Former Opie and Anthony Cohort Master Po Deceived By Fake SEAL

Sam Browning · 7/21/2009 10:54pm

Take a look at the following screen captures from the June 27, 2009 edition of the "Master Po" radio show:

The guest is a man who identifies himself as a Command Master Chief Petty Officer. He identifies himself as a SEAL (Navy special forces) and claims that he has a Medal of Honor for which he was "nominated" and "approved...but not yet awarded."

[UPDATE: The Man was later identified as being George W. Skilling, See:
http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/phonies527.htm ]

Notice how in the first photo he is wearing an extensive set of ribbons and medals on his chest. During this show the "Master Chief" was asked how he had won a particular medal on his chest and he told a story of a three day gun battle with insurgents. The medal was not named but it was clearly a combat decoration.

The Fake SEAL on "Opie and Anthony"

As closely as we can reconstruct events, Robert Rivera (aka "Master Po") encountered this "SEAL" on March 10, 2008 when he joined Opie and Anthony on their radio show New York City. On the audio of this show there are comments that indicate the Master Chief met either Opie or Anthony the night before at FH Riley Resturant in Huntington New York where they pounded a few down, and "George" was invited on.

At the time, Rivera was still providing security to the Opie and Anthony show, which did regular radio and satellite radio transmissions at two different stations. The man, known at this time as "George," appeared on the radio show and told everyone he was a SEAL. According to Bullshido Member nohero, who recently listened to the audiotape of this appearance "George" also claimed:

He entered the SEAL program in 1979, and graduated from BUDS training in 1980. He participated in the Granada invasion, and claimed to have been a combat medic. (On Rivera's program he claimed he was in BUDS in 1978).
He was shot only once, in the arm, as opposed to being shot once in the chest and once in the back (his claim from the Rivera interview). He also showed a scar on his forearm.
He served in Afghanistan starting the third week of October 2001.¹

Later Rivera/Po and "George" became buddies, and "George" would even text Rivera claiming to be on operations in various parts of the world.

We Learn About "Master Chief"

On June 24, 2009, Rivera appeared on the "Master Po - XM Radio" thread and stated:

Originally Posted by masterpo

So now that all of you had your fun on your board. Perhaps you can come on to my radio show and talk truth. www.masterpostalkradio.com.

A review of his radio show indicated that it was broadcast over the internet (read: has a tiny audience), so Samuel Browning proposed that Rivera arrange for a joint appearance on the "Opie and Anthony" show where they could debate matters of mutual interest.

Brian Smith, Rivera's producer, then appeared on the thread on July 6, 2009 and said concerning an anonymous person e-mailing him:

Originally Posted by WoodFloorLicker

I also do not appreciate whoever this coward is, disparraging the military and their service to this country. Recently, Master Po had an active member of the United States Navy Special Forces Seal Team on his internet radio show and this coward had the audacity to claim that this member of the military who Master Po referred to as "Master Chief" was a fake and a fraud. You don't just go and buy a United States Navy Uniform and the ribbons that go on it. I take offense to whoever this coward is dragging our military through the mud and muck and alleging that they are "fake".

Members of Bullshido, including NoHero, Samuel Browning, and Steve Robinson (a real SEAL who formerly served with SEAL Team One) started listening to the tapes from the June 27, 2009 "Master Po" show.² (Steve's help was especially needed because the last uniform that Browning wore was as a Boy Scout.)

The Fraud Hunt

Steve Robinson appeared on the thread on July 6, 2009 and offered to help confirm the Master Chief's identity. Robinson has a database containing the name of every man who has ever graduated from BUDS or UDT training. If you did not go through either training course you cannot be a SEAL. Period. Steve even provided his e-mail address for the Chief to contact him directly.

Then Steve listened to part of the tape on July 7, 2009 and realized that the "Master Chief" was in all likelihood a fraud:

Originally Posted by Steve Robinson

The 'caller' is claiming to be a COMMAND MASTER CHIEF for a SEAL TEAM (unidentified). The COMMAND MASTER CHIEF is the senior most enlisted man - the senior NCO - within any Navy command or unit. The Command Master Chief has had his field experience and no longer goes out on operations.

The 'caller' claims to have been involved in "an agenda south of the American border" and to have "bunkered up" in a "banana tree" due to the heavy foliage... to spend a few hours before they would be engaged with their target. Again I must hoist the BULLSHIT FLAG! SEALs do not "bunker up" in banana trees. Anyone who is familiar with banana trees will know that this statement is BS of the purest sort. The "caller" details how he TIES HIMSELF TO THE CORE OF THE BANANA TREE WITH A 'SWAGGER KNOT' FROM THE KNEES TO THE CHEST so that if he falls asleep he won't fall. And the biggest load of crap in all of this is that the guy claims to have PHONED THE TALK SHOW HOST FROM HIS PERCH IN THE BANANA TREE!

SEALs learn what's called "noise discipline" from the very start of training. Many operations are performed where not one single word is uttered. Hand and arm signals are extensively taught to facilitate this. Modern SEALs are equipped with extremely short range MBITR radios for emergency voice comms between members of a platoon if/when the **** hits the fan and noise discipline is no longer in force. A SEAL platoon will have ONE RADIOMAN who sticks to the Platoon Officer In Charge (OIC) like glue so that if comms with home base are needed, they are immediately available. Members of the SEAL platoon DO NOT - I say again... DO NOT carry telephones to call home and talk to friends, acquaintances, or radio talk show hosts from a tree hide while on an operational assignment!

He goes on to talk about "noise sensors in your ear which 'ping' when a sound is detected"... so that it's possible to SLEEP and to be awakened by the 'ping' and be ready to fight. CRAP!!!

