# Is this guy guilty of stolen valor? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 22, 2019, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136 "2019-10-22T14:48:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/61 "2019-10-23T21:43:40Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > That is what I was pointing out, it’s not a matter of course to put military service in the background of a character anymore. It might be done for a cop or some characters, but not your typical dad character. _snicker_ Depends on your family traditions, now … my Dad’s side of the family are ‘military traditional’ - all the men do at least 1 enlistment, some go on to make whole careers out of it as far back as the schlub who invaded Canada and was first Royal Governor of the Mass Bay Colony. My husband was Navy, his father was Navy, his Grandfather was Navy, his Great-great … all the way back to some guy who was a civilian slob - who was also the first Comptroller of the US back when we kicked the brits out. When I think Dad, I think military. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/62 "2019-10-23T22:05:57Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > I put my hat over my heart but not my bare hand. Neither do I sing – the idea is to honor, not to blaspheme. Being non-combat, I deflect those well-meaning “thank you for your service” people. Save it for those guys who were running around with a rifle. The only thank you that I need or care about is my Tricare health benefits. My proof of patriotism is in my wallet next to my driver’s license. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/63 "2019-10-24T01:28:52Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > As mentioned above by me, in the old days the 'Bees got to where they were going by boat; and by ‘old days’, I mean WWII. By the early 70s, there were no deployment sites that couldn’t be reached by aircraft. The only boat trips were when teams were sent to some of the smaller Polynesian islands from places like Guam. > > When I say ‘never on board a ship’, I mean I never set foot on one. My deployments were all on land and I got there via commercial aircraft chartered by the military. There are some exceptions; I knew an Engineering Aide (surveyor) who had a tour on an oceanographic survey ship. And any Seabee attached to a UDT would, of course, have had boat travel in his job description. By the way, the Seabee underwater demolition teams were the forerunners of the SEAL teams. The closest I ever got to being on a boat was when I flew from Puerto Rico to St. Thomas on a Grumman Goose. Fascinating and completely unexpected. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/64 "2019-10-24T03:13:07Z")
Please sir, what is Red Horse, please? I read the whole thread and didn’t find the answer, unless I missed it? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/65 "2019-10-24T03:55:31Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I guess I’m odd. I’m an American civil engineer and didn’t know what Seabees were. West coast radio broadcasting awards. Several episodes of \*Frasier \*show him trying to win one. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/66 "2019-10-24T04:06:25Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Please sir, what is Red Horse, please? > > I read the whole thread and didn’t find the answer, unless I missed it? Air Force equivalent of Seabees. It’s an acronym (somewhat strained): [Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_Engineer_Deployable_Heavy_Operational_Repair_Squadron_Engineers) ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/67 "2019-10-24T04:57:16Z")
LMFAO at an acronym having literally the same word occur twice within it. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/68 "2019-10-24T14:37:58Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Air Force equivalent of Seabees. It’s an acronym (somewhat strained): [Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_Engineer_Deployable_Heavy_Operational_Repair_Squadron_Engineers) We usually referred to them as “hopelessly incompetent” or worse. Perhaps they got better, but I never saw a project by them that wasn’t hopelessly fucked up or took them three times longer to complete than was expected. In Vietnam, we took part in a project with Red Horse to build sea huts (huts to live in) at a base where a number of them had been destroyed by incoming fire. There were some 12-15 huts to build, and they needed them quickly. We sent four carpenters, who joined up with 10 Red Horse guys. Our guys finished their half before the AF guys had built two, and then went on to build another three. When they left to come back to our base, the others were still farting around with the remainder. Sea huts are not rocket science. They’re just wood framed huts, normally about 16’ x 24’ with a metal roof. ---
**Author:** ![RollOutTheBarrel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rolloutthebarrel/32/1649_2.png) [@RollOutTheBarrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RollOutTheBarrel)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/69 "2019-10-24T19:12:47Z")
For what it’s worth, I knew some really stupid people in the Air Force who didn’t know what unit we were in. Our unit had merged with another and they were confused about the name of the new unit, despite it being explained multiple times. Most service members would know what unit they were in, though, so the guy described in the OP is either a liar or an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/70 "2019-10-24T19:42:17Z")
As I understand it real vets have a card certifying it that they must show to get discounts and such. I suppose those can be faked but you can always ask to see one. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/71 "2019-10-24T19:46:25Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > As I understand it real vets have a card certifying it that they must show to get discounts and such. I suppose those can be faked but you can always ask to see one. You understand it wrong. My DD214 (separation papers) says I’m a real veteran, but I was never issued any card. I do keep a copy on Google drive that I can show if one asks for proof that I’m a veteran. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/72 "2019-10-24T19:48:51Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > You understand it wrong. My DD214 (separation papers) says I’m a real veteran, but I was never issued any card. I do keep a copy on Google drive that I can show if one asks for proof that I’m a veteran. You can get an ID from the VA. I don’t know of anyone who has one (aside from those currently using VA services), but it’s a thing. It being the VA and not the DoD, it’s not an automatic issue when someone separates like a DD214 is. At 23 years you’d assume the guy in the OP’s story would have retired and would therefore have a retiree ID card. Every retiree I know carries theirs with them. If someone asked to see it to prove their service they’d probably get a middle finger instead. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/73 "2019-10-24T19:51:10Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > At 23 years you’d assume the guy in the OP’s story would have retired and would therefore have a retiree ID card. Every retiree I know carries theirs with them. If someone asked to see it to prove their service they’d probably get a middle finger instead. My father had one. He had PX privileges, I don’t if that was his ID for that or if he had another one. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/74 "2019-10-24T20:17:05Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > My father had one. He had PX privileges, I don’t if that was his ID for that or if he had another one. That was it. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/75 "2019-10-24T21:26:07Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > He also told the server than he spent his first four years in the Army. Heh. When I was in Great Lakes, the MPs brought in a guy who had gone AWOL to join the Marines. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/76 "2019-10-24T23:22:18Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Heh. When I was in Great Lakes, the MPs brought in a guy who had gone AWOL to join the Marines. In San Diego boot camp, the first place we were marched to was a chain link fence. The company commander pointed at the fence and said “If anybody wants out of this place, this is the only way to do it. The fence isn’t very high and anyone can climb over it. But be forewarned that the land on the other side belongs to the Marines. When they catch you over there, and they WILL catch you, they’re going to want to have some fun with you for a few weeks before they return you to us. So be my guest.” ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/77 "2019-10-25T01:58:04Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > As I understand it real vets have a card certifying it that they must show to get discounts and such. I suppose those can be faked but you can always ask to see one. Retirees who still have base privileges, not generic out after an enlistment or two … mrAru has his DD241 and his retired ID card. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/78 "2019-10-25T04:44:13Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Air Force equivalent of Seabees. It’s an acronym (somewhat strained): [Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_Engineer_Deployable_Heavy_Operational_Repair_Squadron_Engineers) Sir, thank you, sir! ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/79 "2019-10-25T16:06:08Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Please sir, what is Red Horse, please? > > I read the whole thread and didn’t find the answer, unless I missed it? Just search this board for posts by Tripler. Maybe five of them _don’t_ mention RED HORSE. :D:D Well, at least until he moved on to destroying things instead of building things. ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136/80 "2019-10-25T17:05:41Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > LMFAO at an acronym having literally the same word occur twice within it. It’s apparently a proud product of the Department of Redundancy Department. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-guilty-of-stolen-valor/842136.md?page=5)