Posted on 11/11/2006 6:09:04 AM PST by mware
ATLANTIC CITY — Mayor Bob Levy has knowingly misrepresented his military record to family, friends, reporters and the public for decades.
As an Atlantic City lifeguard and as a candidate for mayor last year, Levy claimed he had served during the Vietnam War with the U.S. Army’s elite Special Forces, more familiarly known as the Green Berets. In campaign literature distributed last year, he claimed he had won medals as a Green Beret.
None of that was true.
Levy — who has an otherwise distinguished military service record — was never a member of the Army’s Green Berets, he told The Press this week
(Excerpt) Read more at pressofatlanticcity.com ...
Unlike Adm Borda I'm not seeing where Hizzoner was claiming awards he didn't earn. The mayor was a 20 year man. His service records show two tours in Vietnam with the second tour working with the actual Special Forces and the Vietnamese who gave him one of their green berets.
It appears the Green Beret claims began when he was working as a lifeguard, as someone above mentioned about probably trying to impress the chicks. My guess is by the time the politicians became interested in him the lie was too well known for him to back down. He had to know it would eventually catch up with him.
Remember the Star Trek movie "Wrath of Khan" when another Vulcan is shocked that Spock seemed to lie. Spock's defense was "I exaggerated". Seems to me that applies here.
He's in the wrong, if you think I argue differently you misunderstand me. But unlike the usual fake who never legitimately wore a uniform, if his record is as good as the story indicates then I'm not prepared to reach for the tar and feathers.
Kerry had his cap!
He claims he was a Green Beret. He wasn't. The story does not mention how his Bronze stars were earned, but tying them to his Green Beret service makes it sound like they were associated with combat. More than likely they were not given his record of where he served and what he did. Boorda wore a combat distinguishing device "V" on a medal. He never claimed anything.
It appears the Green Beret claims began when he was working as a lifeguard, as someone above mentioned about probably trying to impress the chicks. My guess is by the time the politicians became interested in him the lie was too well known for him to back down. He had to know it would eventually catch up with him.
You can rationalize it anyway you want with psycho-babble. Who knows why people falsify their resumes.
He's in the wrong, if you think I argue differently you misunderstand me. But unlike the usual fake who never legitimately wore a uniform, if his record is as good as the story indicates then I'm not prepared to reach for the tar and feathers.
I don't view this in shades of black and white. Levy knowingly lied about his service and perpetuated a fraud to burnish his resume to gain political office.
Stolen Valor How the Vietnam Generation Was Robbed of Its Heroes and Its History
Really? I don't see much difference.
I just read the entire article.
This POS should be fired immediately!
Levy told The Press, “I actually wore a green beret, a Vietnamese green beret.
Happy Veterans Day!
Liberal guilt.
Its just another democrat to to lie about being a military vet, but he went all out and elevated himself all the way to Green Beret. For people who hate the military, why do they keep proclaiming their service?
Caught one last year my damn self. Check this one out:
http://www.hendersonvillenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040628/EXTRAS02/406280327/1034
The article says he was awarded a CIB. How? It seems he didn't have an Infantry MOS.
Another demonrat with a suspicious and mysterious 201 file.
When I was 6, I wore my sister's girl scout beret for a day. Does that count?
Has it been verified that what he is claiming now is the truth? Posers have been known to lie thinking they will never be caught and then if they are caught they make up another set of lies.
Before I believed anything this man had to say I would want the information about his service straight from the military records. I wouldn't even believe any paperwork he has, it is too easy to doctor.
I am very doubtful that someone that did what he now claims would feel the need to make up a lie about his service. This man sounds like a major poser.
There was a rumor going around Vietnam I could never confirm that some units had admin clerks who would, for a modest fee, provide personnel with any any medal or badge up to and including a Bronze Star. Silver Stars cost a little more, as did promotions up to and including MSG E-8.
It was only a rumor, I hope, but it sure gave soldiers something to bitch about over their warm Carlin Black Label beer.
If the latest version is all true, he should know better than anyone the lie that was told. And I am doubtful that the corrected version is compketely true.
Of course this all could be some kind of botched joke.
Yes under the circumstances I wouldn't believe the mayor either but if you look at the article, the newspaper had access to his military record. His service is described through several paragraphs. It involves two decades of honorable service, two tours in Vietnam, and assorted decorations.
If someone determines the record was faked, this becomes a different matter. Until then I'm seeing the mayor as more fool then evil.
The old saying, "if you tell a lie often enough, people believe it as the truth" is often true of pathological liars. They've told the lie so often, that THEY believe it.
Mark
Welcome to Free Republic.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.