Roger Dinsmore, Popular Inspirational
Speaker, Admits He Misrepresented His Military Record
By CAMERON JUDD
Assistant Managing Editor
The Greenville Sun
03/03/99
An area man who has conducted many religious and patriotic services
across East Tennessee over the past decade, presenting himself as a highly decorated
Vietnam War veteran and later a military chaplain, today stood before a federal magistrate
judge and admitted that his military record is an almost-total fabrication.
Roger D. Dinsmore, 53, of Church Hill, pleaded guilty to two
federal charges placed against him by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Greenville, and was
sentenced to five years' supervised probation, with several special probationary terms
included.
Dinsmore admitted to the court that he has worn a military uniform
without authorization, and that he decorated that uniform with what Supervisory Assistant
U.S. Attorney Neil Smith called "about any
decoration you can find to place on an Army green uniform."
Throughout the hearing, Dinsmore, dressed in a sport coat and
turtleneck sweater, sat alone at the defendant's table in a courtroom at the U.S.
Courthouse, having chosen to face his charges without an attorney. His wife, who has
accompanied him to some speaking engagements in the past, was not present.
Obviously nervous, but speaking clearly, Dinsmore told U.S.
Magistrate Judge Dennis H. Inman that he was in fact guilty of the charges against him.
"I say that before you and God almighty," he said.
Although Dinsmore himself did not explain what motivated him to
carry on a decade-long charade during which he presented himself as a war hero, Assistant
U.S. Attorney Smith told Inman that investigators' discussions with Dinsmore had shown
that his actions came from "a desire to get the
respect that would be accorded a war hero."
Dinsmore in fact did receive such respect during his long public
pretense. He has been the subject of numerous newspaper feature stories, including a
1991 story in The Greenville Sun, and has spoken at
numerous churches, civic group meetings, school events, and so on, including some in
Greene County.
His military claims were taken upon face value.
Many who have heard him have said he has presented moving and
dynamic presentations of his supposed wartime exploits.
According to court documents, Dinsmore is in fact a Vietnam
veteran, but served as a carpenter and masonry specialist, and did not take part in the
many wartime exploits he has described in interviews and speeches.
The only medals or ribbons he won during that time, according to
the documents, were the National Defense Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam
Commendation Medal, two overseas service ribbons, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam
Cross of Gallantry (a unit award), the Sharpshooter badge, and the Expert Hand Grenade
Badge. He also received a Good Conduct Medal.
Charged In 'Information'
Dinsmore was charged on an "information" from the U.S.
Attorney's Office. The term "information" refers to an official list of
misdemeanor charges that come directly from the U.S. Attorney rather than from a grand
jury.
The charges against him were unauthorized wearing of a military
uniform and unauthorized wearing of military honorary ribbons, badges, etc. Asked by Inman
to explain his illegal behavior, Dinsmore did not describe an exact motivation, but said
that he has a long history of "emotional problems," has "self-destructive
tendencies," and is undergoing continuing psychiatric counseling at the James H.
Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center at Mountain Home, in Johnson City.
He obtained the uniform he wore at a military PX, he said,
explaining that he was authorized to make the purchase because he was at the time a member
of the Tennessee Defense Force (TDF), a predecessor of the Tennessee State Guard.
The TDF, like the later State Guard, exists to assist the governor
in civil defense in times of crisis.
Dinsmore said that during the approximately six years he was in the
TDF, it served as a "support group" for the National Guard.
Smith told Inman, however, that Dinsmore made false claims about
his military background even at the time he joined the TDF, and that when his
misrepresentations were brought to the attention of the TDF's commanding officer, Dinsmore
was "discharged" from that organization.
Dinsmore, however, continued to wear the uniform, bedecked with
numerous medals and ribbons, and made many speeches in which he claimed war hero status
and still presented himself as a chaplain.
Dinsmore's Claims
In an "Agreed Factual Basis" document prepared by the
court and signed by Dinsmore himself, he admitted that he appeared, wearing an Army
officer's green uniform, at at least 11 churches in several counties in East Tennessee.
