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
Marine Uniform
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 81
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I don't know the age or history of this Marine, but I'd caution against calling him fake off of a uniform error(s). There was another article on Stolen Valor about a Marine Master Sergeant who was a Korean/Nam guy. He was spotted by fellow Marines while boarding a plane in his Dress Blues with white gloves. His uniform was 8up with ribbons in the wrong order and wearing medals. He was "outed" and made a complete fool of until the family of that Marine got involved. It turned out he IS a Marine, and a highly decorated one at that with the correct rank on his uniform although his medals and ribbons were in the wrong places. It was also shown this Marine has dementia and was boarding planes looking like this on other occasions. I hate to see Stolen Valor like the next person, but before we bring down Thor's hammer and get ready to unload a metric load of asspain, let's do our due diligence and investigate. There are more than enough NCO's on RP to bring down Thor's hammer twice if this guy is wrong; how many will there be if this is a simple mistake and there are other factors involved?
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SSG Nick Tramontano
Regarding ribbons, one has to consider the time the person was in the military. A good example is Clint Eastwood's charactor 'Gunnery Sergeant Tom Highway' in Heartbreak Ridge. His charactor was a Marine that has service going back to the Korean war. The time frame of the movie was 1983. Ribbons sometimes change order during later years.
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Capt Lance Gallardo
I brought a pair of captain's rank insignia to a former Marine Aviator (WWII Combat Vet) who I noticed kept showing up at our local Memorial day service year after year wearing two first Lt bars instead of the proper rank insignia for captain. Nobody seemed to care, but it kind of bothered me that this wonderful man did not have the proper rank insignia on his Green Alphas with those wonderful WWII medals and awards. He died the following year after I gave him those Captain's Bars and I hope his family buried him in the correct uniform with those Captain's bars on his Service Alphas. I don't know why this should matter to me a whit, but it does. WWII was like yesterday for my family since my mother's father was KIA in the Philippines fighting the Japs March 14th, 1945, so I guess I never look at a WWII Vet without some affection and great respect, partly for a grandfather I never got to know. https://www.abmc.gov/search-abmc-burials-and-memorializations/detail/WWII_108516#.Vgqc6nulv-E
John V. Gallardo | American Battle Monuments Commission
The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who after 5 April 1917 have been wounded or killed in action against an enemy of the United States or an opposing armed force, while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict, as the result of acts of enemy or hostile opposing forces, as a result of terrorist attacks or attacks on peacekeeping forces since 28 March 1973, or by friendly fire...
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SSG Warren Swan
Capt Lance Gallardo - Sir you gave that Marine more respect that those who sat there and saw the situation and didn't fix it. Semper Fi! I KNOW he'll have his uniform ready...St. Pete does uniform inspections before you get in the pearly gates.
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Capt Lance Gallardo
Thank you S/Sgt Swan- I sometimes wonder why we care about those kinds of little things. I was kind of embarrassed when I gave him the captain's bars because you never know how someone is going to take a gift. The last thing I wanted was someone like him to think is that he was out of uniform or somehow was not up to snuff. I spoke with his daughter and she gave me the green light, and I think he was happy to receive them. Unfortunately he did not make it to the next Memorial Day due to getting his final orders to report to the big CinC, but as you say, he reported to St. Peter in the correct uniform I am sure. God Bless you for your kind words of encouragement. Semper Fidelis to you as well.
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I'm late on this but the charge of "stolen valor" is misused constantly. It is not illegal to wear a military uniform or even claim to be a veteran, it's when you do it for personal gain that it becomes an issue. In 40 years I might be in the mood to wear a combo of my Marine Corps and Air Force uniforms. I've pulled my 50/50 for 20 and by that time, you can bite me because I'm 80 and could give a squirrel fart. I might even knife-hand you for good measure. Now if you catch me scamming to boost my retirement fund, by all means kick me in the chest, but if I'm reliving the best time in my life, leave me be.
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SSG Brian Lovins
Growing up in the 80's it was not uncommon for homeless Vets to wear their old field jackets with everything still on them, back then we didn't question legitimacy just gave them a quarter and moved on.
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SSG Steven McDanield
Just another observation here, But there is a mix of Army and Marine citations and a GWOT service ribbon. He may be hardcore, but earning that service ribbon would mean he was serving into his 60's or 70's. even 40 year veterans lying about thier age to enlist would be out by the time they are 54-56. Shame we have to go through this, and being respectful and careful with this is most certainly called for, but you shouldn't be out there influencing young minds if you never served. He's worth a cursory check of FOIA.
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In my VFW post in Northern Utah, the WW2, Korean, Vietnam veterans are usually a mess and completely Out of any regs and usually pretty ragged looking. They do Honor Guard for about 5-15 funerals a week, Eagle Scout functions and a metric ton of community services. All unpaid. We also have a lot of heroes in the post, including an Iwo Jima marine and A Doolittle Raider(Chase Neilson, deceased). So their fubar uniforms really shouldn't be a concern in my opinion. They earned my respect before most of us were born, and I give it unconditionally.
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CPT Brent Ferguson
SFC Matthew Parker - although I could purchase appropriate metals to be honest I just tend to want to display where I can find them in my drawer rather than spending money it would be more appropriately directed toward my children. Granted my drawers only contain medals that I actually earned but they're not all there. My uniform may not be quite right. I don't wear it very often, but if you should see me in it try to look at the big picture instead of the thread that may still need to be attended to.
In my day, we only wore dress uniforms in public, camo in public was an automatic article 15. Recently I have seen a lot of active service members wearing dirty camo, and looking far worse than the gentleman in this picture- who doubtless served his country with distinction.
In my day, we only wore dress uniforms in public, camo in public was an automatic article 15. Recently I have seen a lot of active service members wearing dirty camo, and looking far worse than the gentleman in this picture- who doubtless served his country with distinction.
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SGT Jamison Calloway
CPT Brent Ferguson - smarter soldiers don't mean better soldiers.Wash and wear army.
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GySgt Steven Hedges
Marines take more care and attention to the absolute correctness of their uniforms
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SGM Erik Marquez
GySgt Steven Hedges - Kind if.. Marines were Taught to take care in regards to their uniform appearance.. My personal observations over a lot of years is anecdotal proof those lesses were either not learned, or retained in many cases.....
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