Verified Military members?

[darin]

Any thoughts about initiating a process to verify a forum member's military / veteran's status? I'm thinking we limit the military-affiliation badges to those members who provide a modicum of proof of their service. Perhaps we issue a special 'verified' tag to those who want to remove-all-question, and leave it as-is for those who simply wish to claim service? In today's world, fakes come out of the woodwork too often. Maybe a 'sanitized' DD214 sent to Jim or another Admin for review? Folks can remove SSNs, and other stuff (next of kin info/addresses), etc. I dunno - what do you think?

[CSM]

Hmmm.... That is a tough one. I'll have to think about what I could send/post as verification. I don't have a scanner so 'll have to find someone to do that too.

[darin]

A photo of a document? I dunno man. I sent in a redacted DD214 to another military site. At first I was put-off, but I LOVE knowing with reasonable confidence those who claim service actually served. Make sense? The forum doesn't require verification, but puts some forums off-limits for those w/o the verification. I like the closed-community feel. When I post there, I know with reasonable assurance, folks there are honest and of a certain background.

[CSM]

A photo of a document? I dunno man. I sent in a redacted DD214 to another military site. At first I was put-off, but I LOVE knowing with reasonable confidence those who claim service actually served. Make sense? The forum doesn't require verification, but puts some forums off-limits for those w/o the verification. I like the closed-community feel. When I post there, I know with reasonable assurance, folks there are honest and of a certain background.

Oh I don't disagree with your thinking, just trying to figure out how I can verify. I was thinking maybe the top half of my ID card; showing just Army Seal, picture, etc and says "U.S. Army Retired"; or maybe a scan of the fancy letter promoting me to CSM. It has no specific personal info on that. Hmmm....

[darin]

Oh I don't disagree with your thinking, just trying to figure out how I can verify. I was thinking maybe the top half of my ID card; showing just Army Seal, picture, etc and says "U.S. Army Retired"; or maybe a scan of the fancy letter promoting me to CSM. It has no specific personal info on that. Hmmm....

Those are great ideas.

[ConHog]

I find the notion repugnant. I prefer to believe that no one on this board would be so callous as to claim military service without having served.

That being said, I will provide proof if it voted on by my fellow vets. I will be disgusted by it, but I will do it.

Poor Gunny though, papyrus is a VERY fragile material and so shouldn't be sent through a scanner.

[CSM]

I find the notion repugnant. I prefer to believe that no one on this board would be so callous as to claim military service without having served.

That being said, I will provide proof if it voted on by my fellow vets. I will be disgusted by it, but I will do it.

Poor Gunny though, papyrus is a VERY fragile material and so shouldn't be sent through a scanner.

Poor Gunny??? Just how hard do you think it's going to be for me to get this stone tablet onto a scanner?

[CSM]

I find the notion repugnant. I prefer to believe that no one on this board would be so callous as to claim military service without having served.

That being said, I will provide proof if it voted on by my fellow vets. I will be disgusted by it, but I will do it.

Poor Gunny though, papyrus is a VERY fragile material and so shouldn't be sent through a scanner.

Hmm ... I think for the most part that posters here are pretty honest. However, I have had my doubts about some in the past. I was thinking that maybe I'd send some sort of proof to ONE other poster that I trust, and he verifies to the rest of the board (IF AND WHEN NECESSARY) without having to reveal how he knows for sure. FOr example, I send something to you that is obviously verification (like something I mentioned above). Only yoiu and I know what it is and we don't necessarily have to say ANYTHING but if my calim of being a vet is ever questioned (which happens to some folks here) you can simply say that you verify I am a vet. Case closed. I would not want to see this go too far with too many details but that would seem to lay to rest some really contentious threads.

[Jess]

I find the notion repugnant. I prefer to believe that no one on this board would be so callous as to claim military service without having served.

That being said, I will provide proof if it voted on by my fellow vets. I will be disgusted by it, but I will do it.

Poor Gunny though, papyrus is a VERY fragile material and so shouldn't be sent through a scanner.

On another board (and Neo can back me up on this), a young man claimed to be a combat vet who had lost a leg while in Afghanistan, I believe. It was later found out that he was nothing but a troll.

But how far do you go in trying to verify people's claims? Those who are what they are - well, others who have been in the service can usually tell. That's from a civilian's point of view, anyway. I guess the only concern I would have is if any of the information was personalized, which it would almost have to be, and then someone who should not have that info was able to access it. Dunno if that's a big deal or not to y'all.

[Jess]

I find the notion repugnant. I prefer to believe that no one on this board would be so callous as to claim military service without having served.

That being said, I will provide proof if it voted on by my fellow vets. I will be disgusted by it, but I will do it.

Poor Gunny though, papyrus is a VERY fragile material and so shouldn't be sent through a scanner.

I can take a pic of the papyrus with my phone and send it in.

[ConHog]

Hmm ... I think for the most part that posters here are pretty honest. However, I have had my doubts about some in the past. I was thinking that maybe I'd send some sort of proof to ONE other poster that I trust, and he verifies to the rest of the board (IF AND WHEN NECESSARY) without having to reveal how he knows for sure. FOr example, I send something to you that is obviously verification (like something I mentioned above). Only yoiu and I know what it is and we don't necessarily have to say ANYTHING but if my calim of being a vet is ever questioned (which happens to some folks here) you can simply say that you verify I am a vet. Case closed. I would not want to see this go too far with too many details but that would seem to lay to rest some really contentious threads.

My problem with that quite frankly is that I don't trust ANYONE on message boards enough to give them any actual details about who I am, it's nothing personal, I've just went down that road and it's not happening again. No matter the cost.

However, if some would like to know if I served there are a few members on a certain board who attempted to get me in trouble with my former commanding officer (well way up the chain of command anyway) perhaps they can verify.

[Jess]

My problem with that quite frankly is that I don't trust ANYONE on message boards enough to give them any actual details about who I am, it's nothing personal, I've just went down that road and it's not happening again. No matter the cost.

However, if some would like to know if I served there are a few members on a certain board who attempted to get me in trouble with my former commanding officer (well way up the chain of command anyway) perhaps they can verify.

That's the smartest way to go, generally.

[darin]

My problem with that quite frankly is that I don't trust ANYONE on message boards enough to give them any actual details about who I am, it's nothing personal, I've just went down that road and it's not happening again. No matter the cost.

However, if some would like to know if I served there are a few members on a certain board who attempted to get me in trouble with my former commanding officer (well way up the chain of command anyway) perhaps they can verify.

That's why the verification process would be completely optional. You could still keep the military tag; those who send proof would have 'verified' along with that tag. Fair for all.

[trobinett]

Hmmm, don't see as how this is very important, in the over all scope of things. It will ALL come out in the wash, those who lie, will trip themselves up, just can't keep tract of all the BS.

[ConHog]

That's why the verification process would be completely optional. You could still keep the military tag; those who send proof would have 'verified' along with that tag. Fair for all.

I could live with that. Price I pay for not trusting anyone LOL