Then this poseur goes on to describe having a "SAT PHONE" and calling the talk show host from aircraft or anywhere else (except in a cave) including the far side of the world without blackouts. The talk show host says "Every time you call me you sound like you're right next door" and the poseur says "That's the beauty of satellite communications... it's not run by Verizon". The poseur goes on to say that he calls the talk show host whenever he has "DOWN TIME" (apparently this includes 'designated sleeping hours' while perched in a banana tree on an extended 'covert' operation in jungles somewhere 'south of the American border'. TOTAL CRAP!!

Then they go on to discuss that the poseur speaks seven languages and contacts the talk show host by TEXTING him in Spanish or some other language - apparently for the comic relief he will derive from such actions - directly from the field (but only when he has "DOWN TIME"). CRAP!!

I'm not going to bother describing anything else. It is blatantly apparent to me that the caller is NOT a SEAL, and is definitely not a Special Operations Command Master Chief Petty Officer.

There were multiple other problems with the Master Chief's story, as related on the Master Po radio show. Among the seven different languages the Chief claimed to speak was Cyrillic which is actually an alphabet and not a language. For example, the Russian language uses the Cyrillic alphabet. He mentioned how Marcus Luttrell, a fellow SEAL had won the Medal of Honor when he had actually won a Navy Cross in Afghanistan, a mistake that he should not have made. He claimed to be able to make a head shot at 6,600 feet with a Barrett sniper rifle. (This would probably make him the best shot in the United States Armed Forces) He indicated he once shot part of a mountain side off with an incinerary round from this 50 caliber rifle. In the battle for which he was nominated for a Medal of Honor the Master Chief claimed he had shot 76 men using this rifle. The stories went on and on.

On July 8, 2009 Browning posted an open letter to Robert Rivera and Brian Smith, requesting that they cooperate with Steve Robinson to resolve whether the "Master Chief" was a fraud or not. An identical e-mail was also sent to Brian Smith at his radio show e-mail address. Smith nor Rivera did not reply at the time.

On July 11, 2009 Samuel Browning discussed this matter with Lieutenant Nathan Potter of the Naval Special Warfare Command Public Affairs Office. Lieutenant Potter told Browning that there were no Medal of Honor awards pending for living SEALs. On Po's radio show, the "Master Chief" had told his audience that his award was "nominated and approved" but had not yet been awarded. The Master Chief's story was quickly falling apart.

Oh, No Po!

Browning wanted to believe that Po would cooperate with the Naval Special Warfare Command if presented with sufficient evidence, so he provided Potter's e-mail and phone number, and urged them to address whether the Master Chief was a fraud. By this time, Potter also wanted to hear from the alleged Master Chief, who had not coordinated his radio appearances with his designated public affairs office.

Upon finding out the Master Chief had appeared on the Opie and Anthony Show the previous year, Browning e-mailed their producer Steve Carlesi at steve@foundrymusic.com asking for the name of this "Master Chief" whom NoHero had discovered, went by the first name of George, when he had appeared on the O & A show.

Browning e-mailed Carlesi on July 17, 2009, and as of the date of publication of this article has heard nothing back from this producer. Similarly, as of July 17, 2009, neither Robert Rivera, Mr. Smith, or the "Master Chief" had checked in with Lt. Potter to confirm the "Master Chief's" bona fides.

Given "George's" ridiculous story and his refusal to make contact with either Robinson or Potter, the author of this article, Samuel Browning, has personally concluded that "George" the "Master Chief" is a fake SEAL who has fooled both the "Opie and Anthony" radio show and the "Master Po" radio show in less than a year.

UPDATE: Robert Rivera has contacted Steve Robinson on July 23rd and provided information to him concerning "George". Steve indicated that Rivera expressed his feelings to him that he had felt profoundly betrayed by "George". Steve thought that Robert was honestly upset about being deceived. According to Steve, Rivera's delay in contacting him was a product of the previous animosity between Bullshido and Rivera, and Rivera's own inquiries. When Rivera provided "George's" full name it was not in Steve's BUDS or UDT training database. "George" is confirmed to have been a false SEAL.

I told Steve that I would change the headline and last two paragraphs of this article based on Rivera's ongoing cooperation.

The POW Network later identified "George" as George W. Skilling of Delaware. See
http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/phonies527.htm

Notes

His interview starts at 2:21:33 on Opie and Anthony's March 10, 2008 show.
The show is available on http://www.masterpostalkradio.com/

On the left side there are headings:
- Home
- Audio
- Pics
If you click on the audio there are four segments from Master Po's June 27th show in which he interviews "Master Chief".

Don't bother taking the audio down, Robert and Brian. We already have copies.

**Snake Plissken** · Posted On: 7/22/2009 5:29pm

Good work, boys.

**Mr.Miyagi** · Posted On: 7/22/2009 6:51pm

Another one bites the dust!

**Cy Q. Faunce** · Posted On: 7/22/2009 7:12pm

He tied himself into a banana tree. I'm still laughing at that one.

Excellent work, Sam, Steve, and NoHero!

**Sam Browning** · Posted On: 7/22/2009 7:17pm

Thank you for helping with the screen captures Cy.

**spamurai13** · Posted On: 7/22/2009 7:26pm

strong work. I'm always impressed by how systematic you folks are with these investigaitons

**hungryjoe** · Posted On: 7/22/2009 7:33pm

Bullrush on Master Po?

Good work all.

**Sam Browning** · Posted On: 7/22/2009 7:36pm

Please don't even joke about a "bullrush", he formally filed a court case against posters on this site whom he claimed "criminally" harassed him. He got blown out in court, but it cost them a lot of money to defend.