Fake Veterans

rockyxxx said:She’s just being a total troll... honestly, such a little troublemaker! I mean, seriously, who even comes up with this nonsense about fake veterans in America? It's ridiculous. 🤷

Anyone could report stuff to the authorities if they actually cared, but we don't, right? We'd rather just... what? Sit here and vent?
Susan Lopez9 knows people they suspect are fakes, but since there's zero proof, Susan Lopez9 just keeps their mouth shut. 😢

Briškula said:Wait, is this just a massive typo or what?😍
Maybe grab a manual next time, then you might actually get somewhere!☕

That’s just how people talk in NYC, you know? Just because someone picks up a Southern accent doesn't mean they're some kind of outlaw.🤷

Oh, you bet there are people like that. There’s actually a ton of them because the way the law is written basically leaves the door wide open. The real tragedy, though, is how these types end up making actual veterans look bad. I mean, looking at this forum, I know two absolute legends—two guys who were right there in the thick of it from day one, got wounded multiple times, lost their health, and still kept heading back to the front lines. They’re totally broken, dealing with constant pain, and yet those two are pulling the exact same pension as someone who just totaled their car while drunk and never even stepped foot on a battlefield.
It’s just... man, it feels so unfair, but I guess it's pretty much impossible to fix since the law doesn't really care about the nuances. If you wore the uniform and came home with a disability, you get the pension. Period. End of story. Doesn't matter if you got hurt playing soccer or out in a trench.
At the end of the day, I suppose it comes down to self-respect and basic morality—whether or not you're going to exploit the system and take what rightfully belongs to the real fighters.
Personally, I haven't even bothered setting up my veteran status, and I don't think I ever will. I guess I'd just feel too ashamed to claim veteran benefits after only serving a few months sitting in a position. But hey, I suppose everyone just follows their own conscience.

Sean Cox48 said:Oh, you bet there are people like that. There’s actually a ton of them because the way the law is written basically leaves the door wide open. The real tragedy, though, is how these types end up making actual veterans look bad. I mean, looking at this forum, I know two absolute legends—two guys who were right there in the thick of it from day one, got wounded multiple times, lost their health, and still kept heading back to the front lines. They’re totally broken, dealing with constant pain, and yet those two are pulling the exact same pension as someone who just totaled their car while drunk and never even stepped foot on a battlefield.
It’s just... man, it feels so unfair, but I guess it's pretty much impossible to fix since the law doesn't really care about the nuances. If you wore the uniform and came home with a disability, you get the pension. Period. End of story. Doesn't matter if you got hurt playing soccer or out in a trench.
At the end of the day, I suppose it comes down to self-respect and basic morality—whether or not you're going to exploit the system and take what rightfully belongs to the real fighters.
Personally, I haven't even bothered setting up my veteran status, and I don't think I ever will. I guess I'd just feel too ashamed to claim veteran benefits after only serving a few months sitting in a position. But hey, I suppose everyone just follows their own conscience.

That's just how the law works. There was this one veteran—a volunteer, I think, though it's irrelevant—who died from chronic alcoholism during the war. His family receives the exact same benefits as the family of a soldier killed in combat.

Rachel Garcia said:That's just how the law works. There was this one veteran—a volunteer, I think, though it's irrelevant—who died from chronic alcoholism during the war. His family receives the exact same benefits as the family of a soldier killed in combat.

Just because you lack certainty on several points doesn't give you license to peddle nonsense!

That volunteer likely succumbed to despair upon realizing that not a single sober volunteer was left defending America; we were all just a bunch of drunken Nazis. It must be a bitter pill to swallow, knowing that America was built by alcoholics rather than academics.

May he rest easy in his grave.

Angela Cox said:Just because you lack certainty on several points doesn't give you license to peddle nonsense!

That volunteer likely succumbed to despair upon realizing that not a single sober volunteer was left defending America; we were all just a bunch of drunken Nazis. It must be a bitter pill to swallow, knowing that America was built by alcoholics rather than academics.

May he rest easy in his grave.

Jesus, I knew that man over twenty years ago. And he drank. Don't lecture me on things you clearly don't understand.
He passed away from cirrhosis as a chronic alcoholic. Given that fact, I have no idea how he managed to stay sober on the battlefield.
I never claimed he was a fake veteran. Someone else merely pointed out that the law doesn't care about nuances; it makes no distinction whether someone died or was killed while serving in the US Army.
Why the obsession with Nazis?

Rachel Garcia said:Jesus, I knew that man over twenty years ago. And he drank. Don't lecture me on things you clearly don't understand.
He passed away from cirrhosis as a chronic alcoholic. Given that fact, I have no idea how he managed to stay sober on the battlefield.
I never claimed he was a fake veteran. Someone else merely pointed out that the law doesn't care about nuances; it makes no distinction whether someone died or was killed while serving in the US Army.
Why the obsession with Nazis?

I once knew a volunteer who struggled with alcoholism long before the war started. However, once he put on his uniform, he didn't touch a single drop. It didn't matter, though; the town still insisted he died a drunk. When you try to tell a small community that a man stayed sober during service, they refuse to believe you because, in their eyes, he will always be the town drunk.

