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How I became friends with a Stolen Valor fraudster and didn't know! Ever happened to you?
This isn't an easy story to tell and I am not as embarrassed as you might think. Well in 2010 I was picked by an non-profit called Troops First Foundation. They started a program called "Operation Proper Exit" and it allowed injured servicemen and women to go back to Iraq/Afghanistan and revisit the "demons" of their injuries and leave the country back on our two feet, or finally have our "Proper Exit". It was great. An amazing opportunity for a med retired guy to OFFICIALLY put on our rank and uniforms and be with the troops again, like a USO tour, but with briefings from Generals and such.
Now, Michael Campbell was one of those people accepted on this trip. I was thoroughly vetted by the non-profit so i assumed we all were. There was about 8 or so in the group. Michael was good, i mean really convincing in his story about his "head injury". I hung out with him because he was funny and honestly pretty cool. I asked the normal "Combat Vet" questions but he kept using his "TBI" as an excuse. Who am i to call him a liar, while flying back to Iraq with other Wounded Warriors.
This guy was so convincing that he was even getting free stuff from the PGA and getting private plane trips to practice with the Golfing greats. We was an amazing golfer too. He said that when we first got injured that the doctor tried to get him to speak again but it wasn't working. He needed to relax, so Michael told me the doctor gave him a bucket of balls and just hit the range. It worked, he could speak but with a drawn out stutter and pauses.
Long story short we became fast friends and a few months later my wife and I were invited to his wedding, to be his best man! It was in Mexico though. I should have known something was up because we were the only people to come. Yes, my wife, me, and the brides mom...the only people! I didn't know how much of a liar he was until later on.
I turns out this Marine Turd (Not all Marines are Turds, but he is) was a Marine for a very short time and NEVER EVEN DEPLOYED!!! His story about and IED and TBI... ALL LIES! We all fell for it. This freaking guy got a free trip to Iraq (about $15K total expenses) and it was his first time ever being there! Oh, he's rotting in Prison now i think. So there you go, my story.
I linked some articles and some pictures of him and I. I wan't to put this out there because these "Stolen Valor" people are out there, and freaking good at it. Let me know what you think. If you have any questions, let me know below and I will answer them the best i can.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/billsinger/2013/03/07/former-marine-betrays-semper-fi-in-pga-scam/
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/mckinney/headlines/20130219-former-marine-lied-about-combat-injury-to-defraud-charities.ece
http://www.justice.gov/usao/txn/PressRelease/2013/MAR2013/mar6campbell_michael_fraud_plea.html
This isn't an easy story to tell and I am not as embarrassed as you might think. Well in 2010 I was picked by an non-profit called Troops First Foundation. They started a program called "Operation Proper Exit" and it allowed injured servicemen and women to go back to Iraq/Afghanistan and revisit the "demons" of their injuries and leave the country back on our two feet, or finally have our "Proper Exit". It was great. An amazing opportunity for a med retired guy to OFFICIALLY put on our rank and uniforms and be with the troops again, like a USO tour, but with briefings from Generals and such.
Now, Michael Campbell was one of those people accepted on this trip. I was thoroughly vetted by the non-profit so i assumed we all were. There was about 8 or so in the group. Michael was good, i mean really convincing in his story about his "head injury". I hung out with him because he was funny and honestly pretty cool. I asked the normal "Combat Vet" questions but he kept using his "TBI" as an excuse. Who am i to call him a liar, while flying back to Iraq with other Wounded Warriors.
This guy was so convincing that he was even getting free stuff from the PGA and getting private plane trips to practice with the Golfing greats. We was an amazing golfer too. He said that when we first got injured that the doctor tried to get him to speak again but it wasn't working. He needed to relax, so Michael told me the doctor gave him a bucket of balls and just hit the range. It worked, he could speak but with a drawn out stutter and pauses.
Long story short we became fast friends and a few months later my wife and I were invited to his wedding, to be his best man! It was in Mexico though. I should have known something was up because we were the only people to come. Yes, my wife, me, and the brides mom...the only people! I didn't know how much of a liar he was until later on.
I turns out this Marine Turd (Not all Marines are Turds, but he is) was a Marine for a very short time and NEVER EVEN DEPLOYED!!! His story about and IED and TBI... ALL LIES! We all fell for it. This freaking guy got a free trip to Iraq (about $15K total expenses) and it was his first time ever being there! Oh, he's rotting in Prison now i think. So there you go, my story.
