Category: Phony soldiers

The Times of San Diego lays out the case against Randy Voepel’s claims that he earned a Combat Action Ribbon while stationed off the shores of Viet Nam;

In a phone interview Monday afternoon, Hoey said he suspects that the copy of Voepel’s discharge form — called a DD214 — is from the National Archives and may have been altered. He called on Voepel to release his own personal copy of the form.

“We counted no less than 15 errors on that DD214 — significant errors — including redactions and corrections in the areas where they are not permitted,” Hoey said. ‘We need to find the original. … Now it’s up to the press to look into that. My job is done here.”

(Herron did not respond to a request for Voepel’s version of the DD214.)

A Freedom of Information Act request by Hoey led to a document that lists Voepel as receiving the “Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device” but not the “Vietnam Campaign Medal Combat Action Ribbon.” In that DD214, COMBAT ACTION RIBBON is typed above a series of X’s, which might originally have stood for WITH DEVICE (an addendum badge).

I have never seen a legitimate DD214 that had a strike-through like the DD214 above. A clerk would be forced to start typing a new one to compensate for an error on the form.

Anyway, NBC7 consider the stolen valor allegations false;

In an email, Voepel’s Chief of Staff sent us this statement on behalf of the Assemblyman, “I am proud of my military service and my advocacy in Sacramento on behalf of veterans. Hollow political attacks are typical during campaign season. They won’t distract me from continuing to serve my constituents.”

As further proof, Voepel’s office released to NBC 7 Investigates a copy of the Assemblyman’s service discharge paperwork, called a DD-214.

Hoey and Wilske responded to the document by insisting it is phony since it is poorly typed and has several sections crossed out. Both told us they sent the DD-214 to other experts from stolen valor cases and those experts agreed with their findings. NBC 7 Investigates asked for the names of those experts but we haven’t received them yet.

I’ve also never seen a legitimate awardee of the Combat Action Ribbon wear it upside down. I’ve seen plenty of phonies wear it upside down, though;

Someone sent us their work on this Shaun Kindrew fellow who claims to be an Army Sergeant Major with 30 years of service in a local media venue;

Here in Dansville, most may not know, but a 30 year, retired Army Command Sgt. Major, named Shawn Kindrew works the line at the TravelCenters of America’s kitchen. A man who once had approximately 1,800 Soldiers under his command, now makes sure to greet you with a smile and make sure your meal is to your liking.

The article includes a “boot camp” photo of Shaun, but he’s in an Air Force uniform, not Army (the same picture is in his Facebook Photos);

That’s because Kindrew was in the Air Force for less than two years, twenty months not thirty years. He was discharged as an Airman Basic (E-1) not a sergeant major (E-9). The Air Force senior enlisted rank isn’t sergeant major, anyway, it’s Command Chief Master Sergeant;

Added: in that video on his Facebook page, the camera glides by a hat in his truck;

Someone sent us their work on this fellow, John Bonner Braddy, who claims that he was a Navy pilot, that he was shot down over Vietnam, that he was wounded and earned a Navy Cross. He even puts all of that on his résumé;

Of course, there’s no record of him attending the United States Naval Academy, but when confronted, he says that’s because he attended under another name, his name before he was placed in the federal Witness Protection Program. The Witness Protection Program folks messed up, because, he was John Braddy back in high school in North Carolina;

Braddy is quick to stand up in front of audiences and wow them with tales of his exploits in the skies over Vietnam;

According to his records he’s never even seen the skies over Vietnam. He spent a year on active duty in the Army, then he spent two years in the Army Reserves until he joined the Navy Reserves. He never went to Vietnam, he wasn’t a pilot, he was enlisted. His only award is a Good Conduct Medal;

Our partners at Military Phonies share their work with us on this Antonio R. Rambonga Jr, fellow who claims to be a Navy SEAL and a Vietnam veteran;

The Navy doesn’t remember his career like Tony remembers it;

Tony’s summary sheet shows that he served just over 3 years in the Navy and was discharged as an AR (E-1) and only received the National Defense Service Medal. His first duty station was at NAS Miramar which it looks like shore duty. Tony’s second duty station was the USS Kitty Hawk, during his time there the USS Kitty Hawk was deployed to Western Pacific Indian Ocean and returned on July 9, 1974, but Tony transferred on June 20, 1974 to be discharged. Based on Tony’s summary sheet it shows NO BUD/S (UDT-R), NO combat Diver, NO UDT/SEAL Team, NO Combat Action Ribbon, NO Vietnam Service and NO E-5.

Our partners at Military Phonies share their work on this fellow, Matthew Gosney, who claims to be a US Navy SEAL. He also claims that he was injured in combat by IED at least twice. He’s being treated for his resulting TBI;

At this link to an interview, at the 13 minute mark, he describes how he went to SEAL Training and how he was shot in the leg and took two IED explosions to his face.

A rational person would assume that a doctor who is trying to sell his treatment for veterans with PTSD and TBI would actually make sure that the patients that he was treating had done anything that would contribute to that condition. I guess we’re not talking about rational people here.

The records show that Gosney was in the United States Navy from 2001 to 2008. He was a Hospital Corpsman as he claims and got out as a HM3 or E4. He served with the Marines as a Lab Technician. He did make at least one deployment to Iraq. What is missing from his records is any mention of BUD/S or being stationed with a SEAL Team. He has no Combat Action Ribbon or Purple Hearts that would of been awarded for combat injuries. By his claims he would have three Purple Hearts.

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

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.

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.