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

Category: Oath Keepers

  • James Arroyo – Another embellishing Oath Keeper.

    James Arroyo – Another embellishing Oath Keeper.


    The folks at Military Phony send us their work on James Steven Arroyo who is the vice-president of the Arizona Chapter of the OathKeepers.  He is also the regional chapter president of the Chino Valley / Yavapai Oathkeepers.

    Jim repeatedly says that he was a US Army Ranger.

    Then, several articles appearing in print highlight Jim’s involvement with the Iran Hostage Rescue team – Operation Eagle Claw.

    The problem is that Jim wrote to the Special Forces Association (SFA) and all but admitted he wasn’t a Ranger because he did not finish the school due to an injury.  He also talks about the Iran Rescue Mission but in the SFA’s response, they state that parts of the support mission were not executed.  (NOTE: The DD-214 was supplied by Jim Arroyo, so we cannot speak to its accuracy.)

    There were no real surprises with the NPRC response when they supplied his military records…

    I guess these kinds of embellishments play well to civilians and the dull-witted.   I have lost count of how many Oath Keepers we have posted for this kind of nonsense.  I have also lost count of how many times I have had to explain to some civilian the difference between actually being a tabbed Ranger and simply someone that was assigned to a Ranger Battalion.

    If little Jimmy here was injured during his training to become a Ranger he should not be giving people the impression that he actually was one.  He served during a time when most people wouldn’t, he made it through jump school and was assigned to a Ranger Battalion.  For a kid that only served a little over a year on active duty that is more than enough to be proud of.

    Insofar as his super secret Iran hostage missions…um…nah it didn’t happen and even if it did he would have been a Private in a support role.  It seems he has become a legend in his own mind but to those of us who served more than a year or so, being back up in a support role does not make us Rangers.   I understand those few weeks of his life are special to him and they should be, he just needs to relax and have a Snickers.

    There used to be a guy around here that called this kind of clown a “Five Jump Chump”.  Private Arroyo might want to stop telling people he was a Ranger.  All he gets from actual Rangers is a yawn and an eye roll when he does that nonsense.  He could try something like, “I was injured and medically retired while training to become an Army Ranger.”

     

     

     

     

     

  • Vigilante group ‘Oath Keepers’ arrested in Mexico Beach following Hurricane Michael

    We have busted so many people who claim to be members of  “The Oath Keepers” I have lost count.

    A group of armed militia members identifying themselves with “The Oath Keepers” was arrested Thursday night for allegedly violating Bay County’s mandatory curfew put in place after Hurricane Michael, according to official reports.

    Anthony Cusumano, 34, and Tammy Joan Crandield, 48, were charged with misdemeanor curfew violation while Thomas Hubert Terry, 34; Brian Charles Calkins, 31; and Charles Randall Moye, 44, were charged with violating the Bay County curfew and open carry of a firearm — both misdemeanors.

    According to Bay County Sheriff’s Office reports, the group was driving around in Mexico Beach after the sundown curfew in a white Ford Crown Victoria and a maroon Nissan Frontier, patrolling the area. The Ford was dressed to look like a patrol cruiser and every member was wearing tactical clothing, including one vest that stated “tactical officer.”

    When officers spoke with the group, they allegedly identified themselves as members of The Oath Keepers, a militia group that describes itself as non-partisan association of current and formerly serving military, police, and first responders, who pledge to fulfill the oath all military and police take to “defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” according to the website. The description further states the group’s allegiance is to the constitution, and they “will not obey” unconstitutional orders such as orders to disarm.

    What should have been a great organization to support, quickly turned into a farce.  What I do not need during any crisis is a group of Cheese Eating One Eyed Fat Men patrolling my street.  I am surprised they didn’t try another “Shithouse Siege”.  I have popcorn just sitting here…un-popped.

    Source: Vigilante group ‘Oath Keepers’ arrested in Mexico Beach following Hurricane Michael

  • Oathkeepers cancel protest; counter-protesters burn flag

    According to the Associated Press, Oathkeepers planned a protest at Maxine Waters’ office in Los Angeles, California and then cancelled it at the last moment.

