Is there any chance that a DD214 might have special ops info left off?

[David Davis]

A close, well respected friend with a wide circle of other friends is quietly acknowledged by all as a former Navy Scout / Sniper with PTSD from his experiences. No one seems to question his story. I had no reason to either until recently when, he "opened up" and shared his grievances with how the military has treated him since his discharge. He spun a long tale about getting selected in Navy boot camp for a sniper program (this would have been somewhere around 2001-2003, spending 2 years doing things he does not want to talk about, and then being discharged with a bogus DD-214. Nothing in his story rang true, but my only experience with snipers was sharing an office with the STA Platoon leader of 1/4 for a year, back in the 80's, when I was mortar platoon leader. Anyway, to cut past all the potential BS, he claims that the work he did was so secret that his DD-214 shows nothing but boot camp and an early but honorable discharge. Is there any chance, any way, under any circumstance where a DD-214 might not reflect total length of service and military specialties accuately?

I want to be 100% certain before I call him out.

 

[AWP]

he claims that the work he did was so secret that his DD-214 shows nothing but boot camp and an early but honorable discharge. Is there any chance, any way, under any circumstance where a DD-214 might not reflect total length of service and military specialties accuately?

No. Not even close. Even SMU guys have a particular course or two reflected on their DD-214's. Selected in Boot but shows an early out? Fail.

 

[Ranger Psych]

Look up CSM Vining on google, and look at the togther we served link. Then tell me exactly how high speed you need to be to have a nearly blank DD214.....

 

[Brill]

Nobody is looking for snipers or even marksmen in Navy boot camp, where they are introduced to pistols (not trained or even qualified) and not long guns.

 

[CDG]

The Navy does absolutely no type of screening for snipers in boot camp. The only screening they do is for those who don't have an NSW, NSO contract and decide they want one. They administer them a PT test and do an interview, and then try and get them a contract. All the contract guarantees is a chance at starting training.

It's always a huge red flag when people talk around things they "don't want to talk about". Well then, why the fuck did you bring it up?

 

[Marauder06]

"It's classified" is usually the first refuge of a poser. In almost 100% of cases, people who have a DD-214 that show that they were discharged after boot camp... were discharged after boot camp.

If I had to take a guess based only on the limited information available, I'd say he made it through boot camp but was either injured or had something else in his jacket that made him unfit for service.

 

[David Davis]

"It's classified" is usually the first refuge of a poser. In almost 100% of cases, people who have a DD-214 that show that they were discharged after boot camp... were discharged after boot camp.

If I had to take a guess based only on the limited information available, I'd say he made it through boot camp but was either injured or had something else in his jacket that made him unfit for service.

Other parts of the story didn't ring true either. For instance, he was saying things like "You can run but you will just die tired." Again, I have no combat experience, but that does not sound to me like the sort of thing that someone who has had a real human in his sights would say.

 

[Marine0311]

Your friend is poser plain and simple.

 

[Red Flag 1]

Other parts of the story didn't ring true either. For instance, he was saying things like "You can run but you will just die tired." Again, I have no combat experience, but that does not sound to me like the sort of thing that someone who has had a real human in his sights would say.

Just a thought or two. There is a thread here Re: Posers, and there are a lot of them out there. Take some time to consider everything before calling someone out. These things can come back and bite you pretty hard. If he is misrepresenting things for profit, that is one thing. I've seen poser busters go over the line, and wind up in a world of hurt. If this guy has lots of support out there, as your OP suggests, they can turn on you no matter how much hard evidence you bring forth.

 

[Gunz]

A close, well respected friend with a wide circle of other friends is quietly acknowledged by all as a former Navy Scout / Sniper with PTSD from his experiences. No one seems to question his story. I had no reason to either until recently when, he "opened up" and shared his grievances with how the military has treated him since his discharge. He spun a long tale about getting selected in Navy boot camp for a sniper program (this would have been somewhere around 2001-2003, spending 2 years doing things he does not want to talk about, and then being discharged with a bogus DD-214. Nothing in his story rang true, but my only experience with snipers was sharing an office with the STA Platoon leader of 1/4 for a year, back in the 80's, when I was mortar platoon leader. Anyway, to cut past all the potential BS, he claims that the work he did was so secret that his DD-214 shows nothing but boot camp and an early but honorable discharge. Is there any chance, any way, under any circumstance where a DD-214 might not reflect total length of service and military specialties accuately?