Susan Lopez9 said:I wonder what you all would think about someone who acted like a true hero during the war, but then spent his weekends playing soccer, ended up injuring his leg during a game, and somehow managed to leverage that into a full disability pension... I honestly have no idea how he pulled it off, though there are certainly people who could testify to the truth of it, if they weren't all too terrified of getting involved... It probably wouldn't even be worth discussing if this individual wasn't such an arrogant, obnoxious person who constantly goes out of his way to provoke those who actually work hard and live honestly. Of course, there are always exceptions, and we certainly don't want to disrespect the real veterans who fought for our country and sacrificed everything down to their last cent...

Reading your post, I couldn't help but think of my neighbor... however, his situation is quite different, as he was struck by a stroke about eighteen months ago and just hasn't been able to recover... He manages to walk and move around, but he can barely hold a spoon with that hand, his leg drags, he doesn't drive anymore, and he even sold his boat... what can I say, it’s just incredibly sad...

I have no intention of judging him, but I often find myself remembering the man he used to be... he used to mock people who worked honest jobs and struggled to get ahead in life...

And now, apparently, he's back to his old ways and making a scene again... I suppose it's just his conscience catching up with him...🤷

I know that old saying about things being taken unfairly—that's exactly what this feels like to me...

Don't let him get under your skin!

Angela Cox said:I once knew a volunteer who struggled with alcoholism long before the war started. However, once he put on his uniform, he didn't touch a single drop. It didn't matter, though; the town still insisted he died a drunk. When you try to tell a small community that a man stayed sober during service, they refuse to believe you because, in their eyes, he will always be the town drunk.

My husband was a solid soldier and a reliable comrade on the front lines. My point is this: the law doesn't treat veterans equally if they passed away during active service versus those who died just months after being discharged.
My husband and his entire brigade were discharged on June 30, 1996. A close friend of his died from heart complications late that year, but because he had already been demobilized, he didn't receive the same benefits as someone who fell during active combat.
That was my thought.

Rachel Garcia said:My husband was a solid soldier and a reliable comrade on the front lines. My point is this: the law doesn't treat veterans equally if they passed away during active service versus those who died just months after being discharged.
My husband and his entire brigade were discharged on June 30, 1996. A close friend of his died from heart complications late that year, but because he had already been demobilized, he didn't receive the same benefits as someone who fell during active combat.
That was my thought.

Understood. I appreciate you clarifying that. 🙂

My apologies for suggesting you were talking nonsense.

First off, the law itself is broken. There’s no such thing as a "fake" veteran in the books—you either qualify or you don't. According to the rules, anyone who was active or on the front lines for at least 24 hours gets that veteran status. So, if this guy is listed under a brigade, it doesn't matter if he actually saw combat or just got hit by a car or a subway train in NYC while on duty... he's still entitled to a pension just like someone who got injured working a desk job. He's in the registry, so that's that.

bubicamala said:What do you guys think about someone who acts like a war hero during the conflict, but then just ends up getting a disability pension because he blew out his knee playing soccer on the weekend? I have no clue how he pulled that off—there are definitely people who could testify to it, but everyone’s too scared to say anything. Nobody wants to get caught in the crossfire. Honestly, it would be fine if we didn't even talk about it, but the problem is this guy is such an arrogant jerk—always poking at the people who actually did their jobs honestly. There are always exceptions, obviously, and we shouldn't disrespect the folks who truly fought for our country and gave everything they had...

Report him—you can even do it anonymously!

sleng said:Man, they're everywhere. Seriously, you know how small some towns near Washington, D.C. can be? I know a guy from one of those places—he was on guard duty for maybe a week, and now he’s pulling a $4,000 monthly veteran's check. Honestly, I wouldn't mind living that life myself.

Report him—you can even do it anonymously!

You guys are constantly trashing veterans when you clearly don't know a damn thing—you weren't there, and you haven't seen anything beyond your own basements. But sure, you've got plenty to say about the military and vets, especially the fakes.
Maybe you should look into what kind of benefits they actually get, or what they even walk away with after all is said and done—besides being insulted by every lowlife out there at every turn?

Rachel Garcia said:That's just how the law works. There was this one veteran—a volunteer, I think, though it's irrelevant—who died from chronic alcoholism during the war. His family receives the exact same benefits as the family of a soldier killed in combat.

So if a guy steps up as a volunteer and dies in combat, he gets full veteran status. It doesn't matter if he died as an addict, or from AIDS, or some other mess the lawmakers decide to label him with... people just cling to those nasty labels to soothe their own egos. How many of them actually died under enemy fire? Anyway, if someone liked to drink, that’s on them. (Look, I knew a few myself, let's be real—you can't have a huge group of people where everyone is a saint, but if they actually screwed up big time, they were heading straight to a federal prison or facing a court-martial).

hollowtinker18 said:So if a guy steps up as a volunteer and dies in combat, he gets full veteran status. It doesn't matter if he died as an addict, or from AIDS, or some other mess the lawmakers decide to label him with... people just cling to those nasty labels to soothe their own egos. How many of them actually died under enemy fire? Anyway, if someone liked to drink, that’s on them. (Look, I knew a few myself, let's be real—you can't have a huge group of people where everyone is a saint, but if they actually screwed up big time, they were heading straight to a federal prison or facing a court-martial).

