And you are a Sniper! and You are a Sniper!…EVERYONE is a SNIPER! February 21, 2015
Posted by Chris Mark in Uncategorized.Tags: American Sniper, Combat Action Ribbon, Marine, Poser, Scout/Sniper
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With the impending release of American Sniper, many of us in the Marine Sniper community cringed knowing that it would spawn a new group of posers and Stolen Valor idiots claiming to be snipers. Well…we weren’t wrong. Our secret Facebook pages (yes, we have ‘secret’ pages) have been filling up with stories of people claiming to be Marine Snipers (no doubt our Army, and Navy brothers are having the same issues). Even Marines who legitimately served as Marines have been caught fraudulently claiming ‘sniper’ status. We have caught Disabled Surfers, CEOs, and Bikers making the claims. Here are some things you can ask and how you can quickly confirm if someone is legitimately a Marine Scout/Sniper or a poser..
- EVERY Marine Scout Sniper has graduated from, at a minimum, Marine Scout/Sniper School. Some people are creative and will say things “attended Marine Sniper School”..etc. Bottom line, if they have NOT graduated from Marine Scout/Sniper School they are NOT a sniper. I don’t care if they have killed 3 people in one shot from over a mile away…no Scout/Sniper School…NO sniper.
- Being a member of a Scout/Sniper platoon or STA Platoon does not make one a Scout/Sniper. There are numerous members of the unit that have not graduated from Scout/Sniper School.
- In addition to claiming ‘sniper’ or Recon/Ninja/SEAL/Delta/MARSOC status…we have a laundry list of posers now claiming ‘combat’ status.
There is a reservist running around who has graduated from Sniper school..but he is a reservist that has never seen combat or any overseas duty. All of his pictures are from Sniper School but there is nothing from being ‘in theater’. This is a dead giveaway. Nothing wrong with being a ‘reserve rat’ but he is now claiming to be a combat vet…when asked his missions were soooo top secret that he cannot disclose. Which brings me to some points/questions you can use to quickly ascertain their status.
If someone is claiming Scout/Sniper you should ask the following questions:
- “From what schoolhouse did you graduate and what was your class number?” If they don’t know or refuse to answer…BINGO…they are a liar. Every Scout/Sniper knows their class number and where they attended.
- “Which units did you serve with?” Again, if they can’t/don’t answer…BINGO! Poser!
- “Do you have a Combat Action Ribbon (CAR)?” For those claiming combat. If they say “Yes” ask “From where and when?”..If they claim that they were with some supersecret ninja unit, they are lying.
The last point relates the above. When confronted I have found that 99% of posers will dig their heels in, double down, and become more intransigent. In many cases, posers will say things like: “My DD214 does not show all of my schools or combat because I was doing classified missions.”…or…”My DD214 is classified.”….or…..”I can’t share my records with anyone because they are top secret..” or some other BS.
These excuses are all nonsense. Any actual SEAL, SF, Scout/Sniper, MARSOC, Ranger, PJ, CCT, etc. is able to demonstrate that they are a member of the community. Here is one of my own DD214’s (I have 2 from split service) so you can see what they look like and where awards, schools, etc. are listed. More importantly to show to posers that their DD214 will show the schools and combat..
Beware, many posers will take pictures from the Internet and claim to have ‘served with these men’ or…’this is my platoon’. The Marine Reconnaissance Community and Scout/Sniper community is VERY small. If someone is an actual sniper or recon Marine…someone will know them.
Finally, if you have a question about a suspected Poser…leave a comment on this page with your email and I will push the name through the “God Book’ and the community to see if they are actually a Scout/Sniper.
Global Security, Privacy, & Risk Management 
Hey I have a person that I work with that is claiming to be a Marine scout sniper. And the best part is he is claiming that he told Hathcock in sniper school to screw off. Anyways I would love to debunk his claim to fame since he “can’t find his DD214”. My email is fedninja@gmail.com, if you can email you I will give you his name to forward up.
He is full of shit. Send me his name.
I was in 3/6 STA in the early 80s, Graduated from SS Instructor School Quantico in May of ’83. When I got out of the Corps in the mid 80s I remember more than once being at a party with some jughead home for the weekend or whatever braggin about how he was a sniper. I would talk to them, non-confrontational like, and just ask them a few questions, they would always stumble over some answer that anyone that has been in the grunts or sniper trained would never get wrong. That happened 2 times the summer after I got out and to this day I don’t even bother telling people I was once a Marine Sniper. JD
Joe,
I was in 3/6 STA in the early 1990’s!. I agree with what you said. It is shameful. If you are on FB we have some private groups for Snipers/Recondos/SARCs. Find me if you are interested in an invite.
Chris,
I thought I saw a mention of 3/6 while reading through some of the posts on your page. I was transferred out of STA in 1984 to the rifle range at Parris Island (Dog Line). I am on facebook and am friends with a few of the guys from 3/6 STA when I was there. I am also friends with a few guys that came after I left but who knew some of the guys I served with. With the turnover in the grunt battalions I doubt that anyone I knew would still be around in the 1990s. The S2 CO, Lt Katz was probably still around somewhere. He was a great guy, smart and tough, and if he was a lifer he was one of the good ones. Back to facebook, I am also friends with a couple of my instructors from Quantico and an Army Ranger that was in the class as well. We had 2 Rangers, a few Staff NCOs and even a butterbar in that class and at the time in was like the second best sniper school in the world,only the Brits had a better one (so we were told). I am friends with a bunch of my Grunt buddies as well and to be honest, I think I am more proud of being an 0311 than anything else. JD
There is a guy work with who claims to be a marine sniper i can give you a name through email
I have recently hired a part time sub contractor.
