Stolen Valor Case

[navytrooper]

I'm not sure if this is worth bringing up, but there is a guy who claims he is a SGT Michael Collins in the Army Rangers who just recently graduated this spring from the USMA and is currently in Iraq. Is he an imposter? Also..it's on Youtube, which is why I was reluctant to bring it up. I decided to post it here, better to be safe than sorry I suppose..oh and did I mention that SGT Michael Collins is a movie character?

YOUTUBE COMMENT:
http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/3016/stolenvalor1sb1.jpg

YOUTUBE PROFILE:
http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/3740/stolenvalor2wg4.jpg

PROOF THAT THE NAME "SGT MICHAEL COLLINS" IS A MOVIE CHARACTER:
http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/1295/stolenvalor3ax7.jpg


So my questions are:
1) Is he authentic?
2) If not, should action be taken (everyone lies on Youtube, after all)?
2) Is there simply inconclusive evidence?

[SlightlyCatholic]

Well if he graduated from USMA he'd be a 2LT, not a SGT. That's a red flag right there.

[navytrooper]

Well if he graduated from USMA he'd be a 2LT, not a SGT. That's a red flag right there.

That's what I thought too. I'm not sure what to do with this, though. I mean, it seems to be small potatoes since it's on Youtube...

[wukong]

Well if he graduated from USMA he'd be a 2LT, not a SGT. That's a red flag right there.

Not necessarily so! A graduate can decline a commission or resign a commission. But, he or she will serve a commitment period as an enlisted soldier. The situtation would be news worthy

[navytrooper]

Not necessarily so! A graduate can decline a commission or resign a commission. But, he or she will serve a commitment period as an enlisted soldier. The situtation would be news worthy

Well, his profile says he's 21. You can join the USMA from 17-23 years old. Let's say he joined at 17, the youngest age anyone can join at. He graduates after 4 years, right? That means he would be 21, which is his current supposed age. He said he graduated last spring, so his story makes sense so far.

BUT

If he declined his commission after graduating LAST SPRING, how can he make SGT in such a short amount of time?

Anyway once we've established that he's a fake, is this worth following up? I mean, it is Youtube.
And if it is, who do I report this to?

[Drill for life]

lets say it on three

1...

2...

3...

he is a fake, it is illegal to impersonate us military personell but as you said it is youtube. Great thread thoug, all i can tell youto do is is contact someone at youtube and get his profile terminated. That's my two cents.

[navytrooper]

lets say it on three

1...

2...

3...

he is a fake, it is illegal to impersonate us military personell but as you said it is youtube. Great thread thoug, all i can tell youto do is is contact someone at youtube and get his profile terminated. That's my two cents.

Leave it to Drill to sum up my feelings completely. :)

Does anyone know who exactly I should talk to?

[Drill for life]

Well I am good at reading Emotions;)(If you know what I mean)!!! That's just my two cents.

[fjer]

If you leave West Point (resign, separated, ect.), for something that would not prevent you from serving as an enlisted soldier, after the beginning of your 3rd year you have to serve as a non-promotable specialist. No way he could graduate from USMA, resign his commission, and be a Sergeant. You also have to question whether or not he would have been able to complete the training necessary to deploy to Iraq as a ranger.

[navytrooper]

I think that we have enough evidence that we can safely say that he is a fake.




Now what do I do? Drill for Life suggested I contact someone at Youtube to delete this user's account, but quite frankly I have no idea who to talk to. I'd prefer sending an email, but the only contact information is Youtube's company address. There is a way to contact by mail, but it doesn't meet the criteria. It isn't abusing anybody, it isn't copyright infringement, it has nothing to do with technical bugs, and I'm not suggesting any additions to Youtube.

[wukong]

valor - boldness or determination in facing great danger, esp. in battle; heroic courage; bravery: a medal for valor.

Pray tell, just what valor has this character stolen. I see no claim to medals or citations for bravery. What valor attachés to being an Army Sergeant or a Air Force General or Navy Admiral? A fictitious construct on a forum is hardly more than Stallone playing the role of Rambo who is masquerading as a Medal of Honor awardee.


NavyTrooper, you could have posted the URL so folks could read first hand what was posted.

[HairyEyeball]

Let's all say it on three, poolee:

1.

2.

3.Use your SpellCheck!

