![\"Julee](\"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Julee-Johns-300x276.jpg\")
<\/a><\/center><\/p>\nIt’s nice to see a media outlet go the extra mile to investigate these military phonies. WIAT<\/a> in Birmingham, AL did just that after they interviewed this Julee Johns character on Memorial Day. They experienced some backlash after the interview that led them to a five month hunt for the truth;<\/p>\n I kept digging and kept checking everything Johns had ever told me.<\/p>\n She told me she was medically discharged and received benefits from Veterans Affairs.<\/p>\n The VA Medical Center in Birmingham told me they were \u201cunable to locate any information on Ms. Johns.\u201d<\/p>\n Which means Johns never received VA benefits in Alabama.<\/p>\n Johns also told me she was a drill instructor on Parris Island. I contacted the deputy director of public affairs on Parris Island. She checked their records and said: \u201cIf Julee Johns were a drill instructor we would definitely have a record of he, and we don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n Finally, I contacted the U.S. Marines Manpower division. They pulled Johns\u2019 official file from the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis.<\/p>\n Their records show Julee Johns reported to recruit training on January 6, 1997, and was released on January 21, 1997.<\/p>\n She was in boot camp for 16 days. Normally boot camp is 13 weeks long.<\/p>\n Her story never quite added up, but here\u2019s what did.<\/p>\n I investigated for more than 160 days, made dozens of phone calls and emails, and traveled nearly 500 miles.<\/p>\n Finally, after five months, our WIAT 42 News Investigative Team visited her house one final time on Oct. 28. Johns called me back Nov. 4, finally ready to set the record straight.<\/p>\n She didn\u2019t want to do an interview. She still didn\u2019t want to be recorded. But she did have a message.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d she said. \u201cI didn\u2019t do it to hurt anybody.\u201d<\/p>\n She finally admitted she didn\u2019t serve 16 years. Rather, she served 16 days. She said she was released from boot camp for minor medical reasons and never went back.<\/p>\n She said she started lying about her service record around 2000 after some difficult moments in her life.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Here’s what she was wearing;<\/p>\n![\"Julee](\"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Julee-Johns-rack-300x168.jpg\")
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