Homeless vet, Johnny Bobbit, left Marines after an abbreviated tour
Last week we all read the story of homeless former Marine Johnny Bobbit who gave a woman his last $20 for gasoline when she was on her way to a holiday gathering. She set up a GoFundMe account to pay him back and raised more than $381,000 so far.
Well, the Marine Corps Times reports that Bobbit was indeed a Marine but left his job as an ammunition technician after 14 months and at the rank of Private (E-1) from his assignment to 1st Battalion, 10th Marines at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He also never deployed to the war against terror.
That doesn’t take anything away from what he did for that woman, nor am I saying that you shouldn’t donate to him, if you’re led in that direction. I hope Bobbit takes this as a blessing and does the right thing with his new found fortune. According to CNN, he says that he wants to use the money to buy a home and to help other people. I hope he stays on that course.
Category: Who knows
He did a good thing. Hope he does turn his life around. Not sure what he told the lady to move her to set this up.
He fucked up royally in the Corps to get booted, but some people can, and do straighten up.
I wish him well. I hope he finds a useful way to make something out of his life now.
Until I hear otherwise from a reliable source this guy has not falsely represented himself. I know the media has jumped on some homeless vet shit (which makes me cringe), and while he obviously doesn’t have a career to brag about, if he didn’t lie and is trying to get right, then I wish him the best. Might not be how I would prioritize what dollars I can spare but, if there is no fraud and they are not my dollars than I hope he makes good on them, and has a great life.
So now we discover that not only was this pathetic jackass a screw up in the Marines but also a crook on top of it, part of a scheme to con sympathetic people out of contributions for
a three-way split with two other crooks.
I wouldn’t drop a dime into GoFundMe unless the case is my area and I’m familiar with it.
GoFundMe admits they cannot guarantee the truth of any of the stories on their website.
Pay your taxes first. Then, please disappear.
Nothing I’ve read suggests he misrepresented himself. Kind of a decent thing for a homeless dude in a bad neighborhood to spend his last $20 bucks on gas for some woman who was stuck there.
Having said that, most every homeless person I’ve run across has mental health or substance abuse issues and I’d hesitate to hand them 380 grand.
Exactly! I wish him well but something tells me this won’t be the end to the story.
Remember the homeless guy with the beautiful voice? They got him off the street and he got a gig doing a mac-n-cheese commercial. He had substance abuse issues and self-sabotaged his new start in life.
Were I a betting man, I would put money on the fact that the windfall of cash is not going to help him in long run. There is a reason why a lot of people who win the lottery go broke shortly thereafter: if they were good with money, they wouldn’t be playing the lottery in the first place.
Strike one: getting out after 14 months
This says you were not wanted. In my last few years, I have seen what it takes to adsep Marines – A LOT. and it takes a lot of time. There were a whole lot of months of this guys 14 that were spent in the effort to get rid of him. “But what if it was a medical issue?”
Strike two: Getting out as an E1
If you have been in for 14 months and don’t get past E1 (something normally handed out after 6 months) you done fucked up. Medical doesn’t hold up promotion.
Strike three: Homelessness
It makes me an asshole for saying it, but homelessness is usually an indicator of the kinds of problems that would lead one to be kicked out of the military after 14 months as an E1. I.e. Drugs, alcohol dependency, mental illness, an aversion to work. These are all things that require a lot of work and I hope he gets help for any problem he may have.
Giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to someone with these kinds of indicators of problems is probably like giving a Ferrari to a 16 year old. Most would have it wrapped around a telephone pole in 0 to 100.
I hope I’m wrong, but experience has proven to me that my track record for this sort of feeling is pretty good.
Just read this in the Marine Corps Times article:
►He was assigned to the E-1 pay grade four months before his discharge, according to his official Marine Corps personnel records.◄
In other words, a second award PVT.
Excellent comments.
Alcohol abuse, mental illness, and I was working at the time, but still wound up homeless.
I guess maybe you DON’T know enough about the causes of this guy’s problems.
And these “three strikes”?
I would say that this man has a seat at the table of God right now. He gave far more that you or I have given. He has given more than Bill Gates has ever given…this homeless man gave everything he had. He put his last mite into the collection plate at the tabernacle, and has gained far more than the title of Marine.
He, sir, is a far better man than either of us put together.
Perhaps you misunderstand the point I was trying to make.
►I am not saying that he is a bad person. “Three strikes” was not to imply he’s a bad person.
►I am not saying anything disparaging regarding the good that he did. It was a good and noble thing, but more on that later.
My point was to say that this guy has a lot of indicators that would suggest having a crap-load of money poured in his lap may not mean long term success.
I hope that he can get it all together and use the money as an inroad to future success. I would love to hear about that in the future. He’s obviously got something going if he gave his last few dollars to the woman in need. (See Luke 21:1-4 and Mark 12:1-4.)
I was just pointing out that the indicators I mentioned (the strikes, if you will) suggest the odds are against a happy ending simply because of a windfall of cash.
