veteran. An ID is straight forward enough but what about, say, a 214? Civilians can’t read or interpret it. It’s true. After all, didn’t soon to be ex-SecNav Mabus just tell everyone that? Yeah, too bad he can’t be discharged with a character of service that would require him to appeal for review. Yet, being unable to produce any mitigating evidence. Not even an letter of reference from Code Pink. Yeah, off track. Anyway, Chili’s. I detest fraud but trying to weed it out this way really seems counter productive. Rude, beligerent behavior on a customers part isn’t okay? Ask them to leave. Suspect criminality? Call the cops. I’ve been hearing a mantra lately – “See something, Say Something.” I am aware that that some potentially deadly events have been prevented by people being aware and speaking up. Still, I can’t help but offer my unscientific observation that even a perceived affront can be lethal these days. A reflection of the atmosphere I guess. A suspicious back pack is one thing but improper wearing of a cover just doesn’t seem as threatening. On balance and all, ya know? Was it, is it, worth it? I can’t believe that the restaurant’s financial stability necessitates such scrutiny. So, yeah.… Read more »
The meal offering IS a nice gesture, and nice of them to remember Veterans, but crap like this and the bad publicity is liable to cause them to stop, so veterans are out of luck because of a bullshyt session?
I would certainly discontinue offering free meals to veterans. Obviously the publicity isn’t working. I had no idea that so many restaurants offer free meals on Veterans day, and I’ve been a veteran for 30-years, (much like our friend Mr. Walker).
Rusty, you must be that guy who made that ludicrous post on fb.
bingo
Just someone who has researched every aspect of the incident and doesn’t believe everything he reads on the internets.
How is this “ludicrous”…?
How do you know it ISN’T?
You get a service dog, you get a service done, everyone gets a service dog!
Sorry he had his meal taken from him, dicks move on the managers part. 2 years, an e2…gonna shut up now.
I’m making no assumptions on the service dog as it’s not clear why he has one….maybe it’s for a non-service related issue….I think too many people have service dogs these days that provide a service of being a friendly face….it used to be obvious with a white cane and red tip what your dog did for you. Now with the ADA every numbnuts with shaky hands can get a dog to calm him down and help not piss himself in public…and oh boy don’t you dare question me as to what my disability is that requires a service dog or the ADA lawyer patrol will fuck you up…
I like the idea that we have the ADA to make public spaces more accessible but as with all things governmental the implementation gets fucking stupid after a while.
It really doesn’t help your claim of being a veteran when you actually BUY ACUs as a tribute to service. If he wore BDUs or DCUs or even multi-cam that’d be more plausible. And 2 years in Hawaii and needs a service dog?
There are those thinking his display was one to gain attention and the circumstantial evidence really doesn’t help. (service dog, ACUs, etc) But at the end of the day, he’s a veteran and did serve. At most, it would cost Chili’s one meal, instead it cost them a lot more in lawyer fees, bad publicity, etc.
The people claiming it was a black thing are just as stupid as the assholes in the restaurant who caused this scene.
Jump to conclusions much?
Research Ernest “Blackbatman” Walker to see this Social Warrior’s activities.
Link us up, please.
http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2016/07/19/black-lives-matter-take-page-mlk-respectful-effective
Let’s, as they say, “cool our jets.” This whole incident is “much adoo….” There were probably thousands of posers who rec’d free meals this 11/11 without incident. Most of us went into restaurants with nothing more than an “I was there” hat, and we were served our free meal without any request for proof. This loser was just looking for a free meal; they should have let him have it. The manager is an idiot for taking away his meal, and the vet is a whiner for going to the media. If it had been most of us here that experienced this treatment, I like to think we would have had a few choice words with the manager and gone to another restaurant.
Well, you have to admit, being in Hawaii is very stressful, I mean the beautiful weather, the gorgeous colors, the clear waters, drive a man to drink every time LOL
He was in my old unit, C CO, 1/27, a few years before I was there. Two years and two months of active duty is not a normal term of service so I wonder what happened. Agree that it was a total dick move for the restaurant manager to take his meal away from him, after he showed proper documentation.
Actually, I don’t see anywhere in that video where he “shows proper documentation”… He shows some documents to the manager, and the manager refuses to look at them (why? what did walker do that makes the manager think that his documents are either irrelevant or false?). He screams loudly in the video that the manager has already seen them which the manager denies.
There’s a lot more to this story than Mr. Walker’s version of events, I can assure you.
