Guest post; Randy Voepel; update on phony combat sailor
Terence B. Hoey, a retired U.S. Navy Master Chief Petty Officer, recently penned an article entitled: STOLEN VALOR – The curious case of California Assemblyman Randy Voepel, his wild tales of military derring-do and a welcomed challenge by Command Master Chief (SEAL) Larry Wilske, USN (Ret.).
This article first appeared on LinkedIn March 29, 2018 (coinciding with Vietnam Veterans Day) and it has been crossed posted at many other sites and outlets and has been picked up by all the leading Stolen Valor websites and blogs including “This Ain’t Hell, but you can see it from here”. In addition, the article has been provided to media outlets across California and the nation.
On or about April 5, 2018, Voepel’s Chief of Staff, Mason Herron provided to the press a DD-214N as proof positive that Voepel was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon (CAR), a ribbon that Voepel’s official service records do not reflect as being awarded. The production of this DD-214N raises even more serious questions as the document has been altered and is not consistent with information (official service records) previously provided by the National Archives through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Voepel has been photographed wearing the CAR upside down, in public, posted on his websites and presumably during his swearing ceremony as a CA Assemblyman.
In addition, Voepel’s claims as being a combat Veteran of the Vietnam War are completely false, his official service records, online digital footprint (in his own words) easily prove otherwise. All of Voepel’s wild and comedic claims have been thoroughly disproved by Stolen Valor Researchers & Investigators, by and through his own words and actions and obtained official service records. Voepel’s long list of falsehoods, embellishments and wild stories regarding his military service are a direct slap in the face to all Veterans and patriots alike.
The U.S. Stolen Valor Act of 2013 and CA Assembly Bill 153 signed into law October 2017, which Assemblyman Voepel ironically voted for, clearly address Stolen Valor as well as the punishments that should come with it.
Master Chief Hoey’s visit to San Diego culminates with a press conference in front of the USS Midway Museum, berthed in San Diego Harbor on the Monday April 16th at 11am. All San Diego area concerned citizens and Veterans are encouraged to attend this event.
Master Chief Petty Officer Terence B. Hoey, USN (Ret.), in addition to serving for 32 years in the United States
Category: Phony soldiers, Valor Vultures
Oh Holy Hell, I’ll just leave this image link here for everyone….
This writeup says US Marine Corps and his DD-214 above says US Navy.
That is a minor type O and Jonn will catch it before anyone, including us, notices it!
Thanks for your input!
Also, at the end it says… “Master Chief Petty Officer Terence B. Hoey, USN (Ret.), in addition to serving for 32 years in the United States”
I was ready for something to top 32 years in the Navy but we fell off a cliff in a creative writing sense. 😉 Good article.
Suggestion: “Master Chief Petty Officer Terence B. Hoey, USN (Ret.), in addition to serving for 32 years in the United States … well, he served 32 years in the United States. No OCONUS assignments.” (just funning around)
Nothing funny about that post above. You just created a false statement for the interweb to remember.
Nothing funny about it when you just posted that on the interweb.
I rode three 3 ships on 2 coasts, 7 cruises, 2 in Persian Gulf, supported evac of Lebanon in 82, PG skirmishes of 87/88, deployed for DS and Post 9/11. Lived and stationed overseas … held Command Senior and Master Chief titles at operational MIUW, IBU, EOD and NSW units, and was a 4 time voting member of Navy E8/9 Selection Board (4 times) … but thanks for asking.
Please delete it if you have admin rights. No offense intended.
No I don’t, I am the last person who should have such power.
OK. I’ll report my own post and hopefully TAH admin will remove.
Actually, it would be impossible to believe that a Master Chief could serve 32 years and never serve OCONUS, but I should have said the last line got chopped off and left it at that.
I slept at a Holiday Inn Express…I thought it was funny as hell.
Relax Francis, I have a lot more than 32 years in the United States.
Have a Snickers
Oh shit, Dave Hardin is back!
I better stop my amateurish trolling before I get in trouble with the Master Troll of TAH.
First, not your call. It is my call only.
Second, I ain’t no Francis. Skippy maybe, but definitely not a Francis.
Lastly, I don’t like Snickers, I am a Cadbury Fruit & Nut man myself.
LOL, good to see you out and about.
I assume someone left the Old Goats Locker open again.
Try not upset anyone. S/F
Ya know, that purported “Combat Action Ribbon” entry on that DD214 looks kinda off. Like maybe it’s in a different font than the rest of the document.
Like maybe OCR-A font – which the rest of the document doesn’t use.
Yep… someone’s been altering records.
Should have been a carat (^) symbol below the COMBAT ACTION RIBBON. That would have completed the hacked appearance.
LOL! Nice!
Wink!
yeah…that’s some pathetic records tampering there…might as well have used a sharpie or a crayon.
Crayons are reserved for Marines. And I doubt they would willingly give them up.
