When Valor Becomes a Lie

There have been more than a few cases of stolen valor in the news lately. Most of them involve combat veterans trying to cash in on their military service. On the surface—minus the stolen valor part, of course—this is perfectly reasonable. More than twenty years of the Global War on Terror (GWOT) produced some of the most exciting events that our veterans should be able to capitalize on.

During GWOT, as in all wars Americans have fought, uncommon valor became a common virtue. Those stories need to be told and, if a veteran can make a dime off it, more power to them.

So where does it all go wrong? Being in the military and experiencing combat firsthand is an honor that places veterans in a small, exclusive group. But the reality is, it doesn’t pay very well—especially for prior enlisted service members.

For a Green Beret who was part of the initial post-9/11 response in Afghanistan, or a Marine who fought in the second battle of Fallujah, their reward for twenty years of kinetic service is just 50% of their base pay. You might have earned the Distinguished Service Cross for courage under fire, but once you’re out of uniform, you’ll probably need another job to support yourself and your family.

Some choose to capitalize on their combat experiences. They launch podcasts, write books, appear on talk shows, or become tactical trainers. Nothing wrong with those options—they’re a good segue into civilian life. Some have found real success, like Jocko Willink, the former SEAL who writes books on turning private companies into SEAL teams. Or my personal favorite, Pat McNamara, the former Green Beret and Delta operator who’s built a strong reputation in physical fitness and tactical training.

The only problem is, it’s a crowded field. Two decades of war produced a lot of special operators and valor award recipients, many of whom are looking to profit from their service.

That’s where stolen valor comes in: fudging your service record a bit—or a lot—to stand out among your peers. Here are a few examples.

Tim Kennedy. The Green Beret and former UFC fighter deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. Kennedy became a highly sought-after motivational speaker with corporate sponsorships from companies like Black Rifle Coffee. Unfortunately, he started claiming things that weren’t true. He said he had been awarded the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for valor. A quick check of his military records showed otherwise. He even claimed to have been shot in combat, which was proven false.

Kennedy also claimed involvement in operations that sounded too good to be true and said he’d deployed to places he never set foot in. He remains a member of the National Guard, so his military fate is undecided. But in the court of public opinion, he’s guilty of stolen valor. He lost most of his corporate sponsors, and his celebrity status has taken a major hit. Kennedy attempted a half-hearted mea culpa in an online interview, blaming “inconsistencies” in his statements—but, not surprisingly, he never addressed the alleged Bronze Star with “V” device he doesn’t have.

John “Shrek” McPhee. McPhee served as an Army Ranger, Green Beret, and member of Delta Force with multiple deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. That much we know. Everything else is murkier. Some former Green Beret podcasters who specialize in exposing frauds uncovered some disturbing details.

McPhee had his Special Forces tab revoked by the Special Forces Association after an affair with another service member (both were married at the time). He was also demoted from Sergeant Major to Master Sergeant, though he still claims the title of Sergeant Major.

Other allegations against the self-proclaimed “Sheriff of Baghdad” include domestic violence and abuse of detainees overseas. In one interview, McPhee claimed to have jumped into Iraq during the Gulf War. The problem? There were no airborne operations during that war, and McPhee was still in Basic Training at the time. His post-military career is collapsing as fast as Kennedy’s. Ironically, the two served together in Afghanistan and have supported each other’s false claims in interviews.

Transitioning from being a gunfighter to marketing yourself as one is a tough proposition. I’ve rubbed elbows with a few former operators-turned-tactical trainers and equipment suppliers. I won’t name them here, because they never stole valor, but once their military days ended and the branding began, they became different people. Both were former special operators. One forgot all his old friends after moving from the battlefield to the corporate world. The other seems more concerned with slapping his logo on tactical gear than anything else. I wish them both luck and hope they don’t get caught up in the same drama Kennedy and McPhee did.

Whether we realize it or not, as veterans we already belong to an elite group compared to most. If you served in special operations, you’re in an even more elite category. So if you choose to capitalize on your service after leaving the military, be honest—and don’t let success go to your head.

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Nick Perna is a Police Officer with the Redwood City Police Department in Northern California. He has spent much of his career as a gang and narcotics investigator. He is a member of a Multi-Jurisdictional SWAT Team since 2001 and is currently a Team Leader. He previously served as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army and is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has a master’s degree from the University Of San Francisco.

As the Voice of the Veteran Community, The Havok Journal seeks to publish a variety of perspectives on a number of sensitive subjects. Unless specifically noted otherwise, nothing we publish is an official point of view of The Havok Journal or any part of the U.S. government.