Soldier Calls Out Faker In Black Beret

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Soldier Calls Out Faker In Black Beret

Posted: 9/13/2010 8:51:11 AM EDT

To Sgt. Louis Brandwein, something about the "ridiculously obese” man in ACUs at the gun show looked off.

He wore a nonregulation MOLLE belt, Special Forces qualification tabs on both shoulders and a rare Combat Infantryman Badge with two stars.

"Everything was just wrong. As soon as I looked at him, I was like, ‘What the hell,’ ” said Brandwein, a 25-year-old infantryman at Fort Richardson, Alaska.

The man Brandwein saw posing as a Green Beret in Anchorage, and confronted, was con man and serial faker William James Clark. Clark did federal prison time for posing as an Army captain at a 2002 bridge disaster.

Weeks later, Clark was arrested on Aug. 27 at a hotel in Deadhorse, about 500 miles north of Anchorage. He was charged with carrying a firearm while a convicted felon.

Although the federal Stolen Valor Act was ruled an unconstitutional violation of free-speech rights in July, the issue of military fakers remains provocative. Since Brandwein told the story last month on the gun owners website Georgia Packing, it has received more than 800 replies, many full of anger at Clark.

"Blood, sweat and tears have dropped out of your body in that uniform, so there was a vicious backlash; there’s no way in hell a veteran’s going to let that slide,” said Brandwein in an interview. Brandwein is with the 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.

In March, Brandwein and the 501st returned from Forward Operating Base Kushamond in Paktika province, Afghanistan. During the tour, he lost two platoon mates, 1st Lt. Brian N. Bradshaw, 24, and Staff Sgt. Michael C. Murphrey, 25.

"It brings something out of you when you see someone who’s going to flaunt the uniform and make it something pathetic,” Brandwein said.

On Aug. 7 at Sullivan Arena in Anchorage, Brandwein spotted Clark, moved in to examine his uniform and realized something was amiss. Among other sloppiness, Clark wore the two-star CIB below a military-police badge, not above, and he wore a senior parachutist badge, which suggested a lower level of experience than the CIB.

Brandwein asked Clark his unit; he replied 10th Special Forces. Brandwein, incredulous, got Clark to step out to the parking lot.

He asked Clark things a Green Beret would know, and Clark’s answers failed to satisfy. At one point, Clark said he was an 11C, though Special Forces corresponds with the 18 series.

The final straw was when Clark reached for his black beret. "I was like, really? OK, this guy is done,” Brandwein said. "If you’re going to wear a Special Forces tab on your arm, they’re called ‘Green Berets’ because they have green berets.”

Clark eventually confessed he was not as he presented himself.

"He said, ‘What if I told you I’m not in the military,’ and I said ‘What if I f––-ing tell you I know,’ ” Brandwein said.

"I said, ‘I’ve had friends who have died in this uniform and you’re a disgrace to think you could even put it on,’ ” Brandwein said. "He said he didn’t want me to tell anybody in the show because of everybody he had lied to in the show.”

Brandwein demanded Clark remove his badges and insignia and give them to him — and Clark consented. Brandwein used his phone to snap some photographs.

He let Clark leave and afterward went home himself to write an Internet post about the experience, including photos of Clark and the unearned insignia he had pocketed.

In the angry replies, people included newspaper articles about Clark’s past.

• In 2002, Clark showed up in Army fatigues at a bridge collapse in Oklahoma, identified himself as a captain with the 10th Special Forces Group and spent nearly three days in charge of the recovery effort. He was sentenced to nearly six years in prison and was released from a halfway house in 2007.

• In 2008, Clark was sent back to prison after he called the Russian Embassy claiming to be part of a covert military operation to assassinate then-President Vladimir Putin, the Associated Press reported.

On Aug. 23, Fairbanks police were called to a senior center after Clark showed a pistol to the director there and claimed to be a military police officer, according to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Clark was cited for trespassing, and officers discovered later that he has warrants out in five states.

Brandwein said Clark should be severely punished.

"He’s done it more than once ... and he came right out and he’s doing it again, in full force.”

http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20100913/NEWS01/100913009/Soldier+calls+out+faker+in+black+beret+

Posted: 9/13/2010 8:53:28 AM EDT

[#1]

dupe x87

Posted: 9/13/2010 8:55:25 AM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:

dupe x87

This article was just written a few hours ago.

