Author: Jonn Lilyea

  • Antonin DeHays, French historian sentenced

    Antonin DeHays, French historian sentenced

    We talked about Antonin DeHays earlier this year when he pleaded guilty to stealing hundreds of dog tags from the National Archives. He was sentenced to 364 days in prison and ordered to pay more than $43,000 in restitution;

    The historian stole dog tags along with various documents, including personal letters, photographs, a Bible and pieces of downed US aircraft, from 2012 to 2017. DeHays was able to obtain the relics by using his researcher identification card to get access to the US’ National Archives research room in College Park, Maryland.

    Some of the tags sold by the 33-year-old had dents and showed evidence of charring due to fires during crashes of Allied planes that were shot down within areas controlled by Germany, according to WTOP. Two of the dog tags stolen belonged to Tuskegee Airmen.

  • Guest post; Randy Voepel; update on phony combat sailor

    Guest post; Randy Voepel; update on phony combat sailor

    Terence B. Hoey, a retired U.S. Navy Master Chief Petty Officer, recently penned an article entitled: STOLEN VALOR – The curious case of California Assemblyman Randy Voepel, his wild tales of military derring-do and a welcomed challenge by Command Master Chief (SEAL) Larry Wilske, USN (Ret.).

    This article first appeared on LinkedIn March 29, 2018 (coinciding with Vietnam Veterans Day) and it has been crossed posted at many other sites and outlets and has been picked up by all the leading Stolen Valor websites and blogs including “This Ain’t Hell, but you can see it from here”. In addition, the article has been provided to media outlets across California and the nation.

    On or about April 5, 2018, Voepel’s Chief of Staff, Mason Herron provided to the press a DD-214N as proof positive that Voepel was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon (CAR), a ribbon that Voepel’s official service records do not reflect as being awarded. The production of this DD-214N raises even more serious questions as the document has been altered and is not consistent with information (official service records) previously provided by the National Archives through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Voepel has been photographed wearing the CAR upside down, in public, posted on his websites and presumably during his swearing ceremony as a CA Assemblyman.

    In addition, Voepel’s claims as being a combat Veteran of the Vietnam War are completely false, his official service records, online digital footprint (in his own words) easily prove otherwise. All of Voepel’s wild and comedic claims have been thoroughly disproved by Stolen Valor Researchers & Investigators, by and through his own words and actions and obtained official service records. Voepel’s long list of falsehoods, embellishments and wild stories regarding his military service are a direct slap in the face to all Veterans and patriots alike.

    The U.S. Stolen Valor Act of 2013 and CA Assembly Bill 153 signed into law October 2017, which Assemblyman Voepel ironically voted for, clearly address Stolen Valor as well as the punishments that should come with it.

    Master Chief Hoey’s visit to San Diego culminates with a press conference in front of the USS Midway Museum, berthed in San Diego Harbor on the Monday April 16th at 11am. All San Diego area concerned citizens and Veterans are encouraged to attend this event.
    Master Chief Petty Officer Terence B. Hoey, USN (Ret.), in addition to serving for 32 years in the United States

  • Brown agrees to send CANG to border

    The Hill reports that California Governor Jerry Brown has agreed to send about 400 National Guard troops to the Mexican frontier to help the Feds stem the flow of illegals into the US.

    Brown formally accepted the funding in a Wednesday letter to Defense Secretary James Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. But the California governor also slammed Trump for his pursuit of a wall on the United States-Mexico border.

    “But let’s be crystal clear on the scope of this mission,” Brown said in the letter.

    “This will not be a mission to build a new wall. It will not be a mission to round up women and children or detain people escaping violence and seeking a better life. And the California National Guard will not be enforcing federal immigration laws.”

    I’m sure that Governor Moonbeam feels better about himself after sending that letter. I guess he figures that those 400 troops will be enjoying an extended all-expenses-paid camping trip.

