Jonny Kim solos the T-6

[wink]

I don’t know. Seems fishy. Best case scenario he is just sloppy about his decorations, rank, badges,…I did a little research and figured out the following to “potentially” make it possible.

Enlisted in US Army in 1987 and goes to Airborne and 82nd ABN Division.
Gets selected for SF in 1989 and runs a flawless training pipeline.
While assigned to 10th SFG (ODA 074) he makes the one and only HALO drop into Iraq during ODS in 1991 (to get his combat jump).
Selected for WOCS in 1992.
Completes WOCS and army flight school and is assigned to an Air Ambulance Company in late 1993.
Manages 500 flying hours between 1993 and 1995 (required for joining SOAR) and pulls in all his HAC training.
Assigned to 1st Battalion 160th SOAR until late 2000 (7 years operational flying for Master Av badge).
Leaves army in 2000 or early 2001.
Law school, joins reserves, JAG school (commissioned as O-3 at best) by 2004.

So, yeah, it could work. His ribbon rack doesn’t tell that story for that kind of experience but it is distantly possible. His uniform is a complete shit show. As a WO in the late ‘90’s he would have worn WO branch insignia, not aviator. As a lawyer he wasn’t aviation branch assigned. I’m still not convinced but who knows?

Yeah, that is a pretty tight timeline. Little room for getting hurt in training or weather cancelations.

I am going to continue to talk to him. A little more info and will feel comfortable mentioning it to a couple guys that have the horse power to find out from big Army. Or maybe I just print the picture and leave it laying around the hangar. It will get noticed.

 

[Griz882]

Yeah, that is a pretty tight timeline. Little room for getting hurt in training or weather cancelations.

I am going to continue to talk to him. A little more info and will feel comfortable mentioning it to a couple guys that have the horse power to find out from big Army. Or maybe I just print the picture and leave it laying around the hangar. It will get noticed.

Looking closer I wonder if his second decoration in the picture isn’t a NATO Medal (rather than a Purple Heart)?

 

[wink]

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, he claims two MS degrees and two BS degrees ( Az State and Embry Riddle ) as well as the JD. Figure that into the time line. This guy is no Jonny Kim or Drew Morgan. Not that disciplined.

 

[JoeBob1788]

I feel ya, but HALO wings didn’t exist back in the 1990’s. But, you are right about his decorations….they are a mess. I can’t tell what is before his PH but I do wonder how a senior aviator could have only two Army Commendation medal

Good points with that and the dive bubble. I am but late GWOT aged, glad to have your expertise around. Still doesn’t seem right. As a non-standard track guy yourself, even unusual paths still make sense…

 

[Griz882]

Good points with that and the dive bubble. I am but late GWOT aged, glad to have your expertise around. Still doesn’t seem right. As a non-standard track guy yourself, even unusual paths still make sense…

There is no doubt that something is off here. I got the feeling from the start.

 

[Griz882]

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, he claims two MS degrees and two BS degrees ( Az State and Embry Riddle ) as well as the JD. Figure that into the time line. This guy is no Jonny Kim or Drew Morgan. Not that disciplined.

You know…this all reminds me of my Top Secret Distinguished Flying Cross (upgraded by Q Clearance orders to a Navy Cross). What I'm about to tell you is classified. It could end my career. I was in the worst dogfight I ever dreamed of. There were bogeys like fireflies all over the sky. My F-56 (four times better than an F-14) was hit, and I was wounded…could've made it back but I stayed in it, saved three AH-46 Attack Seahorses.
I’ll never forget my “Cheer Leader In Back,” Jimmy “Sausage” Dean. We were in this flat spin heading out to sea and he saved us by resetting the “fly straight” breaker before we bought it.

As you guys can understand it is deeply classified because the State Department knows the battle occurred over the wrong line on some map.?

 

[wink]

You know…this all reminds me of my Top Secret Distinguished Flying Cross (upgraded by Q Clearance orders to a Navy Cross). What I'm about to tell you is classified. It could end my career. I was in the worst dogfight I ever dreamed of. There were bogeys like fireflies all over the sky. My F-56 (four times better than an F-14) was hit, and I was wounded…could've made it back but I stayed in it, saved three AH-46 Attack Seahorses.
I’ll never forget my “Cheer Leader In Back,” Jimmy “Sausage” Dean. We were in this flat spin heading out to sea and he saved us by resetting the “fly straight” breaker before we bought it.

