Heroes or Villains?

INTRODUCTION

CLAIMING VIETNAM PRISONER OF WAR:

V V A - Claims by members of  Vietnam Veterans of America

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Reported Claims of:
Medal of Honor, Other than Vietnam POWs, Son Tay Raiders, DSC, DFC, Purple Heart, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Navy Cross, SEALS, Rangers, Pilots, Special Forces, Green Berets, Combat, Vietnam Helicopter Pilots, Flying Tigers, DOUBT EVERYTHING, Don't Encourage and more.

APOLOGIES AND CLARIFICATIONS

Individuals reported as of 02/2012
CLAIMS AS NOTED 
#  =  on list over 15 years

Note: The names listed in the next pages have made VARIOUS or multiple claims
that cannot be substantiated or have been proven FALSE. 
These individuals are IN ADDITION TO those investigated and named in the book STOLEN VALOR.

Those with a "LINK" have records, news articles, pictures or tales posted.
All names are first checked here  http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/ if POW claims are made. 

Comments in GREEN are from information contained in military records (or lack of military records) obtained
through FOIA when requested THROUGH the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis.

THOSE CLAIMING MEDAL OF HONOR
NOTE: In 1996 HLI Lordship Industries (at the time, the OFFICIAL USG contractor for the Medal of Honor) admitted selling THREE HUNDRED unauthorized medals for $75.00 each from 1991-1994. They were fined $80,000. NOT ALL of those medals have been recovered. Offenders in possession of an unauthorized medal can be arrested, fined ( The maximum fine for a criminal offense is $250,000, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 3571(b)(3) ) and jailed (up to a year). It is the only military medal that CANNOT be bought, sold, bartered, traded, collected, auctioned, exchanged.... EVERY Medal of Honor is awarded by act of Congress. Less than 84 REAL Medal of Honor recipients are alive today. 

F [1]

Hometown

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NO Silver Star is noted in military records.

Veterans Day event is Saturday

Thursday, November 9, 2006 1:06 PM CST

...The speaker for the ceremony will be Jim Fields, a Brookfield native and former U.S. Marine.

In those two years, he was awarded two Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star with a “V” and the Navy Cross....
 

Jim Fields did not receive the Navy Cross: The USMC Awards Branch has no record of a Navy Cross being awarded to him.

E3 FIELDS JAMES L entered the USMC 15 April 1968 and served in Vietnam with an MOS of 0351 which was Assaultman.

"...have inquired on several fronts and a Jim Fields is not known within the Mo. Veterans Commission."
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http://www.myfoxstl.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=1641313&
version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.2.1

AKA JOHNNIIE PHILL FITTS

09/2011

http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2011/09/14/letter-editor/

AKA ROBERT L FITZPATRICK

AND

2007  Story on Fitzpatrick

By JODY MURPHY
Staff Writer
 
PARKERSBURG - Ask Bob Fitzpatrick about his family, the 85-year-old grandfather produces photos of granddaughters, one of which is an actress and his late wife, Francis. Heáll talk at length about his grandson Travis, an author.
When Fitzpatrick talks about his nine-day saga on the Russell Islands during World War II the St. Marys' native demeanor changes.........
 

At 03:32 PM 3/11/2011, Doug Sterner wrote:

See the story at: http://www.newsandsentinel.com/page/content.detail/id/545542/Fitzpatrick-dies-at-age-88.html?nav=5061
 
In that, based on a 2007 interview and subsequent story in 2007 pasted below my signature line, Mr. Fitzpatrick claimed he was sole-survivor of a shot down B-17 on February 1, 1943, was captured by the Japanese, and subsequently escaped to provide intelligence that led to his being awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. (The attached citation was give to the reporter as proof).
 
The TRUTH about this well-known local hero of the last several days (The city declared “Bob Fitzpatrick Day” on his return from service in 1944....
 
**Not a SINGLE  B-17 of the 26 Bombardment Squadron (or parent 11^th Group) was shot down from the beginning of the Guadalcanal campaign on 7 August 1942 to 1 March 1943...He was NEVER shot down, NEVER the sole survivor, NEVER captured and escaped from the Japanese.
 
