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NYT: Stolen Valor: The U.S. Volunteers in Ukraine

by Steve Balm••44
James Vasquez

We recently wrote about James Vasquez, but the New York Times just featured a story about Vasquez and others – painting a picture of an epidemic of Stolen Valor U.S. wannabes going to Ukraine to fight *cough*.

Stolen Valor: The U.S. Volunteers in Ukraine Who Lie, Waste and Bicker
People who would not be allowed anywhere near the battlefield in a U.S.-led war are active on the Ukrainian front, with ready access to American weapons.
By Justin Scheck and Thomas Gibbons-Neff | March 25, 2023

They rushed to Ukraine by the thousands, many of them Americans who promised to bring military experience, money or supplies to the battleground of a righteous war. Hometown newspapers hailed their commitment, and donors backed them with millions of dollars.

Now, after a year of combat, many of these homespun groups of volunteers are fighting with themselves and undermining the war effort. Some have wasted money or stolen valor. Others have cloaked themselves in charity while also trying to profit off the war, records show.

One retired Marine lieutenant colonel from Virginia is the focus of a U.S. federal investigation into the potentially illegal export of military technology. A former Army soldier arrived in Ukraine only to turn traitor and defect to Russia. A Connecticut man who lied about his military service has posted live updates from the battlefield — including his exact location — and boasted about his easy access to American weapons. A former construction worker is hatching a plan to use fake passports to smuggle in fighters from Pakistan and Iran.

And in one of the more curious entanglements, one of the largest volunteer groups is embroiled in a power struggle involving an Ohio man who falsely claimed to have been both a U.S. Marine and a LongHorn Steakhouse assistant manager. The dispute also involves a years-old incident on Australian reality TV.

I can picture the interview at LongHorn Steakhouse – “I have a particular set of skills.”

“OK, what would you say to someone who claims that their steak was undercooked?

“If you don’t start no shyte, there won’t be no shyte.”

Here’s what we found on James Vasquez:

Vasquez – DoD Manpower Data Center / SCRA – US Army
Vasquez – DoD Manpower Data Center / SCRA – US Army Reserve

 

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44 thoughts on “NYT: Stolen Valor: The U.S. Volunteers in Ukraine”

  1. Article says he lied about being assistant manager…he was a waiter. Nothing wrong with being a waiter but he just took an honorable but unremarkable career at the steakhouse and shit all over it…😳

      1. Sorry, Thumb. I think the only thing on offer here is weak tea to go along with weak sauce he brings with the steaks.

    3. Now if the article said he did two tours at Waffle House I’d believe he’s a true war veteran…

    1. I don’t know about Golden Corral, but there used to be a TGIFriday’s in Kiev, right on Khreshchatyk Street.

      1. I don’t know if it is still there, but there used to be a Flippers in Sumy. Get Sumy!

  3. “retired Marine lieutenant colonel from Virginia is the focus of a U.S. federal investigation into the potentially illegal export of military technology”

    Interesting how the Grey Lady has access to DOJ investigations from an organization that doesn’t comment on ongoing investigations. It restores my faith in fairness and belief that even a tiny paper like the NYT can somehow have a chance in the world to present news fairly.

    It’s also good to know that even though we have given Ukrainians Stinger Missiles, ATGMS, Javelins, M1 Tanks, PATRIOT launching systems, Bradleys, Switchblade Drones, HIMARS and access to F16s there is still something a lowly Marine light colonel can provide that helps the fight that we haven’t thought of yet.

    1. ITARS just ensures the ‘right’ contractors get to add their vig on products bought from the usual companies with the bestest lobbyists.

      The light kernel done forgot the lesson: it’s not about sending a message, it’s about the money!

  4. Vasquez was doing it for the most noble of reasons;

    “He acknowledged being kicked out of the Army but would not talk publicly about why. “I had to tell a million lies to get ahead,” Vasquez said in an interview. “I didn’t realize it was going to come to this.”

    We all know how hard it is to get ahead these days on our merits alone and how well telling lies smooths the way.

    2. Guess who else is hooked up with this Vasquez douche? The beloved ex-congressrat, Adam “Cryin” Kissinger.

        1. He didn’t lose, he was cut out of his seat by redistricting and chose not to run in the new district brought about by Illinois losing a congressional seat as a result of population loss. Effectively, his New Democrat “friends” blue-falconed him. End result was the same, but it was funnier than just losing an election since he probably would have lost the GOP primary had he run, but probably not to the extent of the Liz Cheney blowout. Good riddance to bad rubbish in both cases.

    1. There I was… Gettin’ shot at, living in a muddy hole and eatin’ food out of a can without a Green Beans anywhere– why did I quit being a 92A with a shaving profile?! (Truth be told.)

    2. Large gap in service time, are we sure he/she/they/it did not identify as Elaine Ricci during that time?

  7. If some Marine provided FMF training manuals on specific tactical operations and weapon systems early on in the fight, does he qualify for any medals, pins, patches or at least a vest of some kind?

    Asking for a friend.

  8. In all seriousness, I have to say these types of claims are concerning. Essentially, there are no paper trails to disprove any of it. They are just stories.

            2. Tom Cruise should have received an Oscar for that scene alone. The funniest scene in the movie, without a doubt.

    1. There prolly weren’t enough captured Spetnaz e-tool combat shovels in his far in the rear AO.

  11. I met James in Ukraine. If you followed his Twitter you might remember the American soldier that “didn’t work out.” That was me. I was astonished at how much he lied, and yet somehow was still shocked when he lied about me afterward. Naturally he blocked me so I didn’t have the opportunity to respond.

    Luckily I was able to get into a real unit where I was able to single-handedly take out an entire Russian battalion with nothing but my wits and a sharpened stick. I would have kept going to Moscow but Zelensky personally asked me not to.

    I’m not clear on what the paperwork from the DoD up there means. Does it just show two incredibly short times in service, or is there more hiding between the lines?

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