Jose Harris Poser

Why hasn't Jose Harris been investigated and prosecuted under the stolen valor act?

It's really difficult to get anyone prosecuted under Stolen Valor. In fact, at least for a while there, there were some issues of Constitutionality. I don't know if they got resolved or not.

DD-214s are notoriously easy to fabricate, as are graduation certificates, school diplomas, etc. What is decidedly NOT easy to fake are school records, most of which can be obtained though the FOIA or, if you know someone, a "tab check." These methods are more impartial because they don't involve the suspected poser, and are far harder to fake. That's why we consider them more authoritative than, "Here's a copy of my 214."
 
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Making this dissemination as wide as possible.

Joseph Nathaniel Harris
AKA Jose Harris, Author Jose Harris, AKA Neuro25 on armyranger.com, armyparatrooper.com and Professionalsoldiers.com

This all started as a result of postings between armyranger.com and Facebook. The Ranger world is a close knit community as is many in the SOF family as Jose would eventually realize. It was 2 other members and myself that have been working on this for the last several months, along with the untiring help of a nameless hero on Facebook, who's a veteran and would rather remain anonymous, but I'm mentioning him anyway. Here is the overview from just some of the many correspondence recorded over the last several months.

In 2010, Jose Harris started off innocently enough on Facebook, maintaining a low profile and making friend requests to many military and former military members, me being one of them. When he did, and I did not know his name or recognize it, I did what many did-I looked to see who we had as mutual friends and then his profile to see what else we may have had in common. After looking, turns out we had 43 mutual friends and his profile showed him to be a veteran with a "Triple Canopy" (Airborne, Ranger and Special Forces qualified)

That was good enough at the time for me. I figured, with all the friends we had in common, someone at least knew him and his background on a more personal level than I did. Surely I could trust, but not have to verify in an instance such as this. So, I added him as a friend. I could not have been more wrong as we would all find out later, this was part of his ruse.

By doing this, he began to build up layer upon layer of credibility just by association. Nothing else. Months passed. Nothing major, just minor ramblings would show up about his life in general as to his postings.

His undoing came at the expense of his own ego, when later on in 2010, he announced that he had been writing a book, documenting his life, his challenges, career in the military and lessons learned. The book was titled "Mi Vida"

As a matter of coincidence, or prior planning on his part, it was not until shortly after his announcement of his book release, he began to show up on military forums and sites, and post his intro. Armyranger.com being one of them. All of the forums, including ours, welcomed him with open arms. Surely a man of this caliber and background was welcomed as a veteran with stellar credentials anyone would be proud of.

Still no red flags. I hadn't even noticed his intro at the time he made it. It wasn't until he decided to make an announcement on Facebook, that he was doing a pre release of his writings to any of his friends that would like to have a copy. I didn't take him up on it, but some others did. That's when everything began to change. Seems word started getting around about what was within the book and his writings bordered on the grandiose of fantasy and fiction along with a mixture of some truth.

As word spread, it became more and more apparent I needed to do some digging. I began to monitor his page and look more closely at what was being posted and whom was doing the posting. He began to receive more and more messages, with probing questions. Questions he would either dodge or write off as a result of his so called "PTSD" diagnoses when asked for specifics as to names, dates and locations. In the midst of his denials and defending his claims, he claimed he was verified at several sites and started firing off names he claimed knew him personally. He also named the sites. When he did, I searched and found him as member name "neuro25" which he used to register with at all the different forums.

I started to read his introduction. When I did, there it was in black and white. Jose claimed he had graduated from Ranger Class 8-81. I then went to dig out my old military files, and found my set of orders for Ranger School. I too, also graduated from Class 8-81. After looking, it was just as I suspected. No Jose Harris, or Joseph N. Harris anywhere on them. I then went back to have another look at his intro to see if maybe, just possibly, I made a mistake and read his class date wrong. I didn't. He clearly documented and claimed this class number 3 different times. The first being within his own introduction, on his signature line, and finally, when asked to submit a verification packet, which he did, and claimed it a third time. Below is a screenshot of his intro. You may have to magnify it a bit to read it, but it's all there.