Back to his term of service…I too wonder what happened. Notice on the document published here under “Court Marshal Transcript” it does not say “N/A” it says “Not in File”. Do all such documents say that, or just those that actually stood court marshal. If he stood court Marshal, and was dishonorably discharged, he may have “served” but legally is not a “veteran”. There is also that one redaction in the last entry which may indicate the nature of his discharge, again if he was dishonorably discharged he cannot claim to be a veteran and he should face fraud charges…IF…only if..
And why does he serve in 4 different companies during his short 2-year enlistment? Is that normal for infantrymen? I did a 2-year tour in Germany in the mid-80’s in the signal corps. I went to Basic, AIT, my unit and then back home.
Does all that moving around mean that he was a troublemaker that Company Commanders kept trying to get rid of? I’m asking I don’t know…
See my reply at 6:52 pm above. And as a former Company Commander, the answer is yes. Frequently when you have a problem child and someone in the S-1 shop does not want to do the paperwork for a court martial, the powers that be decide to solve the problem by making that soldier another company commander’s problem. I think they called it a rehab transfer. I rec’d more than one of these types of soldiers in RVN. The last one I dealt with told me, “I am not stayin on dis motherf–ckin’ firebase.” I gave him the option of walking out of the perimeter wire and back to the division base camp (An Khe was about 100+ miles away) and I would let him stay in the rear where he could get his drugs. Too bad he didn’t take my offer; it would have avoided the court martial he later received. Of course had he obliged, he would have had his next meal with the VC or the NVA.
S-1 has nothing to do with paperwork for a court-martial. The legal shop, on the other hand, is the one that processes it. Even then, they take their direction from the commander.
The S-1 shop with 2-7 Inf in 88 had a Legal clerk that processed all sorts of stuff. There was paperwork to be done at Battalion level for a court. No idea what the particulars are, but I clearly recall PV2 S bitching about having to do extra paper on dirtbags facing a CM.
Battalions may still be authorized a paralegal on MTOE, but they are typically consolidated at a brigade level legal section, a la cooks for a consolidated DFAC. It’s been this way for more than 10 years, but you are correct that they were in the S-1 before that.
I don’t claim to know all the details of what an S-1 shop does now, but back in the relevant time period, they were responsible for personnel matters within an infantry battalion. And battalion officers were responsible for preferring special court martial charges. I ought to know, since I had to write them up on several occasions as a rifle company XO. I also served as trial & defense counsel in a couple of them. We also frequently had 1st Brigade HQ transfer problem children from the 1st Bn/509th Inf to my 2nd Bn/509th Inf as a disciplinary solution. Of course a general court martial was a different kettle of fish.
Bowe Berghdal’s grandfather?
Not likely; from the looks and demeanor of Berghdal’s daddy at his Rose Garden performance and media interviews, if any of Bergy’s ancestors actually served, they were definitely legs and REMFs. The 1st Bde/8th ID was airborne back then, along with all its supporting units.
After re-reading my comment and your reply, I now see you are referring to the rehab transfer who didn’t have the guts to walk off the firebase in RVN. Very clever analogy SFC D, but the guy in question was of the darker persuasion and he is probably in his 60’s now and a BLM supporter. He undoubtedly has the PTSD from all that combat he never experienced and now claims he was a POW. But Walker could definitely be his son.
The thought has struck me, I’m ashamed to say, that I could dress up in a rag-tag bag o’ass uniform next Veteran’s Day and try and get a restaurant employee to question my service.
Who knows? Maybe I’ll get to eat at Applebee’s free for the rest of my life if there’s a dust up. Does this make me a bad person?
Next year, it may look like the Veteran’s Zombie Apocalypse and everybody will be creating a scene.
Seriously, he shouldn’t have been disrespected like that. Screen the paperwork BEFORE the order and don’t question afterwards.
Word on the street is that BEFORE he ordered he told them he did not have any paperwork and expected them to just “trust” his uniform; which they did. When someone questioned his uniform only then did he produce the “paperwork” but still only after causing a scene and being asked to leave.
This is the story a lady from Cedar Hill posted on her Facebook page who says she was there at the restaurant and “claimed” to have been the one to point out the bobo uniform to the manager. She says the “old man in a Trump shirt” is a complete fabrication.
Aha….a chili’s full of liberal dumocraps, this guy had a Trump shirt, that will do you in every time LOL!!
In a word, yes. That would make you a bad person, aka an agent provocateur.
He showed the manager his military identification and discharge papers.
What identification?? I’m curious. I spent over 24 years total (active, reserve and inactive – not retired) and was provided with no identification other than a DD214
You are retired and do not have a military ID card? How about a VA ID?
I assumed he meant the standard ID card we were issued in our first week of service, I still have my ID card with a sun faded black and white photo of a very young VOV dating back to the 70s….along with a DD214.
