More Stolen Valor

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**Ouze**

Report: ‘American Sniper’ Chris Kyle Lied About His Medal Count

Chris Kyle, the deadliest sniper in U.S. history, is a legend. His autobiography, American Sniper, sold more than 1 million copies and was turned into a film; he was played by Bradley Cooper in what would become the highest-grossing war movie in history. He claims 160 “confirmed kills” during 10 years of military service. His death at the hands of a fellow veteran in 2013 only added to his mystique.

“All told,” Kyle wrote, “I would end my career as a SEAL with two Silver Stars and five Bronze [Stars], all for valor.”

It turns out that is not true.

As first reported by The Intercept, Kyle exaggerated his medal count. In a piece published Wednesday, it found that Kyle had instead earned one Silver Star and three Bronze Stars with Valor. The website cited internal Navy documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, as well as interviews with unnamed Navy officials.

According to the report, Kyle was warned by the Pentagon before he published his book that his medal count was incorrect. And this isn’t like embellishing a résumé; lying about medals and achievements is a serious ethical violation that could violate both the military’s Uniform Code of Military Justice and federal law.

The revelation is also likely to raise new questions about what’s true and what’s not in Kyle’s account of his life. He lied about punching former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura after alleging that Ventura criticized the Iraq War and said SEALs “deserve to lose a few”; the former wrestler was awarded $1.8 million in a defamation suit against the Kyle estate. His story about killing two would-be carjackers? Untrue. His tales about shooting dozens of looters from the roof of the Superdome in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina have also been proven false.

None of that made it into Clint Eastwood’s film, which ends with scenes of Kyle’s memorial in Cowboy Stadium and images of the thousands of people who lined the highways leading to the venue.

My heart goes out to our Dakkaroos who served and now have less valor.

**Monkey Tamer**

From what I read the awards were on his DD-214. Why there would be a discrepancy between that and another government record I don't know. I had never even heard of this other records agency before this. When I got out I was told my DD-214 was the gospel, and I had to check it over to ensure its accuracy. A military guy telling a tall one? I am Jack's complete lack of surprise.

**Vaktathi**

Kyle (and his wife) appears to have lied about a great many things from his experiences overseas and at home, his interactions with other people, his career, where money he ostensibly raised for charity went, the kinds of activities he was involved in, and more.

The dude had some very serious issues and very poor judgement. Why anyone would see him in a positive light or be surprised that he lied about yet more stuff at this point is beyond me.

**d-usa**

This will be a rea nail biter of a story.

Beat up Ventura, killed citizens in a disaster area by order of the government, got all these medals. I have no idea how he ever made it that far up the pedestal to begin with.

**MrDwhitey**

He's like a modern Paul Revere, except the story started before he died.

**Ouze**

d-usa wrote:
killed citizens in a disaster area by order of the government, got all these medals. I have no idea how he ever made it that far up the pedestal to begin with.

That is the most mind-boggling part to me. "The government" killing civilians on orders without any oversight when civilian law has failed is the narrative that sold about a bajillion AR15s largely on the panic-buying, tyranny resisting fantasies of those exact same people. It's a breathtaking bit of cognitive dissonance.

**hotsauceman1**

Not to mention how islamaphobic his book was. Calling yhe people he killed yowelheads and saying he enjoyed every kill. Most servicemen I know detest it when they kill someone, or atleast dont revel in it like he did.

**Vaktathi**

Ouze wrote:
d-usa wrote:
killed citizens in a disaster area by order of the government, got all these medals. I have no idea how he ever made it that far up the pedestal to begin with.

That is the most mind-boggling part to me. "The government" killing civilians on orders without any oversight when civilian law has failed is the narrative that sold about a bajillion AR15s largely on the panic-buying, tyranny resisting fantasies of those exact same people. It's a breathtaking bit of cognitive dissonance.

its very intersting isnt it. I have two uncles, both in Federal service but constantly bitch about the government...despite never having held a single non federal job between them.. One is a basically a hacker and does electronic surveillance and encryption breaking for a living for a large federal law enforcement agency...but is constantly paranoid about the government hacking *his* stuff...despite that he would be the guy doing it. The other talks about FEMA camps and Black Helicopters, xfiles style, all the time...but he's the guy that worked for FEMA earlier in life and now does helicopter maintenance contracting for the military...

It seems to be a rather common trope.

**d-usa**

Ouze wrote:
d-usa wrote:
killed citizens in a disaster area by order of the government, got all these medals. I have no idea how he ever made it that far up the pedestal to begin with.

That is the most mind-boggling part to me. "The government" killing civilians on orders without any oversight when civilian law has failed is the narrative that sold about a bajillion AR15s largely on the panic-buying, tyranny resisting fantasies of those exact same people. It's a breathtaking bit of cognitive dissonance.

He's like the exact opposite of the Oath Keepers.

**nkelsch**

Well, considering how all of his confirmed lies and fabrications were hand-waved away by people looking to turn him into unassailable hero... Looks like Stolen valor is the only thing which would get through to those people.
.

**SickSix**

Hold your damn horses. Records discrepancies are as common as well, anything else in the world.

