Stolen Valor- The Citizen

| August 31, 2019

One of our ninjas sends us this link to an article in The Citizen, about an issue we are all familiar with- Stolen Valor- and how it isn’t just we military types who are sensitive to it. The story as told by David Epps, a Sky Pilot (which denomination is left unsaid, not that it matters much) who was welcoming a young warrior home, and his encounter with a Valor Thief.

David Epps:

I was about to meet with a young man, recently discharged from the United States Air Force, for breakfast at a local restaurant. I was going to welcome him back to the community and buy his breakfast.

I was the first to arrive and stood in line at the hostess desk. In front of me was a young man I judged to be about 18. He had a short haircut and sported a Marine Corps T-shirt that featured the famous “yellow footprints” known by every Marine who passed through Parris Island or San Diego and the name of a certain unit. The shirt also bore other Marine Corps symbols. He was with another man, a bit older, and I decided I was going to buy this young Marine’s breakfast as well.

When he looked at me briefly, I said, “Semper fi!” He didn’t respond so I assumed he hadn’t heard me. I moved closer and said, “Where are you stationed?” There was a pause, an awkward silence, and then he said, “I’m not stationed anywhere. I almost enlisted…” Whatever he said after that wasn’t important.

It turns out that, according to him, he did physical training with a group of recruits for six months but was leaving for college that very afternoon. He didn’t enlist. He wasn’t a Marine. He wasn’t even a Marine recruit yet here he was with a military haircut wearing a shirt that led me, and everyone else who saw it, to believe that he was a Marine. He wasn’t. I didn’t buy him breakfast. Because I had my church polo shirt on, I was polite. But, inside, I was cold.

Perhaps the same is true with the other military branches, but those of us who actually earned the title of “United States Marine,” take this stuff very seriously. He was actually lucky I was the one behind him in line. I know plenty of Marines and Marine veterans who would have made a public issue of it right there in the restaurant. Some might even have ripped it off, risking an assault charge.

Wearing a military shirt isn’t the same as a college shirt or sweat shirt. I have a University of Tennessee shirt although, except for continuing education classes taken when I worked for the Tennessee Department of Human Services, I took no classes at UT.

As a former Marine, this Padre gets it; I’d donate when they pass the hat after his sermon. Read the rest of the article here: The Citizen

Category: Guest Link, Marine Corps Poser, Religion, Stolen Valor

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Ret_25X

very strange to see an episcopal bishop have such defined feelings about military service and stolen valor. That is a denomination in which almost anything goes and the leadership is left of Mao.

5th/77th FA

Understand it being strange in this day SarMaj, but back in the day? A couple of Episcopalian Warriors that come to mind would be LT Gen Leonidas Polk and another fellow referred to as Marse Robert aka Bobby Lee.

One more quick reference that the name escapes me was an Artillery Bat’tree Commander who named his Guns Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John. He would pray out loud that God would save the Souls of his heathen enemies as his guns destroyed their mortal bodies.

BZ To the Right Reverend Bishop David Epps for his support in the battle against Stolen Valor. I have Compatriots in Sharpsburg. It’s still a nice piece of Georgia…for now.

Charlie Six

Willam Pendleton is the battery commander you’re thinking of. He commanded the Rockbridge Artillery at the beginning of the war. He eventually earned GO rank and served as the artillery chief of the Army of Northern Virginia.

A Proud Infidel®™️

I hear that, I was Baptized and Confirmed in the Episcopal Church when I was a kid, but left it in my adulthood. I didn’t abandon the Church, it abandoned me when their upper echelon decided to go full batshit in espousing the LGBTQWERTYUIOP agenda!

Oh, and J. E. B. Stuart was an Episcopalian as well.

Comm Center Rat

This “bishop” belongs to the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church (ICCEC) an international Christian denomination established as an “autocephalous communion in 1992.” The ICCEC states that “it is not a splinter group of any other denomination or communion, but is a convergence of the sacramental, evangelical, and charismatic traditions that it perceives in the church from the apostolic era until present times.”

