Your Thoughts

[SuperScout]

Today, I visited the VA Clinic in Austin to drop off copies of my medical records. While waiting to see my "rep," I was engaged in a conversation by a "veteran;" I place this descriptive phrase in quotation marks, for the following reason: he appeared much younger than I, claimed to have completed two tours in Vietnam, plus was a POW for six years.

Lawd knows, I've always had trouble with math, and am really trying to crunch the numbers without getting in judgement about the man in question. With a tour of 12 months, a stateside rotation of 8-12 months being the norm (from my experience) then back for another 12 month tour, then a period of time as a guest at Hanoi Hilton or some sort of sumptious resort amounting to 6 mores years..............?????????? Or did he do one tour, get captured, escaped after 6 years, did another tour.....???????

My gut reaction, usually rather accurate, is to peg this dude as a wannabee. He was also raving about the Illuminati conspiracy, or some such black-helicopter paranoia. He was sporting some of the cute little metal medals on his all-black regalia............

How old did he appear?Sounds like a pure flake.

[the humper]

You're not having trouble with math. It's sheer idiocy that you ran into that's giving you a problem!!!!!!!!
SF
NC

[DMZ-LT]

Ain't no shortage of wannabes out there - where were they when we were baby killers ?

[reeb]

SS,

Wouldnt that put him about Humpers age?

When my one year was up, I got 30 days leave at any destination I wanted and then go back, just as the Govt is doing now in Iraq.

The leave was free, so the original leave of 30 days just builds up and you cash in when discharging.

You were very alert in noticing the Dude.

A dollar to a doughnut , says, he will get his bennies before you do.

enough.........

[SuperScout]

Hopefully, if there's a next time to encounter one of these sterling examples of "this is your brain on drugs," I'll be ready to ask some probing questions to determine age better. It just seems incredible that the wonderful treatment he received at the hands of the Hanoi Hilton staff preserved his skin in such amazing suppleness - it must have been that spa-like diet they provided. And I'll not take the bet that he'll receive a boat-load of bennies before the deserving do.

But there's a good thing that came out of this encounter: it made me that much more appreciative of being in the company, albeit electronically, with real men, real heroes. Thanks, gentlemen!!

[Seascamp]

Taking liberty with some parameters:

The POW?s were repatriated in 1973 so that would assume that the claimant was taken captive in 1967. The vast majority of the POWs were either Air Force or Navy Pilots, so prior to capture we will say two tours over a four-year period, now were back to 1964.

Given pilot prerequisites and training, there is at least four years of College and at one year of flight training. That suggests that in 1959 an 18-year-old was just starting College. That would indicate a birth year of 1941. There are other scenarios I suppose, but I ran the one I know about.

Scamp

[MORTARDUDE]

The downside of folks like that, is apparently a lot of them receive VA benefits. All well documented in "Stolen Valor". I would like to know how they are able to fool the VA. I suppose with all the identity theft that is rampant, it is not too difficult. Sad.

Larry

[Keith_Hixson]

We have an old gentleman in our church who served in WW II. He was a staff sgt in the artillery. Landed two days after D-day. Stayed until the German surrender. He has severe hearing lost due to being an Artillery squad leader. He has a bronze star for his forward observing activities. He refused to go to the VA for his hearing aids or any other medical expenses. He says, he won't be a leech on his government. Now, I believe and I have told him on several occassions that the Government owes you some hearing aids to say the least.

Then I hear about some wannabee ripping off the government, it really makes you angry.

Keith

[SuperScout]

Kindly accept my thousands of pardons for my not asking you to do the math first! Your assessment is brilliant, to say the least. From your previous posts, laden as they are with pithiness, wit, charm and accuracy, I knew that reason and logic would prevail!

From your original scenario, there is a distinct impossibility that aforementioned wannabee could have crammed so much living in so short of time. I can assure you, gentle readers, that our pseudo POW was neither a Zoomie or a Squid pilot; all of the ones that I've met, and that's dozens to say the least, were fully capable of conversational skills at a level above 6th grade, the apparent final year of formal schooling for said wannabee.

The more I think about this event, the angrier I get, just like MBiC Keith. And if I can pick one of these sorts, flakier than a plate full of Southern biscuits, why can't the VA weed them out?