This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Author: Sporkmaster

  • More Base Gate Crashers

    I know that this is older news since it happened in June and already reported, but I found it on POW.network with the most info so far.

    PERSON 1 & 2 attempted to gain access to MacDill AFB, FL by presenting fraudulent military ID cards and fraudulent military orders (assigning them to US SOCOM and sending them to Kandahar, Afghanistan; orders were dated 14 Jun 10) to U.S. Air Force Security Forces at the entrance gate. When Person 1 was instructed to exit the vehicle he was observed wearing an empty gun holster. A Magistrate authorized search the vehicle resulted in the discovery of 3 rifles, 3 handguns, and ammunition. An K9 alerted on the vehicle prompting the use of an EOD robot to conduct a further search of the vehicle meeting with negative results.

    These two appear to have acted alone and their detention mitigates additional risk to DoD interests. Law Enforcement checks on Person 1 revealed potential criminal acts pertaining to unlawful procurement of documents from a DMV office. His DoD affiliation can be characterized as brief with “other than honorable” discharges from 2 branches of the Armed Forces.

    It seems that one of them was AWOL at the time.

    But overall I am glad that these posers did not get past the gate and put people lives in danger.

    UPDATED:

    One of them has been IDed as Christopher Kilburn.

    In 2005, Kilburn was arrested in Culpepper County, Va., and charged with forging a public record, unlawfully obtaining state motor vehicle documents and uttering a public record, according to court records. Kilburn had gotten a phony driver’s license in his older brother’s name in 2003, according to court records.

    Court records show Kilburn pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of obstruction of justice without violence and served a one-year suspended sentence and two years of unsupervised probation.


    Updated x2:
    Even though this is late , I had to put this in.

    The AWOL soldier accused of trying to enter MacDill Air Force Base with weapons and ammunition in his car is not a terrorist and was merely “trying to impress” his girlfriend during the incident, his father said in an exclusive interview with FoxNews.com.

    “This is all just about a girl,” said Ray Kilburn, whose son, Spc. Christopher Paul Kilburn, has been charged with desertion. “There’s really nothing nefarious here about him trying to get on the base.”

  • What makes people think that this video is credible?

    Seems that there is a newer video that is making it rounds claiming that it has President Obama claiming that he is not a US Citizen on video.

    Except that a few things come to mind.

    1. When he mentions Hawaii and Kenya noticed the inflection change and that the video pans away right before the word.

    2. Notice the multiple changes in the video angle, if this was from a amateur video it would not keep the audio track the same if the footage has been change like that.

    3. Considering how Overt the video make President Obama that you would think that other people would have picked up on this by now.

    So on closing this looks like nothing more then badly edited video trying to validated the Birther movement.

    This is the site that they got the video from.

    This is not “political.”
    This is just for fun.
    This is not an “Anti-Obama” site.
    This is not a “Pro-Obama” site.
    This is an “Obama Humor” site.
    No need to discuss politics here.
    There are plenty of other sites for that.
    Thanks for your interest in ObamaSnippetsDotCom

  • A Department of Peace?

    This all started a few days ago on Facebook. I posted in reply to this video about General Petraeus. It got started with this comment.

    “The general wants more war. Gee whiz.” …which underlines the need for civilian CONTROL of the military, not handing control over to those who want more war, the way the previous, corrupt, criminal mis-administration did (and this administration is doing now)!

    Civilian control? You mean like it is now with the President in charge? What more were you really expecting? In which I got my answer.

    …When there is a Secretary of Peace advising the President at NSA briefings, I would think the civilian control is adequate to balance a Department that funnels billions of dollars to the war industry, which funnels enough of it to Congress to keep it in the war business.

    You mean the department of the Federal Government and Congress? The ones that approve all of the military’s budget? Also before you just view this as a joke there have been several attempts for a bill that would create such a position. It has been submitted in 2005, 2007 and 2009. All as of this posting date have not gotten past Committee. The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Dennis Kucinich has not made any noticeable changes to the bill each time he has submitted it.

    Here is the full Bill, and from what I have read so far most of it if not all is based on the assumption that this will be enforceable outside of conventional methods. But that is not stopping people from trying to raise support for this bill once again.

  • Following up with the ACLU.

    About a month ago I sent a email to the ACLU chapter in Colorado in concerning the ruling on the Stolen Valor Act with our favorite impostor. I got this reply about a week later that raised a few points that I wanted to address. I was going to post this sooner but I was hoping to get a second reply from them.