Especially the grape flavored ones.
;^)
I also noticed the OCR-A font in Randy Greg Voepel‘s DD214N in Block 26.
OCR-A is also used in Block 22 (Days Accrued Leave Paid) “28 1/2”. The different font sticks out like a sore thumb.
I wonder what the excised award was? It was excised when the 214 was being typed — the strike-outs are the same size and not OCR-A-sized.
Why would someone decide to change the Days Accrued Leave Paid block?
As a few have noted included Jonn, redaction is perhaps: (with 1960’s Device)
But that is only pure and unqualified off-the-shelf specticalizationisms on our part!
What would we know ….
An EMERGENCY FOIA REQUEST was submitted to NA on 05 APR 2018 by me and the request in part asked the NA to verify the authenticity of the DD-214N provided by Voepel’s Camp, verify awards of PH and CAR, and to provide additional information with respect to his wild and comedic claims. Response was mailed to me on 10 APR 2018. We already knew the answers as this is one of many FOIA’s processed in recent weeks about Voepel.
MCPO,
Thanks for your diligence! And persistence.
Randy Voepel – STOLEN VALOR COCKSUCKER!
Slow down on the Sailor talk, national media outlets are being directed to this site!
I know you can’t help it, a Navy DNA thing but on this one lets keep it continuous, strong and pithy.
well….I’m screwed if new commentary rules have been instituted. Can we get a swear jar?….I’m a regular contributor anyway…maybe a buxx for fukks rule?
Hey, not a new rule, just trying to keep it pithy … I have NO chance in hell controlling the hilarity that comes flying across these posts!
Fire at will if you need …
Vacuum processor of the Wurst sort.
Randy Voepel, It’s time to channel your inner Ned Beatty and squeal like a pig …..”weeeeeee…..WEEEEEEEEEE”
I keep hearing these noises, something like *GURGLE*, *BURBLE*, *BLOOP*, *BLOOP*, could that be the sound of Randy Voepel’s career sinking like a car driven off a bridge?
Appropriate song?
https://youtu.be/nuKfuSpJcMM?t=71
His career is gonna sink like a Kennedy Cadillac.
Hack believes that Drunk Teddy was behind the controls of a defective Oldsmobile Amphibious Makeout Vehicle.
Sited phony, sank same.
Ever see the original? Ran across it in a book on the Aleutian campaign in WWII…something like: Sighted steamer, strafed same, sank ship. Signed Smith.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sighted_sub,_sank_same
Captain Fred M. Smith was a little later, early September 1942. His messages was “Saw steamer, strafed same, sank same, some sight, signed Smith.” Page 159, “The Thousand Mile War” by Brian Garfield (yes, the same fella who wrote “Death Wish”)
I have a copy of “The Thousand Mile War” on the shelf. A good read for those wanting to know about the Aleutian Campaign.
Randy Voepel. Still there? You’re not fooling anyone but perhaps yourself. Time to give it up, Randy.
This turd is circling the bowl. Good work Master Chief!
I think the Tidy Bowl Man just called a man overboard.
Randy Voepel is getting a nice big “*POW!*, right in the kisser” like every Stolen Valor dingbat, especially politicians deserve. I sure wish something like this would happen to that Dick of a US Senator from Connecticut!
He’s not from Florida so he doesn’t have to pretend that he was a Seal. LOL
A wee lil’ update.
The Voepel Camp is eerily quiet, sources familiar with Voepel’s motess operadee say that, “his approach will be to remain silent for as long as he can, considering a primary is approaching in June, and then he will attempt to get the CNO to weigh in.”
Well Voepel’s Camp needs to know that the CNO and SEC DEF “Mad Dog” for that matter, knows exactly what the Stolen Valor community does. And we enjoy their full unofficial support, because we do the work they can’t. They are worried about combat readiness, lethality of forces and rounds on targets … kinda’ like us!
Seems that Voepel’s CoS Herron is back tracking on this statement too, “no possible way that anyone, including Mr. Wilske, could verify whether Mr. Voepel was awarded the Purple Heart or not.”
He seemingly has denied making this statement that was witnessed.
Ah, I wish all political Valor Thieves had a Chief of Staff like Herron … it makes our job much easier.
Just one more bit of info about the DD-214N (version 01 NOV 72) above.
It is a Copy 2 with an raised embossed NA SEAL (1985).
This is a huge clue …
Where is Voepel’s Member’s Copy?
Where is the DD-149?
Where is the DD-215?
He couldn’t even make up his mind on what documents to use
Before I begin my thorough investigation to uncover the location of those documents, I must ask… Master Chief, are your questions rhetorical in nature?
As a good investigator knows, all answers to all questions shall be known in advance of interview with subject.
Absolutely Amazing.. But sadly no surprise
He served why screw up a good service record
‘Prolly the most asked question here. Low self esteem, character flaw, something darker? Each one is different, yet in the end the they’re all the same.