Posted: 9/13/2010 8:57:55 AM EDT

[#3]

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=8&f=43&t=421148

Aviator

Posted: 9/13/2010 8:58:08 AM EDT

[#4]

The author is late to the game.

Quoted:

Quoted:

dupe x87

This article was just written a few hours ago.

Posted: 9/13/2010 8:58:24 AM EDT

[#5]

In 2002, Clark showed up in Army fatigues at a bridge collapse in
Oklahoma, identified himself as a captain with the 10th Special Forces
Group and spent nearly three days in charge of the recovery effort. He
was sentenced to nearly six years in prison and was released from a
halfway house in 2007.

I'm sorry, but that's fucking hilarious!

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:00:23 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:

Quoted:
dupe x87

This article was just written a few hours ago.

The Leaf Chronicle is WAY behind the times! We've been discussing this for weeks!

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:01:16 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=8&f=43&t=421148

http://762precision.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/4884042715_e311e20de4.jpg?w=497

Aviator

Fat ass!

Looks like an old CB radio mic

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:02:03 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:

In 2002, Clark showed up in Army fatigues at a bridge collapse in Oklahoma, identified himself as a captain with the 10th Special Forces Group and spent nearly three days in charge of the recovery effort. He was sentenced to nearly six years in prison and was released from a halfway house in 2007.

I'm sorry, but that's fucking hilarious!

...that he was put in charge for 3 days? Hell yes!

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:04:28 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:

In 2002, Clark showed up in Army fatigues at a bridge collapse in Oklahoma, identified himself as a captain with the 10th Special Forces Group and spent nearly three days in charge of the recovery effort. He was sentenced to nearly six years in prison and was released from a halfway house in 2007.

I'm sorry, but that's fucking hilarious!

I remember that. Not one of OK's proudest moments.

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:05:18 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:

In 2002, Clark showed up in Army fatigues at a bridge collapse in Oklahoma, identified himself as a captain with the 10th Special Forces Group and spent nearly three days in charge of the recovery effort. He was sentenced to nearly six years in prison and was released from a halfway house in 2007.

I'm sorry, but that's fucking hilarious!

...that he was put in charge for 3 days? Hell yes!

I can only hope he was picking up his teeth after his charade was discovered.

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:09:42 AM EDT

[#11]

We served together in an underwater HALO unit.

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:19:07 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
We served together in an underwater HALO unit.

before his illustrious military career, he served as sergeant on a 3 man Fast Action Response Team for one of the United States largest indoor shopping malls.

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:24:18 AM EDT

[#13]

Wow, I didn't know he was that big of a D-bag, seems like he really WANTS to be caught.

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:26:41 AM EDT

[#14]

Been covered in other threads, but worth nothing again that this guy is a piece of mega-shit.

What they should do is send him to A-Stan and throw him into a firefight with the Taliban, and make him actually EARN all those badges and quals, and if he attempts to return to friendly lines before he has done so, our own guys should shoot him.

That would serve his fat ass right.

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:26:44 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

We served together in an underwater HALO unit.

OPSEC motherfuker!

OPSEC!!!!!

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:28:26 AM EDT

[#16]

POS!

.mil would have to have really lax standards to let that tub of goo in.
It is illegal to impersonate a LEO, wouldn't the same be true for a civilian posing as a member of the military?

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:28:46 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:

Quoted:
dupe x87

This article was just written a few hours ago.

The Leaf Chronicle is WAY behind the times! We've been discussing this for weeks!

Welcome to Clarksville.

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:30:02 AM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
POS!

.mil would have to have really lax standards to let that tub of goo in.
It is illegal to impersonate a LEO, wouldn't the same be true for a civilian posing as a member of the military?

Read the article.

He already did time for posing as a federal military officer.

It is a federal offense to do that.

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:31:19 AM EDT

[#19]

I am wondering how he got a DOD sticker for his car. Glad to see whe have closed the security loopholes post 9/11.

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:34:11 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
...that he was put in charge for 3 days? Hell yes!

Not exactly. From what I've read, he tried throwing his (massive) weight around with little results. He made demands to the mayor who refused them. He had information on an Army officer who was killed in the crash before his remains were recovered. I think this information gave him some credibility to a few people.

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:35:14 AM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
I am wondering how he got a DOD sticker for his car. Glad to see whe have closed the security loopholes post 9/11.

