Case study: the war hero

Marauder06

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The attached photo and the individual in it are real, everything past this sentence is hypothetical.

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You work for a mid-sized privately-held company not affiliated with the defense industry. The people that you work with are generally conservative and are very pro-military. Knowing that you have some military experience, the human resources (HR) director approached you a few minutes ago and asked what your impressions were on "John," the individual in the attached picture. The HR guy says that this individual has had two previous interviews, and has his final interview with the company this afternoon.

The HR guy is very enthusiastic about hiring John. John is apparently quite charming and personable, and has accomplished a lot in his brief military career. In addition to what you can see in the photo, the HR guy says that John has a Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, and three Purple Hearts. The HR guy went back to his office to get John's resume and supporting documentation. While the HR guy is gone, you take a look at the photo. You don't have time to phone a friend, look on the Internet, or do anything else before the HR guy comes back; all you have are your first impressions, which are...
 

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He is prior service SF who has come back into the military. He is not currently serving in an SF unit based on the DUI on the beret. He is wearing a Silver Star in the photo but not a Legion Of Merit that I can see but since he is wearing a CMB he apparently has served a combat tour which means he was in a position to earn those combat only awards. I also do not see the 2nd/3rd award of the Purple Heart. Just based on what I see in the pic I would have to say the guy is who he says he is. Nothing so outlandish that would make me believe he is a poser as most posers would probably give themselves a few more awards/badges.
 
Based on the...
Lack of DUI on his shoulders.
Corporal rank.
Absence of the mentioned Legion of Merit medal or mention of the visible MSM.
Airborne tab without a unit patch.
Korean Presidential Unit Citation which is only authorized for temporary wear by 2 ID (which isn't ABN).
What looks like a FMF or other navy badge over his medals.
Lack of a green beret which most commands authorize 18 series guys to wear with their unit flash or the generic SF flash if one is not assigned...

I'd say he's a poser.
 
PS
The pic looks Photoshopped and I just noticed he's wearing a salvage diver badge.

Turd.
 
While he is tabbed the DUI on the beret shows he is not currently assigned to an SF unit and thus not authorized to wear the Green Beret. I also seem to recall that you do not wear a unit patch on Blue's, which he is wearing.

While the 2ID itself is not airborne IIRC they do have a LRSD and another Airborne BN, or did at one point. Of course the pic is legit.
 
If that was the case he'd be sporting a maroon beret, not a black. Plus you don't have to be assigned to an SF unit to wear a green beret (see the above).

Also, the airborne tab is only worn AS part of a unit patch.
 
I don't see a set of regular jump wings
airborne tab just chillin by itself

besides the guy looks shady, one eye's higher than the other which is something to key in on.. lol
 
he's BSing. no US jump wings, FMF badge, CMB, SF tab and Airborne with no SSI, salvage diver, and he's only a corporal? even if he WAS SF he'd be at least an E-5. he's also wearing what I think is Navy/marine corps achievement medal (the green one with orange stripes)..... it just doesn't jive. poser.
 
besides the guy looks shady, one eye's higher than the other which is something to key in on.. lol
I know absolutely NOTHING about proper uniforms, berets, awards, tabs ect..so Im going by the features. He has odd ears. I agree with RP..just his features scream "IM WRONG". :2c:













I cant wait for the final answer!!! The suspense is killling me!:doh:
 
If that was the case he'd be sporting a maroon beret, not a black. Plus you don't have to be assigned to an SF unit to wear a green beret (see the above).

Also, the airborne tab is only worn AS part of a unit patch.

But you must be holding and working in a PMOS in the 18 series, such as those in CA Units.

Of course the pic according to Marauder is the real deal, so that is what you go by.
 
He never specifically stated that the individual in the photograph had served, just that the photo and individual were real, therefore without hard copy of said awards, there is nothing to back up the uniform as worn.

There's a good many errors that I see, so I would be telling Mr. HR that the proof is in the pudding so to speak.

I know that I throw things off because I was awarded the AFEM before they had the GWOTEM, for my first afghan deployment... followed by GWOTSM for 'stan 2, and GWOTEM for iraq... both campaign ribbons, blah blah blah.

If the soldier DID get all that stuff, with the navy medals he's got out, came back in, and it still strikes me as funny that he isn't an E-5 considering that you go to PLDC or the SF equiv during the Q, at least last time I checked the pipeline... he should have been promoted prior to being given his long tab, but I would be speed dialing TR and doublechecking.
 
The attached photo and the individual in it are real, everything past this sentence is hypothetical.

/////

You work for a mid-sized privately-held company not affiliated with the defense industry. The people that you work with are generally conservative and are very pro-military. Knowing that you have some military experience, the human resources (HR) director approached you a few minutes ago and asked what your impressions were on "John," the individual in the attached picture. The HR guy says that this individual has had two previous interviews, and has his final interview with the company this afternoon.

The HR guy is very enthusiastic about hiring John. John is apparently quite charming and personable, and has accomplished a lot in his brief military career. In addition to what you can see in the photo, the HR guy says that John has a Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, and three Purple Hearts. The HR guy went back to his office to get John's resume and supporting documentation. While the HR guy is gone, you take a look at the photo. You don't have time to phone a friend, look on the Internet, or do anything else before the HR guy comes back; all you have are your first impressions, which are...

He's WAY to young to have all those awards, even today.

Even a jarhead like me knows the AB tab belongs with a patch and isn't worn by itself.

HALO wings, but no jump wings?

My first question to the HR Manager would be "Where is his DD-214?"
 
TP, he's says the pic is real, not that the guy is legit.

The attached photo and the individual in it are real, everything past this sentence is hypothetical.

/////

...Knowing that you have some military experience, the human resources (HR) director approached you a few minutes ago and asked what your impressions were on "John," the individual in the attached picture...

Are your sure about your statement regarding beret wear?
 
I'm sorry for not clarifying this sooner; the picture is "real" in that it has not been altered in any way. I may no claims whatsoever on the veracity or appropriateness of the decorations, rank, insignia, or headgear featured on the individual pictured :D

I'm glad this has generated such good discussion; I'll post a followup here tomorrow.
 
...

mod edit: good job, but I'd like to see if anyone else has a comment before we talk about what you posted.
 
Somebody mentioned the tabs on the Army blues, which are not allowed. Aside from all the various awards and badges, I'd say that points to BS right there.

As for a Corporal having a bunch of awards and various doo-dads, when I graduated DLI a guy from another company, a PFC going through another language course, showed up for graduation in his Class A's sporting just about every award imaginable, to include Aviator Wings.

He was prior service and came back in after a long break. I've never seen a PFC sporting so much stuff on his uniform before or since.
 
Somebody mentioned the tabs on the Army blues, which are not allowed. Aside from all the various awards and badges, I'd say that points to BS right there.

As for a Corporal having a bunch of awards and various doo-dads, when I graduated DLI a guy from another company, a PFC going through another language course, showed up for graduation in his Class A's sporting just about every award imaginable, to include Aviator Wings.

He was prior service and came back in after a long break. I've never seen a PFC sporting so much stuff on his uniform before or since.


i was a spec 4 with more awards than my psg... I think that when we did class A inspections he got penis envy because he'd just grunt at my shit and not even try to inspect it.. lol
 
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