Go go Power Ranger!!!! Jeff "Rock" Harris apparently the baddest Ranger ever!

**AMF** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 3:32pm

So the plot thickens.

Not in Mogadishu, did'nt earn the awards he claims, not even a Ranger........

Can we get a nomination for douche bag of the month????

**Devil** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 5:28pm

Originally Posted by Himura

If you ever see someone claiming to have a CMH then you may want to run a check on that because there is no such thing. Screwing up the name of the award is usually the first mistake someone who has never served would do.

Pfft. Congressional Medal of Honor is common usage, even in the military. Yeah, it's technically wrong. Most people in the military learn about the Medal of Honor in boot camp and then never concern themselves with it again. I never met a Medal of Honor recipient. Not on the top of most people's list of **** to remember.

Nevertheless, it goes without saying - if anyone told me they were awarded one, I'd go verify it.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 6:21pm

Originally Posted by devil

Pfft. Congressional Medal of Honor is common usage, even in the military. Yeah, it's technically wrong. Most people in the military learn about the Medal of Honor in boot camp and then never concern themselves with it again. I never met a Medal of Honor recipient. Not on the top of most people's list of **** to remember.

Most of us knew what you meant I'm thinking Himura didn't get the abbreviation. Yes, I know CMOH is proper, but I've seen it on forums as CMH when people are already talking about Military medals.

**Larus marinus** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 6:40pm

This in from Bryan C. Hanks, the managing editor of the Kinston Free Press....

http://bhanks.encblogs.com/?p=5902

(bolding added for a bit of extra-special stupidity and hole-digging whilst in a hole)

It’s been a distressing, disappointing and enlightening few days at 2103 N. Queen St.
Our Free Press Sunday Centerpiece was written about Jeff “Rock” Harris, an alleged military hero for whom the book and movie “Black Hawk Down” was based upon. I had been directed to Harris by a friend for whom I held (and still hold) the utmost respect.
Long story short — Harris is a fraud of the most contemptible nature. Not only was he not the person “Black Hawk Down” was about, his claims to have received many distinguished awards from the U.S. government, sniper kill counts and, well, virtually EVERYTHING he told us were blatant lies.
What made that part of it worse is that, when contacted after we were sure he was a fraud, he told our reporter that — on the record — to write it was all a lie, but that — off the record — he was “black ops” and that it was all actually true.
Yeah, right.
We were sucked into this lie and, for the most part, we — I’m including myself, my publisher/editor and the reporter — bought into this bulls**t, hook, line and sinker.
I take special blame for this, because — although my service was limited and not heroic by any stretch — I am a veteran and should have known better.
There’s no defense for us running the piece. I can tell you the reporter is only 22 and this was the biggest story she had worked on to that point in her young career; I can tell you that we wanted to run an inspirational piece on an American military hero on the Fourth of July weekend and WANTED to believe this d-bag’s story; I can tell you he produced several pieces of documentation that LOOKED real; and I can whine about severe understaffing at my paper right now … but none of those excuses (and about 20 more I could pull out of my ass) would suffice.
Running that story hurt veterans who have served in combat and come back with wounds seen and unseen. Running that story hurt families who have had soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen who were injured in combat.
More than anything, us running that story brought dishonor to the valiant men who fought and died in Mogadishu.
I have been sickened by this entire episode to the point of reconsidering even staying in this field. However, I have found the best thing to do is my best to make this entire situation right — to rectify it to the best of my ability.
And we’re in the process of doing it now. Jane Moon — the writer of the original article — wrote a follow-up for today’s edition that tells the truth about Harris and his lies. I have been interviewed and quoted in a Fayetteville Observer story (which has been syndicated nationally) about Harris’ deceit. And Jane is continuing to work on the other angles of this story, including a piece on Doug Sterner’s Stolen Valor Act, which may help Harris see some much-needed prison time.
An important lesson I’ve learned here is to ALWAYS make sure our sources are properly vetted, even if it means we’re not going to get a story finished in time for a certain publication.
Another thing I’ve learned and started to admire is the brotherhood and love the Army Rangers have for each other. They are pissed about what we did and what this “poser” did — and they’re not going to let it die until justice is served, in one way or another.
Thank you to the dozens of people — Rangers, military people (wives and husbands), readers, etc. — who have called, emailed and Facebooked during this episode. Even when I’ve been rightfully called an idiot and worse, I’ve taken a positive out of each conversation and exchange. I’ve truly appreciated the ones who have listened to the situation and have seen that truly, we are doing our best to make this right.
Finally, I want to give a special thank-you to Friend of the Blog John Johnson. He and I have exchanged literally dozens of emails as this episode was developing. His assistance, guidance and advice have been invaluable. Thanks, JJ.
To our servicemen and women who this episode have affected: please accept my sincerest apology. I hope you have seen what we are doing to rectify this — and we’re far from through. We are going to continue to cover this until the complete story has been told.
A couple of other links for you to check out about this:

A site I have been most impressed with: The Special Operations Community Network thread that I have learned much about honor and how those with it will treat those who fake it
A Facebook “fan” group has sprung up … and it’s worth checking out

Props to Mr. Hanks and Ms. Moon for stepping up and trying to put this right.

**Chili Pepper** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 8:02pm

Kudos to the editor for stepping up and admitting his mistake - couldn't have been easy to eat that much crow.

**Larus marinus** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 8:16pm

Originally Posted by Chili Pepper

Kudos to the editor for stepping up and admitting his mistake - couldn't have been easy to eat that much crow.

It was a series of unfortunate events, really - by the sound of it.

The editor was away at the time the story was published and the reporter (Ms. Moon) was straight out of journalism school - I believe it was stated somewhere that this was her 4th ever article, and she fell into the trap of thinking 'this guy has paperwork, he must be real', 'he seems genuine' and/or 'no-one would be stupid enough to claim all that in public if he were lying about it'.

That's what you call 'learning the hard way', I guess.

FWIW, someone on SOCNET has posted what is stated to be a portion of the Rock's real service record.

http://www.socnet.com/showpost.php?p...&postcount=129

One of the military guys can probably interpret that into thick people speak for the likes of me - but it would seem that Rocky actually had a respectable career in the US military. No James Bond/Rambo/Bourne/door gunner on the space shuttle **** (lol internet at that last one) - but certainly nothing to be sniffed at.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 8:57pm

That's what makes it worse for me.

**ranger joe** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 9:41pm

Basically the guy got into the USARMY in 1987 looks like he was stationed in Germany were he attended PLDC (Primary Leadership Development COurse) were he was eventually promoted to E5. It appears that he got out as an E5. His primary MOS was a 13B (gun bunny) and he got a secondary MOS of 54B (chemical). It appears he got out in 1996 but I cant tell if that was IRR or Guard time or all active duty. Nothing terrible about his service, but he was not flown from mission to mission in an invisible silent helicopter.

**Phrost** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 10:10pm

Yeah, he would have been fine just saying he was an Army NCO; which while not as great of an achievement as being a Ranger, is still something to be very proud of.

What a fucking toolbag.

What we, Bullshido, should be doing, is looking into his "Self Defense" claims. SOCNET's the experts on the military stuff, let's do our job and dig into his potential bullshit goldmine on the martial arts front.

**Colin** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 10:18pm

Originally Posted by Phrost

Yeah, he would have been fine just saying he was an Army NCO; which while not as great of an achievement as being a Ranger, is still something to be very proud of.

The fact that he decided that claiming NCO status was not impressive enough for his 4th July interview, only shows contempt for his peers. Did he narrowly miss out on SF selection because of the medical? It's hard to imagine why he was so motivated to lie.