Counterfeit Veterans

| November 5, 2019

MilitaryTimes.com just published an interesting article titled:

Thieves among honor: counterfeit veterans

It is well-written because he recounts his personal experience writing an article about D-Day when someone called him up and claimed to be an Army Ranger at Pointe du Hoc. It was debunked by someone that was actually there.

There is no hard count of how many people have lied about their military service, but one of the best sources on the topic thinks the number is in the millions.

He went on to highlight other efforts, one by B.G. Burkett who wrote a book on Stolen Valor.  Burkett’s current effort deals with VA fraud, but isolated to the Northwest region of the country.

Between March 1, 2008, and Feb. 25, 2009, the VA investigated 96 cases of “stolen valor” fraud, according to James O’Neill, assistant inspector general for investigations. The work led to 48 arrests, the VA recovered $562,888, and authorities levied $1.23 million in fines. Type “falsify military service” into an online search engine window, and one yields tens of thousands of hits relating case after case in which someone has either exaggerated or completely fabricated their military service.

In 2000, upon hearing that the Library of Congress had launched its Veterans History Project, Burkett asked administrators if they were verifying any of the vets’ records. They weren’t. Burkett predicted that half would be frauds.

This has been our experience as well with the Veterans History Project.  I’m sure there were legitimate stories captured, but how can generations in the future be assured when people like “Sergeant Major Andy Prado” tell his fake stories?  When the stolen valor blogs are pixel dust Prado will live on in infamy thanks to the Library of Congess and the Veterans History Project.

AND, I’ve often wondered about the Civil War and the period before the internet when word of mouth was king. This is staggering…

Fakery was reportedly widespread during the Civil War and its long aftermath. According to a January 1893 article about veterans’ pensions in Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, during a three-year period ending in 1879, out of 4,397 affidavits filed for wartime pensions, 3,084 were false — at a cost to the government of more than a half million dollars. Poor or nonexistent record keeping makes such fakery difficult to track much further back in history. The suspicion, however, is that it has probably been around as long as people have been on the planet.

Category: Stolen Valor, Stolen Valor Act

88 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Mustang Major

It is sickening to me to hear people boasting about military service (by word of mouth, dress, or bumper stickers) when my gut instinct tells me that they are full of B.S. I now don’t even want to hear about anyone’s service, unless they pass the “smell test.”

As for frauds milking the system to their advantage, they can go to jail. I wish the government would step up enforcement on this, but I get it- bigger fish to fry somewhere else.

Combat Historian

Love the story in the article about the fake D-Day Ranger who was caught in the lie by the reporter, and then two weeks later the lying codger trotted out the same lie again at a D-Day reenactment event. It’s a pathology with these scumbags; just ask ‘ole Maggotty Maggie…

A Proud Infidel®™

“It’s a pathology with these scumbags; just ask ‘ole Maggotty Maggie…”

Indeed it is, these scumbags go to events just HAVING to be the center of everyone’s attention.

AW1Ed

I’m sure posers predated Rome and Carthage’s Punic Wars. And every one up till now.

Roh-Dog

No bullshit, if you weren’t part of the second punic war, you aint shit, there i was, 200BC, Hannibal trudging up that Alpine pass…

SFC D

You’ve heard about David and Goliath? I handed David that rock.

Comm Center Rat

I don’t care who you are, that there’s funny! Absolutely brilliant. LMAO!!

rgr769

Classic reply. Even my wife chuckled at that, and she thinks we are all like a bunch of twelve year olds when we bitch about this POSer stuff.

I like that you were humble and said you were in a support role. It gives your story that patina of authenticity.

Roh-Dog

Funking POC… (Personnel Otherthan Centurion)

5th/77th FA

Support role? I loaned David my spare codpiece.

ChipNASA

OK Double fuck you. I just spit out a half chewed piece of sushi I was eating….
(Double entendre)

Messkit

“You’ve heard about David and Goliath? I handed David that rock.”

