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

SGT Joseph Gunderson — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 04:56:30 -0400

Obviously, this doesn't not pertain to most veterans, but it can be easily said that some men and women tend to either twist the truth or outright lie about the extent of their service in the military. Why do you believe they may do this?

Response by LTC John Mohor made Aug 1 at 2017 8:50 AM

LTC John Mohor — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 08:50:47 -0400

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).

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 1 at 2017 8:51 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 08:51:00 -0400

I still do not agree with how some people qualify themselves as SM. Technically by their definition I am a SM until I transfer out of the fleet reserves even though I retired 10 years ago and no one has ever been recalled to active duty in that case.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 1 at 2017 9:44 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 09:44:06 -0400

I've never fully understood these actions. The only thing I can get for an idea as to why they do what they do (other than scamming for money), is some sort of search for an elevated self worth and validation of their life from others.

Response by Sgt Wayne Wood made Aug 1 at 2017 10:16 AM

Sgt Wayne Wood — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 10:16:05 -0400

From a personal perspective, i get doubts about my service. I mean seriously, who is this stupid?

Response by SPC Kevin Ford made Aug 1 at 2017 12:23 PM

SPC Kevin Ford — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 12:23:14 -0400

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.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 1 at 2017 12:49 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 12:49:22 -0400

Why does anyone lie or embellish anything in life? It's not just in the military. People do this in the civilian world. Think about fishing stories. People tell whoppers of tales about the size of the fish they caught. No one wants to say they caught the smallest fish in the world. Each time they tell the story the fish gets an inch or two bigger.

It's hard to say why anyone lies or makes up stuff. It depends on the person. People might lie or embellish service to make themselves look like they did more than they actually did. Most civilians don't understand how the military works. So some people don't want to say "I sat behind a desk every day and processed paperwork." So they might make up some things. Or maybe if they are older they just remember it differently than it happened.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 1 at 2017 3:03 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 15:03:30 -0400

IT depends on how much I was drinking. No seriously though, there is a lot of it and it has been going around for a very long time. I remember sitting at a bar with my dad after I returned from Afghanistan and listening to a, "Viet Nam Era" vet go on and on, I thought my dad was going to punch him.

Anyway, just ignore it. People will tell stories, the truth always comes out eventually.

Response by SGT David T. made Aug 1 at 2017 3:44 PM

SGT David T. — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 15:44:13 -0400

Probably because we are really just Klingons and not human lol.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 1 at 2017 4:01 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 16:01:06 -0400

I don't think this has anything to do with service members specifically. People from all walks of life do this very well.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 1 at 2017 4:01 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 16:01:56 -0400

If I were to chime in, I'd say that it's for the recognition and respect of their peers. I think it's safe to say we all have some sort of rivalry and Type A personalities, so when someone comes in with a unique experience, we want to naturally match or top it. Aka, the one up syndrome. I also think people do it to bolster their self esteem. When people ask me the extent of my military service, its a two word answer "wrench turner". Did you ever deploy? Ever go down range? My answer "Nope, got a set of wings, an expert marksmanship badge, and five ribbons with some fancy gold stripes" and leave it at that.

Response by CWO4 Gene A. made Aug 1 at 2017 4:44 PM

CWO4 Gene A. — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 16:44:07 -0400

If all know they are lies, why bother to listen. No shit stories always intrigued me. You knew what was happening but enjoyed anyway. Wannabes are obvious. Normally sitting over a drink wishing they had served in any capacity or had stayed for a career. Let's face it gentlemen, we are a unique entity and dontcha know, others can only admire us.

Response by SPC Tommy Faircloth made Aug 1 at 2017 4:56 PM

SPC Tommy Faircloth — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 16:56:49 -0400

Some people are disappointed in how their service ended up and they feel the need to embellish a little bit because they feel like people won't think they're brace or anything like that.

Response by SFC Shane Funkhouser made Aug 1 at 2017 5:10 PM

SFC Shane Funkhouser — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 17:10:01 -0400

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.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 1 at 2017 5:15 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 17:15:55 -0400

Definitions:
1. Man, I was super cool, but if I tell you just one more ICANONEUPTHAT story, I will be the coolest kid in the room.
2. Chicks dig war stories, and since they hear lots of them, I have to have the best ones
3. I actually am a delivery driver for Jimmy Johns since I flunked out of boot camp, but since that is not cool enough let me tell you about this cool stuff I did in Iraq...
4. I want free money from the VA, and since my job as a supply guy in the Army Medical Center on base in Ft Lewis lost my medical records, I can fill in the blank spaces with...