“What identification??”
That’s easy. Radio Shack Battery of the Month Veteran’s Discount Card.
I got mine in my retirement packet at Fort Carson in 1991. What happened to yours?
Smile.
Was Daniel Bernath at the last Radio Shack Battery Of The Month Club Convention in South Temaqua Pennsylvania, or did he do a no-show due to fuel issues?
Here in California you can now get an optional,”Veteran Designation” on your drivers license.
You get your Veteran status verified at a County Veteran Service Office with a Veteran Status Verification Form and present it to the DMV.
They issue a new license with, “Veteran”, on it.
It’s in a plain black font with no color or flash unlike some other states.
Of course, to get any freebies or benefits from it, people would have to be aware of a Veterans Designation on a license and what it represents.
I asked someone from the California State Veterans Service Office (or whatever they call themselves) why can’t we just show our DD Form 214 at the DMV; where does one find the time to go to two offices (the County VSO and the DMV); and why, if it’s such a benefit for veterans, do we have to pay extra to have “Veteran” on the driver’s license. I asked if it was a sneaky way for the State to collect more money.
The response, “glaring and crickets”
Here in Texas we also have the veterans ID on the drivers license.
Just found out that we have it too in my State. You just take your DD214 to the license office and they add the “Veteran” designation on the front. It’s free if you are renewing, but they charge normal “license replacement” fee if you are just “adding” the designation. It’s only been since 2013 that they do this.
Medical retirement? He’d rate a DD Form 2 and a VA card.
Just speculating.
JSF
As I have noted in other posts, we only have Ernest “Blackbatman” Walker’s version of the story. Veteran or not, if the guy was acting like a loud obnoxious moron with some sort of racist agenda chip on his shoulder, I would have happily helped the manager toss his sorry behind out on the sidewalk. It could very well be that the manager did not handle the situation very well and that Walker’s version of the story is 100% accurate… but given Walker’s BLM activism, the video he posted, the lack of any other witness versions in the media, and some of the details he has given (why the photo of someone in a Navy uniform and the various versions of the uniform he is seen to be wearing?), and the supposed service dog that is “registered” to Ernest and Debbie Walker (service dogs are individually trained for individuals–not for multiple persons). I have serious doubts that his story is 100% accurate.
Being a veteran means that we deserve respect for out service to our nation–it does not mean that we have a blank check to be assholes for racial, political, or any other reason–and then play the victim card.
BLM activist or not the restaurant made the rules up, the manager was removed from his duties and placed on administrative leave for denying the meal.
If Mr. Walker had been disruptive and the manager removed him for being disruptive that would be an entirely different matter and I suspect both the manager and the restaurant chain would note that along with the testimony of other clients at the restaurant confirming that disruption. At this time neither the Chili’s manager, their lawyers, or the senior corporate managers have suggested that Mr. Walker was being a disruptive presence in the restaurant.
I saw the video as well and I saw a guy asking the manager did he show his ID or not and I saw the manager questioning the nature of the service dog…which is not allowed. There is no requirement in the ADA for anyone to have to answer questions beyond stating that they have a service dog.
Perhaps you are gracious when people are telling you that you are a liar in a public place, I would tend to react a bit more like Mr. Walker and ask the little twerp why he thinks I’m a liar since I’ve complied with the company rules and I might be rather loud about it as well. If he’s making me uncomfortable it’s only fair that I make him and everyone else in the business uncomfortable so we all know what kind of restaurant and managerial staff we are dealing with.
I’m from Texas.
Calling a man a liar – especially after he has presented evidence of his truthfulness – is a good way to get an educational beatdown.
“There is no requirement in the ADA for anyone to have to answer questions beyond stating that they have a service dog.” Ah, the Scooby Doo rights. Scooby Doo v. Arizona (1996)…..
“You have the right to remain silent and so does your dog. Anything you or your dog says can and will be used against you. You do not have the right to an attorney and neither does your dog.”
Hear Hear!!!
Yeah, sorry John, but fuck this guy.
First, did he earn a combat patch? Because he’s wearing the 25th ID pineapple on his right sleeve. I see that he has an Overseas Service Ribbon, but I see nothing that would justify wearing a combat patch. Don’t you get the OSR for Hawaii, anyway?
Second, why does he have ACUs??? If some new uniform comes out in 2050, I will not go out and buy it to wear around town. So I don’t know why this guy is wearing some shit that came into use a decade or two after he ETS’ed.
He might be mental. He might be some super SJW who plays the race card about everything. Don’t know, don’t care. What I do know is that he’s a shitbag douche.