    Hello Mr. Andrews,

    Thank you for a thorough and well-written argument on the Stolen Valor Act case. I appreciate the time you took to contact us with your concern. To be clear, no one at the ACLU supports Strandlof’s despicable lies, nor wishes to minimize the insult they can cause for all members of our country’s armed forces, decorated or not. Ultimately, however, insulting another person–no matter how heroic the target of the insult may be–is not illegal.

    Our argument is strictly an analysis of the law itself, and the dangers we see in terms of it outlawing verbal falsehoods of all kinds, regardless of measurable injury. The government’s position was that the First Amendment doesn’t apply to any speech that isn’t true- something that would extend even to people saying things they believed to be true, but were not. If those lies are used to defraud others, than that in and of itself is already illegal, and should be prosecuted as fraud.

    Here is a link to a PDF file of the judge’s decision- if you have the time you can read the his reasoning for yourself:

    This being a nuanced legal argument, there are indeed respected legal minds who disagree: Eugene Volokh, a First Amendment expert and UCLA law professor, agrees with you, though for slightly different reasons- you can find his argument here:

    As to your parting image, let me just say, please continue to expose any all military posers you can. We absolutely support efforts to expose and shame those who pretend to claim honors they did not earn nor will ever understand what it means to serve. That is one of the best examples of “countering bad speech with more speech.”

    Thanks again for you time and concern,

    -Erik Maulbetsch

    It seems that the way that the Law is being viewed by the ACLU is that the Stolen Valor Act will go after anyone with the same level of punishment for wearing fake medals regardless of if it was a National Defense Medal or the Congressional Medal of Honor. But we know that we are not going to throw someone in Jail for wearing a Army Service Ribbon they did not earn. Yes the person is guilty and punishment is recommend. But the level of punishment varies. Also reinforced that this Act will some how lead to laws that will make lying about anything at all. I mean if that were true we would all be in jail.

    It also is confusing when he takes about going after fake Vets when a solid case of fraud has been done. But with the lack of a stricter punishment combined with a esoteric standard of what is considered fraud with each case makes this much harder.

    But one thing that I also wanted to talk about is what happened with with former Admiral Jeremy Michael Boorda This happened before the net came to full swing and I did not think about it until recently. I remember seeing this video when this first happened on the news.

    But this is my reply if anybody is wondering. I have yet to get a reply as of this writing.

    I am writing in reply to the court’s ruling that the Stolen Valor Act is unconstitutional. I strongly disagree that is is a matter of free speech. In the case of Strandlof in Colorado. The argument that nothing was gained or no one was hurt makes it freedom of speech is wrong. In every case of posers it does offer personal gain and injury to others.

    Personal gain:

    In the case of Strandlof he claimed the Silver Star and the Purple Heart while serving in Iraq as a Marine Officer. Because how these conflicts have affected so many, those who have faced the dangers of combat with heroics and valor are highly respected. So because of this many people lie about this to receive this attention. I have read a reply that this is just a law to protect the integrity of the Awards. It is, but there is more to that. Each award represents something that each person has gone through or gone without. To claim such awards like Iraq Campaign Medal without having spending time away from home is a insult. So consider that when he claims medals that can only be awarded by being in combat and never been in combat.

    Also when a person is highly decorated people are more willing to listen to them. Strandlof used his fake military service and awards to be started among different Veteran and Anti-War groups as key speakers. While doing these things they can and do receive additional awards and honors based on their lies. One thing that sees to keep coming up is that those that are proven to be fakes always claims elite units such as Special Forces, Ranger, SEALs, and Marine Recon. Hardly ever does it come out that a poser fakes being a cook, pad clerk or supply MOS (job). Because of the very demanding training and duties people who have done well. So people often want the glory of these people with out having to work for it. Also these awards are used to advance professional advancements in and out of the military, There are more then one story about people faking awards to get to the next rank.

    People who are hurt.
    First thing that comes to mind is his claim of a Purple Heart, the medal that is given for being wounded or killed by enemy actions. By claiming to have a Purple Heart without being wounded taking someone else pain and using it. When it is found out that you have fakes this it not only puts into question anything else you said, but anybody else who has a Purple Heart. Also people use the Purple Heart to get VA benefits and medical treatment. When at this time it is challenging to get VA medical care because of the numbers of claims. Fake and fraudulent claims steal from those who have honestly earned this and these fake awards only help this happen.

