We talked about this former Green Beret a while back. Catch yourself up here.
MMA Fighting has an update for us, hot off the virtual presses;
Retired UFC fighter Tim Kennedy issued an apology after admitting that he lied about a specific military accolade he never actually received during his years of service.
A popular YouTube channel hosted by retired Green Beret Nathan Cornacchia posted a video where Kennedy claimed in an interview from 2017 that he won a Bronze Star with Valor after describing a scenario where he took down a “bad guy” during a conflict in one of his tours of duty. In the past, Kennedy stated that he never publicly claimed that he won a Bronze Star with Valor, which is a very specific military award handed out for “participation in acts of heroism involving conflict with an armed enemy.”
After Cornacchia posted the video, featuring the interview with Kennedy claiming he was given the Bronze Star with Valor and telling a story about what led to the award, the 45-year-old veteran issued a lengthy apology about misrepresenting himself and the awards he claimed during his military service.
“I want to take full and unequivocal responsibility for a serious mistake,” Kennedy wrote on Instagram. “Over the years, I made public statements and gave interviews in which I unintentionally misstated aspects of my military service. Most notably, I implied directly or indirectly that I had been awarded the Bronze Star with Valor. That is not true, and there is no excuse for it. I never received that honor, and I deeply regret ever suggesting otherwise. That kind of recognition is sacred. It represents extraordinary courage under fire acts that risk or cost lives. To those who truly earned it, and to their families and brothers-in-arms, I offer my sincere and direct apology. What I said disrespected your service, and I take full ownership of that.
“I was young when I stepped into the public eye, and while I wasn’t prepared for the scrutiny or pressure that came with it, that doesn’t absolve me. I should have known better. Integrity is not situational, and I failed to uphold the standards I claimed to represent. To the military and veteran community, especially those who’ve served in combat or lost people they love. I am deeply sorry. I know I’ve let many of you down. You had every right to expect more from me, and I didn’t live up to that.”
Kennedy, who fought in the UFC five times after spending most of his career competing in organizations like Strikeforce and the IFL, promised to hold himself a higher standard moving forward.
“This apology is not the end, it’s the beginning,” Kennedy wrote. “I am committed to rebuilding trust through honest reflection, visible accountability, and ongoing service to the community I misrepresented myself to. I will no longer speak about my service in a way that elevates me beyond what I actually did.
“From now on, my words will be guided by truth, humility, and respect. I understand that words alone don’t heal disappointment or restore trust. Only time and action will. Thank you to those who have held me accountable. I will do my best to honor that accountability from this point forward.”
The apology still didn’t land with other members of the military community including another ex-Green Beret named Alex Theodosis, who blasted Kennedy for the way he worded his apology.
“Tim, your entire public persona and the lies that you’ve told are anything but ‘unintentional,’” Theodosis wrote on Instagram. “None of what you’ve crafted was by accident. The web of lies you’ve spun since 2007 have all been intentional and with the purpose of fame and money. When you were asked point blank about having a BSM-V, that would have been the perfect time to clear the record. Instead, you very intentionally lied about not only having the award but continued the lie with a made up story to reinforce your lie.
“This ChatGPT crafted non-apology is a clear cut case of ‘I’m not sorry I did it, I’m sorry that I got caught.’ Barely glazing over one of your many lies and promising to ‘do better’ doesn’t even scratch the surface of what the veteran community and the [Special Forces] Regiment deserve from you.”
Gotta say I agree with Mr. Theodosis.
May his next job require him to say, “would you like fries with that?”
Even at that I’d double check the order to make sure he didn’t fuck it up.
Well, there’s that “Aw Shit”. Attaboy level is now zero. Dumbass.
No tats? Meh.
I’m the outlier here regarding ink. To me, no tats is a positive. How is one to go unnoticed and “…move amongst the people as a fish swims in the sea….” if he can be outed by tattoos?
I’m not defending Kennedy (though he bears the same surname as He who authorized the Green Beret); no excuse regarding unearned awards/decorations.
“To me, no tats is a positive”
Same here. My mom said if I ever came home with a
tattoo she would remove it with a cheese grater.
I got an AAM for taking down a bad guy once. The details are all classified but even though it is a goofy AAM, it’s my favorite medal, mostly because the target was a exercise in frustration for four months.
