Former Soldier Accused of Stolen Valor
Gregg Ramsdell of Columbus
by: Chuck Williams
One of our ninjas sends us this sad tale of Gregg Ramsdell, a former soldier who was indicted for fraudulently claiming valor awards in order to improve his chances at gaining employment at Ft. Benning. Court documents state that Ramsdell claimed he had been awarded the Silver Star for valor, and a Purple Heart for wounds sustained in combat with the enemy. Neither of these claims were true.
These claims are in violation of Stolen Valor laws that make it a crime to fraudulently claim to be an awardee of certain military decorations or medals in order to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefits.
These accusations against Ramsdell are serious, says retired Command Sergeant Major Jeff Mellinger.
“In the document that I looked at, you have an individual who claims to have earned a Purple Heart and a Silver Star, which according to the indictment, he was not entitled to,” Mellinger said.”Which in itself is bad enough, but he reportedly used those same items to get a job with the military on Fort Benning. That is really the heart of the Stolen Valor Act.”
In an effort to get disability for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Ramsdell claimed to have seen war atrocities while serving in Afghanistan. He witnessed women and children being executed, and women holding babies while detonating themselves. The indictment says he never witnessed either event.
Ramsdell’s Linkedin page says he spent more than 30 years in the Army and retired in 2014 as a sergeant major. He faces his first court date later this week.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is not just a war story, Mellinger said.
“It’s different from I can’t remember if it was Tuesday or Wednesday or whether it was three or four,” he said. “It’s a total fabrication in an effort to get benefits. And that hurts people who really are entitled to the benefits, and more importantly the treatment that the Veterans Administration offers.”
No documentation was provided, so his claims of rank and length of service can be neither verified nor dismissed. Yet. The entire article may be viewed here: WRBL.com
Category: Army, Crime, Guest Link, Legal, Stolen Valor, Terror War, Valor Vultures
I will be the fist…
Extra Turd.
“Fist” is correct, by the way. Not “First”.
As a diabled marine 0311 i think he needs a good ass kicking!these losers are everywhere.most of them are to weak to get into any branch.so sickening!
AR,
I took the liberty of changing your name to initials. Think of at as safeguarding PII, as there are very real people out there that wish us ill. They have in the past used member’s names on frivolous lawsuits.
Welcome aboard,
AW1Ed
Since I retired in 2008 I have encountered more “Army Snipers” “MARSOC” Marines, “Sooperdooper Paratroopers” “CIA ParaRescue” turds than I ever have during my 23 years active duty or during any of my 3 deployments. What happened to the Cooks and Mail Clerks and S-1 weenies? Those were the guys who kept the military running. Everyone wants to be a “Trigger Puller” until its time to pull the trigger.
There are more Vietnam “vets” today than
when I DEROSED in 1970.
For every one that passes, two more are
created.
You Iraqi/Afghan guys are now seeing the
same thing unfold.
Last I saw or read, there were at least 10 to 20 posers for every real Vietnam Vet that is still with us and being a ME Vet myself, I get gracefully pissed off at every poser and embellisher period!
I have often said there will be more supposed Viet of the Nam vets in 2035 than there are today. Back in the early 70’s many of us didn’t want to even admit we served there.
Yep
If you counted every person I have had a conversation with who ‘knew’ or was ‘related to’ someone who was either lost aboard USS Thresher or transferred off seconds before she cast off her lines for the last time, 593’s crew would have been at least 2500 people.
You rang?
Army Meat Inspectors.
I wonder if that is an MOS?
You Betcha:
91R – Veterinarian Food Inspection Specialist
Bonus MOS: 94C – Meat Cutter
Greg Ramsdell of Columbus GA looks more like a Meat GAZER to me!
Probably volunteers for the duty as well.
My father did a summer job in high school as a butcher’s assistant. When drafted in 1942, the Army made him a meat-cutter. (actual MOS description on his DD214). He spent the war at Lido, India in CBI (’43-’46), doing steaks chops and hamburger. He ate better than the folks at home on ration coupons.
A proud POG Mustang here! I’m so REMF you can’t spell REMF without “ME.”
My DMOSs include:
89B Ammo Specialist (Enlisted)
42A HR Officer
90A Logistics Officer
37A PSYOP Officer
While in the “rear with the gear” I was also a Primary Hand Receipt Holder and supervised our mail clerks.
Disclaimer: Too young for the VN conflict, sat out Desert Shield/Storm while on a two year Mediterranean PCS assignment, and was a REMF in OEF & OIF. Still proud of my service despite no gallantry or valor awards. And I don’t wear military themed hats/clothing or belong to the AL or VFW. Just an aging Retired – Soldier For Life.
