Marine Charged With Faking War Wounds for Gain

[bijou]

SABILLASVILLE, Md. —  On a sultry day in July 2008, Marine Sgt. David W. Budwah strode in his battle fatigues to the front of a picnic pavilion to tell three dozen young boys what he did during the war.

With his clear gaze, rigid posture and muscled, tattooed arms, Budwah looked every inch the hero he claimed to be. He said he was on his second tour of duty in Afghanistan when a homemade grenade exploded, wounding his face and arm when he dove to shield a buddy from the blast.

He urged the boys, ages 9-12, to take pride in themselves, their country and its warriors.

"We're here to make sure of the freedom you have every day," Budwah told his audience at Camp West Mar, a wooded American Legion compound about 60 miles northwest of Washington.

Spencer Shoemaker, then 10, was so impressed he had his picture taken with Budwah and kept a treasured newspaper clipping about the visit.

"What he said made me feel like I wanted to join the Marines," Spencer said.

But the Marines say Budwah is a liar, a fraud and a thief. They are court-martialing the 34-year-old Springhill, La., native, alleging he was never in Afghanistan, wasn't wounded and didn't earn the combat medals he wore — or the many privileges he enjoyed. ...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,552880,00.html?test=latestnews

[thundley4]

I'm undecided about this. On the one hand, he did lie about his service, and he tried to benefit from those lies.  OTOH, he did little to harm the image or reputation of the military like so many "Fake Liberal Soldiers" have done.

At least he wasn't claiming to have killed women and children, to have have performed other tortures like some of the frauds have done. Still , he deserves to be punished.

[IassaFTots]

"I tell reporters that when you've got a guy who's vocal — 'Let me tell you how I won my Silver Star' — your antenna should go up," Burkett said. "The real guys typically don't talk about it."

Yup.  That is what my Granddad and Dad always told me.   I wish some people wouldn't feel so compelled to make their service sound "better" than they think it was.  They served.  That is enough for me. 

[JohnnyReb]

Yup.  That is what my Granddad and Dad always told me.   I wish some people wouldn't feel so compelled to make their service sound "better" than they think it was.  They served.  That is enough for me. 

My dad ran a country store when I was a kid. And as a kid I used to sit amongst WW2 vets and listen to their stories. A few had gone ashore on D-Day, a couple had served on Iwo Jima, some others in the Battle of the Bulge, one was on the Bataan Death march and a couple had lost limbs, etc.. The main thing I remember was them telling funny stories of bootcamp, a night on the town, seldom did one let slip any gory details of battle. If they mentioned anything of a serious nature, they usual got tears in their eyes, their lips would tremble and shortly thereafter they would head for home.

[NHSparky]

Sorry, this is EXACTLY the kind of person that needs prosecuted under Stolen Valor statues.  WTF is wrong with saying you served, without embellishing your service?  Yeah, I'm a member of the VFW and Legion, but I never charged up any hills like Rambo or won any medals for same.  I've got a pretty decent "fruit salad", considering what I did, and what I took with me when I got out has served me well since.  No need to claim I'm Rambo to be proud of what I've done.

[vesta111]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,552880,00.html?test=latestnews

Works the other way around as I came to find out.    

Ex ran into a fellow officer he had served with 20 years before. Both in full mini metals etc.
As they hoisted a beer EX asked him about 2 medals he was wearing and the reply was that they were for 2 operations they were on being on a pig boat in 1959 to mainland China.

So EX wrote off to the war department and about 6 months later he received his earned metals to afix on his uniform.

Our ex military and current military need to keep up on this stuff, as past operations are declassified they find they are eligible for more and more Thank You and acknowledgement for their service.  

The number of fakers is very low when one thinks of the number of people that have no knowledge they are entitled to wear a badge of pride=====Or just stuff it in a draw some where, they earned the badge they should have it.

[NHSparky]

Vesta--we're not talking unit awards here.  We're talking about INDIVIDUAL medals for valor.  This guy was NEVER in the 'Stan, never did what he claims to have done.

AFAIC, if Usta-fish got a unit citation or Navy Expeditionary Medal for something we did 20+ years ago, so freakin what?  Already got those, thanks very much!

But the fact is, the number of fakers who get a disproportionate amount of the attention in the MSM is WHY we have the Stolen Valor laws on the books.  There are guys who claim to be vets of every conflict since the Revolution who were phonies. 

Maybe you should go HERE.  Does that look like "a few" to you?  Fact remains, it's far, far too many and smears the good name of those who DID serve, and DID earn what they wear.  After Winter Soldier, many swore, "Never again." 

Oh, and FYI, Vesta--there's no such agency as the "War Department" anymore.  Hasn't been since WWII.

[RightCoast]

I found out much the same as vesta's example that I was entitled to the Navy "E", which is a pretty neat addition to a Marine uniform these days (or about 15 years ago days).

But in the case of individual awards and claims of combat that, I feel, is the worst dis-service that you can do to the men and women that actually deploy not only into theater but into combat zones.

