DD214 I got out in 73 the DD214 looks / feels like some sort of thin paper..No embossed stamp...I have seen a few others..no emboss.....so I am not so sure about that

My dad and both of his brothers served in Vietnam, we just lost the youngest one last year but my dad and other uncle are still going strong. The recently deceased uncle had lost a leg and an eye to a land mine while serving with the marines in the early 70s, my dad (army artillery, early 60s) and other uncle (Army infantry, late 60s) both came through unscathed.

Thinking of people claiming or imitating Vietnam vets, my dad belongs to some often imitated Army groups: West Point grad, airborne, ranger, Vietnam vet. The only one of these he wears on his sleeve is West Point; he wears his class ring 24/7 and has a a "beat navy!" magnet on his car. The other ones you'd have to sort of pry out of him. For what it's worth he's told me about organized groups for the rangers who do nothing but verify or debunk claims from people that they are rangers... I would assume a similar network would exist for Vietnam vets.

Thanks to all who serve and have served.

Hmmmm....I'll have to look at mine again. As I recall, I had to produce an 'original copy' from the DOD to get into the VA system.... I think it was embossed or stamped to prove the originality. If that were not the case, almost anyone could fake one.

Thanks to all of you who are thanking and recognizing the service of all vets...it means a lot to us. It wasn't always that way...

I have two of them, nothing too exciting about either one but one has a big Department of Defense United States of America round seal centered on the page, the other, nothing. Nothing embossed.

Just finished reading 'To The Limit' about the life of a 1st Cav pilot and amazed that there are so many vets left. God's Own Lunatics, indeed.

edit: think the long form '14s are notorized but short forms are not. I can check mine tomorrow.

Old thread but I just wanted to say I just checked my DD-214. I have three and all are embossed in the lower right corner.

I would love to know a few who said they served but "didn't"!

There are actually a few web sites devoted to debunking these a$$ wipes... Try googleing viet nam wannabes and see what you get. It gets disgusting.

I have not explored this link but it looks promising: www.pownetwork.org/phonies/links_verification.htm

I don't know how someone could misspeak about an experience like Southeast Asia, (Vietnam).

Yeah, I'm puzzled as well. Some try to bilk the govt out of money but most...well I dunno why. I have heard that it's an astounding number though.

I,....HAD No idea there are chit 4 brains running around trying to make up for what they would not do!
The NEXT time someone tells me a he is a Viet vet..i will consume myself with verifying it

Usually all you have to do is ask who they were attached to...unit...MOS...where they were, etc. If they are faking it you know...vague answers cuz they dunno the country and likely dunno even what MOS stands for. Dunno the units...etc. I run into a lot of street beggers that have a sign saying that they are Nam Vets but really don't wanna even spend the time dicking around with it.

My experience these kinds of personalities is they are quite "read" on the their game....But,,I have never thought of anyone wanting to be a pseudo Viet Vet....
I know there are cop wanna bees...lawyer wanna bees and a few others.....BUT never thought a VET ! We were so hated...HATED...for 30 years or so I never told anyone!

Is it the Best & Brightest that doped & protested their way through VN, trashed American morals & values, & rose though corporate, financial, & political ranks to put our country in the mess that it is in?

In war we always lose many of our Best & Brightest.

Wow, This is amazing, other then a few cases I had no idea that some of the cowards who dodged the draft and service to this country when needed the most would years later claim service and in some cases claim to have been honored with medals!

The damage that war did to my father and so many other vets, including the poor treatment by the VA regarding PTSD and agent orange damage changed our family forever.

To think some people find false pride in claiming service in any war is disgusting.... The vets I know don't brag about their service and even less about any distinguished medals they may have received if they ever mention it themselves at all...

The effects of that war continued for years in our family, like so many other families of V-Vets, our Dad brought that war home with him, it was a rough stretch for us all while we worked through PTSD. I consider myself lucky and proud to be the son of a Vietnam Vet. I watched Dad overcome his demons and get involved with the local chapter of V-VA, eventually he becoming Pres of the local chapter of V-VA during the late 80's including being involved in getting "The Wall" made. One of my fondest memories of that time was driving down to SFO (Just turned 16), picking up the guy who designed "The Wall" and driving him up to an important meeting. I remember thinking wow, this is significant.

Dad went to DC for the opening ceremony where he met Chuck Norris. I thought that was pretty cool at the time. I remember him saying Norris was a huge supporter of the V-Vets. More importantly he got to witness first hand the significance The Wall had on our country.

My Dad left chunks of his body in Southeast Asia, lost many dear friends both during the war and after, and for some flunky bastids to claim service and valor when they never set foot on a battlefield is one of the most reprehensible acts I can think of and is insulting to all the vets that did serve and more so to the ones who sacrificed their lives for our freedom and liberty.

Anyway-

Thank you to all of the veterans here, you have my respect and heartfelt appreciation for your service.

BTW- My Dad was neither poor, uneducated or a minority....just saying

PTSD Means many things to many people...It is NOT Just reliving Night Mares!
For instance I understand that 1000s of people were awarded PTSD "Rights" for their day in NYS on 9/11 (just one day)
The Viet Vets had a year of **** to deal with
The Viet Vets saw a lot more action then other earlier war vets because of the helicopter...it took them right to front line every day!
On top of that, When he got back there was an other war waiting for him here "welcome Back you Baby Killing Bostard!
"Life ain't Ez for a boy Named Sue"

Obviously not. G.W Bush declined to serve in Viet Nam. Dick Cheney didn't serve at all. No one ever called them bright.

Liar.

I was USN mid-70s and served with quite a few who were over there. It has been interesting to me to see the transition from those who were actually there hiding the fact so as not to be called duped, stupid, baby killers, etc., to people who obviously weren't there claiming it as a badge of honor.

A good friend was there for Tet, and has a brother with his name on the wall. I see him cringe when he sees someone bragging (probably falsely) about their in-country service.

About the numbers - they may be right, but they don't make sense to me. Maybe this is a case of "don't believe everything you read on-line."