** A fellow researcher has confirmed that the Extract from GO 105 (May 15, 1943) awarding Fitzpatrick the DSC is in fact a forgery. Not only that, the GO # and Date are out of sequence. His response is below:

Doug,
 HQ USAFISPA issued General Orders No. 105 on 1 May 1943 (not 15 May 1943). That G.O. awarded three Distinguished Service Crosses, all to Army Air Corps personnel. The recipients were:
Thomas J. Classen
Robert J. Dorwart
Balfour C. Gibson
 
There was no mention on Robert L. Fitzpatrick in that G.O.
HQ USAFISPA issued General Orders No. 116 on 12 May 1943 and among other things it awarded ten Silver Stars but no DSCs. Mr. Fitzpatrick's Extract is a fake, pure and simple. The newspaper got snookered.
 
                
Sincerely,
Doug

04/2011

Published August 20, 2008 10:52 pm -
Former Navy SEAL leads Boy Scout troop
John Oxford

MOULTRIE — ...Flannigan, 55, said he was born in Albany and lived there until he joined the U.S. Navy in 1971 after graduating from Albany High School. He actually was notified he had been drafted the Saturday before his Monday graduation, so he chose to join the Navy.

While in the Navy, Flannigan said he became a Navy SEAL and was sent to fight in Vietnam in 1972. He remained in Vietnam until the end of the war in 1975 and returned to Albany, working in shipping and receiving and other jobs....

ACTUAL MILITARY RECORD

04/2011 --  He has told anyone who will listen to him of the horrors he suffered during the Vietnam War while he was serving in Vietnam.   He has stated that he was awarded medals that he has never gotten.  He has stated he received several wounds during the time he was in Vietnam.  He is receiving disability from social security and when asked why he does not get any military benefits he states it is because of a corrupted government that he does not get anything.
 

.... There are several errors included in that quoted text, not the least of which is the fact that Mr. MARCUS FLANNIGAN’s name does not appear in the Navy SEAL Database (end of WWII to the present day). Unless he has undertaken a full legal name change since his claimed SEAL training (an action for which there would be verifying court documentation) I can conclusively state that MARCUS FLANNIGAN is not now and never was a US Navy SEAL or UDT “Frogman”.  ...

Very Respectfully,

Steve Robinson

USN 1970-1978
SEAL Team ONE
Inshore Undersea Warfare Group ONE
UDT-SEAL Association - Member
Special Operations Association
POW Network Advisory Board
Naval Special Warfare Archives - SOF Analyst/Contributing Journalist
Disabled American Veterans - Life Member
FORMER Special Investigator - SEAL Authentication Team
CyberSEALs.org Webmaster
Author of the book NO GUTS, NO GLORY - Unmasking Navy SEAL Imposters

Scout Law

TRUSTWORTHY

A Scout tells the truth. He keeps his promises. Honesty is part of his code of conduct. People can depend on him.

...Lance Cpl. Flannigan served as a special forces Marine stationed in southeast Asia between 1974 and 1976.

While serving, he earned a Silver Star, among other decorations, for his role in missions to evacuate the US embassy in Saigon and the recovery of the merchant ship Mayaguez.

Marine Lance Corp. Patrick Flannigan of the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines displays his decorations next to the memorabilia in his home. Flannigan earned a Silver Star for his efforts in the Vietnam War, including the evacuation of Saigon and recovery of the US merchant ship Mayaguez.(James Bordewick/Enterprise)...


jamesb@parkrapidsenterprise.com

aka
Corporal John G. Flesher III

Corporal John G. Flesher III

• This man was in the Marine Corps.

• He was a Corporal

• He got out

• He was with HQ Co 6^th Marine Regiment Motor Transport

According to records, he rates the following awards:

·         Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal;  National Defense Service Medal;  Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal;  Global War on Terrorism Service Medal;   Sea Service Deployment Ribbon           

He was never awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal or the Bronze Star.

[not a SEAL]

I called the newspaper office this morning and not only were they quite flippant about it, they were downright rude. Their response...”This was a paid obituary. We printed what the family paid for.” End of Story! No corrections!

