Have you ever known a congenital liar?

[steve white]

Unfortunately the stolen Valor seems to be widespread. I know of several businesses that have stopped offering military discounts due to so much abuse.

My uncle is a Vietnam veteran, and as long as I can remember he has always said, the ones that do the most talking never seen any action, the silent ones did the killing. My uncle has remained silent most of his life.

Regarding the silent ones, and I hesitate to post this, I met one the hard way. I was suckered into going to visit "O.C." by a grandmother who wanted to find her runaway grand daughter. O.C. ran his own dump for the town of Axtell, and NOBODY EVER went out to talk to him, cite him, investigate him, nothing. And he strictly wanted to be left alone. But I didn't know that.
I naively drove up in my 37' ford p/u and he was in the front yard practicing with his Josey Wales type pistol. He kept drawing it on me and then turning and putting holes in an old van, all the while asking me in different ways who I was. He finally believed me, but said he was suspicious that I was with Child Protective Service. (you know, those folks you should be drawing and pointing a pistol at...and he had the girl, whom he said was temporarily protecting from real home abuse). After he took a liking to me, he insisted I come in and have some navy beans and ham hock with him while he preached to me that he ONLY believed in the Ten Commandments, not the whole Bible. (another story)
Then he said, "I want to show you something." He brought out three ring binders full of photographs stuck in clear sheets. They were photos of arm caches, tons of different photos in different settings that his squad had taken from the dead Viet Cong. Lots of bodies too. He had run a real efficient killing machine, one that even got fed up with the N. Vietnamese arms running just outside the border, so he and his men decided they didn't have to respect the border either and went across in their own unauthorized excursion to stop it. He flatly stated that nobody interfered with his team. For example one of them got drunk and a new officer told him to give him the bottle, which was all well and good except that when he sobered up later he remembered and asked for it back. "Oh, I threw that away" said the officer. That's OK, he said--you can give me another one! Things got ugly and the soldier flipped off the safety of his M16. O.C. happened to be behind him and shoved his rifle bore down into the mud. "Go clean your rifle, he said, I'll get your bottle back." Well, after threatening what would happen if he didn't get the soldier his bottle, the officer took it higher up, only to be told that O.C.'s unit was not to be interfered with or morale disrupted, and kindly go get the soldier another bottle!
Then issued the story of a couple of guys who hunkered down in a machine gun bunker out of fear and didn't provide flanking fire. O.C. confessed to tossing in a grenade...another hispanic man at least got a warning. He froze up when told to carry extra machine gun ammo across lines of fire to the other men. O.C. rapped him on the head with the butt of his 45 and said, "If I don't see you over there soon, I won't see you." Guy snapped out of it and delivered the ammo.
If I hadn't seen the photos, I might have thought he was the biggest liar on earth. From his whole demeanor, I don't think so. When I even mentioned I had been out there, my deacons asked incredulously, "you went OUT THERE? How did it go?"
I hope I didn't offend anybody telling this. I prayed for O.C. many a time. I'm pretty sure he's gone by now.

 

[cwpayton]

Regarding the silent ones, and I hesitate to post this, I met one the hard way. I was suckered into going to visit "O.C." by a grandmother who wanted to find her runaway grand daughter. O.C. ran his own dump for the town of Axtell, and NOBODY EVER went out to talk to him, cite him, investigate him, nothing. And he strictly wanted to be left alone. But I didn't know that.
I naively drove up in my 37' ford p/u and he was in the front yard practicing with his Josey Wales type pistol. He kept drawing it on me and then turning and putting holes in an old van, all the while asking me in different ways who I was. He finally believed me, but said he was suspicious that I was with Child Protective Service. (you know, those folks you should be drawing and pointing a pistol at...and he had the girl, whom he said was temporarily protecting from real home abuse). After he took a liking to me, he insisted I come in and have some navy beans and ham hock with him while he preached to me that he ONLY believed in the Ten Commandments, not the whole Bible. (another story)
Then he said, "I want to show you something." He brought out three ring binders full of photographs stuck in clear sheets. They were photos of arm caches, tons of different photos in different settings that his squad had taken from the dead Viet Cong. Lots of bodies too. He had run a real efficient killing machine, one that even got fed up with the N. Vietnamese arms running just outside the border, so he and his men decided they didn't have to respect the border either and went across in their own unauthorized excursion to stop it. He flatly stated that nobody interfered with his team. For example one of them got drunk and a new officer told him to give him the bottle, which was all well and good except that when he sobered up later he remembered and asked for it back. "Oh, I threw that away" said the officer. That's OK, he said--you can give me another one! Things got ugly and the soldier flipped off the safety of his M16. O.C. happened to be behind him and shoved his rifle bore down into the mud. "Go clean your rifle, he said, I'll get your bottle back." Well, after threatening what would happen if he didn't get the soldier his bottle, the officer took it higher up, only to be told that O.C.'s unit was not to be interfered with or morale disrupted, and kindly go get the soldier another bottle!
Then issued the story of a couple of guys who hunkered down in a machine gun bunker out of fear and didn't provide flanking fire. O.C. confessed to tossing in a grenade...another hispanic man at least got a warning. He froze up when told to carry extra machine gun ammo across lines of fire to the other men. O.C. rapped him on the head with the butt of his 45 and said, "If I don't see you over there soon, I won't see you." Guy snapped out of it and delivered the ammo.
If I hadn't seen the photos, I might have thought he was the biggest liar on earth. From his whole demeanor, I don't think so. When I even mentioned I had been out there, my deacons asked incredulously, "you went OUT THERE? How did it go?"
I hope I didn't offend anybody telling this. I prayed for O.C. many a time. I'm pretty sure he's gone by now.