My Armament Shop prepped those rocks for issue. Also, you didn’t sign the 3161, and failed to write up the blood stain, on the 2404.

SFC D

I thought it was fair wear and tear!

Sandman

Shit,,,I had Kane the rock he used on Able. The one he picked was to small, I was like “dude you’ll never be remembered using a small rock, you gotta think big!”

ChipNASA

Fuck you…..*guffaws*

ArmyATC

I don’t like tooting my own horn, but I was one of Joshua’s trumpeters who brought down the walls of Jericho.

Roh-Dog

Boo this man! Boooooo

Mason

In Sparta, after the Battle of Thermopylae, even though it’s well known that 300 Spartans fought, 3,200 filed for pensions as survivors at the Spartan Veterans Administration.

Slow Joe

Brian Williams was there at the Hot Gates, and single handedly defeated the Roman Legion and the Mongolian Tumen sent by Holy Roman Emperor Otto III to support the Persian cataphracs and Ottoman sipahis trying to outflank the 301 Spartans samurais.

GDContractor

AW1Ed- Your comment made me think of something.

Somehow, I got it in my head that the term “seen the elephant” originated in the Punic Wars when Hannibal used elephants. A Roman soldier would say “I’ve seen the elephant” to confirm that he was a combat vet of his era.

Well, tonight I looked up the origin of the term…and it’s apparently an American term only with an American origin.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/wordhistories.net/2018/01/14/see-elephant-meanings/amp/

So thanks, I guess…although I like my version better.

Mason

I like your version better too.

AW1Ed

I always thought it referred to Civil War veteran’s battlefield experience as having “seen the elephant.”

I like both of ours better.

rgr769

Agree. And as I understand it, the source of the phrase came from the example of those who had actually been to the travelling circus and seen an elephant. E.g., one had truly been to a circus, as he had “seen the elephant.”

SFC D

I rode a tank
Held a general’s rank
When the blitzkrieg raged
And the bodies stank

GDContractor

“I shouted out: Epstein didn’t kill himself…”

Great song.

SFC D

Now I’m always gonna hear that. Awesome line!

5th/77th FA

to quote Friend… “giggling uncontrollably”

Baby Sister’s spaceface in your bookpage has been as full of them kinda memes as Flora duh is of phonies. Been 😆 😆 😆 all week.

ninja

From the article: “In 2000, upon hearing that the Library of Congress had launched its Veterans History Project, Burkett asked administrators if they were verifying any of the vets’ records. They weren’t. Burkett predicted that half would be frauds.” “Seven years later, Chuck and Mary Schantag, whose P.O.W. Network Web site lists U.S. prisoners of war, reviewed all the history project records. In 2007 the project listed 49 Medal of Honor recipients on its Web site. The Schantags discovered that 24 of those were false entries. So were 47 claiming to have earned service crosses. As were 45 claiming to have been prisoners of war.” In September 2007, the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress American Forklife Center issued this statement: “Recent media coverage has portrayed veterans who have donated interviews to the Veterans History Project (VHP) at the Library of Congress American Folklife Center as having made “fraudulent” claims regarding the Congressional Medal of Honor. The Veterans History Project is a congressionally mandated, public-participation oral history project to gather and preserve the personal wartime recollections of veterans. Its objective is to build a body of personal histories, housed in the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress, which illuminate the human element and further enrich our own understanding of Americans who have served in 20th- and 21st-century conflicts. It is not an official military record archive and is intended only to supplement, not substitute for, the historical record. As such, the VHP, which currently houses more than 50,000 oral histories and collections, does not verify the accuracy of accounts that are provided to the project. VHP periodically verifies collections that reference the Medal of Honor, which are a matter of widely accessible public records, and we have enhanced our internal systems to help ensure the accuracy of future Medal of Honor recipients. However, our review of these most recent claims indicates that there has been no intent whatsoever to provide false information. Releasing the names of honorable individuals gratuitously and wrongfully as having misrepresented the truth does them a disservice, and undermines this effort to preserve… Read more »

Mason

Your tax dollars at work. You’d think for nearly $5 TRILLION we could get some of these agencies to talk to each other. Too busy giving out free shit and obstructing the President’s agenda I guess.