  • Daniel Clay Cheatham in the news

    Daniel Clay Cheatham in the news

    Back in February, we busted Daniel Clay Cheatham with the work of our partners at Military Phonies. Cheatham had claimed to be an Army Ranger because somehow that made him a better yoga dude – he hadn’t even completed Basic Combat Training. Today, the Casey County News reports that veterans in his area are asking for an apology;

    They say this is a case of “Stolen Valor.”

    A website run by Ambrosia Wellness, which was formerly located in Liberty but is now in Danville, had a biography for Cheatham.

    The biography claimed several martial arts belts, certifications in yoga and fitness programs, but perhaps its largest claim was that Cheatham served and was injured during a deployment.

    “Clay served in the US ARMY 75th Ranger Regiment where his back was broken in duty. He was paralyzed and told he would never walk again. Determined, he rehabilitated and recovered almost completely. Clay is living proof that there is healing in Yoga. … Corporal Cheatham has put his body through the ultimate tests; serving in battle in Afghanistan,” the website stated.

    The Casey County News requested documents from the U.S. Army that showed that Cheatham was discharged from the military after six months. Cheatham never attended Ranger school, and did not attain the rank of Corporal.

    His records don’t support his claims;

    Nice to have the media on our side for a change.

  • John Martinka; phony SEAL

    John Martinka; phony SEAL

    Our partners at Military Phonies send us their work on John Paul Martinka III who claims to be a former Navy SEAL, that he was injured during Hell Week, so he was recycled three times;

    After contacting the UDT/SEAL archives, the Naval Special Warfare Center and checking the UDT/SEAL database we found that John Paul Martinka III did attend BUD/S Training but he never completed training and he was never assigned to a SEAL Team.

    In John’s DD-214 it shows he was active duty for approximately 7 years, 2 months and 3 days and got out of the Navy as an OS2 (E-5). John’s NEC, rate and DD-214 clearly shows that he was not a SEAL.

  • Tim Ralston; phony PJ

    Tim Ralston; phony PJ

    Our friends in the Air Force Pararescue business asked us to check into this Tim Ralston fellow, one of those guys on National Geographic’s “Doomsday Preppers” series. He claims that he was an Air Force Pararescueman in numerous venues like The Blaze

    Coming from a military family, Ralston signed up for the Air Force’s Special Forces ParaRescue division. But after putting in his time, he said it wasn’t the life he wanted anymore.

    Everyday Tactical;

    What I did was I went right out of high school and into the service…Once I was there I volunteered and tried out for the Para Rescue Team in the Air Force.”

    After making the team, Tim changed course and went into air traffic control and finished out his time in the Air Force in Florida.

    And his LinkedIn profile;

    Tim Ralston served for the United States Air Force from 1981-1985. He volunteered and qualified to be a part of the Para rescue program, one of the most elite, Special Forces group in the military. Tim then transferred to the Air Traffic Control (ATC) where he finished his military career as an Air Traffic Controller at Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

    The Air Force doesn’t remember it that way;

    Ralston did spend four years as an Air Traffic Control dude, no PJ training, no assignments to PJ units, just an E-3 after four years. Too bad that he didn’t think enough of his service to just stick to the truth.

    And, oh, he shot his thumb off during the show.

  • Thursday morning feel good stories

    Thursday morning feel good stories

    From North Royalton, Ohio;

    According to police, a homeowner on York Road found two unknown people in his garage when he arrived home. There was “some sort of altercation” that resulted in the homeowner shooting one of the intruders.

    The two unknown people ran from the garage into a waiting car with two people already inside it. The car drove from the house to a nearby parking lot at York and Sprague. At that point, two of the occupants jumped from the car and started running. The injured person was left in the parking lot. The driver of the car drove away from the scene.

    The driver was later apprehended in Parma. The two suspects on foot were caught by North Royalton police. The injured person was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center.

    Police tell Fox 8 that they have also taken the homeowner into custody while they “sort everything out.”