I got one for being sober for four days straight!
Like, wilfully?
You monster!
Roommate got one just for being on the “Toys for Tots” detail.
I don’t see TK getting into the SMA after this.
I am curious. What percentage of “Stolen Valor” is stolen by actual veterans?
Too many. An example from several years ago is my former neighbor. He was a big noise with all of the wanna-be’s, what with his tales of derring-do. I argued with him to the point of offering a round house to his very punchable face when he tried to convince me he was awarded the MOH (he claimed it was classified). He changed his mind and told me he had the Republic of China’s Medal of Honor. He claimed one year as an US Army Ranger in Viet Nam, changed services for one year in Viet Nam as a Navy SEAL. He also claimed many years in submarines as a HMC where he worked in the “kitchen” when he wasn’t busy. It all fell apart when I told him Marcinko was giving a speech in the local area; I asked him if he was interested. That’s when he stopped telling me war stories. I figured a retired SEAL would love to meet Marcinko; my neighbor begged off. I wonder why.
My reaction (if I was there) to his secret MOH claim would be:
Was your neighbor by chance employed at All-Points Logistics?
Nope, he was gainfully unemployed and supported by his mother. Embarrassing when one is 23, repulsive when one is 53.
Embellishers appear to be a significant percentage of stolen valor cases. All the ones I have seen offline are actual veterans embellishing their records for one reason or another. Usually to show they have a bigger dick, but also on occasion for monetary gain.
Posers, people who have never served, seem to be more interested in scamming people out of their hard earned money. But some are just batshit crazy. Hard to say what the actual percentages are.
If a person lies about a small thing, they’ll lie about bigger things.
Respect and trust aren’t – they’re earned.
I have neither for Kennedy. He’s still a liar.
I got the highly coveted, and rarely awarded Coast Guard Unit Commendation for being in the Coast Guard Auxiliary at the right time period.
No onery promotion to CPO? Slacker
Only the National Association of Naval Photographers may bestow that honor.
I got a bunch of stuff in the Boy Scouts but it was all sew on
and I don’t sew so there ya go.
Clearly you didn’t earn the sewing badge.
Looks like the Sheepdog Academy’s head sheepdog just took a dump on the carpet. I’m sure it was “unintentional”….
(RET)?
New phone who dis?
Foreal, congrats if I’d missed it.
Thanks! I signed out on terminal in 2024. After 35 years, it was high time.
This guy is an even more massive twunt than the chick earlier this morning. Because, even though she is reprehensible in every way, she doesn’t pretend to be racist.
No comprende???
https://apnews.com/article/mexico-us-cia-guns-arrest-3b46f8c2f0d5a7b9ca9d7d9272026b58
“mistake”, “unintentionally misstated”, “I was young”, “I misrepresented”. What bullshit. It was Intentional statements that were repeated. A lot. For years. Only because he was finally caught he had to admit the truth. It has destroyed his credibility. Eat a bag of dicks.
I hope he is awarded a full scholarship to Fort Leavenworth.
Brad Williams response!
https://youtu.be/wIgt3q4v1Po?t=461
In 4 years I ‘amassed’ a Sea Service Ribbon with 1 star and GCM, so you know “I’ve seen some sh*t”…
No but seriously, that’s a HUGE L for Tim Kennedy. His persona is a SPECOPS/War fighter/Badass but he tripped over his d*ck for clout.
You can still be a good Troop, and do your duty without much ‘fruit salad’ and it won’t diminish your career like lying about a Bronze Star w/V.
Retired in 2017 as a GySgt in the supply field. Had just enough salad to make it interesting (also annoying AF getting mounted for the ball, but I digress). I wrote myself up for an MSM as a JOKE for my retirement award…and it got approved. Award im MOST proud of is that damn recruiting ribbon. 36 one month combat tours….
Been retired 8 years and my Marines still reach out. “Hey Gunz! We got approved for (insert X unit award from 2009)!”
My response: “Great! Enjoy it! Next time im wearing mine is when I get buried!”
If you served…then service is ENOUGH, considering not enough people do it/are even qualified to.
When someone like Eugene Sledge serves with distinction at Peleliu and Okinawa, surviving heavy combat, and comes home with “just” the standard ribbons, my much more numerous awards start looking paler and insignificant. To me, the respect of your peers is much more important and satisfying than whether I got a NAM or NCM or whatever.
