What to do about (kind of) fake or lying Marine?

Question

OK, Here is the deal. I know a man who was, in fact, a "Marine"...He pretty much went to boot camp, AIT, and then was "discharged." I have added up the years that he said he was in Vietnam and he would have been 15 or 16... He has all kinds of action packed stories of killing people and blowing things up, but other people I know that have those experiences do not talk about them in the way he does. He later went to Iraq with KBR as a heavy machinery operator and came home telling more stories of The Army asking him to go on "missions" with them since he was a former Marine(bear in mind he is nearly 60)...This is where I started calling BS... I mean sure he could have been in on the latter part of the Vietnam war, I guess, but his wife claims that he only spent 13 months in the Corps and I know enough about the military to know that boot camp is 13 weeks long and infantry school(what he claimed was his MOS) is 12 weeks... so that's nearly half a year in training...doesn't leave much time for (not so) secrete missions and blowing stuff up. what do yo think?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

My cousin enlisted in the Marine Crop in 1971 on a two year enlistment. The Marines were offering these short enlistments at the time to round out their troop levels. But most of these short term enlistees never left the states unless they reuped for a longer enlistment. My cousin spent his whole tour in San Diego. Sounds like your accountancy was on something like this. 

There is a joke that applies to your friend. What is the difference between a fairytale and a war-story? The answer...a fairytale starts out "...once upon a time...." The war-story starts out "...this is no $hit...." You are right, real combat vets are not prone to talking about combat. Civilians simply can't understand, they have no point of reference for what decision and what actions are necessary in combat. 

However, wannabe warriors who were never in combat have been telling stories of their own fantasy's since the Trojan War. It was a phenomenon particularly noted after the Civil War that went on until long after the last real vet had died. Wannabe vets who were actually to young to have fought in the war were still claiming they had seen combat. 

Another interesting fact that dovetails with the description of your friend is that about 2.5 million American troops (from all branches of the service) served in Vietnam over the years. But, in the (I believe) 2000 census more then 9 million men claimed to be Vietnam vets. Go figure. Your friend is a liar, but not without company. Challenging him would probably be a wast of time. He would just get defensive, mount his high-moral horse, and accuse you of abusing brave vets.

Anonymous · Answer

With only 13 months in, I doubt he was in Viet Nam (he would have been about 26 when we left Viet Nam in '75 if he's almost 60.  He would have been born around 1951.) 
He's PATHETIC.  Low self esteem so he has to make up stories.
As long as he's not making any personal gain with his wild stories, let him be.   He knows the truth.

LINKINPARK · Answer

A Vietnam Veteran won't tell you their painfully memories so happy (like he blow stuff and killed so much vietcong was fun blabla). Never, and never that war isn't fun to tell

? · Answer

he lacks integrity
i know someone like that
said he was in vietnam
it would have placed him as 10 years old.
bs.
its beer that always starts those stories.

Anonymous · Answer

Ignore him!

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What to do about (kind of) fake or lying Marine?

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