Why do you believe some SMs feel the need to embellish the level of their service by lying about their MOS or deployment experience?

Some folks just have a low self esteem I guess about what they actually accomplished. We're always gonna have that friend that likes to embellish or exaggerate their war stories( it makes for a good laugh when done right).

When I was in the tall tale was certainly common. "So there I was, no sh!t..." was almost always a prelude to one fish story or another.

I think it is low self esteem. My father did this he joined the Air Force during Vietnam, he was never deployed in country but he would tell everyone he had and from the stories I heard growing up being dragged around to vfw's and American legions you would think he was a seal ranger delta para rescue force recon green beret. Once I was older and realized why all the guys at the club usually just ignored him or wanted to kick his ass I couldn't figure out why he lied so much about his service. I mean he volunteered during war time he took his chances of being set it just worked out he didn't get deployed. The way I look at it if you had the balls to enlist knowing you could be sent to war it's enough to be proud of. I think no less of my soldiers who didn't deploy as long as they didn't do something to get out of a deployment.