Stolen Valor and your Fat Gut.

[BoonDocks36]

Lots of replies, and few Good ones, and One great one!!!!

Bottom line, wear what makes your boat float.

But speak Truth of What you are!

??? What is combat ??? For me? I was shot at, as in "The Target" is writing this.

Being Attatched to an Assault Helicopter Company, seven Klics from the Ho Chi Minh Super Highway... Our entire base camp was TARGET ONE, the Ho Chi Minh Trail, turned east just 7.5 Kilometers South of Tay Ninh, I fixed Communications Equipment... For Helicopters... Another name for Helicopters is ~Target~ ...

All humans on the ground, that service helicopters become Targets, with short Mortar Fire, or "Long" Mortar Fire, not to mention, when you are in/on servicing a chopper... And it is ~Accurate Mortar fire~

With all that said.... I have utmost respect for the Legs, who were in the jungles, or Rice Paddies... Etc.
Utmost Respect, for the Dust Off Pilot, telling his CO, that he could not understand and that his radio was "Losing Signal" when the ORDER was to turn back, because the Monsoon was so thick you could not see ten feet... Dust Off still flew, my commo radio was tuned to their push... They were Our Next Door Neighbor... The surgical unit... I fixed their radios, as I did any other radio that came through my door.

But me, wear anything other than my Signal Corp flags? No Sir, no Right to do so... I wear my First Aviation Brigade Patch, because I was in that Birgade.

I see wanna be's all the time... More patches than Gengus Kahn had horses... I laugh, silently to myself...

Sitting in a Clinic, and I see Wife, supporting her Husband, who Does Not EVEN understand that he is HOME NOW... both get my help, as I often over hear that neither one understands What the VA will do, even for the Spouse!!!
Yes, Advocacy... Help your fellow Veteran, regardless of when You Served, when they served... Assist Now.....

And let the wanna be's take care of their "Condition, Brown Pants" on their own... Because nothing. NOTHING creates a Combat Served Veteran, other than COMBAT.

philip, AKA Trouble Shooter One Five... "I made house calls, 24/7"

 

[Stomper]

I'm tired of seeing your faces. I'm tired of running into you at every gun range or shooting competition I so happen to be entered here in the Portland Metro area. You know who I'm talking about. You come wearing Army, Marine, Navy, and or Airforce uniforms. Full tactical loadout with body armor. I often mistaken you for a retired service member and I ask you what your MOS was/is and I always hear the same answer... "oh I wasn't military I tried but couldn't get in for XYZ". You pollute my eyes and make me want to beat the uniform off of you. Quite frankly you don't deserve to wear it. Did you survive 0day during basic? Did tears run down your eyes when your Drill told you that you deserved to finally wear the uniform? Did you dodge bullets between dodging IED's on some perilous road in Iraq? Did you wrap your dead buddy up with his cammie jacket?

Take that uniform off. You didn't earn it. And quite frankly if you can't even tell which service it belongs to.. that makes it even worse. This message is meant to be a dose of reality. Combat veteran shooters are tired of getting dumped on by civilian wannabes. We see you all over the place playing "soldier" but I'm not impressed.


To make matters worse you insult the uniform with your fat body. You don't look tactical you look like a joke. If the body armor plate covering your chest is 1/5th the size of your torso, something is wrong. That plate isn't going to save your life. You need to join a gym or change your diet because statistically speaking you have a better chance of dying from your fat gut and diabetes than the bullets you profess to be training against.

Military uniforms are for military service members and their families ( I don't care if you wear grandpas uniform, you're honoring him) not for some wannabe civilian who couldn't make the cut and wants to look cool.

Every stolen valor piece of crap I run into at the range, I'm calling you out. If you didn't sweat or bleed in that uniform for this country, take it off.

Jarhead6 explains it in better detail.

I feel ya Brother, but ya got to step back a half-step and BREATH DEEPLY. You're wound tighter than a tick turd and you're gonna 'splode yer hablamengatal lobe (or somethin').

Don't stroke out over the fantastical wet dreams of pudgey posers emulating what they could never hope to be. (It's a texture thing).


-Stomper U.S. Army '85-'93 11B3X2B

 

[etrain16]

I don't see a problem with folks wearing fatigues, etc. that are readily available to be purchased by the public, and as long as they aren't representing themselves as something they are not.

From the sound of it, the folks you're talking about aren't claiming to be current or ex-military, they're being honest about who they are. So what's wrong with that? Should we similarly tell everyone that wears a baseball hat but never played in the major leagues that they have no right to wear them? How about a football jersey?