Anonymous

My ex-father-in-law got captured by the Viet Cong during the advisory phase of ‘Nam in ’63. They had him for about a month, tortured him, etc. VC left him (6’7″) guarded by only two guys (5’2″-ish) once– he killed both w/o a weapon and got back to his unit. Army didn’t consider him a POW because he self-escaped (Congratulations– have a three-day pass and get back to work on Monday! they said at the time). That he found his first (soon ex-) wife had shacked-up with some dude while he was overseas pissed him off a lot more. (Why don’t liars claim that?) Did a second tour there in a regular unit in ’66- 67 and eventually retired as a CSM.

ninja

Anonymous:

That’s interesting.

Especially the statement you wrote:

“Army didn’t consider him a POW because he self-escaped…”

If you go to this site, you will see a list of names of US Prisoners of War who escaped captivity during the Vietnam War:
https://www.dpaa.mil/portals/85/Documents/VietnamAccounting/pmsea_escapee.pdf

Is he by chance on this list?

He was gone for a month and his Chain of Command said “Congratulations-have a three day pass and get back to work on Monday”

All Soldiers are accounted for on a daily basis. Surely his Chain of Command in Vietnam reported him as either MIA or possibly AWOL through their upper Chain of Command.

Have seen numerous stories to include obituaries where one claims they were captured by the Viet Cong, only to escape, yet their names do not show up in any Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Database.

Their stories also have a pattern, i.e. the Escapee somehow killed their Guards with their bare hands, escaped and went back to their unit.

Do you think there may be a possibility that your Ex Father In Law may have stretched the truth about his “escape” if he was in Vietnam? Perhaps he might have been AWOL instead?

Just curious.

ninja

Also, the only two US Army Soldiers I could find who captured in 1963 and escaped were Isacc Camacho and Nick Rowe.

If your Ex Father In Law is not on the Official List of Escapees, don’t you think that may be odd?

As stated, all Soldiers are accounted for on a daily basis.

rgr769

His FIL’s story raised my suspicions as well. Every unit has a morning report that is prepared daily by the unit clerk, even when the unit is question is in the field engaged in combat operations. The morning report clerk for the unit would be in the rear. Someone had to do a morning report entry for him for those supposed days he was held by the VC. Someone knew he was MIA for that period or he was listed as AWOL. Never heard of any Army unit pretending someone held by the enemy was not a POW.

ninja

rgr769:

The “30 days” got my attention as well.

30 days. Hmmm…possibly 30 days R&R leave, but perhaps not in Hawaii or the Mainland or with his 1st Wife?

Perhaps 30 days with another Human Being and the 1st Wife found out and in reality, she got P.O. and divorced him?

Or 30 days in the Brig? Or AWOL?

Perhaps he never went to Viet of the Nam or never retired as a CSM or even never served?

Anoymous, sorry, but the story about your Ex Father In Law just does not sound right.

If you are interested, there are Folks who can do research on him to verify his story. You can always contact TAH Admin and request their assistance or you can write the NRPC in St Louis and request info on him via FOIA.

ninja

Anyone recognize this guy from the Veterans History Project?

*smile*

https://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.72600/transcript?ID=sr0001

HMCS(FMF) ret

Lawn Dart Danny… hoping he’s enjoying getting his squeakhole dorked with the Barbed Cock of Satan for all of the Hell he brought into so many people’s lives.

bmorgan

I can’t think of anyone that promoted more the idea that they were entitled to their lies.

The Stranger

I’d have to say that Visconi has him beat. Old Forgin’ Frank took his antics to a Federal Court.

The Stranger

That asshole was who I immediately thought of as regards the Veteran’s History Project. In his defense, he has managed to hold his altitude, heading, and velocity (air AND ground) remarkably well for the past year and a half or so! Steady as she goes,Dan!