Primary Hand Receipt Owner ranks as one of the most hazardou$ jobs in the military.
Submitting a doctored-up DD214 for employment at a military installation? This guy definitely wears a helmet and licks doorknobs!
He owns and operates the short bus…
He’s what a kindergartner would refer to as a “stinky doodoohead”.
Georgia’s Gregg Ramsdell’ resume sounds so faimiliar as I had to read those goals and accomplishments when NCOs and Officers submitted those documents in to me in order to me to evaulate their Job Performances for their “Report Cards” OER(Officer Efficiency Reports), EER (Enlisted Efficiecy Reports).
Sounds as if he might have worked in Personnel to gather all those documents to use as his own personal Job Resume.
Too may mish mash in his Resume that does not make sense.
Gregg Ramsdell’s Resume can be found here along with his claim of
Purple Heart Medal
Silver Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Southwest Asia Medal
https://acp-advisornet.org/questions/1787/i-have-been-retired-june-2014-and-am-having-problem-finding
He also was the Military Liaison Officer for the Inauguration of President Barrack Obama.
Sad
No CIB?
His real records will be interesting. Looking forward to the updates.
So just from that Resume he sounds like a Reservist…he is kind of all over there for jobs: Logistician, then a SSO or Personal Security person maybe MP, definitely an HR rep (in his school history). The Personal Security Course, and FBI driving School shows he was not an operator, its the course you send the Commander’s Driver to as a reward. His claim to have worked at SOCCENT, and CENTCOM makes sense as far as time line, and he may have gone to the SGM course, but not pinned on. Definitely need to see this guys DD-214.
If this is the same guy that I saw in the Army White Pages, he was a master sergeant, and he is retired. This is a case of embellishment. He should’ve known better.
All that experience and he can’t find work? Hogwash.
Someone should tell him that McDonald’s is ALWAYS hiring!
If Jeff Mellinger says you are a dud…you are a dud.
Jeff is the real deal…
Just did a quick read on him: The last active duty draftee still serving….and retired in 2011? WOW!
Yeah Jeff Mellinger is a stickler, and around the community long enough to either know this guy or not know him.
My personal opinion was Jeff is a jerk, but that is personal.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
He did other things as well, including shooting Basketball with Obama and was assigned as a Military Assistance to HRC. He also is a Green Beret. He joked with Obama about his Purple Heart, saying he fell off a Barstool: From 2009: “Keep Your Elbows In When Shooting Hoops With The Big Guy”: https://mailtribune.com/opinion/columns/keep-your-elbows-in-when-shooting-hoops-with-the-big-guy “Central Point resident Gregg Ramsdell has never been one to shy away from a little athletic competition.” “So the Army master sergeant naturally stepped boldly forward when the man in the gymnasium at Fort Myer, Va., asked whether anyone wanted to shoot some baskets.” “He said he wanted to play some hoops and asked who was up for a game,” he recalls. “I’ve always been one to state my mind. So I said, ‘Sure, I’ll play.’ ” “Ramsdell may be 50, but he is in the Army’s Special Operations Command. Staying fit is part of his Green Beret mission, the rest of which is largely classified. A power lifter, he had been in the gym working out on weights in January while on temporary assignment in Washington, D.C. for the presidential inaugural.” “He said, ‘Aren’t you a little old to be playing this game?’ ” Ramsdell says. “I told him, ‘You go ahead and shoot from the outside but don’t try to come inside.’ ” “With that, Ramsdell played a game of three-on-three basketball with his future commander-in-chief, Barack Obama, the man who would become president of the United States.” “Ramsdell, who is currently stationed at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, was reared in Fort Jones, Calif. He joined the Army 25 years ago in Medford, serving 17 years on active duty. He was mobilized as a reservist in 2005, and has since served four stints in Iraq and two in Afghanistan.” “The son of a retired Marine Corps sergeant major, Ramsdell is a good fit for the Green Beret. Suffice it to say you want the soft-spoken fellow on your side should you ever be in harm’s way.” “A lot of what we did was classified — just operational, meeting the bad guys,” says… Read more »
So what he is trying to say is that
Walmart Greeter is something he just can’t
talk about.
WTAF? Journalism in the modern era. I found the author on Twitter, messaged @him and asked him if ANY fact checking was done before publishing.
Interestingly, the “columnist” who wrote that also wrote a book: “Madstone: The True Tale of World War I Conscientious Objectors Alfred and Charlie Fattig and Their Oregon Wilderness Hideout”.
It’s a “true tale”, Bro.
Apparently, this “Gregg Ramsdell” wore the rank of MSG in 2013. Same guy?
https://www.dvidshub.net/image/1065645/thanksgiving-meal
Wearing a Ranger tab too. Didn’t see that in his “I love me” resume.