In other words, his organization is not in the Episcopal Church USA or the Worldwide Anglican Communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury (England) as its spiritual head.

As a former Vestry member in two Episcopal churches in two states, I can’t say strongly enough that this “bishop” is not a Episcopalian or a Anglican cleric. In this case, the word “episcopal” is used to describe the hierarchy of bishops and their rule. Ok, I’m leaving my pulpit now.

5th/77th FA

Thanks for jump starting my memory banks Charlie Six, could not pull it out. Guess I need to pull his memoirs book off the shelf and re read it.

Thanks too, to CCR on the expanded explanation of the Bishop’s creds. The Old Time Religion is no longer the “Old Time Religion.” All of the denominations have changed radically over the last 50 years. Where is Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show when you need him. I’ll pack up the babies, you grab the old ladies, and we’ll get everyone to go. It’s still a hot August Night.

David

John Steinbeck related how when driving the country in ‘Travels With Charley” a Vermont fire and brimstone preacher spent an hour excoriating him and everyone in earshot as hopeless sinners without a redeeming quality. Said it felt so good to be so worthless but worthy of the Lord’s attention that it put a smile on his face all day.

SFC D
Thunderstixx

I’m offended…
You forgot Z….

Richard

Fuck all you snowfake libtard Faggots crying about some guy wearing a t-shirt. He never once claimed to be s marine or any branch of the military he actually shut the whine ass bitch made Faggot down quickly by saying I’m not in the military….it’s walking piece’s of shits like you Scumbag trash and this “man of god” that love drama and starting shit.

ninja

“Dressing in a manner designed to make other people think you are something when you are not is unacceptable. It’s pretentious. It’s deceptive. It’s posing. It’s a lie.”

Owens

Odd, you can buy branch t-shirts at our local Walmart.. I for one never read that the young man made any claim.. But read that he claimed he was not.. But i did read that the Preacher made a false assumption.. Does anyone remember what ASS/U/ME means..
Damn people get a grip..

11B-Mailclerk

Well! Ain’t we fierce!

NHSparky

Lighten up, “Dick.”

Club Manager, USA ret.

Why in the world would anyone wear an orange UT shirt? Actually, we love UT fans when they visit Fayetteville for a Hogs game. Among the most despised items in Arkansas are the orange barrels on highway construction sites. UT fans take them home to use as flower pots, dog houses, end tables, etc. Their orange tee shirts also come in handy when picking up litter on the highway or hunting. GO HOGS!

David

Gotta wear something when you change oil, especially if you’ve already hopelessly trashed that maroon A&M shirt. (Rock Chalk, Jayhawk…)

Perry Gaskill

Dunno. This one seems a bit over the top, but I’d imagine being an Army RVN vet renders me a reprobate unable to reach an acceptable level of outrage when some goof wears a footprint t-shirt that might inappropriately hint at possible service in the Marine Corps.

Arthur Scott

As a retired Marine myself I could careless who wants to play warrior. They aren’t worth my time.

ninja

“Dressing in a manner designed to make other people think you are something when you are not is unacceptable. It’s pretentious. It’s deceptive. It’s posing. It’s a lie.”

11B-Mailclerk

On the other hand, one should not go too far the other way.

Fans wear football jerseys. We not accuse them claiming to be on those teams, or dis them as “wannabees”.

Wearing ambiguous cop stuff has a societal hazard, so that sort of garb needs to say clearly ” fan club”.

Vets sell “fan club” attire. They also sell “I is” attire. They generally don’t card the buyers.

We need to keep “reason” front and center in this stuff. That concept is most essential when confronted with something that induces anger.

“What is the actual harm being done?” is a good question to ask.

John Jaskolski

The young man did not claim to be a Marine so no stolen valor

ninja

“Dressing in a manner designed to make other people think you are something when you are not is unacceptable. It’s pretentious. It’s deceptive. It’s posing. It’s a lie.”