A Proud Infidel®™

Good Riddance to that pustulous poltroon of a piece of shit.

Cameron Kingsley

Can’t forget about that guy. What a complete piece of work he was. I should send some of the stuff on him to my law professors so they can use him for a “don’t be this guy” lesson.

rgr769

He is a classic example of a bad, very bad lawer. But there are many others I have dealt with over the years. And then we have as exhibit “A” one Michael Avenatti. Who will assuredly be disbarred once he is convicted on his multiple felonies. Since the Commiefornia State Bar is lazy, they will likely hold his theft of his clients’ funds claims in abeyance and let the criminal courts deal with him first. His convictions will ultimately result in his disbarment. But that still won’t occur until long after he is given quite a bit of due process (hearings/trial) in the State Bar Court.

Cameron Kingsley

Ugh. Can’t forget about that putz either. That sleazy dickhead not only gives lawyers a bad name, he gives Italians a bad name too. He would also make a good example but his case is too politically charged for sending. Talk about something that backfired horrifically (and quite comedically) on the left.

rgr769

Here is another classic example for your perfessor: search the Commiefornia State Bar for Richard I. Fine. If that isn’ t sufficient, read the disbarment decision for Donald M. Wanland, Jr. Both have exceeded the Bernathian level of lawering.

Cameron Kingsley

Sounds like some good reading. I will check them out. I could also send them to my professors at Liberty University (much more conservative than NOVA which was my community college as that one operates in Northern Virginia which is usually quite liberal).

rgr769

The first named “lawer” was disbarred for repeatedly and frivolously suing state and federal judges for ruling against him and/or his clients. The second was disbarred for 23 counts of tax fraud and evasion. I had the misfortune of litigating with both of them. It is fun watching your enemies self-destruct. I have had the pleasure of watching about a half-dozen of my most obnoxious and dishonest opposing counsel later disbarred.

Cameron Kingsley

Damn. You weren’t kidding when you said that they exceed Bernath in terms of being a couple of scuzzballs.

rgr769

The first one has an excuse for his behavior, as he is likely mentally ill. The second is just an all around bad actor. No sane lawer would think suing about a dozen judges will get you anywhere.

Cameron Kingsley

Yeah, at least the first one does have more of an excuse than the second one (really? Tax evasion and fraud? Did he seriously think he wasn’t going to get caught?). Part of the reason I plan on staying as a paralegal. In fact when I took estate planning and probate at NOVA, my professor had family members and teachers who kept pushing for her to become a lawyer (or lawer as y’all say around these parts) and she said no. She wanted to (and did) remain as a paralegal unlike the other two professors that I had who were attorneys.

ninja

This guy lied to the Veterans’ History Project as well.

https://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/bib/loc.natlib.afc2001001.92663

He was never a MSGT/E-8. He was never with the 1st RANGER Battalion (Darby’s RANGERS). He was never Airborne. He never earned a CIB, Purple Heart, Bronze Star for Valor.

He was never a RANGER.

He served in Italy, not Germany, with 5th Corps.

He told the Veterans History Project that he was nominated for the Medal of Honor, which was not true.

He later claimed the Distinguished Service Cross.

He made himself into a Hero. In reality, during his time in 5th Corps, he spent most of his time on sick call. He ended up being sent back to the US with a medical diagnosis as being Psychotic.

Unfortunately, throughout the years, Folks fell for his bogus stories, none which were true.

https://www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/2013/08/16/ww-ii-veteran-lowell-g-freeman-to-be-honored-during-cripple-creek-event/

http://theveteransrally.org/articles/111-salute-to-american-veterans-rally

He is similar to Maggie DeSanti. An Elderly Person who made up Military Stories to gain attention and perhaps reaped monetary benefits.

Sadly, it seems that hardly anyone wants to address or challenge Elderly Phonies. Excuses are “They are harmless” or “They have Dementia and don’t know what they are saying” without realizing these Elderly Folks have been telling their Tall Tales for years and got away with it.