On the uniform were a "U.S." insignia and Chaplain Corps
branch insignia attached to the lapels, and Major or Lieutenant Colonel rank insignia
"affixed to the epaulets."
The statement says that Dinsmore "falsely represented that he
had re-entered military service in 1985 as a chaplain."
It continues, "Additionally, Dinsmore wore numerous medals,
awards, and decorations for which he was not authorized," including "the Silver
Star, the Purple Heart, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Soldier's Medal, the
Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the U.S. Army Aviator Badge, the U.S. Army
Parachutist Badge, the U.S. Army Combat Infantryman's Badge, the U.S. Army Pathfinder
Badge, the U.S. Special Forces tab, the U.S. Army Ranger tab, and the U.S. Army Special
Services
tab."
In his sermons and interviews with area newspapers over the years,
Dinsmore also made other false claims, the Factual Statement says. These include,
according to the statement, that he had received U.S. Army Special Forces ("Green
Beret") training and had served with the Special Forces in Vietnam.
"Dinsmore falsely stated that he had been on a 'classified'
Special Forces mission when he was captured and held as a prisoner of war," the court
document says.
"Dinsmore falsely claimed to have been wounded in combat and
to have been awarded the Purple Heart for his injuries."
He also falsely claimed he won a Silver Star for saving the life of
his co-pilot when their helicopter was shot down in Cambodia.
"Dinsmore falsely claimed that some of his awards and
decorations had been presented to him personally by President (Ronald) Reagan in
1986," the document continues.
Veterans Report Dinsmore
According to the court document, various retired military officers
and non-commissioned officers reported to the post chaplain at Fort Campbell, Ky., in late
1998 that Dinsmore was representing himself as an army chaplain.
"The post chaplain referred the matter to the U.S. Army
Criminal Investigation Detachment at Fort Campbell," the Factual Statement document
says.
"Dinsmore was interviewed by a CID special agent in early
January 1999, at which time Dinsmore admitted that he had misrepresented his military
service and wom unauthorized uniforms, decorations, awards and badges."
The matter was referred to the FBI, and Dinsmore was interviewed
again on Feb. 17, again admitting his misrepresentations and stating that he had gained
about $3,500 in "love offerings' received from churches at which he spoke.
"Dinsmore expressed remorse for his misconduct and his desire
to apologize to those persons he had deceived," the document says.
Inman Passes Sentence
After extensively interviewing Dinsmore to make.sure he was aware
of all his rights and that he gave evidence of understanding the nature of the
proceedings, Inman accepted Dinsmore's guilty plea and passed sentence.
Dinsmore was sentenced to five years of supervised probation,
during which time he is to violate no laws at all, subject to revoking of his probation.
He is forbidden to misrepresent his military record, he is denied
the right to participate in any veterans activities, and he is required to continue mental
health treatments until both his counselor and his
probation officer agree no further counseling is needed.
Dinsmore is also ordered to make a list of all the places, as best
he can remember, at which he has misrepresented his military background, and to write
statements to all of them correcting his falsehoods.
He is forbidden to wear the uniform again, or its decorations, and
is to donate those items to a veterans organization, museum, or drama group as agreed
between himself and his probation officer.
He is also to pay a $4,000 fine over the next four years. Dinsmore
told Inman that he is disabled and unemployed, and is no longer preaching or speaking. He
does, however, draw about $2,800 in VA disability payments, he said, and his wife makes
about $1 1,000 a year in a private sector job.
Offense To Veterans Noted
During the hearing, U.S. Attorney Smith, himself a former active
military officer and still a reserve officer, spoke eloquently of the deep offense many
veterans have felt when they learned of Dinsmore's misrepresentations, which they see as
cheapening the value of true military honors.
Inman, with apparent emotion, said at the close of the hearing that
he wished to say more himself along those lines but could find no better words than those
Smith had spoken.
In his last statement in the hearing, Dinsmore said, "I
apologize to the
court."
"It's not me that you need to apologize to," Inman
replied.
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