I wonder how Shipley obtained his DD-214? Friends in high places? It can happen. It does happen.
The old chief says -— GOD bless you Shipley and keep rattling their cages.
On a side note - I went through SERE school in Warner Springs, CA before deploying to Nam... with (I was told later) a SEAL. He was the only one who gave the guards problems and I mean problems and the only one who escaped. I have great respect for SEALS.
Senior Chief Shipley filed a FOIA request. But clearly, he has connections, since DoD is known to sit on FOIA requests for months, even years before responding. Guessing the Marines knew he was a phony, even before the run-in with the Covington kids, and they were looking for an opportunity to get the truth out. I’ve heard that Chief Fullabull had identified himself as a “Marine recon ranger” in past media interviews, so he was probably on the Corps’ scope.
Shipley has made a second career of exposing phony SEALs, and he did great work with Chief Fullabull as well.