Fyrfighter

Sad.. that second fool is right in my backyard.

marinedad61

[Fakery was reportedly widespread during the Civil War and its long aftermath.]

Of course. The WILD WEST was mostly Civil War AWOLs, deserters, and cowards.

The war was brutal.
However, MOST units (North and South)
were comprised of hometown regiments,
where everyone knew each other.

The survivors know who disappeared or ran from the battlefield.
They couldn’t just show up back home, in good health, 3 years later.
So, many of them headed WEST, to a new life,
with new (phony) tales of Civil War heroism.

Odds are high, that Elko, Nevada was founded this way.

rgr769

I think you are correct; and the area has the Brownstain and his merry band continuing the tradition.

Roh-Dog

Oh man! That theory is highly plausible!!!!

ninja

The Author of this book fell for this Elderly Man’s bogus story and was conned in writing a book (Self-Publishing).

The Author even mentioned in the writeup:

“*******, a thirty year employee with *** in ****, spent four years writing and many hours interviewing, recording, and researching accuracy and historical integrity of For Which it Stands.”

It took emails and phone calls to the Author to let him know that the Elderly Individual who told him the War Stories was lying. The Book is now labeled as “Fiction”.

This was the Claim that the Elderly Man made:

“*** true story begins with D-Day, WW II, and goes on to dramatic experiences– serving with the 101st Airborne during World War II, liberating Nazi concentration camps, being a Nuremberg witness, serving a call to duty in Korea, standing guard in Dallas when President Kennedy was shot, and serving in Vietnam, where he was a prisoner of war and suffered extreme torture”.

The Elderly Man claimed the Legion of Merit, the POW Medal, the Bronze Star for Valor, the CIB, various Vietnam Medals, none which were true. He also claimed to have been a Retired US Army General, which was not true.

https://www.amazon.com/Which-Stands-George-S-Bockius/dp/1595267921

rgr769

The guy was just like ol’ Forrest Gump, he was everywhere something momentous happened during a period of about fifty years. Some of these fake fuckers are really creative. But it is pretty stupid to claim to be a Vietnam war POW, since there is a publically available list of everyone of them who returned. But then we had a retired CSM who served in my unit who pulled the same fake POW stunt for about 30 years until he was exposed by Schantags and finally prosecuted.

ninja

rgr769:

You beat me to it about Ole Ricky.

😉😆😊

BTW, his Daddy told stories to others that he was a Korean War POW. Which he wasn’t.

The Apple does not fall far from the Tree.

Thank You for sharing. That man has NEVER admitted in public that he LIED.

RLTW

Anonymous

Gump Fiction…

Jeff LPH 3, 63-66

As long as there is a Military, there will always be B.S.er’s. As Stan Laurel once said:, any bird can build a nest, but not everyone can lay an egg.

5th/77th FA

Asinine, low life, self centered, egotistical, lying sacks of sh^t that should burn in hell while Satan devours their worthless souls. There is a pitot tube leading from Valhalla straight to the reception gates of hell where the real Warriors piss napalm to coat these sons of bitches as they are in processed. The woodpile is slap full of these individuals and the book of fake is eat up with them. They really just piss me off to no end. Chasing phonys is what brought many of us here and I feel there is no way that we could catch them all. Even when the heat is brought, they lay low for awhile and then start their sh^t again. ESAD mofos.

I wasn’t a war hero, but I served with a bunch of War Heros.

3/10/MED/b

May be off topic and a bit early. (If so, the powers that be will shut me down.)The big push is underway for the Veterans Day freebies, and the schools and restaurants will welcome them all with uniforms and medals (metals… damn, that’s funny…) and tales of derring-do.

I have explained to my family why I don’t participate in those events. The older ones get it. The younger ones don’t.
Do what you can.

How’s Alaska Bob with CKD doing?

Fuckin’ poser.

Any updates on ol’ Bob?