    A pickup with two passengers didn’t get the word and when they showed up at Waters’ office, counter-protesters ripped the flag from the truck, stomped on it and burned the flag;

    “The Oath Keepers would like nothing more than to inflame racial tensions and create an explosive conflict in our community,” Waters said in a statement a day earlier urging counter-protesters to stay away.

    A few dozen counter-protesters including union workers, church leaders, South Los Angeles residents and members of activist groups gathered peacefully outside the office at midday. Some held signs proclaiming “Black, brown and labor unity!” and “Resist!”

    “These people are coming here to cause problems,” said Cliff Smith, an organizer with United Union of Roofers Waterproofers and Allied Workers Local No. 36. “Violent right wing groups have no business here.”

    Yeah, the “racist” Oathkeepers deployed to Ferguson, Missouri a few years back to defend Michael Brown supporters against the police. I’m no fan of the Oathkeepers and it pisses me off to defend them.

  • Oath Keepers on guard at school

    Oath Keepers on guard at school

    The Tribunist reports that an Oath Keeper, Mark Cowan, who claims to be an Army veteran, is on guard at a Fort Wayne, Indiana school with his AR-style rifle;

    Cowan isn’t technically on school grounds, but he is close enough to monitor the premises.

    He explained to WANE “that he is there to protect the students and ward off anyone who would pose a threat to their safety.”

    […]

    Opinions on the Oath Keepers seem to be split along partisan lines. Cowan’s presence at the school hasn’t made everyone happy, either.

    Here, let me bust your “partisan lines” for you. I wouldn’t let an Oath Keeper within range of my house for anything. They are a bunch of mouthy little pricks who can’t tell the business end of a firearm from their asshole. Most of them lie about their military service at their dick-measuring meetings and whenever they can get in front of media cameras. This is a recruiting stunt by Cowan, why else would he be wearing the Oath Keeper finery to guard a school? I wouldn’t let him guard my cat’s litter box.

    I don’t know if Cowan is a veteran or not, I only know that I don’t need to belong to an organization to remind myself that I took an oath. Especially an organization so full of valor thieves as Oath Keepers.

    Thanks to AZtoVA for the link.

    Oh, and by the way, Mr Cowan was arrested last year for assault;

  • Oregon; car thieves and pretend warriors

    You’ve probably read already today that one of the Oregon “occupiers” was arrested yesterday for stealing a government vehicle from the wildlife refuge so he can run his errands. Kenneth Medenbach, 62, is cooling his heels in the local hoosegow on $10,000 bail after he was arrested at Safeway, another Federal vehicle was parked next to the one that Medenbach was driving, but that driver escaped arrest according to The Oregonian.

    Both vehicles — a pickup and a passenger van, bore door signs reading “Harney County Resource Center.” That’s the new name occupiers have given to the bird sanctuary they occupy, which is about 30 miles southeast of Burns.

    “The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is grateful for the quick actions from law enforcement,” said Megan Nagel, spokeswoman for the agency, which manages the refuge. “We will continue to work with law enforcement to recover vehicles bought and paid for by the American people to care for their national wildlife refuge.”

    Medenbach has a history of squatting on Federal property going back a few decades, apparently. So that’s how they plan to overthrow the government, I guess – break the laws when it suits them and attract the legions of stolen valor warriors to Oregon. Because you have to ask yourself – who would join these valor thieves knowing their histories now? Only more tacti-cool models.

    Speaking of which; Stuart Rhodes, the former Ron Paul staffer and current director of Oathkeepers assured us the other day that he has ordered Oathkeepers to stand down from their participation in the Oregon theater. Well, they’re not paying attention to him because our old friend, phony POW and wounded warrior Joe Rice, “coordinator” for the Josephine County Oathkeepers is out there. Stuart has has also issued a “warning” to Federal officials who might be at the Oregon standoff;

    This is addressed first and foremost to the entire U.S. military, but especially to the military Special Operations Command and community. Secondly, it is addressed to federal LEOs, and especially to their SRTs, such as the FBI HRT (many of whom are former military special operations). This comes from combat arms and special operations veterans, along with veteran Sheriffs and police officers, within the Oath Keepers organization:

    Rhodes is pulling the same stunt he pulled in Nevada – he has “information” regarding the buildup of US military personnel around the wildlife refuge and he’s reminding them of their oath to protect the Constitution, not the politicians. Stuart, first of all, I don’t believe your “information”. I didn’t believe it last year and I don’t believe it this year. Secondly, we don’t need you or your little band of tacticool warriors to remind us of our oaths. Your “warning” rings hollow – it’s a well known tactic of the tin-foil hat crowd to warn people about dangers that don’t exist and then when whatever they were predicting doesn’t happen, they say that it’s because of their information campaign that the plan was scrapped.

