AP Uses Fake SEAL to Back Kerry, Slam Bush

AP, Multiple ^ | September 12, 2004 | Travis McGee

[Travis McGee]

AP Uses Fake SEAL to Back Kerry, Slam Bush

Authentic or not, Bush memos no big deal to retired guardsmen

U.S. Servicemen React to Bush Guard Memos (spreading the lie)

Allegations of suspect conduct during the Vietnam war also have been leveled at John Kerry, who won three Purple Hearts, a Silver Star and a Bronze Star in Vietnam.

A group sponsoring television ads challenging his wartime record contends Kerry's own gunfire caused the wound that brought his first Purple Heart. Navy records and other veterans do not support the charge.

Ahmad Majied of Albany (GA) says the latest allegations about Bush's military record are more troubling to him than allegations about service honors leveled at Democratic challenger Kerry.

Majied, a Democrat from Albany who served 30 years in the Navy, including five years as a SEAL in Vietnam, said the memos support his belief that Bush was a "playboy" during his service years.

"He had enough money to get what he wanted," Majied said. "I think his main concern was not to go to Southeast Asia. I bet he never dreamed it would come back to haunt him."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

So Criminal Number 18F checked him out. Here's the reply from "authentiseal."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Official Reply

NOT A SEAL

Thanks for checking with us - we greatly appreciate your interest in upholding the honor of the US Navy SEAL Teams, and your search for the TRUTH. If the name you provided was "spelled accurately", we do NOT have a listing for anyone named "Majied" in our entire database of slightly more than 10,000 names. Unless he has undertaken the unlikely action of a full legal name change since his claimed service with the SEAL Teams, I can state conclusively that the man NEVER completed SEAL training, and thus he is not now, nor was he ever a Navy SEAL. While there are other training steps that must be completed on the path to becoming a SEAL, BUD/S training is the first and most vital, and that training course is totally unclassified. Without having first completed BUD/S training, a man cannot go on to become a SEAL. There are definitely secret SEAL missions, but despite anything the man might have said, there are NO secret SEALs. If you choose to confront the man regarding his fraudulent SEAL claims, please show him this email message and invite him to contact me - a real SEAL - directly by email with information that will support his claims. I'd enjoy hearing his stories first hand, but I've extended this offer to literally thousands of individuals over the last three years, and in all that time I've received only a scant handful of replies, so I don't really expect to hear from him either.

Again, please visit our web page www.authentiseal.org/realitycheck.htm for some very specific information related to the realities of SEAL training, SEAL duties, and the claims most often made by SEAL imposters.

Thank you again for your assistance in upholding the honor of the US Navy SEAL Teams.

Respectfully, Gregory Platt

UDT/SEAL 1970-1974

SEAL Authentication Team - Investigator

"The only service where all investigators are US Navy SEALs"

[NavySEAL F-16]

I tried calling Majied's number -- got an answering machine with a very long blessing! I just want to ask what his Class number is. Should be a very easy question with only one answer.

Too vague should be a red flag for all.

[terilyn]

Do you happen to have the name of the woman stockbroker who claims to be a Republican that's voting for Kerry? We can at least verify whether she's a stockbroker or not.

[mabelkitty]

He's the one. The idea makes me laugh out loud because it's just "so-Kerry".

[Binghamton_native]

I've been thinking it would be nice if we on Free Republic could start a movement to have all those in their area that will vote for Bush cancel their subscription to their local newspaper if it is a liberal rag. For example, I'm in the San Jose, CA metro area. Let's say for approximation that Bush will only get 40% of the vote in Santa Clara county. Imagine the effect on the San Jose Mercury News if we could get anything approaching the 40% Bush voters to cancel their subscriptions (I've long ago cancelled mine). My idea is that all of the Freepers in a given newspaper area would work to convince their fellow Bush voters to cancel their subscription. The thought of the possible impact on these rags is delicious.

