During my career's, I've been lied to more than told the truth, and had to accept it as part of the job and keep my yap shut. Now retired and infirm, not so much, and tend to throw the BS flag more. A few examples: I think it's required for ANY VFW bar to have a young (35-45 y/o) guy claiming to have been a tunnel rat in THE NAM, ask them their dob and watch the wheels spin, and smell the wood burning., The online tough guy that has to say something like that happened & you didn't do anything? Why I'd have... Or the storytellers that have to relate how they raged against the machine or somehow refused to comply with THE MAN or the MGT. My wife tells me as now I couldn't fight my way out of a paper bag, I should still zip it. If I do that it really bugs me & I get pent up and have to vent like now. In my exp the REAL DEALS keep it to themselves and don't advertise it with say bumper stickers on their cars etc. Which brings me to the touchy subject of asking if the icons on peoples profiles are actually verified or if it's the honor system. (I'm not doubting anyone here that has a shield, military, nra, whatever emblem) I'd like to get a double naught spy icon on mine please. NOT purposely trying to be inflammatory or insulting, just a natural gift to be able to rub people the wrong way. And it doesn't stem from this sight as much as others.

One is only responsible for one's own actions. Take EVERYTHING on the internet with a grain of salt. There are some guys that post here I know personally and can vouch for their LE and Veteran icons as they can vouch for mine. But in the long run, for most you will never know.

I have called guys out on being Navy SEALS. They claimed to have been an officer in SEAL Team X. I would simply ask, "So, what is the designator of a Navy SEAL Officer?" Deer in the headlights look and a quick retreat.

Edit to add: On the flip side, I don't care if some Internet Commando questions my claims...I know my past and don't need to have his approval. I don't Twitter, Facebook, or such, so pretty much hang here and on the 1911 Forum.

My problem is when I walk into the VFW or American Legion and vets ask me what years I was in 'Nam!

I must look a lot older than 53!

Being fairly new to retirement with a body that is butt kicked permanently. I'm finding myself less PC and tolerate less than I used to even if I can't back a darn thing up & what else do I have to lose type attitude. trying to keep my big nose to myself & remain polite and respectful seems harder in the face of posers. Anyone else suffering from this? How do you deal?

I won't claim deeds I never did. IMHO, to do that degrades anything I did that was worthwhile.

My brother Richard served in SE Asia in the Vietnam period. Until recently he refused to refer to himself as a Vietnam vet because he was never there. His contribution to the war effort was fueling up planes and trucks. Although after his year was over the Cambodian base he was on was overrun.

One day at lunch I was telling some visitors that Asheville has some big time NASCAR stock car racers. I mentioned several including Banjo Matthews. A blond woman came to out table and said "Excuse me, do you know Banjo Matthews?" I said, "No ma'am, but we were talking of big time racers and his name naturally came up". She then told me he was sitting nearby and had sent her over to offer me a tour of the race shop.

I guess it takes a very different personality from mine to enjoy basking in accomplishments you never did.

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Luke 22:36

Nobody brags about being a merchant mariner.

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Halfway and one more step

Time takes all but memories...

Mom and Dad(both gone) with a kid in uniform... 1968.

You are correct that the ones who have "been there and done that" don't need to toot their own horn. I remember listening to a DOD Civilian that was doing an inspection of our battle-group. I asked him what he did prior to this job. He was retired Navy. It took a lot of pestering, but he finally admitted to flying F4-U and F-6 fighters in WWII, and having shot down a couple of Japanese. He was very humble. He also mentioned he had a son my age who did not care one bit about Dad's past experiences.

I tend to be a loner these days and can count my friends on one hand with a finger or two to spare. Guess I'm getting curmudgeonly now that I'm in my 6th decade.

I don't know why they shouldn't. It is my understanding that they managed to operate large ships well with far fewer personnel than the Navy used for the same task. And I believe that they fed very well, also, although I certainly have no complaints against Navy chow.

Ditto here. I had a 25 year old get ticked with me after I ""busted"" him on lying about serving in the Army,, and getting PTSD after serving in Iraq. His reply was something like: "Just because you collect militaria means you know more than I do." I told him I collect IMPERIAL, WWII and 1957 GERMAN militaria--NOT American stuff-so therefore--German terms for stuff can be 100% different than American terms.