Yep.
Sounds like a set up.
The inclusion of a video and lawyer basically confirm it.
Fucking soup sandwich looking for free shit.
I thought so, too. Mostly when I read this from the original story:
“As Walker tells it, an elderly white man wearing a Donald Trump shirt approached him and said that he was in Germany and that blacks weren’t allowed to serve there.”
All I had to see was “elderly white man wearing a Donald Trump shirt” and I knew this was SJW hijinks. The fact that the manager was an ass to him only made sure it was going to be picked up by the media. The manager should not have done this, clearly, but I would bet dollars to donuts the evil Trump shirted racist didn’t exist.
The elderly man would have had to have been in WWII for him to have THOUGHT there were not blacks in Europe (of course there were). In any case, why an evil Trump shirted racist would think there wouldn’t be blacks serving at a time when Mr. Walker would have been of military age is beyond credulity.
Man, this is smelling more and more.
I don’t know of any WWII vets in the European Theater that think blacks did not serve there.
My father would tell of a unit of tank-killers that helped them out a lot of the time he was with the 103rd. They tank-killers were a black unit, and my father’s group was always glad to see them.
Years later, I learned that one of the men in my home church was one of the men in the tank-killers. He’d helped out my father’s unit, and they only met later in church.
Yeah, this story is not passing the smell test now.
It is possible this guy had a medical issue that cut short his military career. Lets say it is bad eye sight. ( I don’t know for sure.) This would explain the lack of promotion, the discharge and the service dog. It may also explain why he didn’t remove his hat. Once he takes it off he may forget it as he would be unable to see where it is.
On the other hand this guy could just be pretending to have bad eye sight. That would also explain the discharge the dog and the odd behavior. Who knows?
Lots of comments across the spectrum with this.
Yeah, the dog. The venue. The brief hitch as an 11B. I don’t know what to think except that a person should never have food taken from them in front of others, no matter what the gripe.
Indeed I’m thinking when all is said and done this is going to be a classic case of everybody could have gone for being the best version of themselves instead of the worst version….the dude who told the manager he thought Mr. Walker was a fake(he could have just minded his own fucking business ate his meal and left), the manager for believing that dude over the paperwork he saw with his own eyes(he could have thanked the dude and said Mr. Walker was a vet and let it go), and Mr. Walker for getting louder with each comment (he could have said I’m sorry you don’t believe me, but I’ll leave now and discuss this with your company privately)….but I understand Mr. Walker’s frustration. He provided the necessary items to receive the meal. End of story. Public embarrassment over this kind of thing might be something I react poorly to as well. Which is why I don’t give a fuck about getting my 14 dollar burger meal for free on Veteran’s day…I’ll just pay like any other day and leave it at that….that way I don’t feel like I owe the restaurant anything when I’m done…I don’t like taking shit for free because I don’t like feeling obligated afterwards.
By Walkers own account he was served a meal, had eaten than meal and was taking out some scraps. Myeh!
Why did the manager feel the need to confiscate his scraps? Myeh! Who cares!
If they weren’t scraps then the manager should have taken them away. The promotion was billed as “dine in only”. I don’t agree that “no one should have his food taken away in front of othere”…
Had he now been screaming LOUDLY about “NOW YOUR TAKING MY FOODD AWAY!!! YOU’RE TAKING MY FOOD A WAY???”… then no one would have known. You make a spectacle of yourself in MY RESTAURANT and just see how quickly I will relieve you of that food that I just GAVE YOU FOR FREE!
Oh look, an entitled one!!!
From what I gather he went looking for a free meal and trouble,
Oh butter my ass and cal me a biscuit,,, hes rattling a tin cup on go fund me!!!
https://www.gofundme.com/buy-veteran-ernest-walker-dinner
6000 dollars and counting…
$6000? That’s a lot of MRE’s.
Well, I said he was a loser even before you guys disclosed he is a BLM POS. The gofundme confirms that status.
He is really rattlin’ the tin cup now, claiming he has to move out of his house because of anonymous telephone death threats. Someone should check to see if he actually files a police report of the ahem “hate” crime.
I saw him on a news clip on Fox News this morning. He has really worked this into more than his 15 minutes. Mark Cuban is now giving him money and freebies. Walker says he is going to start a charity to “feed a hundred thousand hungry Vets.” Pretty soon this dickstepper/progtard provocateur will have his “service” dog Barack sporting a new 24 karat gold grill. I’m really looking forward to that Veterans’ Zombie apocalypse next 11/11 that Daisycutter envisioned. This shit really pays.
The mother of Ernest’s kid(s) will be interested. Apparently he was convicted of not paying child support.