As for you, it sounds like you overcame some demons in your life. That is a great thing and I wish you well. I have no illusions that overcoming issues like that is in any way easy or a struggle that simply goes away once “overcome”.
There is an old saying “easy come, easy go”, if they don’t have to work for it, it does not really have any meaning and he will most likely squander it…imho, Hope he is the exception !
Yea. I wondered about this cat myself. Figured I’d read something about it here. So he was a shit-bird that curb stomped his junk in my Branch. Ok. Maybe he pulled a solid. But after reading about this elsewhere, some things stuck out. The young lady didn’t have a cell phone in this day and age? Or if so, didn’t have a car charger? And let her car run out of gas on a major thorough-fare? Maybe I’ve gotten jaded a bit after years on TAH, but I’m still skeptical at this point. 350k is a nice haul. Maybe I just need to grow a beard, don a hoodie, my old boots, grab a gas can and hang out looking for a mark. At least my record won’t come back as a 14 month E-1. Shades look pretty legit for a homeless dude too. Just sayin’.
The media stared that he apparently had some type of eye infection he was attempting to hide. I also read that the people who started the GoFundMe page for him also took him to a financial advisor and another professional of some sort. 14 months in the service and coming out as an E1 obviously made he stepped on his crank somewhere and I hope he makes the best of the opportunity he has now given to turn his life around. I guess time will tell if you learned in all of this time since his mistakes
Well, Chief, there are people who are so stupid about automobiles that they fail to observe simple things like the needle sitting on “E” until they run out or that obnoxious light starts flashing. And then they panic.
Some gas stations only take cards. Others take cash, and some people really are dumb enough to not have a card on them, or just stupid enough to not know what their balance is.
And last, but certainly not least, phones run out of juice just as quickly as you can use it up. Most people don’t pay attention to that, either, or to where they’re going.
So, yeah, it does seem somewhat plausible, even in this day and age.
“there are people who are so stupid about automobiles that they fail to observe simple things like the needle sitting on “E” until they run out or that obnoxious light starts flashing.”
And some people do it with airplanes.
And one was brash enough to sue the plane’s manufacturer.
She called her boyfriend and he was on the way, was on a busy highway at night, and didn’t feel safe walking alone to the nearest gas station, which was a mile or two away. This guy walked up, asked if she needed help, she said no, he helped her anyway. They talked a bit when he walked back and put gas in her car without her asking for it. She and the boyfriend returned the next day to pay him back, then later took him some clothes, and started stopping regularly to see after him. Found his family on fb. Got to know him, and here we are.
Hmm. Ok. Valid points all around. A pre-existing condition not disclosed at MEPS could certainly warrant an early separation, and possible reduction or ‘do not promote’ or both. Ex-PH, true enough. Plausible indeed. Sabrina, that eases the spidey senses a bit. A financial advisor would be highly recommended and apparently is set up for him to use – if he chooses too. Still skeptical, but I’ll keep an open mind. Maybe he really is a decent dude fallen on hard times with an opportunity to change the game for himself. That would be nice.
/Places blast weapons back on safe.
I doubt it.
He would have gotten an admin.
This clown got the boot.
Here you go Mr. Bobbit: Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ [̲̅$̲̅(̲̅ιοο̲̅)̲̅$̲̅] (✿ ♥‿♥)
So if I interpret that right, Lily; It’s two deflated sweater puppies, one hundy large, and a pair of googly eyes. Sounds like a deal. You might have competition.
There was another person with that name in the Corps… his wife’s name was Lorena…
was that the guy who had his old wazoo shortened by his wife a number of years ago.
From what’s reported, he isn’t getting the money direct, the lady and her husband/fiance? are going to manage the funding for him so it can be used smartly. We’ll see I guess
Here’s your $20, dude. Thanks again.
You’re welcome. As always, I’m here to help.
If his wife’s name was Lorena, he’ll need the dough to pay for an add-a-dicktamy.
Yeah, his career wasn’t the only thing cut short. 🙂
Fuck this dude.
Substandard Discharge = Shitbag. And dude looks all sorry for himself and shit. Looks like drugs in my opinion. Maybe a little AWOL time too boot.
Yeah, maybe he helped a “stranded” woman but this turd quit. I see these shitbags all the fucking time here in the Great NW. And folks fall all over themselves helping and supporting them. Until a real dude shows up. Then it is more along the lines of “Oh, they have it tough. Be compassionate. They have the PTSD. Service is rough.” And then they ostracize the real Soldier or Marine. “You should feel sorry as you were one of them”.
Fuck him. Now he has some coin for being a dirtbag who helped a pretty woman. Once again, curious if he brought up his military history before being paid for his “service?” Yeah….no.
These folks are professional “Vets” now. But not professional Marines and Soldiers. Those do not get kicked out. I wonder if he told the woman some bullshit about the “PTSD or TBI”?