News Office Number is: (803) 533-5595

New Office Email is: news@timesanddemocrat.com 

Doug

Prelim investigation  indicates he was parachute trained, but NOT Special Forces. Served 21 years.

FOOTHILL, DJ

aka MARC D'AMBROSIA

The fairy tale and the records

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SN

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Working as a POLICE OFFICER.

ACTUAL RECORDS

ACTUAL RECORDS
 

aka Captain Jon

11/2011

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He claims his unit was involved in drug raids in South America. He also claims that his Aunt is retired former Attorney General Janet Reno. 

Among his other claims are:
 
He is a former Navy Seal from an elite group that technically does not exist
 
He is a World Class Sailor who has set many records
 
He is Roger Penske’s Boat Captain
 
He Holds Motorcycle drag racing records
 
He Holds many records parachuting and has over 5,000 jumps including setting some military records for high altitude.
 
He is great friends with Demi Moore, Bruce Willis, John Travolta & Kelly Preston and has been their personnel boat captain for many years.  And when Jon’s wife & daughter were killed in a automobile wreak this group of stars flew in on  private jet for the funeral.
 
He is also a former owner of a muti million dollar printing business that was located in Miami, FL & Washington, DC
 
As a teen he worked with former world renowned Herpetologist Bill Haast of the Miami Serpentarium Laboratories, 
 
I am just scratching the surface with the BS stories.......
 

Commander
Naval Special Warfare Command
FOIA Coordinator
2000 Trident Way
San Diego, CA 92155

.......“”He was an amazing guy, Scott had been a Navy Seal. I believe he had been in the first Desert Storm. Real bright guy, great skier, great energy.” Officials have yet to release the exact cause of death.

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http://www.ktvz.com/news/26453280/detail.html

......"He was a Navy SEAL -- I believe he had been in the first Desert Storm," Kenlan said. "Real bright guy -- great skier, great energy." .....
 

aka TYRONNE FOSTER

Taryn Brodwater
Staff writer
November 17, 2005

The women who testified at Dr. William Fouche's sentencing on Wednesday knew him as part of their church family, a trusted friend and even a gynecologist...... 

Siebe described Fouche as "a good person who did a bad thing" and said that Fouche suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his wife's death and his experiences as a Navy SEAL during Vietnam.....

NEVER A SEAL

Prelim search shows only William "E" served in Vietnam.

aka Reed fowler

aka JOHN R FOWLER

DECEASED

...

07/05/2011
He was NEVER a SEAL... Agreed... Don
 

claims SEAL/POW - age 56

07/2011

No record of captivity can be located.

No SEVES Massacre can be located in historical records.

05/2010

• Claims to have been trained secretly for a secret unit which deployed to Somalia. He claims to have been in the Battle of Mogadishu with his secret unit. 

• Claims to have been ‘attached to” Special Forces”/Rangers and Black Ops. 

• Claims he signed “secrecy documents” and documents that prevent him from writing a book or making a movie.  

• Claims he is the only survivor from his unit, as the others who survived have all committed suicide.

• Claims he did time in military jail, where they released him to the street wearing only underwear and carrying no money.

• Claims another branch of the military “made him a better offer” when he was in the air force and he “opted out” and took the better offer which was of course, TOP SECRET and he would have to kill anyone he told.  

• Claims to have been wounded, claims to have been decorated with the Purple Heart and claims to have other decorations he cannot receive because everything about his service remains TOP SECRET.

• Claims that the type of activity he was involved in, (services “shopping” each other for soldiers for “secret missions”, etc.)  is something the U. S. Military has done only during the past 2 wars.

2010:

He has based his whole adult life on his fraudulent claims. I can back up the information listed on your website and so much more.
 

According to his military information from the NPRC (National Personnel Records  Center) in St. Louis, which was received pursuant to a Freedom Of Information Act request, he was not even in the military when the Battle of Mogadishu took place in October of 1993.  

He did NOT complete one enlistment in either the Air Force or the Army. He NEVER left CONUS….EVER.