[vesta111]

Vesta--we're not talking unit awards here.  We're talking about INDIVIDUAL medals for valor.  This guy was NEVER in the 'Stan, never did what he claims to have done.

AFAIC, if Usta-fish got a unit citation or Navy Expeditionary Medal for something we did 20+ years ago, so freakin what?  Already got those, thanks very much!

But the fact is, the number of fakers who get a disproportionate amount of the attention in the MSM is WHY we have the Stolen Valor laws on the books.  There are guys who claim to be vets of every conflict since the Revolution who were phonies. 

Maybe you should go HERE.  Does that look like "a few" to you?  Fact remains, it's far, far too many and smears the good name of those who DID serve, and DID earn what they wear.  After Winter Soldier, many swore, "Never again." 

Oh, and FYI, Vesta--there's no such agency as the "War Department" anymore.  Hasn't been since WWII.

 Ok Sparky, that War Department was what I understood Ex wrote to----have to understand a wife of military people are out of the loop. especially in the Nuke sufficient get a straight answer to any questioned TO KNOW you know.

Very frustrating to to marry have children from a man that is so secretive-

Hell the family's have no set time for their men to come into port, the wives  have to make friends with the bar maids who receive a message that a keg is to be put on at this day and this time. Back rooms have to be cleared out for Chief innitions and a wild party insurer's.

Say Sparky how would you like to marry a woman that worked for the CDC.?  You had to work your job with the knowledge that your wife may have to leave you and kids for however long, not knowing where your Wife gets phone calls in the middle of the night and gets into a conversation that you cannot understand.

Wife comes home and just remains silent about all those lost months, only way you find out anything is to listen in as she half in the bag talks to those that were with them   Not to you as you are an outsider in her life.

We are not talking about 007 stuff, we are talking about people that share their lives with family.  Why find out through others what has nothing to do with security about went on in the husbands life to understand their moods, fears and perhaps the person themselves.

By the time the people come home, whatever has happend is OVER, they had no knowledge of what was happening, they leave their family to bury the dead and handle problems that are awesome for just one person to handle.

You dudes think you have a hard time on a sub, you have no idea what your family goes through unable to contact you for months at a time.


Grumble grumble  the only reason I married twice into the that insane life style was the men were so sexie,  and made good works when it came to kids----- darn those kids they make are SMART and good looking.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Totally unacceptable, period.  He needs a kick in the nuts, too.

[Eupher]

Yup. Emasculation should be an option here.

PX/BX heroes suck. Navy Exchange heroes suck too.

[rich_t]

Indeed they do Eupher.

[djones520]

When my father came back from Desert Shield/Storm he came to my class and talked about what he did in the war.  No stories of single handedly routing the Republican Guard, or punching a SCUD out of the sky.  He talked about his job, and how it helped to win the war.  Then he showed some video's of A-10's wrecking the shit out of the Iraqi's.   

My class was just as impressed by this, as anyone bragging about their fake medals.

[rich_t]

When my father came back from Desert Shield/Storm he came to my class and talked about what he did in the war.  No stories of single handedly routing the Republican Guard, or punching a SCUD out of the sky.  He talked about his job, and how it helped to win the war.  Then he showed some video's of A-10's wrecking the shit out of the Iraqi's.  

My class was just as impressed by this, as anyone bragging about their fake medals.

I have always been suspect of people that "talk up" their military medals by going into extensive detail about how they got them.

When asked about what I got mine for, I usually just respond with "I showed up and did my job".

[IassaFTots]

I have always been suspect of people that "talk up" their military medals by going into extensive detail about how they got them.

When asked about what I got mine for, I usually just respond with "I showed up and did my job".

And that is what I have heard from anyone who has served as well.  I would have LOVED to know more about both my Grandfathers in WWII, and my Dad in Vietnam.  But, that was all I got.  Well, that and the advise to never hang out in a honky tonk.  (One of my Granddads was an Army Doc.)

[Chump]

My grandfather earned the Bronze Star in Korea, and neither my grandmother nor my dad know the story behind it.  From my vague memories of him before he died, I get the impression that the honor of having been awarded it barely even began to offset the pain he endured earning it.

Methinks he would have soundly walloped anyone bragging about their exploits like war is some woman to have fun with.

[Chris]

With his clear gaze, rigid posture and muscled, tattooed arms, Budwah looked every inch the hero he claimed to be. He said he was on his second tour of duty in Afghanistan when a homemade grenade exploded, wounding his face and arm when he dove to shield a buddy from the blast.

what?

[AllosaursRus]

I am of the Nam era. I had many freinds who served and just as many that never came home. These guys NEVER talked combat! It was more about the places they had seen on R&R and the beer they drank at, what's the name of it, Diego Garcia. Does that sound right? Said it was just a sand pile in the middle of the ocean. Nothing else to do but drink beer.

I can always tell a faker. They start bragging about the "Gooks" they killed, Vietnam whores they crewed, and all the good weed they smoked. I just walk away shaking my head.

[IassaFTots]

what?

yeah, you would have thought there would be some visible scarring from that, eh?

[Chris_]

Someone wanted his 10 minutes of fame so to speak