OFFENSE DATE: 09/01/2004 TX: CRIM NONSUPPORT – CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURT 2 / Dept of Correction (GUILTY PLEA)
This incident aside, what’s lost in all of this is that Chili’s really does try to do a good deed to honor veterans.
If they hadn’t attempted to offer free meals for veterans, this would be a non-issue. Everyone would be expected to pay.
Somehow it seems this changed from a privilege to some kind of right that veterans have.
Also, what ever happened to the policy of we reserve the right to refuse service? Conversely, what ever happened to the policy that the customer is always right?
Coming back to this incident, I would have been upset and humiliated if I were Mr. Walker. That said, I think his cause would have been aided by a calmer demeanor. Saying that he appreciated what Chili’s attempted to do by offering the free meals but he was surprised by the questioning, etc. He now has tried to tie it to a larger issue in that he said that felt that this would not have happened to him had the Trump culture not come into play.
It’s a burger for Pete’s sake!
Bottom line is this shouldn’t have happened but hopefully everyone agrees they can all do better.
Well he is a BLM organizer, self described “social justice advocate” and anti-trump activist. So the whole thing smells like a setup. And if it wasn’t he certainly saw it as a serendipitous opportunity for grandstanding. Being gracious and humble would have spoiled all of that.
A lady posted on her Facebook that she was there and that Walker initially told the server that he did not have any ID but was served anyway. Then when someone questioned his uniform he magically produces ID. Almost as if he were “fishing” for an incident. I’ve no pity for this man. Even if 100% of his story is true (not likely) he has dishonored all veterans and made us look like a bunch of freeloading crybabies.
He is also somewhat well-known in the Dallas area as a bit of a con artist and scammer. There’s a story on a website of how he and his wife tried to produce a failed TV talk show and did not pay the lady who produced the pilot. There were others commenting on the story who claimed also to have been scammed by the couple.
I like what you said and would be grateful if you could provide some links…I thought this dude was a provocateur from the get go, similar to clock boy
Ditto, now that I have the full picture of him. Still a loser, but now with $6,060.00 of stupid people’s money.
Here are some photos of Walker leading a BLM rally carrying a baseball bat with “BLACK POWER” painted on it. He is also wearing some sort of “priest” outfit because he fancies himself some sort of “chaplain”. The mad does like to play dress-up.
http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2016/07/19/black-lives-matter-take-page-mlk-respectful-effective
Here’s the link about him and his wife and their alleged crooked business dealings:
https://scammersanddeadbeats.wordpress.com/2010/11/19/ernest-and-debbie-walker-aka-dallas-3d-news-and-entertainmentdebbie-and-ernest-show/
Here is the post that shows the screen shot of the Facebook post of the woman who refutes the incident: I looked her up and she is indeed from Cedar Hill Texas, which makes it likely she could have been there. Not sure where this was originally posted:
http://thebitchywaiter.com/2016/11/chilis-manager-takes-away-free-meal-from-vet-on-veterans-day.html
I’ll admit, I thought he was a poser, too. The evidence just all fits: service dog, dicked-up ACUs (who wears that shit voluntarily? Everyone knows proper vets wear those ridiculous baseball caps with ribbons!), general weeble look…
It’s sad that you can’t trust anyone’s service anymore, but have to constantly be on the lookout for fakers. That being said, the manager should have backed off when he produced his ID. I don’t think he should be fired over it, but an apology and a free meal should be given to Ernest.
Service dog, fucked up uniform, shitty attitude. Glad he got his ass pitched out.
All this free and special shit for veterans needs to come to a stop. I really hate it. There is something about taking free and special shit from people the nullifies the honor of serving.
This guy has a special need to feel special. Pay for your own meal like everyone else and hold your head up.
I agree with most of what you said, but I am not willing to give up my 10% at Lowes. I fought hard to earn that 10% and I hold my head up high every time they enter it into their computer.
Yeah, Lowe’s and Home Depot. Everytime they ring it up and take off the 10% I have the Star Spangled Banner play in my head as a tear wells up in the corner of my eye.
Then, when I snap out of it I realize it is grass seed and mulch we’re talking about.
Call me a whore but I’ll take it.
The Applebee’s and Chili’s free meal – no. Lines are too long and I feel like I’m in a soup line.
Whore…and a cheap whore at that. I bet you have puppies too.
You must be pissed that Bernie didn’t get elected. He had lots of free shit to give away.
Thank you for your service … but discount my sincerity 10%
^— Jonn, Dave’s calling me names. —^
If I call myself a whore, that means I own it and its OK. If you call me a whore, then you need to lose your job and get whipped on social media. I get a safe space and a GoFundMe account.