Branch of Service:  US Air Force
Date of Service:  1-27-1991 to 7-15-1992 
Duty Status:  Discharged
Rank/Grade:  AMN

Branch of Service:  US Army
Dates of Service:  1-5-1994  to 12-9-1994 
Duty Status:  Discharge
Rank: Private

ACTUAL RECORDS

08/2008

01/2012

12/2011

Victim 2 reports: Claims he was SPECOPs and a Scout in the Army. 

Victim 3 reports: Claims he was at 18 and half years now. He said he is currently stationed at the warrior transition unit  at FT Knox, KY.

Had phony pictures posted on FACEBOOK - claiming they were his ops.... (some were AirSoft and some were of MARSOC. All of the photos were taken with either the face blurred out or taken at an angle so you could not tell who it was. ) Still wondering why he posted phony pictures off the internet and told his family and friends they were of him. The pics he was using were of a Spanish Air soft team that  act like SEALs and were taken down he was contacted by the Airsoft team.

Victim 4 reports similar Special Forces claims.

05/2010

ACTUAL RECORDS - KITEFLYER  AKA BEN FRANKLIN

ACTUAL RECORDS - "DUSTY" JOHNSON

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Dear POW Network,

Please pass this information along in response to the inquiry regarding Mr. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN and his claims of being a US Navy SEAL.

I greatly appreciate your interest in upholding the honor of the US Navy SEAL Teams, and your search for the TRUTH. Before answering your questions I must make clear that I am a private individual, not affiliated with the US Dept. of Defense or any other government organization. I am one of about a dozen men in America who possess a copy of the SEAL Database, a comprehensive and regularly updated listing of all men who trained and served with the Naval Special Warfare units (SEALs, UDT, NCDU, S&R) from the end of WWII to the present day. I also have access to archival sources who can verify/deny claims of service DURING WWII. As a former US Navy SEAL myself, I am fully familiar with the NSW training program and the standard operating procedures used by the Teams, as well as an in-depth personal knowledge of many of the ‘insider’ events and incidents which UDT “Frogmen” and SEALs offer as a part of their bona fides. My efforts to expose SEAL imposters are performed free of charge, as a service to the public, and in honor of my SEAL Teammates who gave their lives in service to our nation… men who truly earned the right to the title “US NAVY SEAL” but who are no longer able to stand forward in defense of their honor, their reputations, and their TEAMs.

If the name you provided is spelled correctly, I do NOT find a listing in the SEAL database of successful graduates for anyone named BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. I have also examined possible alternate spellings, and names with similar pronunciations. There are only two (2) men in the entirety of the SEAL Database (end of WWII to the present day) with the last name “FRANKLIN”; neither of those two men has either a first or middle name “BENJAMIN” or any variation thereof.

Unless he has undertaken the unlikely action of a legal name change (an action for which there would be court documentation) since his claimed attendance at BUD/S training, and based upon the information you have provided, I can state conclusively that BENJAMIN FRANKLIN has NEVER COMPLETED SEAL training, and he is not now, nor was he ever a Navy SEAL.

It is quite common for those making fraudulent SEAL claims to cite a “secret” training class, “special selection and skills which allowed them to bypass BUD/S training”, or “secret missions” as an explanation for the lack of military documentation to back up their stories. They also tend to claim their military records are “sealed” and cannot be accessed. I would caution you that despite anything the man might have said, there are NO secret SEALs. Before any classified operations may be undertaken, a man must first successfully complete the totally unclassified BUD/S Training program. No one gets to the SEAL Teams without completing this training. There have been and will continue to be secret missions, but there are NO secret SEALs… we know them all.