As someone who works with soldiers records, I can testify that more often than not the army system is not up to date. It is very commonplace fit a soldier to have award documents in hand that are not recorded in their electronic file.

Now as to the other claims of false claims made by Kyle I can't speak a word to, but just cool your heels on the Stolen Valor crap.

**plastictrees**

The USAs valor reserves must be getting dangerously low.

Only watched the movie once but I don't remember it including any of the super dubious stuff listed above so I guess the producers covered their butts at least.

**TheCustomLime**

Damn these Valor thieves! How will our troops be able to go on without their needed supply of Valor?

**d-usa**

Should be easy enough to release his DD214 to clear this all up.

**LordofHats**

The guy was a liar, and a glory hound. But you know, somehow he still wasn't the worst human alive (and some of those lies he told were really disgusting). Somehow it just feels like sour grapes to continue throwing his lies around just for the hell of it.

The man is dead, and he's been dead for a few years now. Let him be

**MrDwhitey**

No, we are Germany and he is Brazil.

**LordofHats**

MrDwhitey wrote:
No, we are Germany and he is Brazil.

I take it Germany and Brazil don't get along XD

**Avatar 720**

LordofHats wrote:
MrDwhitey wrote:
No, we are Germany and he is Brazil.

I take it Germany and Brazil don't get along XD

Let's just say it's currently 1-0 to Whitey.

**Ahtman**

This is why I keep my Valor locked safely away. No one can touch it!

**TheWaspinator**

Can we just call it fraud? The term stolen valor is really silly.

**SemperMortis**

I am a conservative and I have always thought Chris Kyle was a D-Bag of epic proportions. Whether or not this new claim on his integrity is true is beyond me. I have seen more cases then I care to recall of people having been awarded something or been given something in their records only to find out later that it never entered their electronic records. So I will give Kyle the benefit of the doubt on this one.

I personally received 3 yellow fever vaccine in the space of a couple of days because they kept losing their copy of the shot record. I finally just kept my own personal copy.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Side Note: The true American Sniper is Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock. He was a beast and made Kyle look like a girl scout.

**yellowfever**

My DD214 is missing several things. I just didn't bother to get it fixed. A few of my friends had the same issue

**Jihadin**

I've an ARCOM with a "V" device not in my DD214 (That tripped me the Hell out)
Along with Two other ARCOMS
Four Additional AAM's
Additional NATO medal
Not on my DD214....I've the 638's

Mine you I was maxed points for awards on promotion before OEF/OIF

If someone really wants to dig in his record just request his 638's via FOIA request (whatever version the USN use to recommend awards)

Lets calm the we kill everyone regardless if their enemy or not because we enjoy killing them rhetoric. Same stuff being said about him in this thread can apply to few of us who also been over a few times.

**Ahtman**

One needs to remember this isn't a military site so sliding into entirely military jargon can be off putting. I'm just saying when pouring alphabet soup one might want to be a bit clear on what they are trying to say so it doesn't come across as:

Jihadin wrote:
I've an [lolwut] with a "[lolwut]" device not in my [lolwut] (That tripped me the Hell out)
Along with Two other [lolwut]
Four Additional [lolwut]
Additional NATO medal
Not on my [lolwut] ....I've the [lolwut]'s
Mind you I was maxed points for awards on promotion before [lolwut]

**nels1031**

Arcom- Army Commendation Medal
V device- is a recognition of valor
DD214 - is a brief form detailing your career
AAM- Army Achievement Medal
638 is the form that is filled out when someone wants to give a soldier a commendation,
OEF - Operation Enduring Freedom, the war thats been waged since 2001 in various places, mostly Afghanistan.
OIF - Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Iraq war.

One thing to keep in mind with military records, in my limited experience, I want to say that 3/4th of all clerks in the Army are detailed from their other jobs and were never given formal training, and probably didn't want the job and/or were the most deadweight/worthless member in their section that they came from. Couple that with some low standards to join up to begin with, and all sorts of fuckery happens in Personnel Offices that can drive everyone to fits of rage.

**Kilkrazy**

Because it's Friday and I'm bored I've made up some alliterative alternatives for stolen valour.

Blagged bravery.
Held-up heroism.
Misappropriated moxie.
Nicked nerve.
Pilfered pluck.

**AndrewGPaul**

This is written by squaddies, so it's almost certainly NSFW, but the British armed forces call 'em "Walts".

**kronk**

My Face book is blowing up in the collective outcry of so many Soccer Moms right now over the Evil Fox News for breaking this story.

I'll need to console them all. Somehow.

**Smacks**

Did anyone notice that you never see Chris Kyle and George Zimmermann around at the same time...

**Jerram**

Holy Crap there's alot of hate for a dead man in that article.

Starts with a failure to understand military records (They all are on his 214) and out of the three lies, we have one case where its awful damn hard to defend yourself in a civil suit when you're dead, one that was mentioned in someone elses book as yeah Kyle said this while we were BSing drunk and a third one referenced lots of places without actual original sourcing. I'm not sure where the truth is but dang really people. I wish I could say I was amazed at this whole sad affair but....