The election is over, we won. Its ok now if I go Rosie on your ass.
Don’t cry to Jonn it makes you look like a little bitch. Besides, he won’t come out of his drunken stooper until after the war on christmas is over.
Oooohhh. I’m King of the Lowes and Home Depot 10% around here. I’ve been waiting for them to cut that for years. Now it’s 50$ per day max and not on the lumber (not sure why about lumber, diesel is the same with lumber or ‘stuff’). Still a good deal. Retired card, no problem. I also get 10% at Buffalos WW, during our groups monthly gathering. Other than that, about it. I’m not out looking for a free meal, but 10% off is nice. And I don’t wear any uniform, dicked up OR squared away. VA and retired card, no probs ever…
Amen Bro! Lowes is the beast. I buy too much shit there rather than at cheaper places on some stuff because they do offer the 10% across the board without me having to bring my lame ass Bruno the Chocolate Lab as a service dog whilst wearing a doo rag and a vest. They get the 10% back in spades.
I do not ask in other places but had 2 interesting happenings: bought a $5 something at Advance Auto Parts and was paying…chap saw my ret ID in my wallet and cancelled the transaction to give me 10%…I said, no, it is no big deal…he said “it is a big deal to us!” Same thing happened at Long Horn…server saw my ID (the tiny top part of it) and did the same thing.
I frequent Golden Corral et al but never around Poser Days.
Dave,
No fucking shit. Last time I checked my LES, I get paid rather well as an enlisted infantryman for what I do and what I’ve done.
If you need a free burger and fries to feel special, you have other problems.
You tell ’em Dave! I agree 100% but…
10% at Lowes you say!?!?
Why have I not heard of this?
Lowes AND HomeDepot.
They both do it EVERY day of the year, not just on Veteran’s Day.
You have to ask for it and show your ID.
See now you are spreading this shit. This is why VD is still with us.
Cheap whores that spread too much.
(you busy fri night?)
I may be a cheap whore but at least I don’t give it away for free.
I’ve still got some pride.
Srsly? BwaaHaaHaa! Been taking adv of that for YEARS now. Home Depot too. Ohh, they don’t advertise, and do want an id of some sort. Imagine a DD214 and drivers license would probably suffice. Ask, you might be surprised. And curb stomping yourself for not knowing about it earlier. Living close to a very active military area probably helps, as in my case, but it’s out there brother!
And what DCut said, Every day, all day.
VA card, AD ID or Retiree ID work the same at either HD or Lowe’s. I’ve heard but never had to confirm there is a daily limit.
Does that 10% discount extend to the day laborers gathered in the parking lot?
It does. You pay the first 90% of their hourly wage and L/HD picks up the remaining 10%. L/HD also pays for workers comp. Also, have you heard of BOGO Friday? You get two day laborers for the price of one. Same deal with the 10%, also. It’s a win-win. So, Friday is the day to grab yourself some cheap labor. Remember, though, you’re responsible for returning them to L/HD at day’s end and you must follow all OSHA and similar guidelines. Failure to do so may result in prosecution by the feds as well as being banned by L/HD. The charges will include but not be limited to exploitation of an illegal/undocumented labor force.
We do the Lowe’s and HD 10% when we remember. The remembering part is kinda iffy at times. We don’t do long lines for free chow. We would love to have a Red Robin burger, but in the past were told the wait was three hours from sign in. No way. We’ve figured out when to get to Golden Corral so our wait is typically less than five minutes. We also get a free carwash. Publix has a 10% discount which is nice. Otherwise, we mill our way through the year trying to be inconspicuous. We much appreciate the freebies/discounts but don’t feel in any way entitled. Sounds corny, but serving was its own reward. Yeah, I know. Neither The Russian or I do the uniform thing. This includes the ball cap. Not our cup of tea. But, if you can legitimately wear those items, meaning you EARNED them, more power to you. I’ve seen some interesting issues develop at GC with folks wearing ribbons/medals/insignias to which they were not entitled. Now that is some quality entertainment, resulting in the offender sulking in defeat. The issue is always brought about by legitimate veterans questioning the offender. To their credit, I have never seen GC personnel question an individual’s claim to service.
Re this case, I initially thought the veteran got a raw deal. Now I don’t know. Some of the stuff I’ve read (It’s on the internet so it MUST be the truth. Right?) makes me question his motivation. About all that’s missing is the reverend al showing up with claims of racism, lack of diversity, etc. The usual I’ve come to expect from the good reverend. Following this case will be interesting.
