{"id":35414,"date":"2013-05-04T06:45:00","date_gmt":"2013-05-04T10:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/valorguardians.com\/blog\/?p=35414"},"modified":"2013-05-04T11:30:03","modified_gmt":"2013-05-04T15:30:03","slug":"shane-ladner-an-iraq-vet-dont-think-so","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/?p=35414","title":{"rendered":"Shane Ladner an “Iraq Vet”? Don’t Think So"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s been much talk recently at TAH about a guy named Shane Ladner (see here<\/a>, here<\/a>, and here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Ladner has made multiple dubious claims.\u00a0 He’s claimed he has a Purple Heart, and to have gotten it in Panama (later admitted by Ladner to be an intentional falsehood – he now claims he really got it in a “secret anti-drug mission in Central America”)<\/a>, to have served in in Somalia<\/a>, and to have served in Iraq<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I’ve seen\u00a0comments elsewhere on this site<\/a> that indicate Ladner has admitted many of his claims were lies – and in particular, that he’s admitted his claims of Somalia and Iraq service were lies.\u00a0 But I’ve not seen any published accounts of Ladner admitting those claims were lies.\u00a0 The original reports of his Somalia and Iraq service were published by the media, and they’re still out there for people to see.\u00a0 Ladner was the only plausible source for those claims.\u00a0 So until I see a published report that he’s admitted his past claims of Somalia and Iraq service were lies, I’m regarding those claims of Somalia and Iraq service to still be “on the table”.<\/p>\n

Ladner\u2019s attorney has released what purports to be a DD214 relating to one of Ladner\u2019s periods of active duty service.\u00a0 The attorney apparently did this to bolster Ladner’s claims of having a Purple Heart and being a “war hero”.<\/p>\n

However, releasing that document that may have been of a mistake.\u00a0 The DD214 released by Ladner\u2019s lawyer – plus what\u2019s known about Ladner\u2019s military career from other sources (see the video at this link<\/a>) – together provide persuasive evidence that Ladner never served in Iraq.\u00a0 This in turn proves a second claim made by Ladner to be false, and thus calls into question all of his other unsupported claims.<\/p>\n

Background<\/span><\/p>\n

There are only two times that the US Army has conducted combat operations in Iraq.\u00a0 The first time was during the first Gulf War (Desert Storm, 1991).\u00a0 The second time was the more recent Iraq War (2003-2011).\u00a0 That means in order to have served in Iraq, Ladner must have deployed there during one of those two periods of time.<\/p>\n

A look at Ladner’s DD214 discloses a problem.\u00a0 Each of these conflicts has decorations \u2013 specifically, certain campaign or expeditionary medals \u2013 that specifically recognize service in Iraq.\u00a0\u00a0 If Ladner ever served in Iraq as he claims, and if if the DD214 is legitimate and accurate, his DD214 should show at least one of those awards.<\/p>\n

None of those decorations are present on the DD214 in question.\u00a0 That means things aren’t “adding up.”\u00a0 So lets take a closer look at Ladner’s “I served in Iraq claim”.<\/p>\n

Desert Storm, 1991<\/span><\/p>\n

As documented in the video here<\/a>, Ladner entered the delayed entry program (DEP) in August 1989.\u00a0 He finished high school, then entered active duty in August 1990.\u00a0 (This fact alone proves Ladner has previously lied about his military service and his Purple Heart.\u00a0 Ladner originally claimed to have received his Purple Heart in Panama.\u00a0 If that were true, that means Ladner would have been in Panama for Operation Just Cause in December 1989 \u2013 while he is known to have still been in High School.)<\/p>\n

Since Basic Training and AIT typically take 3-4 months, Ladner would have gotten to his first unit in late 1990 or early 1991.\u00a0 It\u2019s thus theoretically possible that Ladner could have served in Iraq during Desert Shield\/Desert Storm.<\/p>\n

However, if Ladner had actually served in Iraq during or in support of Desert Storm the DD214 provided by his lawyer would show at least one (and probably 3) decorations that simply aren\u2019t there.\u00a0 Specifically, his DD214 would show the Southwest Asia Service Medal (SWASM), and in all likelihood would also show both Kuwait Liberation Medals (one was issued by Saudi Arabia, and one was issued by Kuwait) as well.\u00a0 Someone who actually served in Iraq during Desert Storm would rate all 3 medals.\u00a0 Anyone who served in-theater in support of the operation between 2 August 1990 and 30 November 1995 would rate at least the SWASM.<\/p>\n

None of those medals are shown on the DD214 released by Ladner’s lawyer.\u00a0 What this indicates is that Ladner did not serve in Iraq during the first Gulf War in 1991<\/span> – or anywhere in SW Asia between August 1990 and Nov 1995.\u00a0 He simply doesn\u2019t have the \u201cbeen-there badges\u201d from that conflict.<\/p>\n