As I pointed out in another thread, that DoD sticker for his car is also incorrect.

It has the wrong color coding.

Gold is for sergeants.

If he were a captain, the color strip would have been blue.

ETA: What happens a lot is that military guys will sell their cars to civilians and forget to remove the window decals.

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:35:42 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:

In 2002, Clark showed up in Army fatigues at a bridge collapse in Oklahoma, identified himself as a captain with the 10th Special Forces Group and spent nearly three days in charge of the recovery effort. He was sentenced to nearly six years in prison and was released from a halfway house in 2007.

I'm sorry, but that's fucking hilarious!

WTF OVER!

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:37:03 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I am wondering how he got a DOD sticker for his car. Glad to see whe have closed the security loopholes post 9/11.

As I pointed out in another thread, that DoD sticker for his car is also incorrect.

It has the wrong color coding.

Gold is for sergeants.

If he were a captain, the color strip would have been blue.

Its also taped to the inside of the windshield.

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:39:18 AM EDT

[#24]

whats his screen name?

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:40:35 AM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
I am wondering how he got a DOD sticker for his car. Glad to see whe have closed the security loopholes post 9/11.

100% ID check makes that a moot point.

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:42:32 AM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:

Quoted:
dupe x87

This article was just written a few hours ago.

Its a rehash of other articles written 2 weeks ago.

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:45:32 AM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:

In 2002, Clark showed up in Army fatigues at a bridge collapse in Oklahoma, identified himself as a captain with the 10th Special Forces Group and spent nearly three days in charge of the recovery effort. He was sentenced to nearly six years in prison and was released from a halfway house in 2007.

I'm sorry, but that's fucking hilarious!

...that he was put in charge for 3 days? Hell yes!

I can only hope he was picking up his teeth after his charade was discovered.

he's not qualified for that recovery effort either.

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:48:00 AM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I am wondering how he got a DOD sticker for his car. Glad to see whe have closed the security loopholes post 9/11.

As I pointed out in another thread, that DoD sticker for his car is also incorrect.

It has the wrong color coding.

Gold is for sergeants.

If he were a captain, the color strip would have been blue.

ETA: What happens a lot is that military guys will sell their cars to civilians and forget to remove the window decals.

Thanks for the clarification omega (and your service for our country)! I have a lot of respect for our military and the sacrifices that they make. It really disgusts me when some scum-bag wears a uniform that he could never possibly live up to.

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:58:44 AM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:

In 2002, Clark showed up in Army fatigues at a bridge collapse in Oklahoma, identified himself as a captain with the 10th Special Forces Group and spent nearly three days in charge of the recovery effort. He was sentenced to nearly six years in prison and was released from a halfway house in 2007.

I'm sorry, but that's fucking hilarious!

...that he was put in charge for 3 days? Hell yes!

I can only hope he was picking up his teeth after his charade was discovered.

Wow, that is beyond ridiculous. I'd love to hear more details on how that ruse was uncovered and whose ass got handed to them because of it.

Posted: 9/13/2010 10:00:57 AM EDT

[#30]

HATERS GONNA HATE

Posted: 9/13/2010 10:05:38 AM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
We served together in an underwater HALO unit.

Shhhhh. We don't talk about TUNA squad in public.

Shit. I've said to much.

Posted: 9/13/2010 10:08:12 AM EDT

[#32]

Sure it wasn't just one of those GAP kids?

Posted: 9/13/2010 12:09:27 PM EDT

[#33]

Here is my question how was he in charge of people for three days without anyone knowing he was a fake? I know military personal have ID so wouldn't you have to show it prior to entering a disaster area?

Posted: 9/13/2010 12:45:21 PM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:
Here is my question how was he in charge of people for three days without anyone knowing he was a fake? I know military personal have ID so wouldn't you have to show it prior to entering a disaster area?

Nah, people are stupid as fuck, I can totally see it.

My god, I hadn't actually read the details of tubby in the 87 other posts, I am overwhelmed.

The guy isn't a douche, even a douche wouldn't get himself sent to jail, repeatedly, by doing this.

He's fucking mentally ill, ya'll.

Like, not just standard GD crazy, but "Rapey-Flying-Monkeys-Fucked-My-Ear-Hole" brain scrambled crazy.

How is this guy not committed?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Soldier Calls Out Faker In Black Beret

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