I want to be 100% certain before I call him out.

I've heard so much shit over the years--and I still hear it--and your guy is just another pudknocker in a long line of pudknockers. I had a guy wearing a cowboy hat getting ready to run the Karaoke at the VFW tell me he was an Army 41J--an Office Machine Repairman--but he got selected for a covert mission "30 miles north of the DMZ." It never fucking ends. :wall::wall::wall:

 

[Ooh-Rah]

I had a guy wearing a cowboy hat getting ready to run the Karaoke at the VFW tell me he was an Army 41J--an Office Machine Repairman--but he got selected for a covert mission "30 miles north of the DMZ."

Well somebody had to be available to fix the tactical xerox machines that mapped the tunnels !!!

 

[David Davis]

Just a thought or two. There is a thread here Re: Posers, and there are a lot of them out there. Take some time to consider everything before calling someone out. These things can come back and bite you pretty hard. If he is misrepresenting things for profit, that is one thing. I've seen poser busters go over the line, and wind up in a world of hurt. If this guy has lots of support out there, as your OP suggests, they can turn on you no matter how much hard evidence you bring forth.

This is so true. I already outed one poser. He sued me over the website that I set up exposing him. Fortunately my homeowners insurance covered my legal defense and he dismissed the suit once he realized how much I had on him. Guy claimed to be a Vietnam era fighter pilot and used that as qualification to serve as an expert witness. In fact he washed out of flight school. There was a lot of other stuff unrelated to the military too. Google Sitessnyderinvestigation

 

[Red Flag 1]

This is so true. I already outed one poser. He sued me over the website that I set up exposing him. Fortunately my homeowners insurance covered my legal defense and he dismissed the suit once he realized how much I had on him. Guy claimed to be a Vietnam era fighter pilot and used that as qualification to serve as an expert witness. In fact he washed out of flight school. There was a lot of other stuff unrelated to the military too. Google Sitessnyderinvestigation

You are a well informed and experienced poser buster. Good on you for going to the mat for what you believe in. Good luck with the guy in your OP, does seem to have a few holes in his "saga".

I guess the question is, how far do you go with each poser you run into, and there are hundreds of them out there. .

 

[Gunz]

For some of them, their whole existence revolves around the fantasy so they'll continue to fight no matter how ridiculous their defense becomes. The dirtbags can always find dirtbag lawyers to represent them. And if they take you to court, even if you win you've lost money and time and had the hassle of a legal entanglement.

 

[David Davis]

I guess the question is, how far do you go with each poser you run into, and there are hundreds of them out there. .

I'm wondering about how to handle the situation. This particular poser is a really nice guy, and he's not doing anything to profit from it. He has a new wife (married 4 years) who adores him and is awestruck by his "military experience" "He's a hunter and a healer". I don't really want to wreck her image of her husband or wreck his standing in the circle of friends he has built. For that matter, I like the guy and admire the real things I see him doing. I suggested that he come clean as part of the steps in a 12 step that he's in. He didn't shut me down or get defensive, nor did he admit. I was thinking about a different tactic.

How unethical would it be for me to offer coach him a bit in how to make his overall story less glaringly false and less likely to reflect poorly on the US govt. when he talks to people who already have heard his tall tales? For instance, I could suggest that instead of alluding to "enhanced interrogation" when the subject of his PTSD comes up, he could just say something that would be honest today like "I got into something I shouldn't have and don't really like talking about about my military experience." That would be honest and it would sound like somthing a vet might say. I'm sure he would prefer not to talk about his military experience as reflected on his DD214. Similarly, I was thinking I could encourage him to say things like "I like shooting, but I'm trying to forget that I ever even thought about sniping" instead of "I was a hell of a shot at a mile and half. We used to say 'you can run but you will just die tired.'"

Anyway, if I can't get him to come clean, or if he needs more time to reach the point where he can, would it be wrong to steer him toward inoccuous, "I don't want to talk about it anymore" type statements?