To all of you facing real health problems, I can only wish you the best. I should focus on your worries before I concern myself with the stories of a POS wannabee.

Oh, yeah, fuck him and his like.

b out

Honor and Courage

It’s not only Civilians The Active Duty has it problems as well. The CSM at Walter Reed was on such story that made all kinds of claims and was busted! Never heard what the results of were from his Investigation. His CO at the time had won the CMH as an enlisted Soldier Medic in the 101st. He was from Lebanon Ohio.

Comm Center Rat

“I’m a combat veteran and I want free shit now.”

~ Anonymous POSer

rgr769

They all want to join the Free Shit Army as a supposed combat vet when the FSA is handing out the free shit, but when it is time to actually do some trigger pulling and hump a rucksack, they are nowhere to be found.

Green Thumb

Has anyone contacted the False Commander “Phony” Phil Monkress (CEO of All-Points Logistics)
and gotten his input on this issue?

Slow Joe

And this sickness of stolen valor also explains the UFO phenomena.

They are ALL fake.

There are far too many humans who can’t help it to lie, embellish and fake, for a variety of reasons.

rgr769

Most of them just do it primarily to get attention. The freebies are just the toppings on their shit sundaes.

Stacy0311

My military service is best summed up by Pink Floyd’s Wish you were here “….a walk on part in the war”

CplMajor Mike

I never go to the free meals for vets on Veterans Day, the lines are long and you can bet about half are lying pieces of shit. A place near me does celebrate the Marine Corps Birthday, not free but it is always great company and I’m willing to pay for that. The place is closed on Sundays but with the birthday falling on Sunday they make an exception and will be open, cake and the Hymn usually around 1000. It’s early but Semper Fi and Happy Birthday.

IDC SARC

Same here…too many long lines and too many fogey’s spinning yarns and wearing cringy bling bling.

..and Semper Fi and Happy Birthday to you as well Mike

marinedad61

As a Thank You to GOLDEN CORRAL (only 2 miles away),
I always drive by to watch the long lines,
but don’t stop to eat,
and then stop in a few days later and PAY for a meal,
wearing my black and yellow hat,
and THANKING everyone working at Golden Corral
for the Veterans Day spread.

I’m sure way too many are eating at Golden Corral
ONLY once a year.
Pitiful behavior for a freebie,
especially from anyone calling themselves a veteran.

Cameron Kingsley

My mom and I tried Golden Corral once. Never again.

CplMajor Mike

Hey, I’m one of them old fogeys, USMC 1965-69

Usafvet509

Y’all hear about Gates Skipper, or what the fuck ever her name is? She got inducted in the Florida state Veteran’s hall of fame, for fucks sake

Terry Sheehan

It makes me wonder sometimes if it is truly about honoring veterans — or it is about people doing this and feeling good for honoring veterans.

May explain why they don’t care if a fake slips through.

Martinjmpr

It makes me wonder sometimes if it is truly about honoring veterans — or it is about people doing this and feeling good for honoring veterans

Too often, I think that’s EXACTLY what it is.

It’s not “let’s honor veterans.”

It’s “LOOK AT MEEEE!!! I’M HONORING VETERANS!!!! I’M GREAT!!!!!”

“the troops” have become just another cause that people support in order to make themselves look good.

Swap your pink breast-cancer-awareness bling from October for your camo veteran’s-awareness-for-November bling.

And what’s worse, by lumping veterans in with other “victims” (cancer, domestic violence, etc) it feeds the “veteran-as-victim” myth, which itself allows people to feel better about themselves (because they’re so concerned about the “Damaged veterans”) but also serves to justify and reinforce their own non-participation in the military (“there but for the grace of God…)

marinedad61

Exactly.
(There should be a LIKE or THUMBS UP on these blogs.)

The worst is these “causes” which have NO opposite.
Who is against breast cancer, or sick babies,
or POW*MIA accounting?
Ripe for cause thieves, who compound the deceit
by playing dress-up phony war veteran
on their Harleys, trucks, black leather vests, and BDUs.