Iraq War, 2003-2011<\/span><\/p>\n

The second possible \u201cwindow\u201d for Ladner to have served in Iraq as he claimed is the Iraq War.\u00a0 That conflict began in March 2003 and ended in Dec 2011.\u00a0 The DD214 Ladner\u2019s attorney provided does indeed show active duty service during this period \u2013 from Feb 2003 to Oct 2004.\u00a0 However, that same document also very clearly indicates that Ladner did not serve in Iraq between Feb 2003 and Oct 2004<\/span>.\u00a0 We know that because:<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 Block 12 of the DD214 released by Ladner\u2019s attorney shows no foreign service<\/span>.\u00a0 None.\u00a0 Zip.\u00a0 Nada.\u00a0 That indicates he didn’t deploy to an overseas location between Feb 2003 and Oct 2004.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 Last time I checked, service in Iraq was considered “foreign service\u201d.\u00a0 It\u2019s hard to serve in Iraq if you didn’t deploy to an overseas location.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0 If Ladner had deployed to Iraq between Feb 2003 and Oct 2004, Blocks 13 and\/or 18 of this DD214 would also show an entry such as \u201cIraq 2003MMDD-2004MMDD\u201d or “Kuwait\/Iraq 2003MMDD-2004MMDD”.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t have any such entry.\u00a0 This confirms the lack of foreign service in block 12.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0 If Ladner had deployed to SW or Central Asia Feb 2003 and Oct 2004 for 30 or more days (or less if he’d come under fire or had to be medically evacuated out of theater), Blocks 13 and\/or 18 of Ladner\u2019s would also show the Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal (GWOTEM).\u00a0 The GWOTEM isn’t listed on his DD214.\u00a0 (The Iraq Campaign Medal would not be on Ladner’s DD214 as it didn’t exist at the time; it was established in Nov 2004 and implemented in early 2005.\u00a0 The GWOTEM was established in March 2003 and was the decoration awarded for Iraq service from Mar 2003-April 2005.)\u00a0 This further confirms that Ladner did not serve in Iraq during the period covered by this DD214.<\/p>\n

Collectively, these facts conclusively show Ladner did not serve in Iraq between Feb 2003 and Oct 2004.\u00a0 But that only accounts for 2003-2004.\u00a0 Is it possible Ladner served a later tour of active duty and deployed?<\/p>\n

That’s extremely unlikely.\u00a0 A redacted image of the Member Copy of Ladner\u2019s purported DD214 is shown here<\/a>. \u00a0This copy shows type of discharge received and reason for discharge.<\/p>\n

The reason for discharge listed on Ladner\u2019s DD214 was \u201cDISABILITY, SEVERANCE PAY\u201d.\u00a0 Typically, that reason for discharge would mean he had a medical condition so severe as to disqualify him from future active military service.\u00a0 That means it\u2019s unlikely that Ladner has any extended active duty military service after Oct 2004.\u00a0 And it means he’d almost certainly not<\/span> be medically qualified for overseas deployment to a combat zone.<\/p>\n

Recap<\/span><\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 No SWASM on his October 2004 DD214 means Ladner didn’t serve in Iraq during Desert Storm.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 No GWOTEM\u00a0 or foreign service on his Oct 2004 DD214 means Ladner didn’t serve in Iraq between Mar 2003 and Oct 2004.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0 Discharge for “DISABILITY, SEVERANCE PAY” in Oct 2004 means he almost certainly has no overseas deployments to Iraq after that date.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0 Desert Storm (1991) and the Iraq War (2003-2011)\u00a0 are the only two times we’ve engaged in combat operations in Iraq.<\/p>\n

Together, the above rather conclusively indicates that Ladner never served in Iraq.\u00a0 Given what Ladner himself has provided for his attorney to release publicly and what’s known from other sources, at this point I’ll have to see documentary proof from a trustworthy independent source before I’ll believe Ladner ever served in Iraq.<\/p>\n

. . .<\/strong><\/p>\n

Of course, I guess it\u2019s also possible that the DD214 provided by Ladner’s attorney isn\u2019t legitimate, or simply has many significant errors and omissions.\u00a0 But either of those possibilities is also quite damaging to Ladner’s claims.<\/p>\n

If the document’s not legit, I really<\/em><\/span> want to hear Ladner\u2019s explanation of where he got it and why his lawyer is trying to pass it off today as the “real deal”.\u00a0 And if the document is so “jacked up” that it doesn’t show his service in Iraq in either Desert Storm or during the period covered by the DD214 – a huge and significant omission – then why should we believe anything else the document says?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s been much talk recently at TAH about a guy named Shane Ladner (see here, here, … Shane Ladner an “Iraq Vet”? Don’t Think So<\/span>Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":623,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,155],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35414","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-phony-soldiers","category-shitbags"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35414","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/623"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=35414"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35414\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=35414"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=35414"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=35414"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}