    From Sonora, California;

    It was sometime after 3 a.m. when Jake Fuller and his girlfriend, Evon Meckler, were suddenly awakened from a deep sleep. They realized someone had broken into their Feather River Drive home.

    Meckler immediately dialed 911 as Jake armed himself and made his way outside.

    “I told her that someone had broken into our house, given her our address immediately and told her that Jake had a gun,” Meckler said.

    “He wrecked a mile up the road and randomly walked into this door here,” Fuller said.

    Once inside the garage, the suspect made his way to a back door. Before Jake got there, they could hear the suspect’s voice.

    “He was repeating who he was. He was in the basement, ‘Please open the door.’ Real polite and just something weird to hear that at 3 a.m.” Fuller recalled.

    “We didn’t know who he was,” Meckler said. “We didn’t know how many people were down there, what he was going, how long he’d been in there. We didn’t hear anyone break in. We only heard him trying to get out.”

    By that time, Jake positioned himself in the driveway, facing all the entrances that the intruder could possibly pass through.

    “As soon as he opens this door, I have him at gunpoint. And he stood here for about eight to 10 minutes until the sheriffs arrive,” Fuller said.

    In what seemed like 45 minutes from the time that 911 call was made, which was actually only about 10, the 38-year-old suspect Jeremiah Hyde was on his stomach and in handcuffs.

    Fuller and Meckler were thankful they had the means to protect themselves but relieved it didn’t come down to using deadly force.

    “If it’s in the right person’s hands, it’s effective as anything,” Fuller said. “Kids are texting and driving these days and they’re dying. I don’t see a ban on automobiles or cell phones.”

    “Especially with all the gun laws going on and people wanting to ban guns you don’t see a lot of these stories,” Meckler said.

    From Houston, Texas;

    “An altercation occurred between an employee here at the store and a customer,” HPD Officer Ben Rothberg said. “The altercation led from the store out into the parking lot where at one point a gunshot was fired, and the male was struck one time.”

    HPD major assault investigators rushed to the scene after the shooting victim was transported to the hospital for a gunshot wound.

    A witness claims the whole thing was a misunderstanding with his co-worker named ‘Cameron’ over the price of some beef jerky.

    “So, they’re going back and forth over a damn Slim Jim, over a dollar, basically,” witness Kenneth Allen said. “He walks up to Cameron, Cameron pushed him back […] he whipped in his back pocket, pulled a gun out and shot him.”

    The shooting victim underwent surgery for his wound but is reportedly in stable condition.

    Police said the store clerk could face charges over the shooting.

  • Trump: missiles “will be coming” to Syria

    Trump: missiles “will be coming” to Syria

    The Associated Press reports that President Trump promised Russia that missiles “will be coming” in response to the use of chemical weapons in Syria this last weekend.

    “Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria,” Trump tweeted. “Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and ‘smart!’ You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!”

    Trump did not detail what a strike would look like, or whether these would be U.S. missiles. U.S. officials have been consulting with global allies on a possible joint military response to Syria’s alleged poison gas attack. Trump canceled a foreign trip in order to manage a crisis that is testing his vow to stand up to Syrian President Bashar Assad.

    Syria’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that his threats are “reckless” and endanger international peace and security.

    The Russians claim that use of cruise missiles against the Syrian government forces would be considered a war crime. They’ve also said that they would intercept the missiles and target launching platforms with counter-battery fire.

    Trump suggested Monday he had little doubt that Syrian government forces were to blame for what he said was a chemical attack, but neither he nor other administration officials have produced hard evidence. This is in contrast to an incident one year ago in which U.S. intelligence agencies had video and other evidence of certain aspects of the actual attack, which involved the use of sarin gas. Trump responded then by launching Navy cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield.

    […]

    The Russian military, which has troops in Syria, said on Monday that its officers had visited the site of the alleged attack and found no evidence to back up reports of poison gas being used.