[mabelkitty]

Here's his name on page 11 of 16 - he recently joined the Torpedoman in November of 2003? Is this helpful?

[RonDog]

From www.skyxpress.net:

U.S. Servicemen React to Bush Guard Memos
The Associated Press
By ELLIOTT MINOR
ALBANY, Ga.
Sat, 11 Sep 2004 15:46 MST

Some current and retired members of the National Guard and other military services say they aren't bothered by newly revealed memos that indicate President Bush got preferential treatment in the Air National Guard during the Vietnam War, while others say they are troubling.

Lt. Col. Jim Driscoll, spokesman for the Georgia Army National Guard, said retired service members may comment on political issues such as the Bush documents, but most current reservists and active-duty service members will hesitate to voice their political opinions.

"It would be inappropriate," he said. "The president is our commander-in-chief and so we have to be very careful from an ethical perspective of how we express our political opinions."

Frank Jones says he's angry about the documents, but he's not surprised by favoritism in the Guard. Jones, a Republican from Troy, N.Y., served in Vietnam in 1970 and 1971 before doing 16 years in the Guard himself. As the presidential election nears, Jones says controversy over both candidates' military records and the mounting death toll in Iraq are important issues.

"I'm really in neither camp at this point," he said. "However, I do see a direct correlation to Vietnam. The body count is really starting to get to me."

The documents, which became fodder for Democratic critics last week, indicate Bush was suspended from flying with his Texas Air National Guard unit because he missed a medical exam and that he missed six months of training. Questions have been raised about the documents' authenticity.

Some who served in the National Guard say it is common practice to miss drills _ even up to six months _ because of job conflicts, family problems or illness.

Ralph Bradley, 56, a Republican from Albany who served three years in Vietnam in the Air Force and 17 years in the Georgia Army National Guard, said members are encouraged to make up drills so they don't lose pay or retirement benefits.

"There's all kinds of situations ... that cause a person to go out of state for a period of time," he said.

Army Reserve Sgt. Tim Wilding, 37, of Jefferson City, Mo., agreed.

Back home for two weeks of leave from Iraq, Wilding said he remains a staunch Bush supporter despite allegations Bush may have tried to get out of Guard drills for several months in 1972.

"A lot of guys don't serve for four or five months at a time," he said. "They've got other stuff going on. They'll make it up later on, or they just won't get paid. That's really no big deal to a lot of National Guard soldiers."

Allegations of suspect conduct during the Vietnam war also have been leveled at John Kerry, who won three Purple Hearts, a Silver Star and a Bronze Star in Vietnam.

A group sponsoring television ads challenging his wartime record contends Kerry's own gunfire caused the wound that brought his first Purple Heart. Navy records and other veterans do not support the charge.

Ahmad Majied of Albany says the latest allegations about Bush's military record are more troubling to him than allegations about service honors leveled at Democratic challenger Kerry.

Majied, a Democrat from Albany who served 30 years in the Navy, including five years as a SEAL in Vietnam, said the memos support his belief that Bush was a "playboy" during his service years.

"He had enough money to get what he wanted," Majied said. "I think his main concern was not to go to Southeast Asia. I bet he never dreamed it would come back to haunt him."

Neal Eubanks of Leesburg, who served 39 years in the military _ 23 in the Air Force and 16 in the Georgia Army National Guard _ said the presidential candidates should move beyond their military records and focus on the issues, such as the economy and unemployment.

"You don't see Korean veterans or World War II veterans or Grenada veterans always talking about 'I served here and I served there,'" said Eubanks, 67, a Bush supporter.

___

Associated Press writers Russ Bynum in Savannah, Ga., David Lieb in Jefferson City, Mo., and Michael Gormley in Albany, N.Y., contributed to this report.

[amom]

Great work, well done! Thanks for the ping.

[lonevoice]

There is no way this guy wouldn't tell his Class number or what his former name was. No SEAL wants to be accused of being a fake...If this guy were real, he would tell you all you needed to know to prove it.

