Is someone actually military or police?

[TNRobocop]

Is there a way to setup a confirmation system that if someone is actually claiming that they are military veteran or police (active/retired) before allowing them to have it listed under their user name?

I wonder about some of the posters and I believe some are just posers.

I know that you have to confirm on sites such as snipershide before they let you into certain areas. Wondering that could be done here somehow.

[Smith]

I'm thinking it would be pretty labor intensive to verify that. Although I agree there are probably some that do that.

[res308]

Not a bad idea. I, for one, don't mind a bit if someone wants to contact my department for verification. Makes one wonder who all this would weed out. Does sound pretty labor intensive and expensive.

[Daniel]

I would say you could use .mil email addresses but retired/discharged folks do not have them. I know we have people lying about it for a fact as we have had some of the people that sign up to agree with themselves on different accounts list themselves as cops on one mil on another and nothing on the real.

[Guest c.a.s.]

I've got my contract hanging around, and the acceptance letter I got from MEPS.

[Kegger]

Hell I'd post a pic of my ID lol.

[Punisher84]

I think it's gonna be unavoidable to have some people claim to be who they are not on the internet. Hell I've had people do it in person when I worked at a gun range. Don't know how many "Airborne sniper special forces ranger" guys came in that didn't know how to work a Beretta 92.

It's crappy, but people do it. That being said I have a lovely basic training photo of me.

[Smith]

I would say you could use .mil email addresses but retired/discharged folks do not have them. I know we have people lying about it for a fact as we have had some of the people that sign up to agree with themselves on different accounts list themselves as cops on one mil on another and nothing on the real.

MAybe I'm naive, but more than one person has done that? Made duplicate accounts just to converse with themselves?

[molonlabetn]

Since there really aren't any 'perks' for the LEO or Military community, with regard to accessing any areas of this site, there is currently nothing to drive a need for verification... similarly, there is no requirement to verify a member's age, HCP status or gender (ie. I might actually be a 12 year old girl without permit)... but kidding aside, I could see some need for such verification (minus the gender part, I ain't checking!) when this community grows to provide specific access for certain professions, interests, perks, etc... but that'll be entirely up to David.

[TNRobocop]

Thanks for the input.

The reasoning for the military or police thing compared to the HCP or gender thing is that certain subjects are more familar to these individuals and their knowledge can be taken with more than a grain of salt.

Also everyone hates posers. Be proud of what you are, not pretending to be something your aren't. Plus if someone is trying to sell something or run a business by posing as a cop or military in order to get the trust of a member, that is risky also. Would be nice to know who really is and who isn't all that they say.

As far as verification, that wouldn't be hard to do. Like has been said a simple call or e-mail can verify LE and most .mil employment, plus the ID thing too.

Either way thanks for the information.

[Guest bkelm18]

Haha yeah, I agree with Pun, we can send in the cheesy boot camp photos. But seriously, that would be extremely time consuming to verify each persons military background. If people want to pose, they're gonna pose.

Edited January 25, 2010 by bkelm18

[TNRobocop]

Haha yeah, I agree with Pun, we can send in the cheesy boot camp photos. But seriously, that would be extremely time consuming to verify each persons military background. If people want to pose, they're gonna pose.

So we just call them out and throw them under the TGO bus as we find them out or what?

What say TGO?

[Punisher84]

So we just call them out and throw them under the TGO bus as we find them out or what?

What say TGO?

LOL Depends on the nature of the offense. If they claim to be a war hero and are actually a doober that lives at home with Mom and eats cheetos from his belly button then I say we go kick his ass.

But for all the cheeto mom living vets out there like bkelm well I salute your service!

[Guest bkelm18]

LOL Depends on the nature of the offense. If they claim to be a war hero and are actually a doober that lives at home with Mom and eats cheetos from his belly button then I say we go kick his ass.

But for all the cheeto mom living vets out there like bkelm well I salute your service!

Ass.

[True Grit]

Does it really matter?

I would not want to display my military ID or DD214 on a public forum.

[Punisher84]

Ass.

LOL it's ok I like cheetos too.

Does it really matter?

I would not want to display my military ID or DD214 on a public forum.

I wouldn't either and I would think it would only truly matter in the scenario Robocop brought up about trying to sell goods and claiming to be a LEO or military.

[Guest Tenngunner]

TPS -TNRobocop:

I wonder about some of the posters and I believe some are just posers.

This statement seems a bit 'elitist' to me-yes, I know there are liars on the web, and in life, in general. Not advocating lying, or posing-but the Bible says we're all born liars, anyway-much of it is just in degree.

I would also remind the original poster that Sir Robert Peel said that all citizens are part of the 'police force'-just not (all are) "sworn officers". I think (speaking as a former LEO/Military vet) that all of us would be better off, and society would be safer, and more homogenous-if we'd stop with the 'us vs. them' (average) police officer mentality.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Peel

Plus if someone is trying to sell something or run a business by posing as a cop or military in order to get the trust of a member, that is risky also. Would be nice to know who really is and who isn't all that they say.