[Drill for life]

There are too many fakes out there so why don't we forget about this youtube phony and focus on actual phonies. If there is someone in your town lets bust that person not some wannbe Army Ranger Sergeant. I know it's wrong but hey it's not a lot we can do, I was laying awake last night thinking(about the Marines, yes I know only thing I talk about) and I was thinking let this guy just get caught by some Vietnam Vet or a Retired Marine, not by a handful of angry cadets who want to start a internet mob. Here is my revised advice: Do your best to contact someone at Youtube Navytrooper, aontact the accused(aetter yet have BillyD or Grunt contact him), and just test his knowledge. I really want to know where this is going end up. PM me if anything changes
Sincerely your friend
Drill for life

[SlightlyCatholic]

There are too many fakes out there so why don't we forget about this youtube phony and focus on actual phonies. If there is someone in your town lets bust that person not some wannbe Army Ranger Sergeant. I know it's wrong but hey it's not alot we can do, I was laying awake last night thinking(about the Marines, yea I know only thing I talk about) and I was thinking let this guy just get caught by some Vietnam Vet or a Retired Marine, not by a handful of Angry Cadets who want to start a Internet Mob. Here is my revised advice: Do your best to Contact someone at Youtube Navytrooper, Contact the Accused(Better yet have BillyD or Grunt contact him), and just test his knowledge. I really want to know where this is going end up. PM me if anything changes
Sincerely your friend and Allie
Drill for life

Before we correct someone on stating allegedly incorrect information, we should make sure we're squared away ourselves. No one who cannot demonstrate basic competence in grammar, spelling, and capitalization should be attempting to accuse another person of lying about military service.

I've placed in bold your spelling and capitalization errors for your revision.

It is never good to remove a splinter from another man's eye when a beam is protruding from your own.

[Drill for life]

I like my writing heavy on the Capitalization and light on the sweetness.

Sorry about that I have always tended to Capitalize a whole lot. I tend to do it on some of the very important words in a post. Sorry.

[SlightlyCatholic]

I like my writing heavy on the Capitalization and light on the sweetness.

Sorry about that I have always tended to Capitalize a whole lot. I tend to do it on some of the very important words in a post. Sorry.


You don't need to apologize to me, I'm not a Moderator. I'm just trying to get you to understand that until you've squared yourself away, you have no business reprimanding another individual on anything. Attention to detail is something I'm sure you're hoping to have as a future Marine, and that can start right now by the manner in which you post here.

[Drill for life]

You don't need to apologize to me, I'm not a Moderator. I'm just trying to get you to understand that until you've squared yourself away, you have no business reprimanding another individual on anything. Attention to detail is something I'm sure you're hoping to have as a future Marine, and that can start right now by the manner in which you post here.

I see where your coming from, thank you for your advice. Well I am doing some research about busting phonies on the internet and here is what I came up with:
http://www.anzmi.net/info.html
If you are really serious and passionate about this Navytrooper I suggest you contac someone on the site I posted.

[StarLifter]

It isn't abusing anybody, it isn't copyright infringement, it has nothing to do with technical bugs, and I'm not suggesting any additions to Youtube.

You could make an argument for abuse of those who have earned their Airborne wings, as his claiming to be a Ranger without actually going through the effort kind of does insult them. However, that's playing on words.

Contact YouTube if you really feel the need.

-- StarLifter

[navytrooper]

Aye, the main reason I posted this was to see whether it was worth following up. It didn't seem that big a deal, but some folks on this forum would stop at nothing to have him "corrected."

I guess it isn't stolen valor, but he is impersonating (rather badly) a U.S. military member (who also happens to be a Ranger) deployed to Iraq.

I don't know, I guess I thought it would be an insult to those who have made it through Ranger School and those who are actually deployed to the Middle East.

I don't think I'll continue on this guy, though. As most of us know, everybody lies on Youtube...

EDIT: By the way Drill, thanks for taking the trouble of looking up the link, but that's a database for Australia and New Zealand only.

[Drill for life]

Oh snap, I typed in US Military Impersoanters and that site came up and I clicked on it and scanned through it and thought it would help.

[devin0116]

I was wondering about that organization, it seemed to be all about Australian and New Zealand frauds. But I did find an interesting case under the cases section about a man who claimed to be A "USSF" member as well as Australian Military member. Not sure if anyone is interested, but I found it 'intereseting'.

[Murray B]

That's what I thought too. I'm not sure what to do with this, though. I mean, it seems to be small potatoes since it's on Youtube...

There are many more videos of people claiming to be Master Chief Petty Officers in the Navy. They all claim to be part of the UN and served aboard the cruiser Pillar of Autumn. It all sounds reasonable enough except the uniforms are completely GREEN. Obvious fakes.