    Rhodes’ evidence that the Obama Administration is considering the use of US Military against the occupiers comes from a linked Washington Times article that reported that the Obama Administration considered using military force in Nevada, but decided against it;

    So, the military force hammer was, in fact, on the table during Bundy Ranch, as we suspected. Please don’t try to tell us it’s not on the table again, now. We know it is. The only question is whether the Obama Admin leftist weenies will be foolish enough to try to actually use it, and if they do, whether you will be foolish enough to obey their idiotic orders and obediently act as that hammer.

    Well, that’s just immature BS. The Obama Administration “considers” a lot of actions. If they don’t use it, it doesn’t matter much, does it? Besides, Rhodes information that he made a big deal about last year was that SEAL and Special Forces snipers were actually on the ground. Now he admits that wasn’t true.

    Samuel Johnson in “The Patriot” wrote; “The true lover of his country is ready to communicate his fears, and to sound the alarm, whenever he perceives the approach of mischief. But he sounds no alarm, when there is no enemy; he never terrifies his countrymen till he is terrified himself. The patriotism, therefore, may be justly doubted of him, who professes to be disturbed by incredibilities….”

    I’m looking at you, Stuart – your paranoid bullshit could get people killed out there. But, then, that’s what you and your little band of valor thieves want isn’t it? I’m sure the Feds are more than willing to wait out a bunch of idiots who drive around in stolen vehicles and beg for lickies and chewies and socks from their supporters.

  • FBI warns NYPD about Jon Ritzheimer

    FBI warns NYPD about Jon Ritzheimer

    Ritzheimer

    You probably remember Jon Ritzeimer, the fellow who sponsored that “Draw Muhammad” contest in Phoenix a few months back and a few of his buddies were arrested afterwards. He also, along with some Oathkeepers, threatened to arrest Debbie Stabenow for treason. Well, now he’s on a road trip to New York and, according to the New York Daily News, the FBI has warned the New York Police Department that he’s on his way to cause trouble there;

    The FBI got involved after a Muslim group based near Albany notified the agency that Jon Ritzheimer, 32, of Phoenix had posted a video on Nov. 18 in which he showed a gun, made profane anti-Obama statements and said he was driving cross-country to confront them, sources and a group spokesman said.

    Agents were able to talk with him initially, but two days later, when he was in Scranton, Penn., he got angry and cut off communication with them. At that point, the alert, citing a “potential threat to law enforcement,” was issued, sources said.

    Ritzheimer, a former Marine, has made threats against Muslims a personal cause. He has organized an armed protest at a Phoenix mosque, threatened to “arrest” all senators who voted for President Obama’s nuclear pact with Iran, and encouraged all Americans to carry rifles in public for protection against terrorists.

    Well, his video is at the link. It was here, but I removed it because it auto-starts.

    Back in September, I was curious about his claim that he’s a Marine, so we filed a FOIA for him. For some reason, the National Personnel Records Center wouldn’t give us the whole thing.

    Ritzheimer FOIA 1

    Ritzheimer FOIA 2

    But from what I got, I can tell that he served from March 2003 to April 2014 in the Marine Corps Reserve. In October 2013, he was placed in the Individual Ready Reserve. In 2003, he went through basic training and upon graduation, he went to the School of Infantry on May 28 but he was in truck driver school in Fort Leonard Wood, MO less than a month later, so I guess he didn’t make it through SOI. He had three year-long periods of active service, so I’m guessing that he deployed to Iraq for those; Jan. 2005 – Jan. 2006, July 2006 – May 2007, Dec. 2007 – Jan. 2009.

