FBI Investigating Hundreds Of Phony War Heroes

On a day when Americans honor those who have served their country in the military, many of whom have been wounded, physically and emotionally by war, the FBI told ABC News that it is investigating hundreds of reports of phony heroes who have lied about their military experience or the awards and medals they claim they received for their valor in combat.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[pointyheadprodigy]

It is profitable to appear a "war hero" in a neocon world. The losers are probably just trying to make a buck without putting forth any product or effort other than outward appearance and self flattery, like a republican. "Fake It to Make It", sort of a delusion.

No one should be ashamed to call these BOZOs out either, the real veterans should appreciate the help cleaning up their neighborhood.

[wadenelson1]

Surely society has more serious problems to worry about than nutcases going around claiming to be war heros.

[jalowe1957]

There's a term in psychiatry that describes these con artists to a "T": Pseudologica Fantasia

What it is it's the mixing of fact and fantasy to bolster one's self-esteem. Much like the sociopath who creates a stalking hoax so that people will feel sorry for her.

Trust me, fake war heroes are not a new phenomenon. Anyone who has ever watched the great Preston Sturges film "Hail the Conquering Hero" will tell you that.

As always, a sucker is born every minute.

[Moshe]

They should start with George W.

[bola47]

donald rumsfeld should be at the top of the list for investigation.

[GonzoFactor]

It's another form of war profiteering, and should be a federal offense.

[nirek]

There are many of us who served with dignity and did not receive awards. We may have been heroic in our service and not noticed for it, probably more of us did good deeds in time of WAR then were ever given credit for valor .

[1differentdrummer]

Burn the phony suckers. I have known some real heroes who would never volunteer any details of their heroism, one, not even to his wife of almost fifty years. I think maybe bravery is mostly modest.

[DianeTreehugger]

To falsely assume the mantle of a war hero, one who by definition subsumes his or her own safety , and often his or her own life, for either the lives of comrades or a greater cause, in order to receive greater attention, career advancement, or just to feel better about their pathetic selves, is sickeningly beyond the pale. They should be publicly exposed as the abject liars and cowards that they are - and a nice hefty fine to boot just to ensure they remember not to try it again. And then they should be sent to military cemeteries for a few years of maintenance duties, among the graves of those they insulted.

[IraqiFreedomVeteran03]

Absolutely right. Well said.

[GoCards1978]

Touche. I especially like maintaining military cemeteries since that becomes a low priority during hard economic times.

[Wiserone]

Read: The Rolling Stone Magazine article (access on line): "Make Believe Maverick" about McCain. Enlightening to say the least.

[elcojonu]

Leave Mc Cain alone.
He knows what he is, he knows what he did, he knows his limitations.

[IraqiFreedomVeteran03]

Ladies and Gentlemen, please think before you post.

The people in this article are horrible and disgusting, but as I stated before-- think before you post. Especially about John McCain. Unless you have irrefutable proof that he is a fake--- it's nonsense. Unless you were in the jail cell with him-- you don't know. Unless you have served--- you wouldn't ever understand.

Before you go on spouting about "His daddy this" or "His grandpa helped with that"--- remember, neither his father nor grandfather were in the jail cell with him when he could not physically feed himself.

We won the election ladies and germs. Let's move on. Let's fix this country.

[deeppeace]

I never disputed his experience. I DID dispute its appropriateness in preparing him to lead.

[rroy]

As one of the few remaining"Old Farts"of WW2,this article reminds me of the long standing joke,which was not that unreal,about guys going on leave,heading first for the Private enterprise Army Navy stores,throwing five bucks on the Medal display and telling the clerk to mix up five bucks worth of ribbons,or"fruit salad"to pin on his uniform so he could then head for a bar and impress the chicks.
Another piece of post war Ultra B.S.was the phony rumor,which he never denied ,of the late Senator Joe McCarthy being a "tail Gunner"on a dive bomber in w w 2.A military job that never even existed.
So what else is new?

[mafina]

Wow, making up hot shot position to embellish the resume or profile of wantabe hero. This sounds like a war story that had too many plots and a never ending story.

[mafina]

Wow, making up hot sh&ot position to embellish the resume or profile of want-a-be hero. This sounds like a w ar story that had too many plots and a never ending story.

[DannyEastVillage]

do you mean to tell me there's no database with which to track awarding of honors by the military??

[protagonia]

Somehow they left Bush Jr off the list.

[gifu]

Seriously.. he is a faux cowboy who started a war that has gone on longer than World War 2 and siphoned our treasury to prop up corporate America and his buddies. These other guys are nothing compared to Bush. They will bailout Wall Street at any cost for themselves and they just keep building more jails for the rest of the population.

[mafina]

Bush, Jr. like many others that are so heavily involved in the political arena are tactical. GWB, Jr. named after father, political heavy weight, John McCain named as father and grandfather, both military junkies, then the sons take on also part of the profile and resume of the elders. Lawrence Eagle&&burger named all three of his sons after him with the only difference being the middle name. political junkies looking to manipulate historical references.

[paixa3]

LOL.....rightly so...

[mafina]

Why didn't the start with john McCain?

[IraqiFreedomVeteran03]

As an Obama supporter, I take exception to your comment.

John McCain went throught a hell unlike anything you can imagine. He has seen and been through things you only see in nightmares. He wears the scars of those nightmares. That alone merits respect from those that have never served.

That being said, his status as a former POW does not make him qualified to be POTUS.

Have some repect--- We won. Now is the time for unity.

[CaptainVideo]

"John McCain went throught a hell unlike anything you can imagine. "

At least so he claims. But his records of his stay in the prison are classified.