I could care less that he never deployed as now dudes are doing a four-year and walking with an EIB. No issue there. If you have an Honorable Discharge and did your time/contract; good for you. Might not hang with you, but no issue in my book.
If not, fuck you and fuck you hard with a double-ended Phildo.
That’s amazing. Are you psychic, that you can see all that about someone you’ve never met? You should get an 800 number…
Fuck you too, maggot.
And yes I can, dickhead. I spent more than a day in the LE ranks.
Maybe you should call the 800 number, clown.
If you are not Honorable, then you can fuck off.
And I will tell you what, clown, have this loser hang out at your house over the holidays.
20 bucks does not make up for being a quitter, turd and shitbag.
And if you think I am wrong, go Christmas caroling in Arlington.
When you get back, tell me about it.
Until then, shut the fuck up.
Wasn’t there another former USMC vet named Bobbitt sort of missing a penis, courtesy of Lorena? Better homeless than d***less.
Yeah, after he had it reattached he tried to make it as a Porn Star and failed. The reason? He fainted every time the Director yelled “CUT!”.
Yes, but after making a go of it as a porn star he went on to become a doctor.
It sort of worked out but every time he gave someone a shot he would pull the syringe out at the last minute and squirt it all over their face.
This whole story is retarded. I wish he’d been a phony too because I’m tired of the homeless vet shit. So he gets kicked out and people reward him by throwing money at him. Do non shitbid vets feel good about stuff like this? I don’t.
He didn’t get rewarded for getting kicked out. Someone started a fundraiser so he wouldn’t be homeless during the holidays after he showed some kindness.
The man hasn’t made any claims of being some sort of high-speed operator, and has shown great modesty, with much to be modest about.
I don’t understand why you need to hate on him so much. He performed an act of kindness, and was rewarded 100 times in return. For this you shower the man with vitriol?
That’s pretty sad considering that we’re only about 4 weeks away from Christmas.
Fuck this dude.
He got kicked out.
Shitbag.
I did not get kicked out. Did you?
And it ain’t the PTSD.
Go ask an amputee who served honorably what he/she thinks.
Haha you were right
1/10? Mah Homeboi!
Yo…bout these stafford loans?!?! H.A.B.U.
at one time, 10th Marines had the highest suicide rate in the Corps….we were number 1 baybee!
Those thoughts do cross one’s mind after eating at their chow hall…
Ahh. . . I spent lots of time in that chowhall. I was at 2/10 so it was right behind us.
OOD LOG FOR SAT JUNE 9 2001
1743: OOD EATS IN CHOWHALL. FOOD WAS ADEQUATE AND OF SUFFICIENT QUANTITY.
I remember writing those same comments then I’d go to 6th Marines and eat.
🙂
At the time that that entry was made I was at 2/2 with 81s. Their chow hall was good, even had the CCU boys eat there.
Ah. . . I have a great fondness for CCU. Marines came out of that place motivated as hell! Whether it was true motivation or motivation to not go back, I didn’t care. We did ourselves a great disservice by getting rid of it. Here in Quantico, we don’t even have a damn brig. They shut it down after the Bradley Manning shit storm. Now we have to contract with the Rappahannock Regional Jail to house or ne’er-do-wells. Damn inconvenient.
Sometimes I would take a Marine that was on the verge of shitbaggery and let him spend one day there. Even that one day produced miracles!
Nothing like waking up in the field to the sound of rocks being smashed in Oki.
OK, I’ll go there,
The Lord works in mysterious ways…..
OC
I don’t even see why his discharge makes a difference here. He was a homeless dude that served in the USMC.
Did he get kicked out? Looks like it.
Does that change the fact that a guy supposedly gave his last bit of money to a complete stranger?
No
As far as I can tell he never misrepresented his Service at any point. He did an act of kindness, something we don’t see often in today’s headlines…but once again the need to make a feel good story into a negative wins over common decency.
I think what he did for that lady was very unselfish, and showed that once again, the people that have no money are more likely to help others in need.
Fuck the media.
Fuck this dude.
Substandard shitbag.
And what service? 14 months worth? And then the boot?
Bitter much? Go have another drink, maybe it will help.
Maybe you should.
With this loser.
I hope you are buying.
Birds of a feather will always flock together. Maybe tickle his taint to boot.
Substandard.
An when you done felching him, stick the bottle up your ass.
When I was a Cpl and Sgt I played the part, hard, non-compromising. As I got older and more experienced (GySgt, MSgt)I wasn’t so quick to judge.
You messed up, got booted out, now learn from it and continue your life as a functional member of our society. Some do, and unfortunately, some don’t. This one showed a glimmer of hope.
Before everyone accuses me of going soft, my past postings on the subject of homeless “vets” should straighten that out.
If I ever become homeless I am going to make a sign advertising myself as a homeless fast food worker because 40 years ago I worked at Jack in the Box. *sarc
Well————–(can we just ferget about it?———-“bye.