As you guys can understand it is deeply classified because the State Department knows the battle occurred over the wrong line on some map.?

If you had the right map and paid attention to the lines on it you would be wearing that Navy Cross and not thrown away your career for telling us.

 

[nittany03]

Pretty ballsy to join an organization of combat vets and try and pull off a fraud.

AKA "pulling a Skeeterman."

 

[nittany03]

View attachment 35677
Met this guy a week or so ago. Most recently a Reserve JAG Officer. Yes, that is a Ranger tab. Can't make out the other shoulder tab. I met him in a flight suit. Had me scratching my head. There is a story, but it still makes me wonder.

Wait a minute . . . that still doesn't add up. That's Aviation branch insignia on the lapels, not JAG. If he'd shifted to being a JAG, shouldn't he be wearing this on his lapels?

Also, the other shoulder tab looks like an SF long tab, but that's also a USASOC HQ shoulder patch on the left sleeve, which is the unit you're currently assigned to. Yet the beret flash and jump wings trim is for USASOAC, which is a different unit with different insignia that falls under USASOC HQ. And why the hell is he wearing a 160th pin on the right side? I thought the Army only did that on blues. And aren't officers supposed to wear that green tab centered on their rank, not the unit crest?

I mean, I've just gotten a cup of coffee or two in Joint land, but that has me scratching my head based on what I know about Army uniforms.

 

[Griz882]

Wait a minute . . . that still doesn't add up. That's Aviation branch insignia on the lapels, not JAG. If he'd shifted to being a JAG, shouldn't he be wearing this on his lapels?

Also, the other shoulder tab looks like an SF long tab, but that's also a USASOC HQ shoulder patch on the left sleeve, which is the unit you're currently assigned to. Yet the beret flash and jump wings trim is for USASOAC, which is a different unit with different insignia that falls under USASOC HQ. And why the hell is he wearing a 160th pin on the right side? I thought the Army only did that on blues. And aren't officers supposed to wear that green tab centered on their rank, not the unit crest?

I mean, I've just gotten a cup of coffee or two in Joint land, but that has me scratching my head based on what I know about Army uniforms.

Nope…we are all scratching on this one.

 

[Hair Warrior]

Record search his name and see if he’s lived at the same address for more than 3 consecutive years (ever). The digital history always tells the truth.

 

[wink]

Actually, I know he is a lawyer, his Bar record, his address. Sure he was an Army pilot and pretty damn sure he was a JAG. Still scratching my head.

 

[Flash]

How common is public "exaggerated" valor in vets? Pretty ballsy to join an organization of combat vets and try and pull off a fraud.

While not really common it happens more than I think many fellow vets realize or want to admit. As for trying to pull off a fraud, while I may misremember a few of the details I think the 'award' for that ought go to the civilian pilot who was invited to take part in a USNTPS event a few years ago with his L-39 who showed up bragging that he was a former A-6 pilot when he had never even served. He didn't last long.

 

[Griz882]

Actually, I know he is a lawyer, his Bar record, his address. Sure he was an Army pilot and pretty damn sure he was a JAG. Still scratching my head.

This is what is curious about this case. He could just be sloppy about his overall story and lazy about his uniform. You mentioned he had both Senior and Master aviator wings and that is problematic but then again…maybe just laziness.

Also, a correction to my earlier post. The ODS halo jump was done by SFOD-D or Delta Force (to use the pop culture term). Maybe the guy was Delta before he went to flight school?

 

[GroundPounder]

While not really common it happens more than I think many fellow vets realize or want to admit. As for trying to pull off a fraud, while I may misremember a few of the details I think the 'award' for that ought go to the civilian pilot who was invited to take part in a USNTPS event a few years ago with his L-39 who showed up bragging that he was a former A-6 pilot when he had never even served. He didn't last long.

Is that the guy who took his pictures as " proof " in front of some jet on an aircraft carrier museum?