Something's wrong with this story. Was he a reserve Marine who was activated? (I can't believe the Marines put in reserves, no way) There have been no news reports of Marines wounded in combat nor Army Rangers around Kandahar (or any other place other than already reported), particularly during ground action. None of this is classified. There are some major unanswered questions in this one, and I normally let things like this pass. Why is he displayed in the photograph as upright and unhurt (and released from active duty) so quickly? It doesn't happen this way.

It might just be bad reporting but something's not right and if true, the good sergeant has been done a dis-service.

the above link is broken so let's try it again. If it still doesn't take you to the article, then go to Dallasnews.com and follow the line heading for the article midway down.

Marine returns home to area as a hero

This is odd.

Consider the timeline... Activated October 18, wounded three times on __________________, at __________________ in Afghanistan. Back to selling cars on December 13.

On top of that, his wife was notified in an "advisory" and not directly by the Marine Corps? The story doesn't identify his unit, talk to his commanding officer or present any corroborating evidence.

I hope for his sake this isn't a tall tale.

something's major wrong with this one

This is very fishy. He should be a shoo-in for a Navy Cross or a Medal of Honor if this is true based on his actions and accomplishments according to article.

But there are too many holes in this story, like getting shot less than 2 months ago in the torso and being back at work. C'mon.

I did some searching on defenselink. By October 18, when he said he was called up, only 333 members of the Marine reserves had been activated, almost all individually based on needed skills. The closest match for October 18 was a callup of 75 Marine reservists on October 10. As of December 12, the latest information gives 1216 Marine reservists called up, with 1034 being individual reservists.

There are no hits on defenselink for a search of "Larez." If he was wounded in action, killing 7 enemy singlehandedly, the Pentagon would be trumpeting their new hero. He is full of it.

I e-mailed the reporter and he said that Larenz had Col. John Ryker as his CO, and was in 1st Battalion, 23rd Marines.

Then the reporter e-mailed me back and threatened to publish my name and e-mail address on the air if I couldn't prove he was lying. I would appreciate any help in finding the truth to this story.

he did the same to me. I told him he has my permission to publish my email. The way the story reads, the guy was a car salesman several months ago (which means he had to be a reservist) he had an empty desk waiting for him. He engages in ground action where he is severely wounded, patched up shipped back, released from active duty and back on the job. The 23rd MEU (Marine Expeditionay Unit) is based out of Camop Lejeune and would be part of the 2nd, 6th or 8th Marine Regiment. All these are active-duty infantry line units with minimum enlistment periods of four years for enlisted marines. Now, this guy might have been a reservist (but he would have to be a force reconniasance marine). The Marines wouldn't use reservist in this billet. It requires too much training and experience for part-timers and they (the USMC) are not so under-manned that they would use reservists in this capacity. It's possible that he was released from active duty after fours committment but then it negates the awaiting desk and employer bit. Besides, you can't go on a float if you don't have at least six months remaining on your enlistment or voluntarily extend. And his wife would be in Jacksonville, NC, not in Dallas calling a car dealership to say her husband was WIA in Afghanistan.

Now, there may be some truth in here somewhere, but we aren't getting it from the facts contained in the story. I told the reporter that he is not being blamed because he has the support from the Col. (I bet I know this guy). But it will make a good follow-up story because the Dallas Morning News is no doubt undergoing a sustained shelling from former Marines at this posting (ha!).

I forwarded the story to HQMC (Headquarters Marine Corps) Public Affairs for a veracity check. If they come back, I'll post it.

something's major wrong with this one

Yeah, like giving out his name, city, and place of work. With the terrorist threat being what it is, I wouldn’t be within 10 miles of this Chrysler Dealership. I'll guarantee the Public Affairs did not release this info.

Then the reporter e-mailed me back and threatened to publish my name and e-mail address on the air if I couldn't prove he was lying.

I'm at a loss for words on this. The reporter is scum.

I forwarded the story to HQMC (Headquarters Marine Corps) Public Affairs for a veracity check. If they come back, I'll post it.

Please bump me if you get anything more. This story is at best incomplete and somewhat inaccurate.

I just got this email back from HQMC PA:

Good Afternoon, Sir,

We are figuring out if this story is valid or not right now. If you don't hear anything from us in the next hour, you should receive an answer by tomorrow.

Semper Fi,
Sgt. Niman, K.

I'll post it when I get it.

Two weeks ago, his squad came under fire. Soldiers were wounded. According to an advisory from his commanding officer, Sergeant Larez "was one such casualty." His injuries, the advisory says, "were sustained while saving a friendly soldier", an Army Ranger. Larez took "two shots to the upper torso" and "fragmentations to the upper thigh." He was temporarily blinded following the detonation of a "nearby concussion grenade."

Marines do not use concussion grenades. M-33 fragmentation grenades WILL concuss you, however. The Soviets used to load a cannister tank round, but that requires an enemy tank (ha!).

Again, there may be some element of truth in this story such as this guy may have been in on the exchange between the Marines and Taliban near Kandahar, but no casualties were reported. It will be interesting what Public Affairs comes up with tomorrow. When I called them to get their email address, the L/cpl laughed when I read the "John Wayne" part. She said she was pretty sure she would have known about it, if it were true. I sure hope the guy wasn't blowing smoke up his wife's pitutie to cover a hiatus, then she calls the press. To his credit, he seemed pure as the wind-driven snow (there is a video you can run next to the article - they did a local television news bit on the story).

Here is the email I got back from the reporter. I guess the whole thing is a hoax:

Right on dude! Thanks to you and a few others we checked out his story and it was all made up including governemnt documents and fake phone call from the Red Cross informing his wife he had been injured.

Sick, sick, sick. The boy needs help. But in the mean time we will break the story as well as his balls tonight at ten. Brett

score one direct hit in the main magazine by the hardchargin', lowcrawlin', non-mistake-makin' few good men who call themselves . . .

Freepers

Somebody's gotta do it. It just fell to us.

amazing what some people will do to get attention.

a big OOH-RAH for those that questioned this story and
made the media get get it right.

Hope the reporter and the wanna-be learn their lesson!

Semper Fidelis!

please don't forget to post the follow-up to this...I'd love to have been a fly on the wall in the newsroom when they found out this guy was a LIAR.

bump

A Bravo Zulu and a loud, motivated "URRAH!" to all of you for keeping the pressure on this story. Looks like we have a candidate for another volume of Stolen Valor. Anyone have Jug Burkett's email address? I know he's from Texas...