    Ritzheimer Active Duty 2005

    Ritzheimer Active Duty

    Ritzheimer Active Duty 2

    He got a letter of commendation for at least one tour;

    Ritzheimer Commendation

    Here are his assignments. Maybe you’ll see something I missed;

    Ritzheimer Assignments 1

    Ritzheimer Assignments 2

    Ritzheimer Assignments 3

    Ritzheimer Assignments 4

    Ritzheimer Assignments 5

    Ritzheimer Assignments 6

    Ritzheimer Assignments 7

    Ritzheimer Assignments 8

    Ritzheimer Assignments 9

    Ritzheimer DD214 1

    Ritzheimer DD214 2

    Ritzheimer DD214 3

    Ritzheimer DD214 4

    Ritzheimer DD214 Awards summary

    Ritzheimer DD214 Training summary

    The bottom line is that, yes, he was a Marine Reservist, and it looks like he had some time in combat as a truck driver (a tough and dangerous job in Iraq). He may have some issues related to his service, but folks with PTS don’t threaten the lives of people (except, maybe, themselves), so what he’s doing these days isn’t necessarily related to his military service. I’m not sure what he thinks that he’ll accomplish on this cross-country jihad of his, but it’s probably not a good idea to take a firearm to New York City.

    Thanks to Eggs for the link.

  • Global Rally for Humanity in Dearborn

    Global Rally for Humanity in Dearborn

    According to the Detroit Free Press, Oathkeepers and other pretend patriots are planning a rally that they’re calling the “Global Rally for Humanity” in order to “bring attention to what they call “radical Islam.”” They’re encouraging attendees to bring their firearms to the rally, you know, to bring attention to radical Islam.

    A person with the Facebook page told the Free Press: “The rallies (are) aimed toward radical Islam and Louis Farrakhan,” who is organizing an event on the same day called Justice or Else, marking the 20th anniversary of the Million Man March.

    The person did not identify himself when asked by the Free Press. Haddad and Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly did not identify the Dearborn rally’s organizer other than to say that he lives in Michigan.

    While I’m no fan of Islam, radical or otherwise, I’m also not a fan of Oathkeepers’ latest tactic of being a target for the more violent adherents of that particular religion, either. Having been at a few rallies for Islamic causes, I can attest they are easily roused to physical action towards people who disagree with them. I watched them assault a Lithuanian Jew who was peacefully protesting against them at the Israeli Embassy a few years back. I also watched them assault a Free Republic counter-protest across from the White House one year. Oathkeepers seem to enjoy throwing gas on a fire. While, in principle, I agree with what they’re saying, I disagree with their tactics which are similar to poking a bear. A really stupid, intolerant, racist bear.

    Thanks to Marine_7002 for the link.

  • Oathkeepers offer to protect Kim Davis from LEOs

    Oathkeepers offer to protect Kim Davis from LEOs

    The military-like faction of the Ron Paul movement, Oathkeeper, led by Stuart Rhodes, a former Ron Paul Congressional staffer, had pledged to protect Kim Davis, that county clerk in Kentucky who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, from any officers who might come to arrest her again, according to their website;

    No one man should have that kind of power in his hands alone to decide guilt and impose a sentence of indefinite detention. Under our Constitution, that dictatorial power does not exist. We must stand against this. And so we will protect her and prevent it from happening again.

    From Right Wing Watch;

    In a phone call with Jackson County, Kentucky, Sheriff Denny Peyman and other local Oath Keepers activists…Rhodes said that the Rowan County sheriff should have blocked U.S. Marshals from detaining Davis, but since neither the sheriff nor the state’s governor will do their “job” and “intercede” on behalf of Davis, the Oath Keepers will have to do it instead. “As far as we’re concerned, this is not over,” he said, “and this judge needs to be put on notice that his behavior is not going to be accepted and we’ll be there to stop it and intercede ourselves if we have to. If the sheriff, who should be interceding, is not going to do his job and the governor is not going to do the governor’s job of interceding, then we’ll do it.”

    While I agree that Davis shouldn’t have been jailed, I don’t think the answer is to send a platoon of phonies and pretenders decked out in tacti-cool-gear and Oakleys marching around with scary black guns outwardly threatening LEOs.