    But what I find it be damaging is when people like Strandlof are viewed as experts on what is happening in Iraq/Afghanistan despite the fact that he was never there. Often they make claims about atrocities that did not happen and sabotage the work and image of those that are serving honorably. Jesse Macbeth is a good example of this when he claimed to be a decorated Ranger that was Iraq vet that had been wounded in combat. His claims about killing women and children in a alleged terror campaign was sent around the web and even with the knowledge of the fact that he never got past basic the damage is still present if you go to youtube or similar sties. Now Strandlof was involved in the same group as Macbeth.

  • Think of the Children/Afghanistan version.

    It seems that Rethink Afghanistan is claiming that it has a exclusive story that prove that NATO forces were responsible 50 civilian deaths to include women and children. But given that the first images of the area are from Al Jazeera is enough to give pause considering their past actions. DC wrote a post about it that talks about it in more detail.

    The video goes into several interviews from people that claim that say what exactly happened/ But considering what the Taliban does to people that oppose them I find that these are suspect. Like the video of Al Jazeera recording the Taliban arresting people who voted in the 2009 Afghanistan election. In this case the fate of the people is not good. Also considering the Taliban is threatening to behead anyone who it considers a “informer”

    The Taliban in Afghanistan has threatened to behead informers who have been revealed following the explosive disclosure by WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks has put out over 90,000 uncensored intelligence documents, causing a security scare.

    So is this still a victimless crime now?

  • Can’t Imagine Why.

    It seems that the reporter that leaked private conversations is wondering why his request to be embedded with Military in Afghanistan was rejected according to Army Times.

    The author of the Rolling Stone article that ended the military career of Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the former top commander in Afghanistan, has been denied permission to join U.S. troops fighting in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

    Defense Department spokesman Col. David Lapan told reporters that freelance writer Michael Hastings was rebuffed when he asked to accompany, or “embed,” with American forces next month.

    I mean this is a total shock right, I mean posting angry comments about why support has taken over a year to get to Afghanistan and expects to be accepted there again?

    The inspector general is considering whether officers were insubordinate and how far up the chain of command responsibility for decisions involving the Hastings interviews extended, officials said. Defense officials outlined the investigation on condition of anonymity because it is ongoing and has reached no conclusions.

    On a side note we need to make a drinking game that sates that if anyone says “Not authorized to speak to the Press.” or something we drink. Because I see this happen way too much in our and Foreign news.

    Oh the same reporter has a book deal that he s going to talk about him leaking these conversations, I mean why in the world would you not want him back.

    Oh on the subject of Generals and Politics here is one for a good laugh.

    General Pace – you have the power to fulfill your responsibility to protect the troops under your command. Indeed you have an obligation to do so.

    You can relieve the President of his command.

    Not of his Presidency. But of his military role as Commander-In-Chief.

    You simply invoke the Uniform Code Of Military Justice.

    There is only one possible response for something like this.

  • Small Time Phoney.

    Found this on a site on FaceBook. Seems that is person claims that he is the best medic ever. I found a few items that I could spot like the the Army Reserve Achievement Medal and the Bronze Stars rather then Oak Leaf clusters. I am not sure about the last two medals if that are a Drill Ribbon or a Reserve Good Conduct Medal.

    But I thought that you would love the Infantry Ribbon with the Medical Crest and Disks. Granted not the biggest fake ever but I figured that this guy is going to go further down this road. But one of the best line said was this.

    If he is the best medic where’s his EFMB?

  • Shameless Ego Inflation

    Well since this is the weekend and I have not done one of these in awhile this post is going to be all about me.

    The first thing that I am excited about is that I won my first Soldier of the Month Board after my third try. I will be getting a COA along with a closer parking spot for a month. Also it gives me a excuse to post a picture of me in my Class A’s.

    Oh one thing I wanted to thank this site on was because we look at fake vets I found that AR-670-1 questions where one of my better topics in the board. Speaking of AR-670-1 what badge group does a Combat Action Badge fall into if the Infantry Badges is group one and the Medical Badges are in group two?

    Also I am going to use this post as a excuse as a reason to put up a newer picture of my son.

    That is him doing a web chat with the Grandparents. He has gotten a lot bigger and stronger since we got to Alaska. He is going to be turning three this December. Were does the time go.