Chad

You’re and idiot, just because I dress up as Mick Jagger, doesn’t indicate a pretentious nature, just because I love the band, and deception and lying must have intention hold weight. Just because I wear combat boots, doesn’t mean I’m a liar. You need to recognise…..

ninja

Quote from this article that AW1Ed posted:

“Dressing in a manner designed to make other people think you are something when you are not is unacceptable. It’s pretentious. It’s deceptive. It’s posing. It’s a lie.”

Perfectly describes Lester Kent Brown and his Self-Glorified Biker Club with their Vests and Bling-Bling, i.e. the Elko, Neveda POW*MIA Awareness Association.

Also describes alot of “Look At Me!” folks we have seen on TAH.

Thank You, AW1Ed, for posting the article.

ninja

One should read the ENTIRE article to understand what Epps was trying to say.

Different perspectives/viewpoints on this.

Nothing wrong with different OPINIONS which is what Epps was expressing.

Thank You again, AW1Ed.

J. Adams

Let the young man wear what he wants.that is his right. That is we U S Marines have been fighting for since Tun Tavern. peoples rights.S/f to all my brothers. J. Adams

O-4E

I save my outrage for three things

1. Douchebags trying to claim awards and decorations they didn’t earn

2. Douchebags using their military service (real or imaginary) to try and steal what is not theirs or cheat someone

3. Douchebags who use their actual military service in such a way as to make all of the military or Veteran community look like douchebags

This David Epps falls into category 3 in my book

Trying to say that civilians aren’t entitled to “military style haircuts” or to wear items displaying support of their own military is pretty douchebaggish

Just An Old Dog

Anyone the asshole here its the minister.
Wearing a short haircut and T shirt isn’t against the law and is misleading by its appearance only if you ASSUME shit.
The young man was totally honest in presenting himself.
Asshats like this guy give “professionals” who fight SV a bad name.

just old grunt

WOW how i just love such vigilantes!! HEY DUDES we all SERVED UNDER THE SAME FLAG TOOK THE SAME OATH THAT DON’T MAKE MARINES ANYTHING SPECIAL. JUST ANOTHER FUBAR, JAFR. i was just another grunt in the pack, NOTHING SPECIAL when i see this FAKE STOLEN VALOR nonsense then i see y’all s reaction that’s when i get the belly laughs. REALLY

BTW: FYI: NO ONE DIED MADE YOU EITHER GOD, OR FEDERAL AGENTS TO “ENFORCE” any laws, all u are required to do is to OBSERVE AN REPORT. DUH
OH YEAH SCOTUS has also ruled that the stolen valor act was and is UNCONSTITUTIONAL
YOU DUDES REALLY DON’T HAVE ANY LIFE DO YOU.
WHY SUCH A PITY POT WHEN YOU SEE SOMEONE WEARING A UNIFORM.

DAMN PAST BEHAVIOR IS INDICATIVE OF FUTURE BEHAVIOR SO Y’ALL MUST BE SOME SORT OF SUPER DUPER HEROS NOT!!!!!
I WAS ARMY FOUR YEARS BIG DAMN DEAL, DID MY TIME GOT OUT WENT ON CARRY ON.

IF ANYTHING THESE POSERS WELL FALSE IMPERSONATION WOULD BE MORE FITTING

GDContractor

If he doesn’t like seeing young men (8th to 12 graders) in military haircuts wearing Marine T-shirts, that preacher better not go to Harlingen, TX.
https://www.mma-tx.org/

What an idiot.

NHSparky

Never spent more than 30 minutes on USS New Hampshire, but I still regularly wear the t-shirt.

Then again, I’ve spent more time on the shitter at test depth eating strawberry ice cream than this preacher has ever spent at sea in any capacity, so I think I’m entitled.

Andrew Dangerously

If you consider assaulting someone because they wear a military themed t shirt, you’re not a rational person.

We get it, you’re a big hero Jarhead. No college punk can “steal” your valor or change your experience in the military.

There’s at least 2 phony Vietnam vets for every actual Vietnam vet and you’re worrying about a non-government issued, commercially available T shirt.