Who has the most outlandish secret op stories
Of being a Marine scout/sniper in Simolia, and Irac.
He claims to have been shot twice and blown up twice. He also claims to have taken out top isis targets and was paid large bonuses for doing so.
If I’m wrong and he really has served as a a sniper. I will apologize to him and the Marines sniper as a group.
He stated he served for 13 years and has been out for 15 years. so I’m guessing he served 1990 -2003.
He said his last 13 months was on board a naval
Hospitol ship as a patient with total amnesia. And he was list as Mia during that time.
If you would like his name email me and I will send it to you.
Oh my gosh..no need to even check. He is completely full of crap 100%. I was in when he claims and I was in Somalia. Go ahead and shoot me his name but I can assure you he is completely full of crap. Thanks for bringing this up! Semper Fi!!
I am Army and getting ready for retirement… I am not allowed to add combat schools to my DD214… Sniper being one of them. Has anyone had this issue with arguing with these folks that do the DD214? People are quick to call stolen valor… unfortunately the DD214 is not the end all be all to proving a service members service or accomplishments. Although it should be. Cheers!
How would I know if someone is lying about being an army sniper? I know someone who claims he can’t get benefits because his records are blacked out. I think it’s complete bullshit! I’m a disabled veteran army 92A.
Yeah, that is bullshit. We all know they do not “black out” DD214s. This is the first indicator to a fake if they use that hollywood line or their records were burned up. LoL. I am also a 100% disable veteran, retired army 30-years, 18Z. Cheers!
Guy at worked named Jeff railsback is claiming to be a marine scout sniper called him out on his bs multiple times he says all his stuff is redacted and blacked out because of how high security his stuff was just need someone else to prove a point.
Didn’t serve but ty you all for making the world safer for my family and grandchildren I have a service dog Neegan but he is a medi dog for diabetes and extreme suicidal tendencies. I wear medi tags that are confused for dog tags. I am quickly to correct my son-in-law is x military air control out of Guam my grandad was a baggage handler at fort Bragg ( HE COULDNT SEE 3 feet to shoot lol my other grandfather we were told was a motorcycle messenger for Patton until he ran under a truck and broke collar both legs and neck they made him a cook after that. We couldn’t find out what we he get a bronze star for. And my wife’s dad stomped the jungles in Nam for 2 tours much respect for y’all I have a female friend who was military and she loved her over watch. BESAFE AND TY ALL AGAIN
Want to see if you can check a name for me ?
Bradley j kovich
Everything you wrote described this guy perfectly.
Is this page still active?
Yes sir, thank you for this information. A guy I worked for claims to be a marine GHOST therefore has no military record of being a sniper. I do know he is in the reserves, I found that out by going to the local recruiting station. He claims to have 218 confirmed kills( I’ve also heard him say 278 which started me doubting all of it. He also claims to be able to hit a dime at a mile and a half. Claims he has a SAT phone and the military only calls him in on the most secretive missions. His name is Michael Terry, from Stanford KY. He makes a lot of other claims about being best friends with Chris Kyle and shooting buddies and such. I have a hard time with getting email with all the spam, but could you please call me with whether this info is true or not? My name is Don Lester 762 667 6706. Thank you.
Jeremy McKenna. Claims to be a Marine sniper. Also states worked for State Department as a member of special ops. States he had a Federal conceal carry permit as member of state department. He is 35 yrs old or so. Says that “none of that stuff is on my DD214”. Secret missions. Got a Bronze star but didn’t get to keep it because of the “nature of the missions”.
He is so full of shit…I don’t even know where to start. Not even worth doing an FOIA. I have heard this nonsense at least 200 times. “classified, blah blah blah”. So…all the SMU guys don’t get to keep their awards? HMMM….he is a liar. You can tell him I said he is a liar.
Have searched several times before for info on my cousin, Sgt. JD Smith. Found mentions of him if this thread. Screen shot them to send to his brother, retired Army now at Redstone. Pretty cool story about the sign. Would love to know whatever info is available on his accomplishments.
I need to know if Spencer Elliott (USNavy) was actually a sniper. He’s over my sons baseballs team and organization and he constantly lords this over their heads (being a sniper). My research tells me it’s B.S.
The only way he would have been a sniper was to be a SEAL. Probably full of crap..
Gregory Marlen Martinson 09/30/1962 claims to be a marine sniper with 23 kills. I have serious doubts when a guy openly tells everyone his number of kills. I’ve never heard anyone even ask him that question
born in 1962? Would put him in his 20’s in the early to mid 80s. 23 kills? HIGHLY suspect (99.99% suspect). Yeah…talking about it publicly….suspect….We can get his service record. Or, ask him his class number…I can check the ‘god book’.
co-worker
claiming usmc sniper. He’s 60 years old. I’m almost positive he is not. The way he acts etc. email me back for name and I’d like to bust this guy for stolen valor.