This concern is well-taken. Trust must be earned-and can only be give by experience, and time.

The reasoning for the military or police thing compared to the HCP or gender thing is that certain subjects are more familar to these individuals and their knowledge can be taken with more than a grain of salt.

As you allude to, here-is it really that hard to discern if someone has (actual) L.E./military experience? After all, both professions have a lot of 'insider' lingo/terminology that a non-veteran (of either) would not know-or he/she would show ignorance by using terms/definitions that are (obviously) untrue, to either profession.

Simple example: Someone claiming to be an Air Force veteran, and saying they were stationed at 'Wright-Patterson Air Force Post'. (in other words, calling an air base, a 'post' or 'fort'.)

Edited January 25, 2010 by Tenngunner
Text mod.

[Guest bkelm18]

TPS -TNRobocop:

This statement seems a bit 'elitist' to me-yes, I know there are liars on the web, and in life, in general. Not advocating lying, or posing-but the Bible says we're all born liars, anyway-much of it is just in degree.

Yeah, it's wrong to think that it's bad for someone to lie about their service when others have shed blood sweat and tears, some even their life doing what some are pretending to have done. Yeah that's just wrong to think that.

[Punisher84]

TPS -TNRobocop:

This statement seems a bit 'elitist' to me-yes, I know there are liars on the web, and in life, in general. Not advocating lying, or posing-but the Bible says we're all born liars, anyway-much of it is just in degree.

I would also remind the original poster that Sir Robert Peel said that all citizens are part of the 'police force'-just not (all are) "sworn officers". I think (speaking as a former LEO/Military vet) that all of us would be better off, and society would be safer, and more homogenous-if we'd stop with the 'us vs. them' (average) police officer mentality.

I'm surprised at that coming from a vet. I don't think it's elitist at all. He's not saying he's better than the average joe, he's saying people shouldn't pretend to be something they aren't and I agree with that.

I work security I don't tell people I'm a cop. My cop friends don't tell people they are SWAT, unless they are. My military buddies don't claim to be snipers or special forces unless they are/were. It's an insult to everyone who EARNED that title or wears that uniform when someone claims to be someone they aren't and in case you didn't know it's actually illegal.

[Guest Tenngunner]

Yeah, it's wrong to think that it's bad for someone to lie about their service when others have shed blood sweat and tears, some even their life doing what some are pretending to have done. Yeah that's just wrong to think that...

I never said that-in fact, I said the opposite-stop rolling your eyes, kid-and trying to make an honest posting from a (real) vet look stupid. If you look at my answer as a whole, my main point is that we all need to work together-as (good) citizens, and as cops, military, etc.-whatever we are. If you are lying in a foxhole (at some future date) with someone-do you really care if they ever wore a badge, or went to basic? I think not!

Also, notice the (original) posting has the word BIT in front of elitist:

This statement seems a bit 'elitist' to me....

Edited January 25, 2010 by Tenngunner
Text addition...

[Guest Tenngunner]

I work security I don't tell people I'm a cop. My cop friends don't tell people they are SWAT, unless they are. My military buddies don't claim to be snipers or special forces unless they are/were. It's an insult to everyone who EARNED that title or wears that uniform when someone claims to be someone they aren't and in case you didn't know it's actually illegal.

Never advocated/said that, either. Yes, certain 'titles' are earned-I fall in that category, myself. But it doesn't make me some sort of 'super-human' who cannot be associated with mere mortal (citizens) anymore. This country is in trouble-and we all have certain strengths, and weaknesses-put aside the 'I'm a badass because...' and help those who are 'weaker' to raise themselves to a higher level.

[TGO David]

I've got my contract hanging around, and the acceptance letter I got from MEPS.

You're not .MIL until you are sworn in and wear the uniform.

[TGO David]

MAybe I'm naive, but more than one person has done that? Made duplicate accounts just to converse with themselves?

It does happen but we try to police it and the forum software has triggers that normally tattles on people when they try it. A persistent person will find a way around almost any locks, so it's not perfect.

So we just call them out and throw them under the TGO bus as we find them out or what?

What say TGO?

I say that we've never allowed a Mob-Rule mentality to fly around here and I'm not about to start letting it happen even in regard to people posing as LEO or MIL if they aren't. Should we be equally bent out of shape if people also indicate themselves as being NRA members when they aren't, or a male or a female when they are neither, or having a HCP when they don't, or being deployed when they aren't?

I'm not really going to sweat the petty things like the unverified icons that we have. I suppose we could just ditch them entirely, but it seems a bit unfair to punish the majority because of the sins of the minority. So I guess we'll keep them around for now.

Besides... people invariably expose themselves as posers if they are chatty enough. It should be fairly easy for folks to determine who the real deal is.