Introduction - Daniel

[DarkMatter]

Greetings RANGERS, Soldiers.

I registered on the Forum possibly seeking some advice concerning a certain family member that I have recently made contact with claiming RANGER status from Vietnam while with the 101st.

I appreciate the approval and am hopeful that I can make contact with someone to help me in this pressing endeavor.

Sincerely,

DM

[Slowpoke]

http://www.75thrra.com/units/l75.html

HAVE A NICE DAY!

[DarkMatter]

Thank you for the link Sir.

[cams]

Greetings RANGERS, Soldiers.

I registered on the Forum possibly seeking some advice concerning a certain family member that I have recently made contact with claiming RANGER status from Vietnam while with the 101st.

I appreciate the approval and am hopeful that I can make contact with someone to help me in this pressing endeavor.

Sincerely,

DM

Tell us about yourself, we like to know who we're speaking with a little before entering into any agreements of offering help to somebody.

Your age? Background? Where from? Military service?

Now tell us exactly what you'd like to find out and why.

Your answers will dictate the level of assistance you'll receive.

Thank you.

[DarkMatter]

RANGER cams,

I Am 38 years old. Currently employed by JB Hunt in Pennsylvania.

Approximately 14 years ago I enlisted in the US Army with an Option 4 contract.
I was with E Co. 2/58 4th Platoon "Bushmasters" under DS Hester and DS Olsen.

In approximately week 8 I injured myself and did not go on sick call.
This aggrevated the injury till I could barely walk.
Upon going on sick call I was diagnosed with tendinitis.
I received about 2wks of Phys Therapy and was put on 2 different meds. None of which helped.
Finally unable to pass the run on the APFT my 1st SGT Diaz suggested an MOS change or I could get sent home, or, recycle.
I was unable to get a Medical discharge so I received an ELS for failure to adapt.

Not choosing to recycle or change MOS's is a decision that I still have to deal with to date.

The individual in question here would be my father.
He left my mother and I when I was 2.

Many years later I found him.

My first impressions were... Not overwhelming... To say the least.
He had a few stories to tell about everything he has done in his life.
Seemed to have done everything and knows everything.

My gut was telling me BS so I kinda withdrew myself from him and went on with my life but maintained a semblence of contact through phone.

Fast forward to last month - I am married and have 4 children now. Lots of debt. Lots of obligations.
I call him (at my wifes urging) and he tells me he has been evicted. Again, I find this odd considering he OWNED his house "FREE AND CLEAR" when I first met him. Now, the story has changed to a verbal agreement, a handshake, and a rent to own.

So I decide to either close a chapter in my life or open a new one. And ...


STOP

I just got off the phone with Mr. linderer and he has confirmed my own suspisions.

So my next course of action will be asking him to leave first thing in the morning.

Thank you guys for taking the time to help me.
Especially Mr. Linderer. Thank you Sir. If you see this and are ever in the LeHigh Valley PA a cold one (or 6) is on me.

[cams]

Clear and concise response, thank you. Sounds like you got your answer, unfortunately not the answer you wanted to hear.

Tough situation when it involves your father, I'm sorry for that. Hang tough, even if he is lying or trying to bolster his resume to you, it may just be because he wants you to look up to him after all these years.

Best of luck whichever way it goes.

[Jim]

Clear and concise response, thank you. Sounds like you got your answer, unfortunately not the answer you wanted to hear.
Tough situation when it involves your father, I'm sorry for that. Hang tough, even if he is lying or trying to bolster his resume to you, it may just be because he wants you to look up to him after all these years.
Best of luck whichever way it goes.

I agree with Cams; sometimes the truth is distasteful. But it is still the truth. Good luck.

[DarkMatter]

RANGER cams, RANGER jim

Thank you both for the encouragement and kind words.

Unfortunately this morning I had to put my father out on the road to Alabama.

When I confronted him about everything I kind of expected him to come clean.

He did not. When I was breaking apart his RANGER school then to VN in 1974 he then tried to tell me he was a "Light RANGER/ November RANGER". I literally face palmed and told him to stop because now he was trying to change his story.

Long story sorta short, he denied everything till the end and vowed to send me proof. I'm not holding my breath. I also fully intend to inquire into his Mil Service Records to verify that he was even in the Military.

Question: how possible is it to obtain E5 as an 11B in the period of 2 years?

I've watched numerous videos on Youtube where these clowns parade around as something they've never done and always sneered at them. I never thought my own father would be one of them.

[Jim]

Question: how possible is it to obtain E5 as an 11B in the period of 2 years?

I was promoted to SGT (E-5) with 20 months in the Army (six months in Viet-Nam). You can get a copy of his DD-214 (Army Discharge certificate) from the center for military records.

[Slowpoke]

If he's now claiming to have been a November Company Ranger, PM me his name and years he served there. If he's claiming to have been a "Light Ranger" or to have served as a Ranger in Vietnam in 1974, he is as full of shit as a Christmas Goose.

[DarkMatter]

RANGER jim
My suspisions are even more confirmed now so my next step will be seeking his Mil Records under the FOIA.

RANGER slowpoke
Correct me if I'm wrong, but someone born 20NOV1955, enlisted at 17 yrs old, would be too young for VN. The math doesnt add up. I ran a background check on him and obtained a copy of his AL DL. Both say 59 yrs old and 20NOV1955.

He swears up one side and down the other that the system is wrong.
I told him there is no way I can believe your word over what the system is telling me.
I feel he added 2 yrs onto his age so as to superficially be old enough to serve in VN. But upon finding out his DOB it becomes clear, to me, that he would not be.

I just dont get why people do this stuff. Are they mental or what?
Like this James Engram guy I read about while doing my digging.
What a coincidence I saw him the other day, I believe, and I pointed out the RANGER tab tattoo on his left forearm. I expected my father to comment. He didn't. Its a weird thing to think about being in the very midst of two posers at the same time.

As I have said previously, Mr. Linderer pretty much squared me away.
I know what my next step is.
It's a relief to have somewhere to turn having to deal with all of this.
I'd like to keep you all updated if there are no objections.

DM

[DarkMatter]

*James Ingram, not Engram.

http://guardianofvalor.com/ranger-and-s ... utfitters/

[Jim]

*James Ingram, not Engram.

http://guardianofvalor.com/ranger-and-s ... utfitters/

If you would like, we will post this on our site.

viewforum.php?f=70

[DarkMatter]

*James Ingram, not Engram.

http://guardianofvalor.com/ranger-and-s ... utfitters/

If you would like, we will post this on our site.

viewforum.php?f=70

RANGER jim

I have no opinion either way. Its really none of my business. I just found the timing of it all amusing. I also have no connection with anyone affiliated with the link I provided.
After posting I started second guessing the last name and sure enough I had it wrong.
I looked for an EDIT button. Didnt see one so I posted the second bit with the link for reference.

But yeah, thats the mentality I was just shaking my head about.

[Slowpoke]

DarkMatter, some of what he said is possible.....but not likely. Record keeping, and "give-a-shit" in general were pretty murky during the years of the Vietnam War. My best friend turned 18 during his second tour.....parents lied about his age to get him in. And the youngest name on The Wall is of a 16 year old man. So it did happen that the rules were subverted, but it wasn't common....in fact, my guess would be that it was fairly rare.

I don't know why people do this....lying about their service. I guess they suffer from a very low self esteem and don't care what it does to their family when they're discovered. As for you...take heart that you turned out to be a far better man than the guy that donated the sperm for you. He's not a Father or a Dad, and never has been.