# Debunking a phony "Marine Veteran." **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 3, 2010, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873 "2010-12-03T23:11:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/81 "2010-12-06T06:18:42Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > I wonder if this is actually the real John Usher, or if it is someone who stole parts of Usher’s identity and fabricated a fictional online persona, using the Marriott Chef part of the real Usher’s bio (as well as his name) and then mixed it in with all this Marine/Law Enforcement/Rambo Badass nonsense. I dont know. The guy sounds more like someone who’d have some real experience as a Vietnam vet, but then considerably blew them out of proportions. Seeing that in the States, any mention that you could be a war vet or a marine vet suddenly springs you to Godly status, people with low self esteem might jump on the false heroics wagon. God knows how many Viet vets themselves turn their services into total tall tales. ---
**Author:** ![GiantRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@GiantRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GiantRat)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/82 "2010-12-06T07:46:19Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > I don’t think it’s a comprehensive list, but > > [Purple Heart Recipients](http://www.thepurpleheart.com/recipient/) I ran a search for a few Nam-era guys I know, and none of them were listed there. Nor, amusingly (and disappointingly) was Roy Benavidez (hell, he was only wounded 37 times - although I’m not sure how many PH citations he received). ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/83 "2010-12-06T08:51:43Z")
> [@echo6160](#): > > He’s probably a schizophrenic. My mom is, hardcore diagnosed schizo for years. Major medication and she still believes that she has twelve children noone else can see and that she wrote the lyrics for most of the radio hits of the 70’s. Yes but everyone has access to info regarding having babies and song lyrics. To have the kind of detailed info regarding the services, war, etc you would need to do a bit of research. This guy is phony as a two dollar bill. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/84 "2010-12-06T08:56:33Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > This guy is phony as a two dollar bill. [Do you work at Taco Bell?](http://www.milk.com/wall-o-shame/two_dollars.html) ---
**Author:** ![Baffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dec6dc/32.png) [@Baffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baffle)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/85 "2010-12-06T12:32:59Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > [Do you work at Taco Bell?](http://www.milk.com/wall-o-shame/two_dollars.html) I fear, sir, that you have been whooshed. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/86 "2010-12-06T15:26:20Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > The ones with the mental problems are his IMDB defenders. I’ve never seen such unquestioning, blind loyalty to such an obvious phony. They all claim to be friends with him on Facebook (as if that somehow means they know everything about him to be true) and talk about what a gentleman he is. If he’s going to invent a story, he may as well invent a dozen or so sock puppets to confirm it. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/87 "2010-12-06T17:11:18Z")
A Vietnam-era tough guy who’s now a chef? Clearly this guy’s been watching too many Steven Seagal movies: [Casey Ryback - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_Ryback) ---
**Author:** ![Fell\_through\_the\_Ice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9adbd/32.png) [@Fell\_through\_the\_Ice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fell_through_the_Ice)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/88 "2010-12-06T19:07:37Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > A Vietnam-era tough guy who’s now a chef? Clearly this guy’s been watching too many Steven Seagal movies: [Casey Ryback - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_Ryback) Can anyone post a link to the IMDB threads? His username “usherhouse” is a “deleted member” and I am not registered there so I can’t search. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/89 "2010-12-06T20:23:45Z")
[Here](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1324999/board/flat/174741511?p=1) is the thread. Since he seems to have deleted his account, his posts won’t show up. However, what he wrote concerning his service has been posted here in this thread. You can still see his groupies sticking up for him… [Here](http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ttZ-C78DyOAJ:usherhouse3.blogspot.com/2010/05/tigers-and-smores.html+tigers+and+smores+usher&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us) is the cached link to his hilarious blog. ---
**Author:** ![Fell\_through\_the\_Ice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9adbd/32.png) [@Fell\_through\_the\_Ice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fell_through_the_Ice)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/90 "2010-12-06T20:59:00Z")
Wow. How can I get ahold of this guy? I’d love to enlighten him on the meaning of the term “Google’s cache”… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/91 "2010-12-06T21:09:30Z")