Simply put--he should not have lied to begin with. To make a longer story shorter--He said he served with the 3rd Inf Div--and I said: "Oh you served with the Rock of the Marne Div (their nickname given to them by the Germans in WWI in respect to their being a tough fighting unit) and in WWII their nickname was the "Blue and White Devils" again a name of respect the Germans gave to them) and he did that classic "Deer in the headlights" stare. I said something like-those were their earned names given to them in WWI and WWII by the Germans. He said he never had time to learn Divisional history--or something like that? And I started disbelieving his story--even though he was wearing a Woodlands Pattern camo jacket--and a Chocolate Chip pattern boonie--claiming they were what he wore. He also claimed to have been awarded a Bronze Star. I asked to see it and he claimed everything was in storage at his Mothers home--which is about 20 miles away. I then asked to see some pictures of his time in Iraq since I would like to learn something. Again--none available.

Next, I asked him who that I.Ds most famed Soldier was? He gave another "headlight stare" and everyone who served in that Division--should have known that Soldiers soldier--was Audie Leon Murphy--but he had never even heard of Audie. It was then I knew he lied. I then gave another chance and asked him what his M.O.S. was? he had no clue. I gave him one more chance to "redeem" himself by asking if he carried a S.A.W? Deer-Headlight look again, and he said: "Why would I carry a saw? I would have carried a gun. I shook my head and reminded him about that law that was recently struck down by the Supreme Court recently struck down about people lying about earning awards of valor." That ended that conversation.

Now, I myself--never served in the military because I was not healthy enough--so I dont know hardly any of the terms they used and still use.

I cant stand Poseurs.

My mothers brother was a MM dodging German subs in the Atlantic on convoys to Russia, during WW2 and wasn't one bit ashamed of it. Another uncle my Godfather in the navy in the atlantic was aboard the ship that captured the odenwald, a German ship disguised as an American vessel app 2 weeks prior to pearl harbor. Their next port was Puerto Rico & the sailors took up a collection and took the captive Germans (not yet official pow's) into town for drinks. They caught holy hell a few weeks later. There is a group pic of him & others that boarded the ship on deck of the Odenwald in front of a Swastika.

I met one. He was in WWII and had some good stories about the end of the war with German prisoners on board. He passed away early this year before I could get back over to hear more.

Those guys were just as much in the war as some of our service members.

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Dum vivo cano

I do the same most of the time except in the one case I just posted about. I recently ran into a ""Marine"" who had an incredible military record-while picking up laundry--and it turned out of course--he was never in the military but had spent about 10 years in Prison. His cover was busted to say the lease.

These are classic cases of: "Im Not A Cowboy, Just Found the Hat" kinda thing.

Amen to that. My Grandfather (Ottar Marius Andersen--who was Norwegian but got his Ami Citizenship serving in the US Army--France WWI) was Captain of the SS Fort Lee. In later years he was captain of the SS New London. His info is online and readily available in the MM site. He was one of about 5,000 who was awarded the: Merchant Mariners Medal for War Wounded-as well as several combat decorations and such.

WELL !
I guess I will have to stop telling everyone that I was a super star in many Porno movies ??
However I can fight my way out of a wet paper bag (i kick, scream, and rolling around unti the bag tears and then I run (hopple) away (real fast)

Never said I was ashamed of being USMM, just that nobody brags about it.
I've enjoyed more laughs than I can remember on jobs in funny little countries.

The highest casualty per capita during WWII was merchant mariners.

My late "uncle Henry" ran a little tug in and out, time after time, towing landing craft off the beach on D Day. He did the Murmansk run as well.

I've been carrying a Z card and using it since I was 17.
No, I ain't ashamed of it, but it just isn't something a phony wants to lay claim to, like being a Navy SEAL, or USMC Force Recon, or Delta, or a CIA spook, that's all.

My old daddy used to say "them that knows don't talk, and them that talks-- don't know".

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Halfway and one more step

Lee should make a grouchy ole codger icon just for you!

I've always said that while surfing the internet one needs a good BS filter.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

My uncle was a quartermaster on a sub during WW2.
He never talked about his service to me until I joined the Navy.