Some folks wear them because they are comfortable or serve a purpose. And some wear them to show support for the military.

I have a lot of friends and family that served and I've never heard a single one make the complaint you make. It's your right to be upset, I just don't think it's warranted. Now, if someone passes themselves off as military, or maybe claim to have been in a helicopter that was shot down or taking fire (Brian Williams and Hillary Clinton), then yes, being upset at their claims is very valid.

And to put a cherry on this comment - how about the folks that dress up like super heroes, even though I'm pretty sure they're not:

 

[waglockfan]

▲▲ Now that is just wrong.

 

[NSDQ]

My specific issue isn't with random camo uniforms but when people are wearing specific service uniforms. For example the marpat uniform has a very specific and distinct look only to the Marines. While the Multicam pattern is used specifically by the US Army. I don't care if people wear BDU's or ACU's, they aren't currently used by todays Armed forces. I make the gripe when I see people wearing Full marpat or full multicam because to me you are misrepresenting yourself. You didn't complete the basic requirements to wear that uniform... and in most cases you're wearing it incorrectly in the first place. In fact according to most uniform standards like AR 670-1 for the USARMY even combat veterans are limited to when they are authorized to wear that uniform. Usually it's specifically limited to holidays, funerals, and patriotic events. Even when the uniform is authorized to be worn it must be worn in the proper manner ie name tapes, rank, and proper badges. So when civilians wear it incorrectly it not only shows disrespect for those who've earned the right to wear it but also to those that have fallen.

A uniform to the average civilian is just a piece of clothing but to current and former military it symbolizes a whole lot more. Something we take pride in. I'm merely pointing out to the pogues that you look stupid. Its as stupid as wearing a police uniform or a firefighters uniform to the range. Unless it's halloween its borderline disrespectful. I have never had a problem with telling people its disrespectful to wear a current services uniform. There are literally dozens of camo styles to choose from your average military surplus store.

Let me put it to you this way. If I invited you to go shooting with a bunch of my 75th Ranger friends from 2nd BN A CO would you put on full multicam to go shooting with them? Or would you think twice about wearing a military uniform surrounded by some real life door kickers? Most likely the thought would cross your mind that they would spew some serious words to your face. Maybe even get mad at you. Probably you would leave the multicam at home unless you've actually had it issued to you.

 

[edslhead]

But if your going to a range, you need to look the other way and maybe chuckle to yourself. they still have the right to wear what they want however stupid it looks .

 

[Joe13]

Sounds like you need to send some emails to the military surplus suppliers and nip this thing in the bud before those fat guys get mistaken for REAL ex military.

Chill man, no one is taking away from your service by wearing something only true military would recognize - the rest of the civies most likely are thinking what you are; look at those fat wanna bees...

I'm plus size and earned my gut with more then one beer - I don't go Rollin around town with all those bottle tops jingling on my shirt trying to tell everyone about it

 

[edslhead]

I'm plus size and earned my gut with more then one beer - I don't go Rollin around town with all those bottle tops jingling on my shirt trying to tell everyone about it

But maybe a beer tab headband is OK.

 

[snew]

It is a costume. Accept it and get over it.

 

[Martini_Up]

I suspect the next thing I'll read by the op is civilians don't need military 'style' weapons either.

Stolen Valor is when you ask those 'fat guys' and they LIE and say the did serve. Wearing milsurp does not steal valor. Get over yourself.

 

[Just Jim]

I don't think the op has proven he has served...

 

[NSDQ]

I suspect the next thing I'll read by the op is civilians don't need military 'style' weapons either.

Stolen Valor is when you ask those 'fat guys' and they LIE and say the did serve. Wearing milsurp does not steal valor. Get over yourself.

No I'm pretty fricking specific. Uniforms worn by their respective services. Any civilian mutilation due to improper wear is disrespectful and dishonors those currently wearing it and those who've fallen with it. This isn't about me its about every single military service active or inactive

You wouldn't wear them at a military funeral? Military parade? On veterans day? Probably not. Inappropriate right? Well guess what... gun ranges and training courses are filled with Veterans. I find it offensive that you find it appropriate here as well.

Again you're over generalizing and using hyperbolic statements. I clearly state in detail the conditions of what I consider Stolen Valor. It may not follow within the confines of current federal law. So far the law only covers medals/ribbons however I've actively supported continued amendments to make current duty uniforms off limits. The impersonation begins the minute you put it on. Just like I would be impersonating a police officer if I put his uniform on, or a firefighter, or any other civil servant. I servicemen deserve the same respect.