Of course that makes complete sense to a rational person. I can't imagine any honorable SEAL feeling otherwise. On the other hand, it's possible this guy converted to Islam and is now a Muslim Imam as a few other posts imply from google searches. If that's true, could he be a terrorist sympathizer? Sounds wild, I know. But, if it's possible I'd just hate to see FR blamed for a mistake right when its getting positive attention about fontgate.

[RonDog]

Ooops.

The caption on that image SHOULD read:

Neal Eubanks, a retired Georgia Army National Guard master sergeant, stands in his patio in Leesburg, Ga., Friday, Sept. 10, 2004, while showing the letter and Georgia flag he received when he retired with 39 years of military service. Eubanks said he supports President Bush. He said he wishes the military service records of Bush and his Democratic challenger, John Kerry, during the Vietnam War had not become issues in the campaign. (AP Photo/Elliott Minor) Height (pixels): 512 Width (pixels): 340

[Flamenco Lady]

Great idea to cancel newspaper subscriptions, however, I think most of us canceled our subscriptions years ago. I haven't subscribed to the Oregonian since the 1980's!

[mabelkitty]

Sorry. Here's the link.

http://diodon349.com/Torpedoman/TMA_newsletter/TMA_Newsletter_Nov2003.pdf

[zeaal]

Just love these guys ... the SEAL Authentication Team.

[Binghamton_native]

Yes, I agree that probably most of us have already cancelled our subscriptions. It is just that as I was sitting here today I realized that I've never urged my non-Freeper but likeminded friends and relatives in this area to get rid of their subscriptions. That is what I'm urging. That we preach to our likeminded friends and relatives the reasons why they too should cancel.

[nicmarlo]

Another RAT fraud exposed.

They just HATE it when this happens!!! : )

[Rastus]

He looks like the nerd who wants to hang out with the cool kids.

To quote Butt-Head, if those are the cool kids, I'd hate to see the uncool kids!

[Bahbah]

"...but amateurs in jammies, according to the ex-CBS snob on Fox last week."

I am encouraing the idea of the actual production of these jammies. I think the possibilities for the fabric pattern would be amusing and all profits could go to FR. One FReeper said that the behind would have to be ample because Dan Rather is always causing him to get his panties in a bunch.

[Ann Archy]

Allah FUBAR! LOL!!!!

[NavySEAL F-16]

But, if it's possible I'd just hate to see FR blamed for a mistake right when its getting positive attention about fontgate.

I just think that if his comments had any background info he would supply it willingly. Being a Navy SEAL, and confirming certainly would lend credence to his comments. Either way, the AP cannot be trusted -- they obviously didn't research their sources very well -- AGAIN.

The Imam could have just stated his BUD/S class. That would have been enough info -- but SEAL school -- no such classification that I am aware of. I asked a guy from BUD/S Class 24 and he just laughed at SEAL school! It's BUD/S.

No SEAL that I know doesn't know his Class number.

[river rat]

No surprise...

Kerry has been a phony, and associated with phonies his entire life and career...

Kerry presented and assisted phonies in his "Vietnam Veterans Against the War", with NON veterans lying about real veterans....

The MSM, DNC, Kerry Campaign and every worthless sonuvabitch on the planet are all on the SAME team...

It's to be expected...

Semper Fi

[StayAt HomeMother]

I think what we are trying to do is determine this man's validity. If he was a SEAL, and later changed his name, OK, that's his right. [By the way, fellow FReepers, SEAL is all caps. It stands for SEa Air Land - they operate everywhere.]

When military personnel sign up for alumni sites they generally use the rank they had when assigned to that unit. Otherwise it would be hard for their old buddies to recognize them.

However, the man texas booster found who said he was on the Currituck did not follow this normal procedure. Regardless of how senior he was, he could NOT have been a Master at Arms in 63-66 because the rate did not become official until 1973.

reference: http://www.navcops.com/history/1973.htm