HarrisArmyrangercomintro.jpg


After this came to light, I began working with some members here and on Facebook that we knew in common and a guy known for busting phonies on Facebook as well. On January 12th, things began to heat up rather quickly as an e-mail exchange I was privy to was CC'd to me to have a look at. After looking and reading it, I became convinced Jose was the classical fabricator of lies and deception, with an air of truth mixed in for good measure.

He was asked by the FB group leader if he would be willing to provide official documentation in order to clear his name (Properly redacted of course) When he did, and it was then scrutinized and the negativge comments began, his first defense was NPRC was screwed up and left several things off it (To include no mention or annotation of either his Ranger Tab or service at HAAF/Ft. Stewart as he claimed) He wound up producing at least 3 different DD-214's, all inconsistent with one another. Not to mention all the inconsistencies with the other documents he produced.

Meanwhile, the same people who had been asking questions of his (Jose's) claims, were then looking at all of his photographs. He had quite a few. Quite a few of him when he was a medic in the 187th down in Panama, but nothing else with him in it. Sure, he had a bunch of generic ones, but most of those he wound up swiping off of other friend pages of those he befriended. So, the next question became if he were so hung up with presenting himself as a former Ranger/SF veteran, and those were the most prestigious days of your military career, why:

1. Would you not have any pictures of your time in a Ranger Battalion or on an ODA (Operational Detachment) as so many others did?

2. Is it you cannot produce a single soul who knew you personally and served with you during your service besides the 187th in Panama?

3. Is it you cannot recollect a single name, dismissing it as having PTSD, yet, you have all the memory needed to write a memoir of your life?

I then confronted Mr. Harris directly on Facebook and asked him some very direct, yet very simple questions. Instead of answering them, which, anyone, if not lying, would have done so immediately, he chose to delete my posting, in order to keep others from seeing it and then deleted me from his friends list. From that point, until now, I made it my mission to see this impostor exposed for what he truly is and never was. Someone who stole the title of Ranger, and in the process, began a smear campaign of real life honorable men, attacked and slandered by a liar, cheat and a thief. All because they were in search of the truth. Men Harris would call "Haters" like, they're jealous of his fame and fortune. Well, we finally got it, most of it anyway.

Here is his timeline as he claims:

He first attends Basic, AIT and Airborne in 1980 and is then assigned to 1/75.

In 1981, he attends Ranger School and graduates. After graduating (Which we now know HE DID NOT) the time skips from 1981 to 1982. During this time, there is conflict in his claims of exactly where he was, either Ft. Irwin or Panama.

He was courts martial ed while in the military. What exactly for and what his exact sentence was, no one seems to know, but Harris himself admitted to it. The incident supposedly took place out at Ft. Irwin, CA. This is (In his book) when a SFG SGM flies all the way out from Ft. Bragg, NC to Ft. Irwin, CA, and rescues him from his prison sentence by offering him a chance to join SF and clear his name. Whatever.

He goes down to Panama. He does not join SF as he claimed, instead, is assigned to Ft. Kobbe, and then, to the 187th. He then claims to have been assigned to C 3/7 SFG. This before he ever attends SFAS, SOMED or anything else.

He comes back stateside, gets promoted due to his "Victor" rating (Which we now know constitutes fraud) and eventually, attends the Q course.

He joins the reserves, and is assigned to C, 3/12 SFG (R) and assigned to an ODA. It is later noted that no one in C 3/12 can verify him or knows him. One member who was once a member here was assigned to the very same ODA Harris claimed from 1982 until 1993. He has never seen nor heard of Harris until all this began to surface.

Harris attempted to reach out to one of the SGM's assigned to the 3/12th and that SGM could not verify him either. For the unaware reading this, ODA's or Operational Detachments A, as they're known, are not very big. It's not like losing someone in a sea of soldiers in a Battalion formation.

I was still convinced his SF claims were false as well, but, guess what? After making contact with a former VERIFIED classmate of his, who is still serving in the reserves, he confirmed that Jose Harris did in fact attend and graduate the course. So, from 1987 until 1991, he was assigned to ODA 332, C 3/12 Special Forces Group, although, as of this posting, not one single soul can verify that as fact, and, not one single soul can he produce to do the same.

Fast forward, he eventually leaves the service, goes to school, college, goes overseas, becomes a so called "Doctor" (Israeli standards) becomes a nurse and then, comes back here.