I don’t know if his Hotmail account listed on the blog is still active. I also don’t know if he has fled IMDB permanently or not; I suspect he’ll just come back with a different name and different story. I don’t even know if this guy is the real “John Usher” who is a chef for Marriott. He might just have stolen part of that guy’s identity for his online persona. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/92 "2010-12-06T21:11:53Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > [Here](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1324999/board/flat/174741511?p=1) is the thread. Since he seems to have deleted his account, his posts won’t show up. However, what he wrote concerning his service has been posted here in this thread. You can still see his groupies sticking up for him… > > [Here](http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ttZ-C78DyOAJ:usherhouse3.blogspot.com/2010/05/tigers-and-smores.html+tigers+and+smores+usher&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us) is the cached link to his hilarious blog. Did anyone at all come to your defense in the IMDb thread? ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/93 "2010-12-06T21:15:40Z")
What ever you do Argent, do NOT date this man! ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/94 "2010-12-06T21:17:42Z")
> [@postcards](#): > > Army medals have the recipient’s name engraved on the back. No numbers, at least not on my father’s Bronze Star. I’ve been in the Army for over 20 years. No they don’t. There is a spot on the back where you can get them engraved but the Army does not do that for you. I have been to ceremonies where Bronze Stars are handed out like Halloween candy. No engraving. And yes no numbers. As far as I know the only medals you can’t buy at the PX are MoHs. Why do they always have to be snipers? No one would ever think they were faking if they said they were cooks. ---
**Author:** ![Fell\_through\_the\_Ice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9adbd/32.png) [@Fell\_through\_the\_Ice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fell_through_the_Ice)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/95 "2010-12-06T21:20:46Z")
Couple questions: 1. Isn’t it illegal to impersonate a member of the US military? Could there be any legal problems or charges that could be brought against Mr Usher? 2. Has anyone savee the cached copies of all of his blogs? I saved the “tigers and smores” one but that’s it. Not sure how to access the other entries. 3. How can it be determined if the same person who wrote that blog is the same John Usher who works as a chef for Marriot? 4. What now? ---
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/96 "2010-12-06T21:21:10Z")
Referencing my earlier post w/regard to the usage of “SEAL”… The first SEAL Teams (ONE and TWO…west and east coast) were commissioned on Jan 2, 1963 by JFK. That’s also the same day he commissioned Army Special Forces as a separate Army command. After Jan 2, 1963, the Navy continued to maintain Underwater Demolition Teams and SEAL Teams, all within the umbrella of the Naval Special Warfare community. The UDT’s were eventually combined with the SEAL Teams in 1987. So, there are now only SEAL Teams. Naval Special Warfare now contains SEAL Teams, Special Boat Teams, and Special Activities Units, along with numerous technicians and administrative support folks who also work within the community. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/97 "2010-12-06T21:25:29Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Did anyone at all come to your defense in the IMDb thread? One person and one person only came to…uh, **Zaob** ’s defense in the thread. The entire Twilight: Breaking Dawn crew of regulars was against him and on the side of Usher, who has apparently been running a game on these women for a long time. I’d wager that most of them are so enthralled by his stories of adventure and culinary delights for the same reason they’re so enthralled by _Twilight_ - bad judgment. With people like this guy, stories about special-forces military service and law enforcement are usually just the tip of the iceberg, and that under the surface is a lot of credit card fraud, identity theft, assorted scams, and broken hearts. ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/98 "2010-12-06T21:41:28Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > One person and one person only came to…uh, **Zaob** ’s defense in the thread. Thought **you** were Zaob. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/99 "2010-12-06T21:53:39Z")
> [@Fell\_through\_the\_Ice](#): > > Couple questions: > > 1. Isn’t it illegal to impersonate a member of the US military? Could there be any legal problems or charges that could be brought against Mr Usher? The federal Stolen Valor act was ruled unconstitutional by an appelate court a few months ago. Not sure if it is being taken higher. It is not illegal to lie unless you do it for financial gain. Then it falls under theft/fraud. ETA claiming service/medals that did not occur/were not earned is illegal for military members and they can be prosecuted. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873/100 "2010-12-06T22:32:05Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > Sometimes Navy Seals need protection, cuz you know they can’t take care of themselves. Clearly he was referring to the animal. Do you know how hard it is to fire a rifle with flippers instead of hands? -Joe [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunking-a-phony-marine-veteran/562873.md?page=6)