You are right that this is everywhere in recent years, SGT Joseph Gunderson. I think that you can fit 98% of them in the definitions I list above.
The rest are mentally ill or in need of a tourniquet around their nethers.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 1 at 2017 8:08 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 20:08:57 -0400

Meh, I'm a POG with zero combat deployments in almost six years of service. What's there to lie about? Haha

Response by MSgt Terry Mahan made Aug 1 at 2017 8:47 PM

MSgt Terry Mahan — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 20:47:00 -0400

A lot of folks do not like to admit that a lot of their time was pure bordom. Or they never deployed and feel i adequate. All kind of reasons.

Response by 1stSgt Eugene Harless made Aug 2 at 2017 3:11 AM

1stSgt Eugene Harless — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 03:11:30 -0400

The vast majority of "posers" are just blowhards trying to impress friends, co-workers or strangers at a bar. Most people see through their bullshit just like they see through people who claim they were high caliber athletes or have a Porsche that is "always in the shop".
Generally those are the type you just walk away from when they start yammering and if they CONSTANTLY keep it up just tell them they are full of shit and leave it.
I peg the needle when someone makes up stuff to get government benefits, discounts, or scam charities. It also depends on what platform they use. A bar stool hero talking to 3 or 4 people isn't the same as some dirt bag who dupes a newspaper or TV news station into publishing their tale tails. Anyone who lies in the media should be called out in the media. Anyone who gains tangible benefits should be jailed for fraud.

Response by SSgt Jerrol Olson made Aug 2 at 2017 8:21 AM

SSgt Jerrol Olson — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 08:21:53 -0400

Oh,, I got lucky and had some vic's EID'd and then shot. So I only lie a little bit about having a hot Iraqi mistress I would visit in Karma during our patrols... Of course I could never tell which one she was..

Response by SGT James Murphy made Aug 2 at 2017 6:13 PM

SGT James Murphy — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 18:13:17 -0400

That's stolen Honor my friend and we take a Dim View of THAT around here!

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 23 at 2017 11:25 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 11:25:02 -0400

There is only thing I embellish / lie about and that's the size of my ...
Hint "it's HUGE"!

Response by SPC Roger Giffen made Jun 30 at 2019 4:17 PM

SPC Roger Giffen — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 16:17:24 -0400

I spent 5 years, 9 months in relative boredom. And i am okay with that

Response by SP5 Ward Posey made Jun 30 at 2019 4:44 PM

SP5 Ward Posey — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 16:44:32 -0400

I'm glad I got back alive. Who the hell wants to talk about it. Just keep the fireworks away.

Response by SSG Matthew Koehler made Jun 30 at 2019 5:29 PM

SSG Matthew Koehler — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 17:29:56 -0400

I know a person that wears a "US Army Vet" pin on his shirt, but does not have a DD-214. He was a contractor...

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jun 30 at 2019 6:28 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 18:28:06 -0400

They want to fuel their egos.

Response by SSG Byron Howard Sr made Jul 1 at 2019 1:45 PM

SSG Byron Howard Sr — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 13:45:57 -0400

I did what I did and don't need to add stuff to it. I have met others who did 20 years worth of stuff in 3 years.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 1 at 2019 2:38 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 14:38:44 -0400

Because they have a small penis!

Response by SGT Ron Egan made Jan 17 at 2020 4:20 PM

SGT Ron Egan — Fri, 17 Jan 2020 16:20:08 -0500

Having been stationed in Berlin 75-77, and receiving the Army Occupation Medal of WWII, (Berlin being occupied by the 4 powers at the time). I and the others that received the medal, by technicality, are veterans of WWII. When I smelled a BS story, I would mention I was a WWII vet. When the bull shitter called BS, I told them to look it up.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2020 4:32 PM

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 17 Jan 2020 16:32:53 -0500

Some people just like to make the story sound better than it actually was.

Response by SSG John Jensen made Dec 31 at 2021 9:53 PM

SSG John Jensen — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 21:53:47 -0500

I saw it a lot when I transferred from the 82d. to a non-airborne unit - their whole sense of being was being challenged.