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Accounts I’ve read about Levy, is that he evidently claimed to be a Green Beret, to qualify for some kind of special loan that was available to Green Berets only. Evidently, claiming Green Beret status was also a central theme of his campaigns. Even if one were a seasoned Grunt Infantryman, and had experienced beau coup combat, a Soldier has to get through grueling training to claim Green Beret status.

When I was in Vietnam, I served in a support role with 3rd Force Recon Co. (a Marine unit with similar prestige as the Green Berets). In performing my duties I was under fire at times, BUT… I was never a Recon Marine. To claim so, would be disrespectful, and dishonorable.

The whole point is honor. A central theme of military service is honor. To claim that which you did not earn for the purpose of personal gain, or respect, is unethical, and not honorable.

Ribbons, badges, and medals, and the training you go through to achieve acceptance into elite units may seem like trivial things to the uninitiated. Not so, to those who have paid the price to earn them!

If someone is so shamed that they commit suicide, because it was discovered that they stole the valor of others… well so be it!

I know many people who have lost everything in Atlantic City, including themselves.

If the Mayor did hightail it out of town, I hope for his own safety that Governor John Corzine was not driving the car.

eric

http://www.blacktygrrrr.wordpress.com

“…I don’t know why he felt the need to lie and say that he was in the Special Forces, when he wasn’t…”

You hit the nail on the head. He lied. Does it matter whether he had 20 years of honorable service or 44 days like Jesse McBeth? Does the length of service diminish the lie?

I’m sure Benedict Arnold had a distinguished military career up to the point he committed treason. Who remembers those years? We only remember the transgression.

He apparently had a fairly distinguished military career, so I don’t know why he felt the need to lie and say that he was in the Special Forces, when he wasn’t.

Sorry…

This guy is no Jesse McBeth. He served 20 yrs of honorable service in the Army. He’s not a “phony soldier”. He was a real soldier.

He apparently had a fairly distinguished military, so I don’t know why he felt the need to lie and say that he was in the Special Forces, when he wasn’t.

He may have lied about what he did, but he’s far from a phony soldier or a Jesse McBeth.

Would you call Adm. Jeremy Boorda a phony soldier? Would you call him a Jesse McBeth? That guy killed himself because of ONE ribbon that he wore incorrectly. How about we all keep this in perspective and at least give the guy SOME respect for a 20 year military career.

How do you lose a mayor? I don’t mean have him resign or die in office or something? I mean, physically lose him and be unable tolocate him.

Now, I might be able to understand this if it was Lake County or something, but ……

I know men from my war, Vietnam, and the current war, who have suffered the most grievous of injuries. It’s bad enough that the phonies steal the valor of those real Vets, but many of these fakes also scam benefits. The fake Vets that scam money benefits from the VA (and elsewhere), are taking it form these Veterans who actually deserve it, and desperately need it.

I just can’t imagine the type of person that would be so low as to seek to acquire monetary and property benefit, as well as honor and respect, by claiming valorous awards they have not earned.

The sad thing is that they are everywhere, and too many believe them.

I wonder how many more times people like Harry Reid are going to open their big mouths only to subsequently appear as the fools they really are? The bigger question though is how many times will it take for the public to make them eat their words!