Double Ugh.

ninja

Her name is Kathryn Gates-Skipper. Something is not right. Perhaps it is time to do another FOIA on her? The reason is this: Gates was featured in a 2015 TAH Post: https://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=63383 In the Post, her FOIA shows she was on Active Duty from 1975-1979 and only received 1 Good Conduct Medal and a Meritorious Mast. Yet, this interview Video shows that she was called to Active Duty at Fort Dix, NJ in support of Desert Shield/Desert Storm (newspaper article is in the video): https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2019/10/31/polk-marine-1st-female-inductee-into-florida-veterans-hall-of-fame# Note that she is NOT wearing Chocolate Chips (Desert BDUs) which means she DID NOT Deploy, but rather stayed Stateside. Yet she stated in the interview that she was in Kuwait during Desert Storm “making sure the families of Marines who died in combat received all of their belongings from the battlefield.” Also, there is a picture of a National Defense Service Medal in the video. In this article, she claims the following awards: https://connectingvets.radio.com/articles/florida-veterans-hall-fame-induct-woman-combat-marine “During her time in the Marines, Gates-Skipper was awarded the Army Achievement Medal, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, SW Asia Service Medal, Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Military Ribbon, the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia), Marine Corps League Distinguished Service Award, the State of Florida Governor’s Veteran Award, the American Legion Veteran of the Year Award”. The article also states: “…she was among the first women to serve in combat training, helping to train female Kuwaiti soldiers during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm.” OK. IF she was called to Active Duty in support of Desert Shield/Desert Storm at Fort Dix, NJ, then I can see her receiving the Army Achievement Medal. Perhaps the NDSM. But some of the others? IMHO, I doubt it. She also claims to have been “The first female Marine who served in Desert Storm combat operations”. *cough-cough* In another post, she said her Grandfather was a Member of the Italian Mafia. *cough-cough* And check out her other claims. Seriously? https://tennesseestar.com/2017/06/26/retired-marine-sergeant-and-trump-supporter-kat-gates-skipper-honors-wounded-veterans-at-warren-county-gop-event/ “Gates-Skipper then ticked off a number of important “firsts” in her career: 1. The first woman… Read more »

marinedad61

Reminder…
Chocolate Chips (we called them Shadow Stone Desert BDUs)
were NOT the automatic uniform for DS/DS.

Almost all combat units got them.
Support units (like a Maintenance Company) did NOT.
There weren’t enough to go around.

My PAARNG unit wore Woodland BDUs throughout DS/DS,
and ONLY received our Shadow Stones in April 1991,
AFTER the action was over.
I was in Iraq and Kuwait, hauling EPW prisoners in convoys
from Day 3 of the invasion through the ceasefire.
All in Woodland BDUs.

Got the 1991 GIF scans (scanners were $2k then),
courtesy of McHenry BBS, one of the largest dial up smut providers of the early 90s.
(RIP McHenry)

marinedad61

NO MISTAKE about her husband on the 2015 TAH page.

Here he is, in a September 3, 2019 photo,
sporting his PHONY BRONZE STAR.
STOLEN VALOR HUSBAND.

THIS calls for a NEW page,
Husband & Wife BLOG OF SHAME.

UGH.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2410338595681070&set=pb.100001148599107.-2207520000.0.&type=3&theater

marinedad61

KG-S’s DisgraceBook page.
Plenty of posts and photos.
Open game for clicks and comments.

https://www.facebook.com/kathryn.gatesskipper

ninja

Her name is Kathryn Gates-Skipper.

Something is not right.

Perhaps it is time to do another FOIA on her?

The reason is this:

Gates was featured in a 2015 TAH Post:

https://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=63383

In the Post, her FOIA shows she was on Active Duty from 1975-1979 and only received 1 Good Conduct Medal and a Meritorious Mast.