But he did say that many men found God while sitting silent on the ocean floor while depth charges were being dropped.

And, I still won't claim a lot of deeds that I did do.

I don't brag about what I've done. I am proud of what I've done in life though, proud enough to use my real name and help others if they have questions.
4 years Army
25 Years NJ DOC
30 plus years teaching Martial Arts
8 years Vol. Firefighter/EMT
Father to 19 year old and a 6 week old ( I don't sleep much)

My dad was in the Korean war and he came home with two purple hearts. He never talked about anything that went on there. He is the bravest man I know also.

My dad is the same way, 22 years Army and two tours in Vietnam. We went to the traveling wall and we had alot of tears when he knew alot of names, one being a cousin of mine.

I got Dad's DD-214 and some other papers after he died. Ain't no arguing with what's on a GI's 214.

First off I will say that I never served or say that I have.

Second I would love to hear the stories that people will tell about their service. If it is not repeated and transcribed then how will our future generations ever learn anything.

Third My Grandfather was a German P.O.W. in WW2. I just wish that I had been a little smarter and got him to talk about his time while he was still alive.

I would love to hear stories to keep the tradition going on into the next few generations.

PLEASE

Boy!! That's the truth!!!

It's sad that there are individuals who have to fabricate stories in order to make themselves look good, if only in their own minds if no one else's.

There's a guy who lives across the road from our place who has very "secretively" told me that he was a civilian hit man for the FBI because he could get away with doing things they couldn't. He claims to have dozens of big boxes stashed away in his garage containing secret files on all sorts of stuff because the FBI didn't want anyone to be able to point an accusing finger at them. He also told me that the reason he moved to our little town was so he could "lay low" without all the bad guys finding him.

I just listen to him and let him talk away. While he has very "confidentially" told me these things, I have found that he has also very "confidentially" told about every other person in our community who will listen to him.

Gee, I sure hope nobody blabs and the bad guys track him down.

Seriously, though, it's too bad people feel that they almost need to justify their existence with others by stringing out a line of bull.

Me? I've never done anything worth writin' home about...but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last summer.

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Pack light and cinch tight.

I have only the greatest respect for merchant mariners of that or any era in which they were in danger of attack. The guys who ran the North Atlantic convoys in WWII were in great peril for most of the war, certainly well into 1943, and some danger to the end, not only from U-boats but also from the unbelievable weather.

The Murmansk run had to be one of the meanest and most dangerous ever for both Navy and Merchant Marine types.

As for the poseurs, I can only say one thing. The genuine ones I've known, the ones who truly went through hell and in some cases emerged highly decorated but permanently changed and sometimes maimed physically or emotionally, have never wanted to talk about it to anyone who hadn't been there. Every one who has been a true hero says he or she was "just doing my job."

I have an ever-decreasing tolerance for taurine excrement as I get older. I'm automatically suspicious of any big talk that isn't obviously done in fun. And I'm usually right.

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Oh well, what the hell.

you've punched out of the time clock for the last time ... love it or hate it, those tasks imposed by that time clock gave you purpose.
Now, its up to you to give yourself purpose.
as soon as you figure out how to do that with whatever you have left, the rest just falls in line.
take up a craft ... everyone seems to need personalized pistol grips in these parts.
try an instrument .. the kazoo don't count.
write a book ...
just leave some beauty in this world and take pride in that ... and you'll do fine

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it just needs more voltage

A honest man aint got nothing to say.

I chose my career so I could say & feel I did do some good. I just planned on doing it for another 12 years or so.

He who lies, eventually in time things like dates etc become his enemy.

I met a gentleman that claims he was one of two astronauts who secretly landed on the sun.

I said that is impossible as they would immediately be vaporized.

He said no, they went at night.

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Doesn't hasta call me Johnson

I never did anything, but I did it well.

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Why, I aughta.....

I, like others here DESPISE and LOATH a poser. As has been noted their bogus claims cheapen the accomplishments and sacrifices of those that actually did their duty. Someone correct me if this isn't right but I THINK I've heard of a law against claiming to be a veteran or claiming to have won various service awards or something like that. Even if there are no such laws I believe there should be and I believe that the penalties should be severe.