It gives con artists, thieves, the "grey area" to decide wether or not they want to steal valor. Every Veterans day/Memorial day I call out folks attempting to take advantage. The smart ones become intimidated when you start asking them questions and quickly respond by saying their weren't in the military for fear of getting caught. I always respond by why the hell are you wearing the uniform ?

Sorry you won't sway me on this issue. I'm assuming most of the folks that find my statements offensive to their delicate sensibilities because A. They couldn't make it themselves. B. My statements about heart disease hit a chord. Either way I just wanted to share my opinion on the subject.

 

[Certaindeaf]

You'd think that an ex-military operator wouldn't need to go to no thunder ranch to learn himself how to shoot a rifle.

 

[Just Jim]

You'd think that an ex-military operator wouldn't need to go to no thunder ranch to learn himself how to shoot a rifle.

I put him on ignore, can't stand the BS anymore.

 

[40calruler]

"I'll be calling you all out when I see you"

I am Batman...Bring it.

 

[40calruler]

I always forget I can ignore folks. I let the obnoxious folks annoy me so I should really start using that feature. Tired of letting someone get me riled up over some pathetic attempt to "put people in their place".

That is my job. Screw these guys.

 

[slimmer13]

T

You'd think that an ex-military operator wouldn't need to go to no thunder ranch to learn himself how to shoot a rifle.

The "ex-military operators " that I've known have been the pretty laid back, walk softly and carry a big stick type. Not the tightly wound napoleon complex type.

 

[NSDQ]

You'd think that an ex-military operator wouldn't need to go to no thunder ranch to learn himself how to shoot a rifle.

Never said I was an operator.

You enjoy putting words out that I haven't said anything to.

You're simply proving my point that civilians can't make the distinction and therefore shouldn't be wearing military uniforms.

 

[308]

My specific issue isn't with random camo uniforms but when people are wearing specific service uniforms. For example the marpat uniform has a very specific and distinct look only to the Marines. While the Multicam pattern is used specifically by the US Army. I don't care if people wear BDU's or ACU's, they aren't currently used by todays Armed forces. I make the gripe when I see people wearing Full marpat or full multicam because to me you are misrepresenting yourself. You didn't complete the basic requirements to wear that uniform... and in most cases you're wearing it incorrectly in the first place. In fact according to most uniform standards like AR 670-1 for the USARMY even combat veterans are limited to when they are authorized to wear that uniform. Usually it's specifically limited to holidays, funerals, and patriotic events. Even when the uniform is authorized to be worn it must be worn in the proper manner ie name tapes, rank, and proper badges. So when civilians wear it incorrectly it not only shows disrespect for those who've earned the right to wear it but also to those that have fallen.

A uniform to the average civilian is just a piece of clothing but to current and former military it symbolizes a whole lot more. Something we take pride in. I'm merely pointing out to the pogues that you look stupid. Its as stupid as wearing a police uniform or a firefighters uniform to the range. Unless it's halloween its borderline disrespectful. I have never had a problem with telling people its disrespectful to wear a current services uniform. There are literally dozens of camo styles to choose from your average military surplus store.

Let me put it to you this way. If I invited you to go shooting with a bunch of my 75th Ranger friends from 2nd BN A CO would you put on full multicam to go shooting with them? Or would you think twice about wearing a military uniform surrounded by some real life door kickers? Most likely the thought would cross your mind that they would spew some serious words to your face. Maybe even get mad at you. Probably you would leave the multicam at home unless you've actually had it issued to you.

I have been a member of DRRC for 15 years and have never once seen anyone posed up as you suggested. But then again, I don't shoot Black powder events, so maybe the stack up over there.

 

[40calruler]

Never said I was an operator.

You enjoy putting words out that I haven't said anything to.

You're simply proving my point that civilians can't make the distinction and therefore shouldn't be wearing military uniforms.

You should edit that another time or two. The bottom line being made is you have your opinion...Most do not agree with it. Shrug it off and move on...to put people in their place...Like it is YOUR job.

As many have said they fight for the freedom of US citizens. Sounds to me like you fought for "valor" and refuse to allow anyone "take that away from you".

They cannot take away who anyone is. All men I know that I respect have nothing to prove and could give a damn what anyone else wears. I do not even notice people wearing the uniforms....They blend in too well. Gotta let it go and let people be the XBOX playing mall ninja loving kids they are. Who cares??!!