While we appreciate the discounts/freebies again I must say we in no way feel entitled. If they were to disappear tomorrow we wouldn’t bat an eye and would still patronize the same companies.
Interesting you should mention that.
Al Sharpton took up his cause. Earnest Walker appeared on the Al Sharpton show yesterday at 2pm according to Walker’s web page.
“This guy has a special need to feel special”
No kidding. He has said in multiple interviews that he expected to be “thanked for his service”. This after the Army unceremoniously “thanks-but-no-thanks-ed” him right out of the service.
4/87th “Catamounts” was the first COHORT Battalion to the 25th in the 80’s. The 3rd Brigade was stood up at the same time, included 1/27 “Wolfhounds” & 1/35 “Cacti”. He had to be a rehab transfer.
I was an old “Wolfhoud” once…4/27 before we reflagged to 2/27….at that time the 87th was deactivated and absorbed into 1/27 and 2/27…we were all in the same quad.
I’m of two minds on this. The free meals on Veterans’ Day are nice, but I’ve never asked for one, nor do I wallow in my vet status and take along a service critter. On the other hand, the restaurant manager could have told Mr. Walker that someone had raised some doubts and politely tell him that he could have a 50% discount on the meal, especially since he did have his backup with him.
There’s only one Chili’s within 20 miles of me, so I don’t go to it very often. I prefer Japanese food like they have at a hibachi restaurant not too far from me. Just my preference.
I have a service gerbil.
Service chicken here. Poops everywhere…
For most, retirement is the -end- of dealing with chickenshit.
If you use duct tape on him (or her, as the case may be), my brother says he knows of a product that’s great for getting that tape adhesive out of their fur.
To be fair, like I always am, I was assuming gerbils are cis-gendered. (I don’t want any trans SJWs after me for not being inclusive.)
Service Gerbil? Bwhaaaa. Recently someone brought a turkey, a damn turkey aboard a flight. ISYN. Google it. Yeah, I thought it was a spoof as well, but it’s a fact. Delta flight if I remember, within the past year or so.
He’s just looking for Justice. And a big fookin’ payday.
I am curious if he had a Coke with his meal or just water….
Can someone explain the picture of Him (?) in a Navy Uniform in the frame? Is that him or his brother, father or whatever? He was in the Army. Funny, I’ve gotten a few meals on Veterans Day from Chili’s, Golden Corral etc. All they asked was if I was a Vet although one, I think Applbee’s wanted proof and my American Legion Card was enough for them. I bet 3/4 of the people in there getting the freebie never even watched Saving Private Ryan let alone were vet’s.
Besides, I don’t see where he claimed the Service Dog was for anything he did in the military, it could have been from some civilian disability.
In any case, the manager was a dick. If he doesn’t have proof then just make him pay for the meal. Seriously, going on the word of someone that he had his hat on so wasn’t right? WTF
Besides, he had his 214 with him. Case closed. I bet Chili’s is watching their backs for the lawsuit and bad publicity. Most likely falling all over themselves to find that guy and give him a years worth of free meals
I agree with your assessment.
But dude looked like a turd and was miking it.
Did he deserve the meal….? Yes. Should he up the fucking standard as well….yes. Dude looked like a “Goodwill Warrior”. I guess ACU’s are all the rage.
I probably would have called him out as well.
But then again, I am somewhat familiar with our to read the DD-214.
“Goodwill warrior”…better captured than my feeble vocabulary would allow
Yea but…
What if he was kicked out for some other reason that had nothing to do with his Veteran status; so his DD214 was irrelevant.
In the video he is screaming loudly that it is all about the manager “questioning my military service”…and about “didn’t you see my documents” when all the while the manager is trying to tell Walker something… which he is not allowed to do because walker won’t let him get a word in.
What if that “something” was the “real” reason he was being kicked out of Chili’s and it had nothing to do with his paperwork at all…?
What if?
Too many people seem to be taking Walker’s story at face value with zero back up.
Some people say that Chilis “removing” the manager and issuing an apology is all the “backup” they need, but that’s just standard a knee-jerk PR move when bad publicity goes viral. Trying to tell your side of the story just makes you look like more of a jerk.
It really doesn’t matter if his “service dog” was military-related or not. He was passing off the family pet as a “service” dog and that is a crime.
His “certification” was an online “forgery”…. I say “forgery” in quotes because there is NO SUCH THING as a “legitimate” service dog certification. The same organizations that certify them will sell you and me the same certification for $50.00 and tell you that it is perfectly legal.
The fact that his “service dog” was questioned and NO ONE is facing criminal penalties for this BLATANT violation of ADA law should give you a clear indication (among other glaring abnormalities in his “documents”) that he dog was a phony.
