How can I verify someone's actual military veteran status?

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SGT Robert Pryor - he may not be lying. Quite possible that he did deploy to combat but was subsequently discharged under dishonorable conditions which is why he doesn't qualify for VA benefits. Either way he is a POS and this friend needs to get away from him ASAP..

LTC (Join to see) - I absolutely agree. Any of the possible explanations point to him being a POS. The whole thing about the pictures its what convinces me that he's a wannabe.

SGT Dan Gray. As I stated elsewhere, PO3 Craig Tillotson stated, "guy who claimed he was a veteran." Past tense -- not active duty. Those records are maintained by the National Personnel Records Center and the information is obtained through them, not the military. Anyone can do a Freedom Of Information Act request on anyone else. You can do one on me without my permission or signature, should you be that motivated or curious. You can get enough information from my bio here at RP to do a request. You don't need to be the veteran, a family member or next of kin -- just curious, as is Craig Tillotson. You are just limited to what you receive via a FOIA request. What you will receive is a summary of the veteran's service, to include awards and decorations. If the guy in question was indeed a combat vet, the FOIA response will verify that.
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Combat vet and IMHO if you encounter someone who likes to brag about their time downrange and/or how many people they killed you need to avoid them like the plague whether they are telling the truth or not.

Mr Gray, were you ever in the military? Most folks who ever wore out country's uniform know the difference between currently serving active duty and those separated form the service. They also have a basic understanding that active duty records, retiree records, other prior service records, and Department of Veterans Affairs records are maintained by different agencies at different locations. A basic understanding you lack. Were you truly a veteran, who cared about other veterans, you would discontinue posting inaccurate information and defer to the "been there, done that," folks such as LTC (Join to see) SGM Steve Wettstein and LTC (Join to see) above.

OK I did serve several years ago but I have some questions and a request that involve my daughters current boyfriend. Her current boyfriend is a POS named Joshua Brown who claims to have served with but not been a member of 182 airborne out of Fort Benning, Ga.,. He claims to have been in the military for 6 and 1/2 months and in that period of time did basic, AIT for 11B, and been deployed where he was supposedly shot 3 times and hit with an IED .He was supposedly then discharged to go home and was told he could return in 6 months. Now the reason for this question, he has convinced my recently turned 17 yo daughter to runaway with him to his one room apartment and convinced not only her but all her friends that we are abusive. He has turned me in to the VA as being suicidal and unstable twice. I am not and I have a civilian therapist. He claims to have PTSD which I doubt, and flashed a gun at myself and my husband after requiring that we be totally disarmed to talk to my daughter. He has recorded or conversations and quotes Colorado law and puts on the "military" air when in the presence of authority. I am afraid for my daughters safety and well being. He also claims to be 18 but I can find no record of him or anyone else less than 24 in my state. The local police will do nothing and I can't track this "ghost" as I am 90% disabled. Please help me if you can, Thank you,

SPC Robin Price-Dirks - I have tagged some real experts here that can give you better advice than I can. Hopefully they will chime in here for you. To begin with, I've never heard of a unit called the 182 Airborne, that doesn't mean it doesn't exists, or maybe you made a typo. It's not impossible for someone to do basic, AIT and get deployed and wounded in six and a half months and sent home, but to do so is unlikely in the extreme. But the comment that he was sent home for six months and then return to active duty is so close to impossible to not be given any credence. There is a program called Temporary Disability Retired List (TDRL), but that would have required a medical board, which certainly could not have been accomplished in the time-frame you mentioned. You also brought up a bunch of other, more personal issues, that are well beyond my station in life. Just pay particular attention to the following individuals -- they know way more about this than I could ever hope to know.
LTC (Join to see) LTC (Join to see) SFC (Join to see) MSG (Join to see)

SPC Robin Price-Dirks - Joshua Brown is too common of a name to prove he's not in the Army but the 182nd Reg is not a regular Army unit. While his story is "possible", it's not likely. My first inclination is he's an pathological liar who is controlling your daughter in an unhealthy relationship.