Ever run into fake military veterans in their travels, better yet call them out?

You can tell many of the former military guys. They don't talk much. They are to busy getting things done. They do not stand still much.
They stop doing things when they're dead.

 

Years ago when I was in reserves a new captain joined us. He was a skinny admin type, not too much to say, funny habits like wearing a crash helmet driving his car, totally forgettable type. It was three years before we learned he had been a Rupert (combat team commander) in the SAS with more than a few missions under his belt. As others have said in this thread, thems whats bin there don't talk about it.

 

One of the first hard core Marines I knew personally was a retired Gunnery Sergeant. He was my instructor in JROTC in high school. Twenty two and a half years of service, fought in the Korean war and served thirty five months straight in Vietnam. He held two silver stars and seven, yes seven purple hearts.

He was an original Stolen Valor watch dog. He told us about a time in the early 60s, before Nam heated up, in the town near the base he spotted a young pfc with a slew of ribbons. He walked up to the upstart and asked "What's your service number, young man?" He got out two digits which no Marine who would have such decorations would have for a number. The gunny ripped the medals off the punks shirt promising to send him to the hospital the next time he saw him in unathorized ribbons.

(During the Korean war, a different system of serial numbers was used. Not SSN as it was later.)

 

Here's the dates each military branch switched from "service numbers" to "social security numbers."
Branch of Service Date of Changeover
Army and Air Force July 1, 1969
Navy and Marine Corps January 1, 1972
Coast Guard October 1, 1974
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I still remember my service number; can't remember much else, but do remember that.
Guys used to have their service numbers tattooed on their arm. It's a 7 digit number.

 

Excellent information about the service numbers. I was curious about the years when they made the changes.

Recently, I was waiting at sick call at the local Veterans Med Center. An elderly veteran was asking another slightly younger man about his Korean war service. He asked him the same thing, what his number was. I didn't get into the transaction, but I sensed the inquiring man didn't believe the other was old enough to have served in the Korean conflict.

 

When there were still a lot of WW2 vets around, if the paramedics found an old guy who was lost and confused they would ask him his service number, guys who couldn't remember their names could remember their regimental numbers. In Canada we changed to SIN (social security) numbers in 1968 I believe but I still can rattle off my reg. no., about the only thing I can remember.