The only men who can legitimately call themselves SEALs are US Navy sailors who have completed the entire SEAL training program which lasts approximately 2 years and who have received a formal/official designation as “Combatant Swimmer [SEAL]” with an attendant entry in their military records of a specific Naval Enlisted Classification Code (NEC). There are no SEALs in any other branch of the US military armed forces. The claim of “working WITH the SEALs” is often offered by imposters who have been called to account for their false claims of being a SEAL; generally the imposter suggests that his comments have been “misunderstood”, and that he only claimed to have “worked with the SEALs”. Of course that statement, like the false claim of actually being a SEAL, carries the implication that somehow the claimant has acquired the knowledge and skills required to be a SEAL Team operator. In truth, every member of the US Navy whose tasking requires interaction of any sort with members of the SEAL Teams can truthfully state that they “worked with the SEALs”, including cooks, mail clerks, truck drivers, small boat crews, ships’ crews, aircraft crew members, barracks managers, and many more. The simple fact is that there are no sister-service, support elements, or support personnel “working with the SEAL Teams” whose members carry/hold SEAL operator qualifications.

I examined the web site you described (http://www.goosetrailers.com/story.html) and found the following statement:

“Ben Franklin was a Navy Seal during the early years of the Vietnam conflict and later left the Navy to become an officer in the North Carolina State Guard. Involved in the first Iraqui incursion in 1990, he was disabled out as a Brigadier General when it was found he had prostrate cancer before being shipped overseas in 2003.”

Firstly, as clearly stated above, no one named BENJAMIN FRANKLIN has completed the US Navy’s BUD/S training program or served on a US Navy SEAL Team. Secondly, the US Navy does not use the rank designation of “BRIGADIER GENERAL”; that rank designation is used by the Navy’s sister services, USAF, USA, USMC, by the Reserve components of those three sister services, and by the nation’s various National Guard contingents. ... 

An amendment to Title 18 USC, Section 704, called the “STOLEN VALOR ACT” (S.1998), was signed into law on 20 Dec 2006, and now makes it illegal to even make false VERBAL claims of receiving “any of the service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, the ribbon, button, or rosette of any such badge, decoration, or medal, or any colorable imitation of such item”. It must be presumed that since the earning of the status of US Navy SEAL carries with it a special Naval Enlisted Classification (NEC) code and a unique breast insignia (SEAL Trident badge) that the offering of false verbal claims of being a SEAL would fall within the jurisdiction of this amended version of the 18USC. This matter, of course, would be for the courts to determine.

Thank you again for your concern in this matter, and for your assistance in upholding the honor of the US Navy SEAL Teams. As noted in my opening paragraph, I am a private individual and am in no way affiliated with the US Department of Defense or the US government. The responsibility for reporting the individual named in your inquiry to the federal authorities rests with you and with anyone else who may have personally heard or received these claims from the individual himself. I would recommend that you bring the man’s web site, and photographic proof of his wearing of the SEAL Trident insignia to the attention of the federal authorities.  However, whether or not you decide to report him to the federal authorities is entirely up to you; at least you now know the truth regarding his bogus claims.

Very Respectfully,

He had wonderful tales of his time as a Navy Seal and wore the large Budweiser trident on a clean new Marine CorpS style hat.

CLAIMS he went through Seal training and went to Vietnam in 1966,  is probably in his late 50’s or early 60’s.

His stories  -   he was more than willing to tell them, including his feet…which are “ate up” with Agent Orange. It is so bad that flesh often comes off of his toes in small chunks!

Robert Allen Franklin III Born 1970;  Claims U.S. Army, Warrant Officer; Special Ops; He is using this as a direct way to use unsuspecting women to con & cheat them out of money & other things.

He claims that he served in Iraq in 2008-2009 as a Warrant Officer under these MOS codes: 11 Bravo; 11 Hotel; Echo 9; 351 Bravo; & 351 Echo. He's currently residing in Beloit, Wisconsin; However his prior addresses since before 2009 have been: San Antonio, Texas; Milwaukee, Kenosha, Janesville, Wisconsin before moving here to Beloit, Wisconsin.

Fraser was a special forces medic who was assigned to SAR (Search and Rescue) and SOG (Study Observation Group). He was also at the siege of Khe Sanh for 77 days and in the Ashau Valley.....

MORE

FBI'S TOP TEN NEWS STORIES FOR THE WEEK ENDING May 9, 2008
FBI Press Room (press release) - Washington,DC,USA
Full Story Michael Allan Fraser pled guilty to violating the Stolen Valor Act. Full Story James Williams, a contract mechanic employed at Customs, ...
See all stories on this topic

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JULY 2009 War-hero impostor busted for fraud again Mercury-Register - Oroville,CA,USA Sterner, who lives in Colorado, helped to author the Stolen Valor Act, and said Fraser's ... Sterner said the penalty for violating the Stolen Valor Act is ...