Yet, this interview Video shows that she was called to Active Duty at Fort Dix, NJ in support of Desert Shield/Desert Storm (newspaper article is in the video):

https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2019/10/31/polk-marine-1st-female-inductee-into-florida-veterans-hall-of-fame#

Note that she is NOT wearing Chocolate Chips (Desert BDUs) which means she DID NOT Deploy, but rather stayed Stateside.

Yet she stated in the interview that she was in Kuwait during Desert Storm “making sure the families of Marines who died in combat received all of their belongings from the battlefield.”

Also, there is a picture of a National Defense Service Medal in the video.

In this article, she claims the following awards:

https://connectingvets.radio.com/articles/florida-veterans-hall-fame-induct-woman-combat-marine

“During her time in the Marines, Gates-Skipper was awarded the Army Achievement Medal, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, SW Asia Service Medal, Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Military Ribbon, the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia), Marine Corps League Distinguished Service Award, the State of Florida Governor’s Veteran Award, the American Legion Veteran of the Year Award”.

The article also states: “…she was among the first women to serve in combat training, helping to train female Kuwaiti soldiers during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm.”

OK. IF she was called to Active Duty in support of Desert Shield/Desert Storm at Fort Dix, NJ, then I can see her receiving the Army Achievement Medal. Perhaps the NDSM.

But some of the others? IMHO, I doubt it.

She also claims to have been “The first female Marine who served in Desert Storm combat operations”.

*cough-cough*

In another post, she said her Grandfather was a Member of the Italian Mafia.

*cough-cough*

ninja

Continuation (I overloaded the references, so am resending. Sorry, AW1Ed! *grin*)

And check out her other claims.

Seriously?

https://tennesseestar.com/2017/06/26/retired-marine-sergeant-and-trump-supporter-kat-gates-skipper-honors-wounded-veterans-at-warren-county-gop-event/

“Gates-Skipper then ticked off a number of important “firsts” in her career:

1. The first woman Marine to stay overnight in the field, as part of combat training at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina

2. The first woman Marine to stay overnight aboard a ship, The U.S.S. Tortuga, LSD-46. It was docked at Norfolk, VA. For the first time, men and women were doing joint training exercises.

3. And proudly, the first enlisted woman Marine during combat operations in Operation Desert Storm, working with the person effects of the casualties on the Marine Corps side of house.

“On February 25 [1990], we lost the most U.S. casualties when an Iraqi SCUD missile struck our U.S. barracks in Saudi Arabia, killing 28 U.S. troops. I was one of the staff NCO’s in charge of the personal effects of these casualties,” Gates-Skipper said:

“Our job was very important – – because we had to make sure that we FOUND all the personal items, as well as RETURNED all the personal items, to the family members, in the BEST condition possible. One time, I helped clean the wallet of a deceased service member. I opened up the wallet and found a picture of the Marine holding his young child. Looking at that picture, the thought came over me that that child will never see his dad again. I had to put that picture out of my head, and continue to restore that blood-stained wallet. I am sharing this with you, to let you know, that our group took the utmost care of these personal items, for our deceased Brothers and Sisters.”

IMHO, she needs to be exposed again.

Thoughts?

marinedad61

Scroll up on my comments incriminating both husband and wife.

Here is CHARLES SKIPPER, Stolen Valor Phony Bronze Star.
The husband wears it.
The wife brags about it.

It was no mistake in the 2015 TAH piece.

This calls for a new page.
Husband & Wife Blog of Shame!

marinedad61

Here is the October 11 FDVA post.

[Kathryn Gates-Skipper, a U.S. Marine veteran who served in Operation Desert Storm, is about to be inducted into the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame. Gates-Skipper helped female Kuwaiti soldiers during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Read more at:…..]

https://www.facebook.com/floridaveterans/posts/2757576874266665

rgr769

She is a POSer. She was never anything but a personnel admin NCO. Bet her husband is an embellisher.

5th/77th FA

Just left them a fake book post with the linky from when we outed her several years ago. Looks like marinedad61’s post has been deleted. Got a shocked face I can borry? Bitch!