And this only reinforces why I hang low on Veterans Day Lol….
What does hang low mean? No whitie-tighties? (couldn’t resist)
No restaurants to damn crowded Lol…
Me and my family have been given enough from our family/friends/co-workers/and people,
I barely know. I’ve been trying to pay it forward now for almost two and a half years
I’m afraid I’m never going to get even so I’ve been helping a person up at the phoenix
VBA office, help gals and guys, with guard issues. hopeful the man upstairs knows
I’m giving it my all…
? ? ? ? ?
And on the last part of your comment
? ?. ? ? ? ?
???????
Let’s see, the manager takes back a $15 meal and earns thousands of negative reviews.
He could have kept his mouth shut and risked the $15 bucks. Instead, he goes all stupid and costs the chain a boatload of good will.
Chili’s has “administrative leave?” Did they finally fire this clown for his stupidity?
The fact that he was not summarily fired and this was not touted vociferously by Chili’s management should indicate that Walker’s story did not check out.
I think the only “stupid” part (maybe) was taking the go-box. I’m not sure what purpose that served, but it certainly served Walker.
Now he can claim he was “denied a meal” (he wasn’t) at Chilis and that the Chilis manager “snatched his meal away” (he didn’t) it was only a box of table scraps. He actually had EATEN his “free meal” already. I think if Walker had walked out with that worthless go-box this would never have been a story.
The “meal” was probably worth only about $5-$6 it was a limited-menu, dine-in-only promotion. The idea was to get you there, sit you down and get you to buy beer…
Now this vet is being forced from his home. Really?
http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/veteran-says-threats-forced-him-to-move-out-of-his-north-texas-home/355142271
Professional Victim, he seems to be interested in helping one veteran … himself.
I’d agree with you Dave but some low info redneck could be dumb enough to do what we is claiming. Lol…
According to his Facebook post he was homeless at age 16 and living in an alley. Thats when a recruiter came across him and signed him up. He’s completely full of dookie. His whole reason for being is to claim discrimination and scam money. It’s annoys the snot out of me that he’s getting so much sympathy and publicity.
Walker was born in late 1968. He entered the US Army in Feb 1986 so he would have been 17. If he was homeless at 16 and a recruiter signed him up it must have been on the delayed entry program.
The “Plot” Thickens:
http://www.khou.com/news/local/texas/veteran-says-threats-forced-him-to-move-out-of-his-north-texas-home/355322412
See I was beat (By a lot).
So now he’s hosting a lunch and he has moving expenses…. count-down to a new go fund me in 3 2 1….
After reading through the comments, I see that there are two fundamental camps regarding this issue. One camp thinks the manager is a jerk and the other thinks the patron is the jerk. This seems to me to be one of those instances that occasionally crop up in which both parties are jerks.
Most likely but there doesn’t seem to be any question that he did actually serve and is entitled to the free meal especially since he had the proof with him. The Manager one upped his douchbaggery.
He GOT a free meal. Anyone who says he was “denied a free meal” hasn’t read the whole story, just the headlines.
According to Walker’s own account he had been at the restaurant 30 minutes, had FINISHED his free meal and had the leftovers boxed up.
This is when, according to Walker, the manager approached him and told him some of the people had pointed out that his uniform was fake and he wasn’t a real soldier.
According to one witness, he had NOT shown ANY ID before this point, just walked in, sat down and ordered his free “veterans/servicemember’s meal”.
And ad first glance, I’m sure he looked, to all the world, like a servicemember. Especially to untrained waitstaff.
When the manager was given the heads-up that this guy was wearing a bogus uniform, he asked him for his ID, again according to Walker’s account.
Walker says the he showed his ID and the Manager then questioned his “service dog” which is when he decided to start filming.
So… the ID thing was over and done with when Walker started filming and it was now about his “service dog”. So what if it was NEVER about his “service” or his “military ID and DD214” but about the stupid dog.
His service-dog paperwork is clearly of the type that can be purchased online for ANY pet for about $50.00; same thing for the vest. It’s a crime to pass off a family pet as a “service animal”, but apparently an unregulated crime. However, to question a disabled person’s legitimate “service dog” is a serious crime with some serious penalties.
The fact that you’ve not heard anything about Chilis or the manager facing state and federal penalties under ADA is another very good indicator that the dog was a phony.
And the Meals for Veterans GoFundMe page is shut down and the 6100 dollars and change he collected is somewhere in the wind.
The man is a phony. From what I can dig up he’s not held a real job in some time. Just a hustle here… a hustle there.. and has a pretty impressive rap sheet to boot.