Another reference:
And another Ranger tab.
I fear this guy has been at this for a long, long time.
We’ve seen quite a few of these embellishers now who have suddenly gained a lot of qualifications and awards as they transfer between their AD and reserve component service.
And a hearty RLTW here
http://www.southernpowerlifting.com/user/gramsdell/
Someone (with in’s) should call RTB…
“A lot of what we did was classified —..”
Red Flag. Red Flag. Red Flag.
He did allegedly work for Hillary Clinton. Could have been the elite Green Beret that “fixed” problems for her.
I believe that HRC is Human Resources Command, ie all the 42series you could ever ask for to pad your ERB.
(That could be sarc, hard to tell)
He’s got it in there that he worked for Her Worship during the Obama inauguration.
Hmmmm Green Beret huh??? Interesting photo of him on the beach and serving Thanksgiving chow at GITMO. In the beach pic he’s rocking a ball cap from an ODA in 3rd Special Forces Group and a sweatshirt with a Ranger tab. He’s also rocking the Ranger tab on his uniform as he slings hash in the chow hall.
Even more interesting under military education he lists US Army Sergeants Majors Course
US Army First Sergeant Course
US Army Senior Enlisted Administrative Course
US Army Department of Defense Logistics School
US Army Human Resources Course
US Army Battle Staff Course
US Army Personal Protective Course
Federal Bureau of Investigation Protective Service Driving Course.
Not one mention of the Q course or Ranger school. Logistics School, Human Resource???? Yeah those are courses a Green Beret needs for carreer progression.
No PLDC? No BNCOC? No ANCOC?
Is there any information alluding to this guy’s actual military service? It saddens me that Veterans feel compelled to embellish their military service – as if serving honorably wasn’t good enough. This needs to stop!
I would imagine we’ll be reading FOIA results soon. Just speculating based on past activities of TAH. Have a little faith baby.
If the King and Queen of dirtbags won’t hire this dirtbag, then he is sure ’nuff fecaled dirt.
Big Corporate does extensive background checks, for the most part, these days. One little twig out of line & the whole resume is thrown out. Looks like ol’ sarge just took a big oblowme in his mess kit. He may as well use that resume to wipe his hitlery.
Look forward to the “rest of the story!” Dumbass
Fort Benning, GA – Home of The Infantry. It’s hard to believe a retired MSG would pick that installation to ply his SV claims into employment. He must have supreme confidence in his ability to embellish and fabricate. I guess now he’s set himself up to be a retired E-8.
His résumé lists a Phenix City residential address.
Just across the Chattahoochie — where soldiers used to go for drinks and other adult fun back in the 40s-50s.
True, Phenix City was long known as a “Sin Town” where many a GI was relieved of his money.
Also known as “Little Chicago” back then.
A good book and a good film that tell the story:
https://www.amazon.com/Tragedy-Triumph-Phenix-City-Alabama/dp/088146418X
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048488/
Used to be a rough town and still is in many ways. I grew up down that way and know the town, for sure.
Jackass
IDIOT!
Knucklehead
Here’s a newspaper with a story from his retirement ceremony at Gitmo in December 2013. (Look on page 13.) He’s a Master Sergeant. He has an impressive-looking rack of ribbons. The photo is a little fuzzy but I don’t see either a PH or a SS.
https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/UF/00/09/86/20/00597/12-20-2013.pdf
The tan baret says it all. If this dude was a batt boy it was most likely during the black baret days.
Besides that, he’s not assigned, therefor not authorized to wear regimental affiliated bling (no: hat, crest, wing backing, bloused boots in A’s, etc)
If a MSG can’t read, understand and live AR 670-1 what does that say about the health of this man’s brain-housing group?
Roh-Dog since he was at GITMO the Task Force may have been under SOCOM at the time, and based on that: “…or have served with the regiment for at least one year and is serving within the U.S. Army Special Operations Command.” he was authorized to wear the Tan beret. And as all reservists like to pick up MOSes they can jump back and forth from he probably added 11B to his list when he completed Ranger School. He was likely a logistician when he was in Regiment (but even they go to Ranger School). I say this to show why he was wearing the Infantry Cord, wonder when he got the CIB though? Does it apply if you are serving in an other MOS when you were under fire? So could my Commander have put me in for one when I returned fire, even though I was now an MI Officer and no longer an 11B? Definitely need to see this guys DD-214!
Read and understood.
It may make sense-ish since he’s not wearing unit crests and/ or leadership tabs.
It still all seems like horseshit.