MACVSOG did alot of ops across the borders of Laos and Cambodia all the while the official line was we dont go there. but we did , usually no ID or uniform insignia of any kind. They even did a POW rescue mission across the border. which didnt go well. But not saying that this GUY didnt run some wild missions on his own.
On a separate matter Just a short while back , I stopped at a Thrift store in Canon Co. as is my habit to see what odd books or stuff they have, a quirk of mine. on the door was a sign veterans 10% off on Thursdays. for some reason , [having a bad day or no coffee] that really set me off. I said I want to see the manager, when she came out , I ripped her up and down about the 10% off sign , I did not serve so I could get 10% off from a strore that gets theyre stuff free anyway , I have a friend who has no legs , your giving him 10% for his missing legs and on and on. when I finally shut up I saw everyone watching and realized my voice was way loud. I said sorry woman but take that [ ] sign down now, Its an insult to every vet.

 

[RR 314]

Could I or even should I say some preacher's. Like" grandma just send me that seed money and God will make you rich"

Ha. "They want you to send your money to the Lord, but they give you their address. . . God bless you all, but most of all, send your money."

Hank Williams Jr.

 

[crackerman]

Just relaying what I have heard from other business owners. I believe the biggest issue may be more first responders not necessarily military. But I am sure there is abuse of both.

I personally have a cousin that we hate to claim that plays the stolen Valor card.

There is a lot of grift to be made from the online fakers, and its a lot easier to buy a shirt that says EMT on it.

The VA calls me a veteran (reserve 57E, aka nobody) and I am a paid call EMT. I will take a discount if they have a sign stating it or someone offers but some people make it a personality. There is a guy in our small town that wears his quilted fire jacket EVERYWHERE and I get being proud of the work but damn.

The people talking about their "grand accomplishments" usually haven't done crap or are making up for the fact they are to scared to actually make the stories themselves. My bad call stories are not for normies. But with the right crowd, hoo boy!

 

[crackerman]

MACVSOG did alot of ops across the borders of Laos and Cambodia all the while the official line was we dont go there. but we did , usually no ID or uniform insignia of any kind. They even did a POW rescue mission across the border. which didnt go well. But not saying that this GUY didnt run some wild missions on his own.
On a separate matter Just a short while back , I stopped at a Thrift store in Canon Co. as is my habit to see what odd books or stuff they have, a quirk of mine. on the door was a sign veterans 10% off on Thursdays. for some reason , [having a bad day or no coffee] that really set me off. I said I want to see the manager, when she came out , I ripped her up and down about the 10% off sign , I did not serve so I could get 10% off from a strore that gets theyre stuff free anyway , I have a friend who has no legs , your giving him 10% for his missing legs and on and on. when I finally shut up I saw everyone watching and realized my voice was way loud. I said sorry woman but take that [ ] sign down now, Its an insult to every vet.

I understand the emotion and there are some companies and people that do it to curry favor with the general public about how great they are, but a majority of the smaller places I have ever run into those signs for Vets or First Responders just want a way to give back to people that they respect or want to honor.

 

[Boyd Brooks]

So if I have first aid and cpr/aed training and a first aid kit, do I qualify for a first responders discount? Asking for a friend.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I understand the emotion and there are some companies and people that do it to curry favor with the general public about how great they are, but a majority of the smaller places I have ever run into those signs for Vets or First Responders just want a way to give back to people that they respect or want to honor.

I agree. It's usually not a pity party or a way to curry more business. Many who haven't served look on giving discounts as a way of showing gratitude and recognizing heros in disguise (i.e. out of uniform). The govt gives me plenty of vet benefits the public doesn't know about. I don't need any more and not sure I have ever exercised the option of taking advantage of a discount. But if it makes a vendor feel better, I have no problem with them offering it.

I am going to try and get an Ontario vanity plate that says "USA VET" so I don't have to put up with cranks in Montana harassing me about being a foreigner shooting "their game." And most of those "Montanans" are relocated from someplace where people talk with a pronounced drawl (i.e. they are not real Montanans). Phonies!