# Is there a way to verify a person was a member of the UN Peacekeepers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 12, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556 "2012-10-12T19:52:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/21 "2012-10-14T00:41:20Z")
> [@Szlater](#): > > Blue bereted missions? > > In August 2012 I see the US contributed a grand total of 20 troops. In the early 90’s, they often have over 3000. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/22 "2012-10-14T00:42:25Z")
> [@Shmendrik](#): > > In the early 90’s, they often have over 3000. Did they ever wear a blue beret? ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/23 "2012-10-14T01:01:22Z")
> [@Szlater](#): > > Did they ever wear a blue beret? [Apparently.](http://www.usasurvival.org/images/peaceckeepers.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/24 "2012-10-14T01:08:11Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > More than once? Talk about a slow learner. You don’t hit the hard parts with your hands. It doesn’t seem like he’s smart enough to learn from that if he’s telling such transparent lies. Its kinda scarey that he is Law Enforcement and the OP is afraid of a smackdown. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/25 "2012-10-14T01:09:01Z")
> [@Shmendrik](#): > > [Apparently.](http://www.usasurvival.org/images/peaceckeepers.jpg) Those are cops seconded to the UN, not troops. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/26 "2012-10-14T02:03:47Z")
ask him to show you the secret handshake. because there are soldiers from many nations then there are UN troops that can’t speak to each other. they then have a secret handshake to recognize who is a friendly. ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/27 "2012-10-14T02:18:22Z")
> [@Szlater](#): > > Those are cops seconded to the UN, not troops. In any case, my answer to **Northern Piper** ’s question remains the same. As you can see by looking through those UN documents, at various times in the past the US has contributed large numbers of troops to UN peacekeeping forces. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/28 "2012-10-14T05:14:19Z")
> [@Donnerwetter](#): > > I don’t understand why he would make up a story about having been a UN peace keeper since that isn’t really a tough guy/macho thing. Maybe he’s a \*\*Farscape \*\*fan. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/29 "2012-10-14T14:49:00Z")
> [@Xgemina](#): > > No enlisted soldier (or officer) is individually selected to be an UN Peacekeeper. You would be deployed along with your unit. My brother, a US Navy officer, did a stint as an individual (in a place called Western Sahara, IIRC), as his last assignment on active duty. He was at some small place with officers from several other countries. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/30 "2012-10-14T15:08:57Z")
> [@temp\_user](#): > > Since he has broken his hands on suspects faces more than once, I do not think I will personally challenge him on it at all. Oh, _that_ kinda peace keeper. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/31 "2012-10-14T17:02:48Z")
> [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > My brother, a US Navy officer, did a stint as an individual (in a place called Western Sahara, IIRC), as his last assignment on active duty. He was at some small place with officers from several other countries. MINURSO. I suspect your brother was a military observer rather than a peacekeeper. Observers are often included in peacekeeping missions and are indeed usually chosen individually, but they are distinct from peacekeeper,s, which are regular military forces under UN Command. ---
**Author:** ![temp\_user](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@temp\_user](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/temp_user)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/32 "2012-10-14T21:33:09Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > MINURSO. I suspect your brother was a military observer rather than a peacekeeper. Observers are often included in peacekeeping missions and are indeed usually chosen individually, but they are distinct from peacekeeper,s, which are regular military forces under UN Command. That is interesting. Since I did receive the story second-hand, would the observer scenario prove more likely? AFAIK he spent no more than three years in the service. I do know he has no access to his benefits, like when he bought his house, or the various surgeries he has had. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/33 "2012-10-14T21:41:31Z")
> [@temp\_user](#): > > That is interesting. Since I did receive the story second-hand, would the observer scenario prove more likely? AFAIK he spent no more than three years in the service. I do know he has no access to his benefits, like when he bought his house, or the various surgeries he has had. Are you sure he had no “access” to benefits? My sister is a vet, and never claimed VA medical or mortgage benefits simply because she didn’t need to. She has private insurance (she’s had a number of fairly serious conditions over the years), and got her mortgage through her credit union. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/34 "2012-10-15T07:02:04Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > MINURSO. I suspect your brother was a military observer rather than a peacekeeper. Observers are often included in peacekeeping missions and are indeed usually chosen individually, but they are distinct from peacekeeper,s, which are regular military forces under UN Command. Ok, probably, but that’s a distinction without a difference in my book. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/35 "2012-10-15T07:36:29Z")
> [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > Ok, probably, but that’s a distinction without a difference in my book. Agreed. One of my Canadian friends who was a UN peacekeeper with his Canadian Forces unit was also asked to be an individual observer. This he did, but he always retained his CF benefits, pension, etc. As long as he remained in the CF, regardless of his role (UN peacekeeper, observer, whatever), his pay and benefits were looked after by the Canadian government. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/36 "2012-10-15T09:47:55Z")
> [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > Ok, probably, but that’s a distinction without a difference in my book. Peacekeepers are armed and can and do take action against parties. Military Observers are unarmed and can do nothing except report. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/37 "2012-10-15T09:49:03Z")
> [@temp\_user](#): > > That is interesting. Since I did receive the story second-hand, would the observer scenario prove more likely? AFAIK he spent no more than three years in the service. I do know he has no access to his benefits, like when he bought his house, or the various surgeries he has had. Military observers are almost always officers. Was he an officer? ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/38 "2012-10-15T12:29:14Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Or maybe the UN Army will turn out to be his cover story for being in a CIA covert ops team! Dude! You are so far behind the times. It is now Navy Seal ops teams. Try and keep up, OK? ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/39 "2012-10-15T12:42:22Z")
> [@temp\_user](#): > > That is interesting. Since I did receive the story second-hand, would the observer scenario prove more likely? AFAIK he spent no more than three years in the service. I do know he has no access to his benefits, like when he bought his house, or the various surgeries he has had. His unit may have been assigned to UN peacekeeping duties, but there is \*\*_no_ \*\*scenario under which that assignment would be the cause of his losing his benefits. He received a dishonorable discharge for some other reason… and based on your description, I don’t think it’s too hard to figure it out. There is no way to check/verify a person’s military records without their permission. But [here’s an overview of the process from the National Archives](http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/standard-form-180.html), in case you want to explore it. If he really was in Somalia, he could tell you off the top of his head the approximate dates and the name of his unit. And that’d be easy to verify. But if, as you suspect, the story is just made up, he won’t have that info. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556/40 "2012-10-15T13:05:17Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > MINURSO. I suspect your brother was a military observer rather than a peacekeeper. Observers are often included in peacekeeping missions and are indeed usually chosen individually, but they are distinct from peacekeeper,s, which are regular military forces under UN Command. It is quite possible for an individual to be sent on a UN mission distinct from his unit, and I know some that have. Usually this is simply because the units sent on mission need extra bodies, and so draw volunteers from other units. When Canada has a largish contingent somewhere that’s not at all uncommon; during the UNPROFOR mission in Yugoslavia a lot of people from reserve units were sent from their units individually to do stints with UNPROFOR. They didn’t send the whole unit, just dribs and drabs of people as manpower needs dictated. (They were very prestigious assignments and people competed for them.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-verify-a-person-was-a-member-of-the-un-peacekeepers/637556.md?page=3)