 

[Ooh-Rah]

These situations suck; especially when it is in a relatively good dude who was embarrassed about why he left the military and walked down a path he could not recover from. In my opinion a difference from the fuck sticks who attend parades and put the shit on their resumes.

Were it me, I'm not out to destroy his life. I'm letting him know that I "know" his history is not exactly what he had led people to believe and that he should just stop talking about it.

Remind him that in today's environment, people are looking for opportunities to "out" someone.

Others here may disagree, but that is my opinion on the topic.

 

[TLDR20]

I'm wondering about how to handle the situation. This particular poser is a really nice guy, and he's not doing anything to profit from it. He has a new wife (married 4 years) who adores him and is awestruck by his "military experience" "He's a hunter and a healer". I don't really want to wreck her image of her husband or wreck his standing in the circle of friends he has built. For that matter, I like the guy and admire the real things I see him doing. I suggested that he come clean as part of the steps in a 12 step that he's in. He didn't shut me down or get defensive, nor did he admit. I was thinking about a different tactic.

How unethical would it be for me to offer coach him a bit in how to make his overall story less glaringly false and less likely to reflect poorly on the US govt. when he talks to people who already have heard his tall tales? For instance, I could suggest that instead of alluding to "enhanced interrogation" when the subject of his PTSD comes up, he could just say something that would be honest today like "I got into something I shouldn't have and don't really like talking about about my military experience." That would be honest and it would sound like somthing a vet might say. I'm sure he would prefer not to talk about his military experience as reflected on his DD214. Similarly, I was thinking I could encourage him to say things like "I like shooting, but I'm trying to forget that I ever even thought about sniping" instead of "I was a hell of a shot at a mile and half. We used to say 'you can run but you will just die tired.'"

Anyway, if I can't get him to come clean, or if he needs more time to reach the point where he can, would it be wrong to steer him toward inoccuous, "I don't want to talk about it anymore" type statements?

Wait what? Coaching him to be a better poser? This guy sounds like a piece of shit. Quite honestly, you kind of sound like you are fishing for ways to pose yourself. I don't like where this is going. Clarify...

 

[David Davis]

Wait what? Coaching him to be a better poser? This guy sounds like a piece of shit. Quite honestly, you kind of sound like you are fishing for ways to pose yourself. I don't like where this is going. Clarify...

I'm dealing with a real human being. I can see how18 year old kid who washed out of boot camp might have told a little white lie that required more lies, and then more lies as the years went on. I don't know that that's what happened, but now I'm looking at a middle aged man and father with a decent job and a good wife. However he got into the situation he's in, he's not a "piece of shit." He's a person. I can't stand by and watch him lie, especially to a good wife and great kids. I can't stand by and say nothing as he discredits my Marines by implying that he saw evil things I know he did not see. I suppose I could just cut him off as a friend, walk away and leave him in his own mess, but I'm not built that way. At the same time, I'm not sure scorched earth and out him is the best way to go, that's why I came to this site for help.

 

[TLDR20]

Okay, you have to confront him. He has to stop. He needs to be upfront and honest in every interaction you have going forward. I think he can be spared a public humiliation, but he must be confronted directly.

 

[Marine0311]

I'm dealing with a real human being. I can see how18 year old kid who washed out of boot camp might have told a little white lie that required more lies, and then more lies as the years went on. I don't know that that's what happened, but now I'm looking at a middle aged man and father with a decent job and a good wife. However he got into the situation he's in, he's not a "piece of shit." He's a person. I can't stand by and watch him lie, especially to a good wife and great kids. I can't stand by and say nothing as he discredits my Marines by implying that he saw evil things I know he did not see. I suppose I could just cut him off as a friend, walk away and leave him in his own mess, but I'm not built that way. At the same time, I'm not sure scorched earth and out him is the best way to go, that's why I came to this site for help.

He is a piece of shit for lying all these years. Period. Either bust him or I don't know what to tell you. You've been give some golden advice those with 100x more time in the mud/sand than most. I bust posers as I see them and I call out fake stories (one or two at my job/shop no less).