Posted on Sep 8, 2015
Retired Marine's uniform: Is this stolen valor or is there another reason?
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I came across this article and related picture and just about lost my mind. For the life of me I can't think why a retired Marine would go so far outside the box regarding uniform standards (e.g. blood stripe in white trousers, mini-medals in dress blues, etc.). What do you think?
ABILENE, Texas (May 24, 2015) - For Marine Gunnery Sgt. Richard Dobbins, Memorial Day has a great meaning. But it's not one that's unique to him.
The Vietnam War veteran said he lost friends on the battlefield. They were together through good times and bad times, he said.
But more good than bad, he quickly added.
"(Memorial Day) means missing my friends in the service," he said. "I lost a couple buddies in Vietnam. It makes me think of when I was stationed in Spain. We went to Japan, saw Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We were taken to Tokyo."
Dobbins spent Sunday morning dressed in his service uniform, surrounded by Boy Scouts, fellow veterans and interested onlookers at Elmdale Baptist Church. They, along with worshippers, paid tribute to fallen soldiers, former prisoners of war and other combat veterans.
http://www.reporternews.com/news/local-news/memorial-day-service-honors-those-who-served-and-those-who-still-serve_39209276
ABILENE, Texas (May 24, 2015) - For Marine Gunnery Sgt. Richard Dobbins, Memorial Day has a great meaning. But it's not one that's unique to him.
The Vietnam War veteran said he lost friends on the battlefield. They were together through good times and bad times, he said.
But more good than bad, he quickly added.
"(Memorial Day) means missing my friends in the service," he said. "I lost a couple buddies in Vietnam. It makes me think of when I was stationed in Spain. We went to Japan, saw Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We were taken to Tokyo."
Dobbins spent Sunday morning dressed in his service uniform, surrounded by Boy Scouts, fellow veterans and interested onlookers at Elmdale Baptist Church. They, along with worshippers, paid tribute to fallen soldiers, former prisoners of war and other combat veterans.
http://www.reporternews.com/news/local-news/memorial-day-service-honors-those-who-served-and-those-who-still-serve_39209276
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Marine Uniform
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 80
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I consider it Stolen Valor if #1 The person never served in the Military. #2 they are using the pretense of the uniform to obtain something
I do not think either are the case in this picture. I am sure when I am an old veteran putting on my uniform 20-30 years from now, that I will be not correct, but it will not be for anything other that to remember my brothers and sisters that did not make it back. I think this is all this Marine is doing, not to gain anything from it.
I do not think either are the case in this picture. I am sure when I am an old veteran putting on my uniform 20-30 years from now, that I will be not correct, but it will not be for anything other that to remember my brothers and sisters that did not make it back. I think this is all this Marine is doing, not to gain anything from it.
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CMSgt Richard B.
Regulations do change over time, and this might be a case of that. When I was a Legal Clerk in the Army National Guard, many years ago, I was awarded (on orders) an Infantry Shoulder Cord and wore it on my Class A's. I was just chatting with an employee of mine who is a retired COL who served at the same time and he mentioned that he also was awarded the cord as a medic in an infantry battalion. During that time, it was awarded to any soldier serving in an infantry unit, whether or not he had an Infantry MOS or was branched Infantry. The regs changed to "Infantry only" a couple of years later (mid 1980's).
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Maybe he's a fake Marine who really blew the whole uniform idea. It's extremely difficult for me to believe a hardcore Marine could be that non-regulation and not know it.
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The article indicates he is in fact a real Vietnam vet. If that is the case, he is now a civilian and can do what he wishes.
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I do remember seeing this. I would talk with the gentleman before I would make any assumptions on if he's a marine or a fake
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I joined a Vietnam Vet group and was called a poser and I put a copy of my DD214-215 on the site and one guy was still bugging me, a nasty roid but I left the group and later some one ask him for his DD-214 and he didn't have it or lost it or it took a long time to get a new copy but I never call anyone out I don't know there story and if they are poser we can see who they are. Semper Fi . I must be becoming a cupcake in my old age.
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GySgt John O'Donnell
Gunny, I could not find anything that stated Marines ever wore Blood Stripes on white trousers. I'm not saying that GySgt Dobbins is stolen valor but his memory could very well be cloudy, maybe he never wore dress uniforms due to always being in combat, etc. and could very well just not know the regulation.
Gunny, I could not find anything that stated Marines ever wore Blood Stripes on white trousers. I'm not saying that GySgt Dobbins is stolen valor but his memory could very well be cloudy, maybe he never wore dress uniforms due to always being in combat, etc. and could very well just not know the regulation.
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I would hazard to guess that a lot of guys from WWII, Korea, and Vietnam did not spend a lot of time in their dress uniforms, but rather the battle dress of the era that they served in. I have seen veterans in parades with their tiger stripe camo top on and jeans. The American Legion uniform is often seen with service medals as well. I have even seen bikers with their ribbon rack on their motor cycle jacket. I think the garrison uniform police need not worry about veterans uniforms so long as all else is legitimate.
For my self I only plan one wearing the uniform one final time many years from now I hope.
For my self I only plan one wearing the uniform one final time many years from now I hope.
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There are other ways to represent your branch of service like wearing headgear Retired U.S. Marine, or even a shirt with the same title that way it won't be no misunderstanding. It is embarrassing to call someone out accusing him or her of stolen valor, then it turns out the person is legitimate.
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Suspended Profile
On initial observation, I thought about him being perhaps part of some veteran group, but then that stripe is just wrong.... Couldn't find anything on Google about any Vet/USMC group wearing something like this (sounds ridiculous, but seen some groups/militias wear near regulation uniforms).
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