Hangnoose, I don't think you should apologize or take any steps back for ranting. Now that I'm "there" myself I fully believe that by living all these years, taking all of life's grief, and having my own butt kicked to a fair-thee-well, that all of us in this situation have earned the right to run our mouths and say what we think. It is a privilege we have surely earned.

According to my better half I have been doing this more and more over the last few years. When she comments on my outspokenness I just shrug and tell her she ain't seen (heard) nuthin' yet.

And for further justification (not that I think we need it) there are now scientific reports out that claim that chemical changes occur in men's brains as they age. The result of these changes is that they become more grumpy and less tolerant as they get older. But really that is just a restatement of the fact that we are gonna call bs when we see it. I don't know about y'all but my bsometer works just fine. It goes off several times a day.

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Real men love cats!

I think the "Stolen Valor" laws have been declared unconstitutional as they impose on a persons 1st amendment right to be an abject liar and poseur.

Oh, and you are right, real men DO love cats; as long as they are marinated and slow cooked.

No pictures...no proof!

Well I'm all for everyone having all their rights. Still it seems so wrong for this to go on and nothing to be done about it.

I prefer a good honey bar b que sauce myself!

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Real men love cats!

I was a lockheed guard. I was on a trip about 400 miles away and stopped at a cafe. There was some old boy in there entertaining everyone who would listen how he was a test pilot for lockheed and flew the SR-71. I never had seen him there and thought I had known every test pilot we had for the era. I let him have his fun and didnt call him out on it.
The best one though is this one. I had a close friend that was a big BSer (actualy a couple). Anyway I had been in a number of incidents with him where he DID some remarkable things that saved me from getting beat to death at the least. To me he was the real deal but yet he would tell tall tales or embelish the truth to others that we worked with etc. It was a shame as after while no one would belive him when he did tell the raw truth! Anyway, this particular time his brother and wife were visiting on a trip and we all decided to go to vegas together. On the way we stopped to a resturant and was BSing. Now my friend for whatever had always claimed he was a big part indian. I didnt care one way or other and had always suspected if he was it couldnt be more than a pinch. Somehow the subject of indians come up. My buddys wife nievely said he was part indian. Now his full brothers wife looked puzzeled, scratched her head and said, "Jakes indian? Hey ben, if jake is indian, how come you being his full blooded brother aint indian?" I could have kissed her! I think I should have been given some kind of award for not busting out laughing or calling him on it! I just wasnt raised that way to put down a friend and kept my mouth shut.
Another time I pulled a big boner and crashed a airplane. I had two friends with me. I wont go into details on why we crashed here, but my passengers was a father and son. All three of us were big men and I was flying a 4 seat piper tri pacer I owned. I wiped out the plane but none of us were hurt, just a few bumps. I called up "jake" to come get us. He missed work to do it. Then he just had to put himself in the deal. He told people that HE WAS WITH US! That would have put me over grossed (too much weight) had he been. The story got to one of our test pilots and of course I also heard what he thought of it that I was a fool to be flying that much over grossed. Yet I didnt want to point out that my close friend was lieing and just took the heat.
Maybe I am dumb but I am what I am.

I know of a person who has a whole town convinced that he served in the SEAL's.
He even puts it in his job applications which enabled him to become a fireman on a volunteer force which led to full time fire fighting duties.

His downfall was breaking into one of his "friend's" house to steal his Oxycontins. His 'friend' grew suspicious of him and involved the local police dept which sat up an elaborate 'sting' operation.

He was convicted of a couple of felonies and the funny part was that his defense attorney never mentioned his 'SEAL' service as part of his defense.

There were lots of news articles on his arrest.

I guess when people are habitual liars, they don't think people will Google their name, but his lies began waaaaay before Google was in existance.