Naw bro. After Ramsdell beat Obama’s ass in a game of pickup basketball, CnC promoted him on the spot to Secret Sergeant Major, and made him his own command. Then, he begged him to go to Gitmo as a direct report. Tom Wulf can tell you how this shit works. But then he’ll have to kill ya.
The Gitmo newspaper article mentions Ramsdell served in several “Army Reserve Ranger units.” I know there’s two SF Groups in the ARNG, but I’m not familiar with Reserve Ranger units. The author of the article probably made an honest mistake from notes taken during an interview with Ramsdell.
Any door kickers out there know anything about Reserve Ranger units?
Not since the 1990’s when all the Reserve SF units were stood down and the combat arms were removed.
And even then, while I vaguely remember something about a Ranger Reserve unit in Puerto Rico or the Philippines or maybe Panama, somewhere with a P, CSM Google makes no mention of an Army Reserve Ranger Battalion.
I belong to the 75th Ranger Regt. Assn. There have been no reserve or NG Ranger battalions, only the three AD battalions garrisoned at Ft. Bragg, Ft. Stewart, and Ft. Lewis.
IIRC, there was a reserve or NG Ranger company in Portland, OR, but that was back in the late 1970’s.
Hell I knew it started with a P! So what if I was off a couple of decades man? I mean between the pot of 70’, the coke of the 80’s, and the meth of the 90’s it’s all a drug induced haze anyway…
More seriously, it’s stuff like this that brings me back to TAH, even more so than the stolen valor. People know shit, and it’s great to be able to sort it out from people who actually know.
“When you’re able to lead troops like
I did, they become your kids,” he said.
“And that’s the hardest part, I’m leaving
a thousand kids. I really hope that they
carry forward what I’ve taught them.”
Well, not everything.
CIB, Master Blaster, Pathfinder, Air Assault, Ranger Tab, foreign Jump Wings. Looks like a Special Forces combat service ID badge on his right pocket.
I wonder why these accomplishments were not mentioned in his CV?
Will be interesting to see the FOIA.
Surprised he was not busted on active duty for this nonsense.
He could have moved around a bit, joint service to boot. Never to long in one place and not many would straight up question a MSG.
Was he trying to get one of those jobs driving the Roach Coach or the cattle cars? I swear everyone of those guys claimed to be a retired CSM.
The real question is has he even tried to get a job outside the military environment at all?
I don’t get it. There is plenty of work, jobs are going wanting – even just jobs delivering beer – and this guy can’t find work?
Something just doesn’t come off too well there.
He should consider operating a hot dog cart on Fort Benning as a AAFES concessionaire. Or he could do custodial work in the PX food court.
He could run his own kiosk at the Fort Benning PX selling overpriced Pakistani-made “Rambo Knives” to gullible Basic Trainees as well.
Brucie’s (Entrance in the Rear) is ALWAYS hiring Apprentice Towel Fluffers!
I had an epiphany as I finished reading about Gregg Ramsdell. I glanced up at the window and noticed my neighbors dog taking a crap followed by him, the dog, immediately wolfing it down.
Cocksucker.
PRELIMINARY REPORT ON GREGG LLOYD RAMSDELL
ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY:
** COULD HAVE ALSO SERVED BEFORE 1985 **
01 OCT 2001 – 30 SEP 2002 (ACTIVE DUTY-AIR NATIONAL GUARD)
18 SEP 2005 – 07 NOV 2008 (ACTIVE DUTY-ARMY RESERVE)
27 NOV 2009 – 17 JAN 2014 (ACTIVE DUTY-ARMY RESERVE)
PRIOR ADDRESSES:
2014-2015 ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MD
2015-2016 FORT BENNING, GA
2017-2017 FORT BENNING, GA
I have been gone for almost a year! Names change, wars change, faces change, stories stay the same! Always bull shit!
Welcome back! Yeah, same BS, different names.
Missed your comments.
Please, after you’ve read the 2000+ comments about Les Brown, we’d love to hear your perspective. 😉
Welcome Home 3/17 AC. Now if we could just find 2/17 AC and AnotherPat, God would be in His Heavens and all would be right in our World.
Go Dawgs/Roll Tide Roll/Go Army Beat Navy
A congressional medal of honor,a silver star, 3 bronze stars-2 for valor, a purple heart, c.i.b, Vietnam campaign medal, good conduct medal national defense ribbon, expert rifleman ribbon,a good cook accommodation medal. Recon, green beret, pathfinder, airborne, sniper, llrp,-i’ve heard it all in the past 50 years. I was just a regular Vietnam grunt. 25th inf.1968-69.
Welcome Home and a heartfelt Tropic Lightning!
And welcome to the dregs of the Internet… /huge sarc.
Tropic Lightning!
What unit?