Then, our hero and his life begins the proverbial downward spiral. All this while he was in California beginning 2004:

Breaking and entering (Felony) of his brothers house on 2 different occasions, once in Sep, 2004 and again in Dec, 2004, stealing his brothers car, jewelry, computer equipment credit cards and other items valued at over $34,000.00 and then up to $6000.00 on the credit card.

Theft of computer equipment and a 200,000 named patient database DVD, complete with addresses, DOB's and SSN's, from the San Jose Medical Group.

Breaking and entering (Misdemeanor) into his girlfriends apartment in Apr, 2005

He was caught in Apr 2005, when police ran the tag of the vehicle he was in, came back stolen (Felony) they attempted to stop him and Harris fled, or attempted to and was caught. He was found with burglary tools in the vehicle, in possession of a meth pipe and items tying him to the vehicle in question.

He still owes over $145,000.00 in restitution to the medical group and $15,000.00 in restitution to his brother.

Finally, in Jun, 2009, he formally and legally had his nurses license revoked permanently.

He is sentenced to do Federal prison time. While there, he then files a claim to the VA for PTSD. He gets the claim approved. 100%. He has no documentation of any war time service, no CMB, no CIB and yet, he is collecting well over 2600.00 a month at taxpayer expense.

Picking apart his lies in his book coupled with his claims:

First red flag in Harris' book starts on page 111. In this excerpt of his, he mentions a guy he said (current day) could vouch for him as a Ranger, "Ernesto Estrada." Estrada never served with Harris at Ft. Stewart or HAAF. Estrada was at Ft. Sam Houston as one of his instructors.

Next, Harris talks about arriving at Stewart (After being told while he was at Ft. Sam) to "Volunteer for the Rangers" by this Estrada guy, and supposedly, does exactly that and is interviewed and accepted. Harris only did the band-aid course and nothing more, He never speaks of any type of advanced medical or trauma training, nothing.

Here's another lie (And a MAJOR ONE) he's cornered himself with his own words (Mainly because LIARS have problems with timelines)

On Facebook, (As was posted) it shows promotion orders for Harris dated January, 1986.

Well, in his book and in his own words, he makes himself out as Sergeant Harris, 1st Ranger Battalion, on 2 different occasions. Keep in mind that according to Harris, he is only there from 1980 until 1981.

The first is on page 113 and top of 114, Chapter 15.

"After my 18 months were up, I was ready to leave the Rangers, but my First sergeant was not ready to let me leave."

“Sergeant Harris, you are going to die a Ranger!” I was afraid that actually might happen! I wore the Black Beret of the Rangers for almost two years.

Sorry to say, but there was no way our hero made it from private to sergeant in 2 years, never would have happened.

Couple that with the very same copy of the promotion orders he posted on Facebook, and he's lying through his teeth. His promotion didn't happen until 1986. 4 YEARS LATER.

Here he is again, on page 129, 130, referencing the same:

"I would call my best friend—Art, weekly. He was stationed at Fort Irwin, near Barstow, California. We talked and shared stories regularly. One day, his Aid Station’s Lieutenant answered the phone. He asked me who I was, and I proudly told him, “Sgt Harris, 1st Ranger Battalion."

Regardless of where he would have been at in the Army at that time and regardless of MOS, there is no way possible to have made E-5 in that amount of time.

Here's his next excruciating amount of lies. He starts talking about Ranger School. Keep in mind, he claimed in 2 different areas here on armyranger.com, he was Ranger Class 8-81.

Class 8-81 never started out at Camp Darby, Everyone mustered at the old splintered WWII barracks at Benning's 3rd Ranger Company location. That's where everyone during that time frame initially reported to and were in processed.

On page 120, he talks about how he and a guy named Martinez, drove Harris' car out to Camp Darby.

Anyone who reported to Ranger School with a vehicle, had it locked up and stored in a fenced off area at 3rd Ranger Company. No one and I mean no one, had POV's at Camp Darby except for the Ranger Instructors who worked there and the staff.

Here's another hole in his lies. He states he just re-enlisted for Special Forces while he was stationed at Ft. Irwin. All enlistments back then were 4 years. And a CSM, flies all the way from Ft. Bragg to "Liberate Harris after his Court martial for SF? Just for Harris after a courts martial?