I linked some articles and some pictures of him and I. I wan't to put this out there because these "Stolen Valor" people are out there, and freaking good at it. Let me know what you think. If you have any questions, let me know below and I will answer them the best i can.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/billsinger/2013/03/07/former-marine-betrays-semper-fi-in-pga-scam/
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/mckinney/headlines/20130219-former-marine-lied-about-combat-injury-to-defraud-charities.ece
http://www.justice.gov/usao/txn/PressRelease/2013/MAR2013/mar6campbell_michael_fraud_plea.html
Posted in these groups: 
Fraud
Stolen Valor
Fraud Stolen Valor
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 120
191
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I was discharged in '87 after 9 years Army. Engineers. Funny how everyone I meet says they were some sort of Ranger, sniper, Whatever, but I can't tell you because its classified job. I have yet to actually meet another Engineer, cook or mechanic. whats wrong with these people, Im proud to have gotten grease under my nails serving. WE're all a tooth in the gear that meshes with the other gears to make it all come together
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Sgt Ben Cassel
I did ground refueling (JP4 and LOX) with the Air Force in Okinawa and eastern Washington State during four years of peacetime active duty, 1977-1981. My two years of reserve commitment were all inactive.
It is true that "All gave some, and some gave all", and in the overall scheme of things, I gave damned little, but I am proud of my service, and feel honored when I am recognized as a vet.
It is true that "All gave some, and some gave all", and in the overall scheme of things, I gave damned little, but I am proud of my service, and feel honored when I am recognized as a vet.
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SSG J Harrison
20 years as a Commo soldier. Nothing special. No Airborne. No Ranger. No SF. Just a guy who made sure everybody could talk in a tactical environment. I’m reminded on the last day of every month that enlisting was probably the best decision I’ve made in my life. Ducit Amor Patriae.
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SGT Brian Black
I always make clear that I was a commo guy who worked in staff sections and that I never deployed and that I never heard a shot fired in anger. Except for some air action in Libya, not a lot of action then. Never had a combat vet put me down. Of course, I’m usually picking up their tab!
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I wouldn't put that one on you. He should have been vetted, as you were, and this would have jumped off the page. A DD214 was all that would have been required.
I hope he gets the chance in prison to get the TBI he felt compelled to fake to milk charity organizations for his own personal gain.
I hope he gets the chance in prison to get the TBI he felt compelled to fake to milk charity organizations for his own personal gain.
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Deirdre O'Connor
Cpl Jeff N. I only served a year of inactive duty before going to training where I was discharged for things my recruiter did without telling me and was sent home and given an RE4 and a dishonorable discharge so while I may not know everything I know enough that there is no way possible that he would receive an honorable discharge for mutiny! And the further I dug into it the more I found wrong with it and he could never produce a paper copy of his dd214 only a digital copy he had friends who he served with names he mentioned that I found on Facebook but I imagine if I asked them they would tell a different story
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LTC (Join to see)
If they vet these people, they could check that services human resources/personnel branch to get verified. Im very surprised that organization did not do that.
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SP5 Shawneen Kelly
I have a paper copy of my DD214, but all of my records were deleted when I was discharged. The VA requested both my personnel and medical files but no base I served on has them. I have requested my records over the years for various needs, but I can not get any records. I was in MI, and not required to wear rank or uniform, I wrote high level security reports from the information I collected. I can not utilize any of the digital verification systems for my military service. I am glad I registered my DD214 when I got home as I had been instructed to. I say this because some people, who had certain high level security positions were "deleted" upon leaving active service, so all people like me have is our paper copy.
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Don't know what to say brother. I have not had the wool pulled over my eyes...that I know of? I remember that there was one 'poser' who was so bad that it made me wonder what was going on when I was starting to 'correct' him? Seems every October these posers start coming out of the wood work.
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Capt Gilbert Arguello
SPC Thomas Kyte - Likely he can not purchase a firearm because of civil restrictions, like a felony conviction. No such thing as a Federal restriction because of military training. As for PTSD, perhaps self diagnosed but he could easily show a DD 214 showing overseas time, combat, military qualifications etc. He could produce a VA eligibility letter.
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SPC Thomas Moosey
SPC Thomas Kyte - Green Beret instructor but never left the states? That in of itself is hard to believe.
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