NO COMBAT OR VIETNAM SERVICE IS NOTED

================================

http://www.kcra.com/news/16193664/detail.html

Fake Vietnam Vet Fined $500

Oroville Man Accused Of Saying He Was Awarded Two Purple Hearts

POSTED: 4:40 pm PDT May 7, 2008
UPDATED: 5:11 pm PDT May 7, 2008

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- An Oroville man who allegedly created a story about serving in Vietnam and being shot at by AK-47 rifles pleaded guilty Wednesday, officials said.
Michael Allan Fraser, 62, was sentenced to serve 100 hours of community service helping veterans and to pay a fine of $500, officials said.....

ACTUAL RECORDS

          
Reportedly seen is a white shirt wearing silver pilots wings and other insignia.

Served from  Jan 1971 until Feb 1975

ACTUAL RECORDS:

10/2009

12/2009

02/2010

10/2009 - Claims NAVY SEAL

12/2009 - Claims he received a medal at the Pentagon for one of the "undercover mission" that he would do, presumably over the weekend, in Columbia.

Known as  "the Captain."

Claims records don't cover people who entered other governmental agencies such as the CIA.

02/2010 "LT SEAL Team2" - likes to make the claims for dating purposes!

Sir,

If the name you provided is spelled correctly, I do NOT find a listing in the SEAL Database (end of WWII to the Present Day) for anyone named THAD FURLONG. I have also examined possible alternate spellings, and names with similar pronunciations without finding any that appear to be applicable. In point of fact there are no listings in the SEAL Database for anyone with the last name FURLONG.

Unless he has undertaken the unlikely action of a legal name change (an action for which there would be evidence in the form of court documentation) since his claimed attendance at BUD/S training, and based upon the information you have provided, I can state conclusively that THAD FURLONG has NEVER COMPLETED SEAL training, and he is not now, nor was he ever a Navy SEAL or a Navy UDT “Frogman”.

It is quite common for those making fraudulent SEAL claims to cite a “secret” training class, “special selection and skills which allowed them to bypass BUD/S training”, or “secret missions” as an explanation for the lack of military documentation to back up their stories. SEAL imposters also tend to claim their military records are “sealed” and cannot be accessed due to the controversial or borderline “unlawful” nature of their actions which they claim to have performed at the direction of their superiors. Occasionally inventive imposters claim their records were destroyed in a fire at the National Personnel Records Center, or were destroyed by an ex-wife or ex-girlfriend, or are classified/sealed and tucked away under government lock and key in the interest of national security. I would caution you that despite anything the man might have told you, there are NO secret SEALs. Before any classified operations may be undertaken, a man must first successfully complete the totally unclassified BUD/S Training program; the names of all those who successfully graduate from that training program are compiled in the SEAL database. Later participation in classified operations has no impact on whether or not a person is listed as a graduate of the training program. No one gets to the SEAL Teams without completing BUD/S training; there are NO EXCEPTIONS! The graduates of that training program are listed in the SEAL database – an unclassified document which is nonetheless considered “highly sensitive” and therefore not available for general public circulation. There are records of every man who has qualified for the title of “SEAL”; there have been and will continue to be secret missions, but there are NO secret SEALs… we know them all.

The important point to consider in this matter is that Mr. FURLONG has presented MySpace readers/viewers with false information. Whether his motivation was for employment purposes, monetary gain, increased social status, “dating” opportunities, or personal notoriety, it is clear that his personal ethics have not prevented him making false statements about his military background.  If the man’s personal ethics do not prevent him from offering such a false statement about his background, you must ask yourself what other false statements he might have made, or might be willing to make.

Thank you again for your concern in this matter, and for your assistance in upholding the honor of the US Navy SEAL Teams. If I can be of any further assistance to you in this matter, please contact me at your convenience.

Respectfully,

Hanoi Jane Fonda