Another is how he claims he got the assignment to Ft. Irwin in the first place, by doing a so called "One for one swap" with a "Leg" medic. There is NO WAY POSSIBLE that the 1/75th Ranger Battalion would have swapped out:

1. A Ranger Qualified Medic with a non airborne medic.

2. A Ranger Qualified Medic who was a Sergeant (As Harris claims he was)

He claims he has 3 honorable discharges. With a court martial during his first term of enlistment at Ft. Irwin? In any event, he has doctored several DD-214's, and we now know he used the "V" designator to get an early (Fraudulent) promotion. How?

HarrisRTBCheck.jpg


Jose, California wants the revocation of your personalized plates immediately and so do we.

jose1.jpg


You may be SF, but you sure ain't no Ranger. Enjoy your book signings while you can. The house of cards you built is about to come crashing down upon you.

Dedicated to those who served honorably and don't need to lie and those that actually earned the title without stealing it.

Is there any legal trouble he could afford himself in your country? It seems like he tried to forge discharge papers? Seems serious. Either way, I would say he has it coming.
 
Is there any legal trouble he could afford himself in your country? It seems like he tried to forge discharge papers? Seems serious. Either way, I would say he has it coming.

Until this chump comes completely clean, this is still not over by a long shot, trust me.
 
Until this chump comes completely clean, this is still not over by a long shot, trust me.

Perhaps contact the media? This jackass seems to want attention, otherwise why make up stuff like that? Having his face and the details of his deception on the news or at least in a newspaper would be the ultimate exposure for him. At least the threat of contacting the media may be enough for him to recant his previous statements and clear the record.
 
I found this site, as I was do a bit of background searching on Jose N Harris, as a passage I wrote in my notes on Facebook in 2011 appears all over the internet with his name to it. I have approached him regarding this. He claims he wrote it and had a copy write put on my work. He is quite adamant its his work. Even tho it shows absolutely no similarities to the other passages he claims to have written in any context. I have shown him proof that I wrote it. He fails to back up his claim with any substance. or offer proof of the copywrite material or anything I ask of him. He changes his story. Says he has it dated a year earlier than I had written it and has it in his Notes Jose N Harris, however it does not show on his account as it would if it existed. I have asked him why this is and he says its on another account. So story changes. All he did was get the passage cut and paste an earlier date and try to pass it off as legit. He is quite delusional. He claims he has sued a Celebrity over this passage and he won in court, and they had to pay a large sum to "Homeless Vets" and that I will loose my Jewellery business, and have to pay out to them as well. I also mentioned this site and the claims made here. He just kept writing lol and tried to debunk information on here. I really hope someone takes him down a peg or two, because he really is a complusive liar. Bring on your Lawyers Jose- To conclude I also was in the Military forces in New Zealand Signals Squadron, so I also feel ruffled with his false claims to fame.
 
How the heck did I miss this gem?

What a douchebag.

It's like he took a page off my bio and tried to make it his.

Irks the shit out of me that he's posing as a doc as well.

BTW, I can see how Ranger School can be missing from the -214. Your truly doesn't have it on mine. But I still got the certificate.
 
Was this info ever passed to the VA or US Attorney's Office for prosecution?

I was told it was, to an investigator with the VA. Still haven't heard anything back.

If the poster who bumped this completes his intro, I'd be interested in learning more.
 
BTW, I can see how Ranger School can be missing from the -214. Your truly doesn't have it on mine. But I still got the certificate.

He claimed 8-81 as his RS CL date not once, but 3 different times. Once in his intro, next in his sig line and finally, when he submitted his info for vetting. I still have a copy of my orders and he's not on it. We also completed a green card check just to double tap it. No bueno on that one either.

He's got so many 214's floating around, no one knows exactly how many he has.
 
What a maroon. The class photos go back to 1950 on the website. Very few reasons why one's mug wouldn't be on there. You couldn't drag me away for mine.

It's funny he picked your class, CM.
 
One other glaring Red Flag I failed to mention in the original write up. In order to be promoted to Sergeant back then, he would have had to pass the suck. You don't move up the ladder without doing so. He never did. Another nail in his coffin of lies and deceit.
 
I was in C co, 3/7 Panama, never heard of him.....even though that's not a real "vett" per se, My money lies on "not". I do know a shitton of Panama SF vets all through the '90's and through 2102 or so so if you ever need a Panama "vett", ask away.
 
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