I am not envious of anyone; my husband was a volunteer himself. He has always been somewhat frail, yet he was the first to enlist for the defense and stayed until the end.
Read carefully: I am discussing two distinct scenarios involving legitimate veterans. One was a volunteer who died during active combat, thus earning specific rights. The other was a volunteer who passed away after being demobilized—after the war ended. Both died, though neither died in combat.

There are enough threads about fake veterans, so I will skip that. However, it is a fact that there are massive distinctions even among genuine veterans. My husband, as a volunteer, holds the same status as a veteran who was drafted (since draftees are veterans too, regardless of their lack of choice). And he isn't the only one.

Susan Lopez9 said:That’s just how people talk in NYC, you know? Just because someone picks up a Southern accent doesn't mean they're some kind of outlaw.🤷

Right. And naturally, the very first thing this guy does upon joining the forum is start a thread about "fake patriots."🤦

goldenpuma67 said:Right. And naturally, the very first thing this guy does upon joining the forum is start a thread about "fake patriots."🤦

And you’re just another one weighed down by nothing but bias.
The reality is, there are fewer of us old-school locals left, but we’re still here...
As for the frauds—take my neighbor, for instance. He joined the Thunder back in '92, spent maybe a hundred days out in the field, only to burn through 250 days of sick leave. He wasn't even part of any major operations. Since '95, he's been retired on a PTSD diagnosis with a veteran's pension totaling a few thousand bucks. Then there's another guy who was mobilized for two weeks in '92 but pulled out because his brother was deployed at the exact same time—which, back then, was a pretty common way to get off the hook. Now, he's living on disability. ☕

If everything was actually done by the book, there wouldn't even be a conversation to have. Anyone can file a report—especially now, given how much of a circus the government has become, where politicians are basically arresting their own colleagues just to dodge accountability. The public is pretty much on edge, so I suppose every little Peter will feel like a hero for pointing fingers.
But this whole narrative about massive, unearned pensions? It’s being blown way out of proportion. We’re all struggling, so it feels easier to point at someone like Joe Juric and cry corruption or theft rather than dealing with the actual heavy hitters. It’s much simpler to vent your frustrations at a neighbor instead of taking on the likes of Todoric, Sanders, Bandic, or Polancheca-znamo—it's just easier to blame the guy next door when you know the big fish are untouchable.
Not that there aren't plenty of scammers and grifters out there too...

Paul Morgan14 said:And you’re just another one weighed down by nothing but bias.
The reality is, there are fewer of us old-school locals left, but we’re still here...
As for the frauds—take my neighbor, for instance. He joined the Thunder back in '92, spent maybe a hundred days out in the field, only to burn through 250 days of sick leave. He wasn't even part of any major operations. Since '95, he's been retired on a PTSD diagnosis with a veteran's pension totaling a few thousand bucks. Then there's another guy who was mobilized for two weeks in '92 but pulled out because his brother was deployed at the exact same time—which, back then, was a pretty common way to get off the hook. Now, he's living on disability. ☕

Veteran assistance programs haven't existed for years; everyone under that umbrella was transitioned to the IRS, and even the IRS doesn't exist anymore!! ☕

Angela Cox said:Veteran assistance programs haven't existed for years; everyone under that umbrella was transitioned to the IRS, and even the IRS doesn't exist anymore!! ☕

Veteran assistance programs haven't existed for years; everyone under that umbrella was transitioned to the IRS, and even the IRS doesn't exist anymore!! ☕
Exactly. That was phased out a few years back.
I fail to understand why some people prefer to shout about things before bothering to check the facts.🤷
Though, in my hometown, there was some sort of local veteran assistance active just a few months ago.

Rachel Garcia said:Veteran assistance programs haven't existed for years; everyone under that umbrella was transitioned to the IRS, and even the IRS doesn't exist anymore!! ☕

Exactly. That was phased out a few years back.
I fail to understand why some people prefer to shout about things before bothering to check the facts.🤷
Though, in my hometown, there was some sort of local veteran assistance active just a few months ago.
Exactly. That was phased out a few years back.
I fail to understand why some people prefer to shout about things before bothering to check the facts.🤷
Though, in my hometown, there was some sort of local veteran assistance active just a few months ago.
Exactly. That was phased out a few years back.
I fail to understand why some people prefer to shout about things before bothering to check the facts.🤷
Though, in my hometown, there was some sort of local veteran assistance active just a few months ago.
Exactly. That was phased out a few years back.
I fail to understand why some people prefer to shout about things before bothering to check the facts.🤷
Though, in my hometown, there was some sort of local veteran assistance active just a few months ago.
Don't let it rattle you. These bots pop up all the time.☕