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AKA: "Strange Tamer"

I worked with a guy that I knew to be a bs`er. He was ambitious and climbed in our dept to captain and then a investigator. He was the dramatic type and evidently had supervision bs`ed.
This guy lived to play the role, talk cop talk etc. He even got a side business going as a pi.
There was a article in the local newspaper that someone was pulling people over and telling them he was a cop, chewing them out for cutting him off etc. He pulled over the wrong person. A secatary on our sheriffs dept and chewed her out for something. Of course she knew every plain cloths cop and this guy wasnt one.
I was working with a friend and read the paper. I told him I bet you this is so and so. Sure enough right after that he was arrested! He got a lengthly sentance! I will say this guy had bad luck. First his wife had divoriced him. Then she got a job on a very small PD back east as chief and got killed on the job. Then his son committed suicide and he couldnt accept it as such and told me it was murder and was trying to prove it.
I think it was a case of your sins will find you out! Its too bad these guys can BS their way up but I seen it all my working years.

While working as an operator instructor for the CIAs underwater airborne demolition school, on loan from SEAL team 51, the branch of SEALs that patroled Area 51 in Nevada, I taught all my new recruits NEVER to lie...

There's simply no need to make up stories. The every day stuff that happens is weird enough. I was not in the military, but I'd bet it's very similar to coppers. It takes roughly eleven pico-seconds for any cop, current or former, to ascertain that the story they're hearing from anyone about anything it true, false or about what percentage inbetween.

I arrested a drunk one night...


Sgt Lumpy

In my experience if a story begins with "and this is no .........." It usually is.

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SWCA #1917

While eating lunch with a large maintenance crew, one of the millwrights who was suspected by some as being rather windy, began telling a fishing story.

He claimed to have caught a 64 lb. ling cod out by Guard Island just last week.

A few were quick to throw the blarney flag, so I went to his defense.

I said "I know that area can produce some big fish, why last month out there I caught a 52 lb. snapper - and when we got it in the boat we noticed it's belly had a glow to it. We cut it opened & it had swallowed an oil lamp that was still burning!"

The original story teller was the first one to cry "blarney"

"Well maybe a little" I said "tell you what, if you knock 15 lb. off that ling of yours, I'll blow my light out."

Every ex-sailor I know, including my brother and son, say that all good sea stories begin that way, and they should know. They're both experts at it.

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Oh well, what the hell.

I've never claimed to do anything interesting or special but I do have a DD214 and a certificate from the NRA saying that I'm a Life Member, which backs up the two emblems on my header. If Lee ever wants copies all he has to do is ask. No offense to the rest of you intended but at this point in my life I feel I have little left to prove so you can accept them or not as you see fit. :-D

Those that know don't say.
Those that say don't know.

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and what his trumpet saith

The folks who've really been there are usually the most humble. My father-in-law (now deceased) served in the Army in WWII and would seldom speak of it. I later found out that he landed in the 10th hour on D-Day and was awarded the bronze star for driving an ammo truck to resupply troops while taking Howitzer fire during a separate incident. When I asked him about it,he simply said " The Germans was giving us a little trouble one day. ". End of story!!!

I eventually got to the point where I could share some of the humorous stuff. I even enjoy doing that. There is plenty of that for sure. And reliving the lighter side of that time has helped me put it all into perspective. As I posted earlier I have now written it all down and it helped me to sort it out and understand things as well as I might. But I don't dwell on the more serious parts and don't discuss that casually and I don't think I ever will. It's not part of my life now and that version of me is relegated to the past. I'm okay with every thing and have no mental or psychological issues at all and love my life now very much.

As the sayin' goes "let sleeping dogs lie." Works for me............

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Real men love cats!

Don't know about the chemical changes in our brains as we age, but I know a fair amount about how the aches and pains, hearing loss, and so forth, sometimes can make us a tiny bit grumpy. Me, anyway.

And that doesn't even touch on the vast increase in suspended particulate dung flying around these days.

The nice thing is that being closer to 80 than to 70, I'm able to get away with tossing the BS flag with relative impunity. They call me "eccentric" instead of "freakin' nuts".

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Oh well, what the hell.

One of the finest men I ever knew was a member of the merchant marine. He never bragged about it-it was just something he did. He graduated from Kings Point did his tour-went to law school became a lawyer and raised a family. He died in 1986.
I married his only daughter.

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Forum consigliere

This is no lie...

I ate fried chicken today for lunch.

But I won't say how many pieces I ate.

I just can't stand vegetarians and vegans when they lie about eating it to fit in.
You know they're lying when they say "It tastes just like tofu!"

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Lost it all in a boat accident