There is an individual who frequents our local food market in upstate NY wearing a USMC Viet Nam Vet hat and satine jacket with huge globe and anchor emblem. I got into a conversation with him in the checkout line one day and asked he where he was when he was “in country” and what outfit. He told me a few blatant lies, clearly had no clue about RVN. I let it go. He still comes in to the store wearing his “uniform”. He is a fantasy veteran. There seem to be a lot of them. He wasn’t begging for money. This issue makes me crazy.
We have one here in town has Vietnam Vet stickers all over his truck. Recently he got arrested for DWI and it was posted in the paper that he was 56 years old. A little young!
I have a friend who gets pretty upset at his father in law. The old man wears a Marine Retired hat. He was a Marine but only for one stint. My friend, who just retired after 20+ years in the Army tells him that retired means a lifetime of service, not just a few years. The old guy won’t change.
Over the years, I have encountered a few people who, early in the conversation, mentioned that they had been in the Army or Marines. I always ask what their MOS was. A blank stare in response was the “tell” that they were frauds. I then change the subject; it’s not worth the drama to confront them.