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http://www.marinetimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-1895974.php
Military fakers get busted
By John Hoellwarth
Times staff writer
There was something odd about the way 1st Sgt. David Blake ditty-bopped through the pedestrian traffic of New York City’s Times Square in his dress blues.
Reserve Gunnery Sgt. Alex Kitsakos, a New York City cop drilling at the Corps’ public affairs office in Manhattan over Memorial Day weekend, said he “noticed someone, not a Marine, but someone in a Marine uniform walking with no character, no bearing.”
Kitsakos called out to the first sergeant, who he saw only from the back through the pedestrian traffic. Blake stopped and turned to face the gunny, who said he knew right then that Blake was a poser.
He was sporting six hash marks on each sleeve and three or four days’ growth on his face, Kitsakos said. On his uniform, he wore gold jump wings, the Navy Cross, Silver Star, three Purple Hearts and a single Combat Action Ribbon atop his 27-award stack.
Things already weren’t adding up. But when Blake addressed the gunny as “sir,” the faker sealed his fate.
Kitsakos said Blake initially tried to say he was assigned to one of the Navy ships in town for Fleet Week. When asked what ship, Blake hesitated.
“I looked him in the eye and said, ‘You’re not a Marine,’” Kitsakos said. “I was livid.”
Kitsakos pulled Blake off the street into an Internet café and gave him a tongue lashing that ended when Blake surrendered his cover, dress blue coat and driver’s license. When Blake tried to explain that he runs a youth organization whose members wear the uniforms, Kitsakos told him he could pick up his ID at the Marine Corps’ office after Fleet Week if he brought all the youths — and their uniforms — with him.
The irate gunny sent Blake back out onto the street wearing dress blue pants and a T-shirt.
“You know how many people have died for this uniform?” Kitsakos asked. “If I find anyone else in this uniform as an impostor, they can expect to be walking around New York in their underwear.”
When contacted by Marine Corps Times, Blake said he didn’t want to talk about the incident.
Kitsakos called the FBI. Then he hung Blake’s coat — the trophy of his fresh kill — in the Marine public affairs office.
Between the public’s increased wartime reverence for valor and the ease of ordering proof of combat heroism over the Internet, FBI Special Agent Tom Cottone, who has been busting phonies since 1995, said fakers now are “coming out of the woodwork.”
The FBI has 20 cases pending against military fakers. This year alone, the bureau has launched a dozen investigations, which, if the pace keeps up, would double last year’s caseload.
And a lot of them seem to be Marines. Since January, at least eight cases of Marines embellishing their rank and awards or civilians impersonating Marines have been busted by newspapers, Marines or other freelance fraud-finders. Those who observe the practice suggest there are likely hundreds more.
For the rest of this story, including eight fake Marines and what to do if you spot a faker, check out this week’s issue of Marine Corps Times.
Military fakers get busted
By John Hoellwarth
Times staff writer
There was something odd about the way 1st Sgt. David Blake ditty-bopped through the pedestrian traffic of New York City’s Times Square in his dress blues.
Reserve Gunnery Sgt. Alex Kitsakos, a New York City cop drilling at the Corps’ public affairs office in Manhattan over Memorial Day weekend, said he “noticed someone, not a Marine, but someone in a Marine uniform walking with no character, no bearing.”
Kitsakos called out to the first sergeant, who he saw only from the back through the pedestrian traffic. Blake stopped and turned to face the gunny, who said he knew right then that Blake was a poser.
He was sporting six hash marks on each sleeve and three or four days’ growth on his face, Kitsakos said. On his uniform, he wore gold jump wings, the Navy Cross, Silver Star, three Purple Hearts and a single Combat Action Ribbon atop his 27-award stack.
Things already weren’t adding up. But when Blake addressed the gunny as “sir,” the faker sealed his fate.
Kitsakos said Blake initially tried to say he was assigned to one of the Navy ships in town for Fleet Week. When asked what ship, Blake hesitated.
“I looked him in the eye and said, ‘You’re not a Marine,’” Kitsakos said. “I was livid.”
Kitsakos pulled Blake off the street into an Internet café and gave him a tongue lashing that ended when Blake surrendered his cover, dress blue coat and driver’s license. When Blake tried to explain that he runs a youth organization whose members wear the uniforms, Kitsakos told him he could pick up his ID at the Marine Corps’ office after Fleet Week if he brought all the youths — and their uniforms — with him.
The irate gunny sent Blake back out onto the street wearing dress blue pants and a T-shirt.
“You know how many people have died for this uniform?” Kitsakos asked. “If I find anyone else in this uniform as an impostor, they can expect to be walking around New York in their underwear.”
When contacted by Marine Corps Times, Blake said he didn’t want to talk about the incident.
Kitsakos called the FBI. Then he hung Blake’s coat — the trophy of his fresh kill — in the Marine public affairs office.
Between the public’s increased wartime reverence for valor and the ease of ordering proof of combat heroism over the Internet, FBI Special Agent Tom Cottone, who has been busting phonies since 1995, said fakers now are “coming out of the woodwork.”
The FBI has 20 cases pending against military fakers. This year alone, the bureau has launched a dozen investigations, which, if the pace keeps up, would double last year’s caseload.
And a lot of them seem to be Marines. Since January, at least eight cases of Marines embellishing their rank and awards or civilians impersonating Marines have been busted by newspapers, Marines or other freelance fraud-finders. Those who observe the practice suggest there are likely hundreds more.
For the rest of this story, including eight fake Marines and what to do if you spot a faker, check out this week’s issue of Marine Corps Times.
