If I wanted to find out if someone is lying about being in the Special Forces, how would I do this?

Question

Also I would like to know how to catch someone lying about being a Army Ranger

This is to Captainamerica, You sound so upset, not that it matters but I graduated class 04-95 in Ranger School and I am a vet from Desert Storm. I don't usually concern myself with posers but this one is supposed to take over our SWAT team and I'm one of the team leaders. I think people who are posers are dangers because their lack of tactical knowledge will get someone killed.

Answer 1

if he talks to much, or tries showing you anything hes a fake...
i would never show or have to prove **** to a civillian..
OPSEC, and especially strict in SF..
either way you wont know for sure if hes lying.. but if he talks to much bout details hes full of it.

also, let me tell you a story bout being stationed with SF unit on anaconda iraq.. i had one of the SF dudes walk up to my humvee and break a buddy of mines camera.. just cause he was in the background.. theyre not camera happy, and they dont play..if he cares to prove anything to you, he is a fake.

Answer 2

"Ask the person if they are lying and watch the eye movements. If the eyes look up to the left, you have yourself a liar."
lol works sometimes but if you have a compulsive liar or a person who has been living a lie so long they actually believe it it wont work....now a functional MRI... those new studies are awsome....lol okay well I guess thats out of the question unless you turn him into a guinea pig lol

I find anyone who claims they are SF are lying, heck my hubby doesnt even volunteer to inform people he's in the military...when someone finds out it usually turns into a 2hr conversation on the war or brings out the pretenders who think the can fool military folks....nothing but head aches when you want to relax and enjoy yourself.

Answer 3

First of all Call of Duty is the biggest insult to all who have served and the weapons in that facade of a game barely scratches the surface. 2nd 20 push ups at 13 is no major feat. At the age of 13, I could do 125 push ups and run 7+ miles. Sniper school is actually a career path you choose off of your basic infantry unit. So 1st you enlist and complete basic training and then if you are a good shot then you apply for sniper school. But sniper school is an intense school not for the faint of heart. So in order to prepare keep doing push ups, sit ups, chin ups, and cardio such as running. Remember you have at least 8 years so the sooner you start training, the easier it will be. Good Luck.

Answer 4

I want to say, you probably can't.

I'd like to believe that service information, especially for those in Special Forces, would be considered highly classified.

Those I know only talk about their daring-do quietly among themselves over a quiet dinner. One I know is so tight-lipped that he's never told his wife of his service, aside from the branch of service and that he was Special Forces. He occasionally jokes about what he did with his buddies. But, except, for rare occasions, he's merely a dog trainer with some obscure military background.

I occasionally swim with an SWCC trainer. He says he's off duty and doesn't even know the motto.

If somebody asked me for my service information, DD/214, discharge papers, or whatever, unless it was for official use, I think I'd just smile and walk away. Let 'em think what they want. I don't care. If I were Special Forces, and if I were speaking to another who is or had been in Special Forces, then I'd probably provide information. "What class were you?" "I was in ##." "Wasn't that in ####?" "Where'd you go from there?" I'd probably know his unit from where he was assigned.

That notwithstanding, I'd say you can probably find some site that will attempt to find out bogus Special Forces members, if only to keep those from trying to bask in the reputation earned by others.

Answer 5

Buy a gun, ammo and a firecracker
have a friend sneek up behind the guy with the firecracker
load the gun and ask him if it meets Special Forces standard
Have your friend light the firecracker
when it goes off if there's anyone in a ten mile radius left alive he's not Special Forces, if your friend who lit the firecracker is still alive he's not even military, if your still alive he's not even a man.

Answer 6

What is stopping you from going to the source of his claims? If you are who you say you are; then surely you know the right people to ask within the organisation! It's not what you know, but who!

Besides, most SF guys say very little and usually maintain their own cover story. I'd be inclined to not believe him.

Answer 7

You should assume he's lying. As others have said, real ones don't need to impress non-ers and in fact go out of their way not to even try.

Answer 8

Funny you mention this, I "outed" a guy a few years back. He was giving very evasive answers to my basic questions. I wouldn't have done it all, got no problem with someone gilding the lily at the bar, but he was going beyond that. I didn't directly confront the guy-no need to embarrass him, but I wrote to the VFW and American Legion asking they verify his service. Turns out he was NOTHING like he said he was.
SF: Ask for his class number. EVERY SF guy remembers that.
Ask for his Unit/OD. He oughta know that immediately as well.
Ask if he's a member of "SFA". Don't explain the abbreviation: if he's the real deal, he'll know about the Special Forces Assoc.
The key is ask to see his presentation knife. Every SF soldier is presented a knife upon graduation. They are individually numbered, and are the most prized possession for nearly all Army SF. If he says, "he lost it" or "I gave it away" or even more stupidly "I used it in combat". He's lying.
As others have said, if he's out/retired then simply ask to see a copy of his DD Form 214.
Common excuses from fakers:
"My unit/class/DD Form 214 is/was 'classified'". BS, there are classified MISSIONS, not classified units. Worst case, he would immediately give you the cover story. DD 214s are NEVER "classified". Now, citations for medals can be blank due to the nature of the mission, but the medal itself will never be "classified". See below.
" I didn't go through selection because of, prior experience/I had special skills etc". NOPE, everyone goes through.
Medals. Real SOF veterans seldom if EVER mention or wear their medals (unless a military ceremony). This also goes for most combat veterans regardless of service. If all you hear is how he "won" -no one except for writers uses that term either- a Silver Star, Bronze Stars etc, he's probably full of BS.
"I'm insulted you would ask such a thing". Standard to put the stress/embarassment on you. Real guys whether AF Special Tactics, Army SF, SEALS, seldom have an issue about asking about verification. They know there's folks who are posing as them, and won't be overly concerned about your questions.
Also, wearing combat medals one doesn't earn is now a felony punishable by up to 5 years in Leavenworth and fines up to $100,000.
Rangers: look at him and say "Lead the Way". If he doesn't immediately give you some positive response, i.e. looks like a pig staring at a wristwatch. He's faking.
Class stuff, is as for SF. He will definitely remember his class. Also, ask who is battle buddy was.
I should say in fairness, that one can be assigned to SOF units/missions, WITHOUT being SF/Ranger/SEAL/ST. I'm an example: went to AF Pre-Ranger school -this does NOT make me a Ranger, though some folks confuse the two.
So if he's simply saying he worked/was assigned with SF, that's very possibly true.
There's also some sites on the web, dedicated to outing fake SF and SEALs. You can ask there.

Answer 9

Ask the person if they are lying and watch the eye movements. If the eyes look up to the left, you have yourself a liar.

Answer 10

Don't worry about it unless they are applying for a job with you. If it is important to you, ask them to show you their DD form 214. They'll know what it is. And don't believe anyone who says "I lost it". It's the most important document they posess.