I’ll leave it there as the Master Chief requests civil discourse on this thread, and for good reason.
It looks like he just missed all of the action on the Buchanan by a few weeks. I guess that he figures that it’s close enough that he should have been awarded the CAR.
Bingo! That is definitely part of his stand up routine.
Master Chief, you continue to pursue this target with all precision. I do wish I were near San Diego. I would enjoy hearing you and possibly meeting you Sir.
Just stick your head outside on Monday …. no doubt the cries will be heard!
I guess they didn’t have the real estate to include his Purple Heart on that DD-214?
In the wrong font, of course.
That does not stop him from telling the wrong people he has a PH.
Or wearing it, either.
Master Chief, Outstanding work. Please keep it up. I refrained from earlier comment due to uncontrollable potty typing (I blame on my USMC father).
Sink that turd!
He voted for the stolen valor law? *face palm* D’oh!
Reminds me of this week’s video from Don Shipley. Features a fake SEAL who would watch Shipley’s videos and laugh at the fakes being exposed. Had his girlfriend totally snowed.
Do they think that being on the side of the stolen valor community makes them more believable?
Good work, Master Chief. Keep up the good fight. We have enough liars in congress.
Still a Turd.
When reached for comment on the (allegedly) fake DD-214, Jesse MacBeth was quoted as saying, “Pfft. Amateur.”
Light em up, Master Chief!
According to a ship web site.
http://www.uss-buchanan-ddg14.org/awards.html
The Buchannan was awarded multiple Combat Action Ribbons.
Did that somehow transfer to the individual sailors
My understanding is that only those present when the ship award was earned keep it as one of their own. Later members of the ship’s company wear it while assigned, and remove it when they leave.
(Navy folks, please correct any differences.)
It looks like he was assigned to Buchannan from late Mar 1972 to May 73 and from the web site the ship got 5 Combat Action Ribbon during that time frame.
Does that mean he rated a CAR?
That’s one of those Navy questions.
It would appear he was part of the crew in 17 Apr 72 when the ship was struck by North Vietnamese artillery fire killing 1 and wounding several more.
We have the deck logs. He was not listed as being wounded or killed. So, that fixes that.
The ship may have credit for a CAR, however that does not mean he was awarded. The Vietnam era criteria for CAR has particular qualifying factors that would certain award to only those who were directly involved in action and performed satisfactorily.
Short answer, yes for ship and no for Voepel as it does not appear in his official service record as provided by NA.
Ouch! That’s gonna leave a mark.
MCPO
Thanks for the info. The Air Force equivalent of the CAR did not get established until after my retirement, and as an acknowledged feather merchant I was never at risk of qualifying for one. As my father was a Marine I was a bit more familiar with the criteria for the CAR for Marines, but I had no clue about the Navy criteria, and didn’t even realize that boats were them as opposed to the being individual awards.
If this guy is claiming a Purple Heart, there would seem to be some better documentation available.
Yes, only those personnel present during the award period receive the CAR.
Nope to the “Later Members”, if you weren’t there during the award period, you don’t get to wear it.
Not exactly, very rarely does the Navy award a CAR to the entire ship. Big news recently Navy awarded CAR to two ships that got into a schirmish with the enemy in I believe Yemen. The reason this is rarely awarded the the entire ship, it is almost implausible for every member of the to meet criteria. In the most recent case, apparently the crews of these two ships all preformed at a level justifying the rare award to the ship and entire crew.
The Navy maintains a list of ships that has awarded the CAR to entire crew …. it is a fairly short list in comparison.
My first ship, USS Curts (FFG-38) happens to be one of those ships that was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon during the period of 17JAN91 – 28FEB91 during the Gulf War. Sunk (2) minelayers, captured (1) island and 83 EPW’s.
I didn’t check aboard until over a year later but that CAR was the top dog on the ships ribbon rack located right over the port bridge wing.
Not sure if I follow the comment “a welcomed challenge by Command Master Chief (SEAL) Larry Wilske, USN (Ret.)”
Does this mean he was challenged in the political race, or he challenged the stories from Voepel, or challenged the author? It was not elaborated on.
From the earlier post on this guy, the retired SEAL is challenging him in the election.
I e mailed my liberal brother (who served in the Navy) who lives in that district and told him not to vote for this guy
He replied that he has no plans to vote for any Republicans
IMHO, the DD-214N above has been doctored by someone. Every entry in legit records I have seen refers to the Vietnam Campaign Medal as: “Vietnam Campaign Medal w/60 Device.” What someone apparently did to the document was strike out “w/60 DEVICE” and insert above it “COMBAT ACTION RIBBON” on likely a different typewriter with a different font. In any event, that language was added at some later point in time, in a different font. That “w/60 Device” language appears on every reference to this award I have ever seen, including those in my records, which are from the same time frame.