When I think about it, any Marine who willingly crossed that airfield at Peleliu deserved any medal that the rear echelon pogues could come with. However, I think that simply surviving that hellscape was enough for them.
Yup. My old man was a retired MSgt who served from 69-90 and spent a tour in Vietnam. He got the standard VCM/VSM but never wore them. As a 10 year SSgt/Drill Instructor he wore a GCM/NDSM. Retired with those two, a SSDR and NAM. Retired and put it all away.
The older I get, the less those things mean to me. I’m sure he thought the same too.
Semper Fi Jay, heck I’d just be proud of those Gunny stripes (I got out as a Corporal after 4 but I’m still big time proud of my stripes).
I did two tours in Beirut and when we got back from the second cruise I was short so an old Staff Sergeant that I was under (he was my Weapons Platoon, Platoon Sgt) hooked me up with a cushy job for my last four months as a Troop Handler in HQ company for Marines who were on mess duty awaiting to go to ITS. He left to go back as a DI at Parris Island after a month or so and in his place we got a shit-bird SSGT who was awaiting a discharge because he got drunk too many times. He saw my ribbon rack (he only had two) and said, “you must think your something huh Corporal.” I replied that I just did my job and did what I was told, but I guess he couldn’t get past a Corporal having more ribbons and medals that he had. Not my fault he stepped on his own schwonce and ruined his career!! LOL
Is it bad that I had absolutely no freaking idea who the hell he was / is?
After reading this story I don’t think I missed anything of importance.
Maybe Tim Sheehy can give him one of his numerous Purple Hearts?
I don’t get it. It’s not like he was a cook (who work some rough hours), or a truck driver ( who ran some dangerous roads in Iraq). He was SF for Pete’s sake! What more do you want on your resume?
The most telling statement –
“From now on, my words will be guided by truth, humility, and respect.”
“Oh what a tangled web we weave….”
I’m sure the “apology” has nothing to do with sponsors dropping him.
Jesus H. I’m 78 years old, a retired high school teacher, and former Army Special forces INF 1LT with 6th group (Bragg) and 5th Group (RVN). BTW, there were no crossed arrows in 67,8,9,; only INF, but there was a 6th group. Look it up. I can send you a copy of my Bronze Star with V citation so anyone can see what they actually look like. But real warriors went back into society and performed. Dispicable “sheep dog ” mentality and Kennedy. SHAME
Tim Kennedy is his own biggest enemy. He’s accomplished more than many of us, both militarily and in private life. Not all of us aspire to be Special Forces, and I’d argue that even a 92G cook should feel both fulfilled and content with his career (even if he’s not Chef Rush), but generally speaking, we think of “Warfighters” as the top of the heap in the military, with Special Operations troops placed on a pedestal. A Ranger-qualified Green Beret MSG is someone that many would admire, and having a decent UFC career who’s gotten both fame and fortune makes him truly unique.
But that bit of military and civilian success wasn’t enough for Kennedy. He’s got to be perceived as the top sheepdog alpha male, and let’s face it: his military career has been at best average compared to his peers. From my understanding, 18-series guys are usually assigned to either jump or dive teams, and most go to the requisite school (Military Free Fall or Combat Diver). There are backlogs and such — the 18C who I served alongside as a Drill Sergeant had some HALO jumps but hadn’t yet gone to the school — but you’d think someone that’s as big a deal (in his own head) as Tim MF’ing Kennedy would at least be rocking a Senior Parachutist’s Badge. From my understanding, he’s got a couple of combat deployments, not the 20 or so he claimed, and the usual attaboy end-of-tour awards. You know, like the vast majority of us GWOT-era Vets, whether we were Leg Infantry, SF, or Admin types who never left the FOB.
Well, he’s traded in fame for infamy, and from my understanding SOCOM is investigating him now (hence his “apology”), so he might end up losing more than sponsorships and respect. It’d be a damned shame if they saw fit to pull his beret and tab.
For a real hero, recipient of the Neck Order of the NDSM (see the thumbnail), check out this Black Rifle adjacent internet guy: Demoted Valor: Hundreds of Medals of Honor Revoked .