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Poser Outting


NYR_32

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As many of the old guard members know, the staff here at Ghostrecon.net has a policy regarding people's claims of military service. We do not appreciate people using our forum to make themselves out to be something they aren't. Some of you may remember the most recent incident with a member named Thor claiming to be a SEAL, he was outted, and is no longer allowed to visit this forum. This goes for anyone who makes similar claims of military service. In the past two days we questioned another individual, SpecOps.Briggs who claimed to be former US Army and Marine Corp.

Amongst the numerous things he claimed, one was that he won the Navy Cross in Iraq as a Marine in April of 2004. Only 7 Marines have won the Navy Cross in Iraq since the start of that conflict, needless to say his provided name is not on that list. Not to mention his account of how he won the award read almost the same as a news report of the actual event.

Another one of his lofty claims was that he served in the 75th "Mountain", an Army unit that does not exist. Only later on, after being told who the 75th is, did he claim to be a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment. He also claimed to have served in the 82nd Airborne, except he had to be told they were an Army unit, he wasn't sure if they were Marines or not.

This is just a sample of what we were told, and what he has said publicly. We asked for information, he provided it, and it did not make any sense. The staff has currently serving, and former service members (including US Army SF, US Army Rangers, US Marines, and USAF) who all agree, something is wrong here. After asking SpecOps.Briggs to explain these inconsistencies, he failed to reply. He sat on the message for 9 hours, did not reply to a second warning, and ignored the third and final request for his clarification. So the staff, including the sites owner Rocky, all agrees, he is no longer welcome at this website. We are serious about this policy.

It is sickening to think a person would claim to win the second highest medal of valor in the US military. If you claim to be a service member, and can't back it up if a staff member asks about it, you will be gone. So if anyone is thinking of saying they are USSF, a Ranger, SAS, SBS, whatever, we will ask you about it.

-The Ghostrecon.net Staff

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I will add to the above post. Some instances may be repetitious, but so were the lies.

Recently, ghostrecon.net forums gained a new member. His board name was SpecOps.Briggs. He posted quite a bit in a short amount of time here, mainly in the GRAW PC forum. He freely offered his views on the title and infused them liberally with a recounting of his military service and time in Iraq. I personally never paid them much attention.

While visiting another site, a member there pointed me to the Ubisoft Official Forums to look at a post. Among the post I was intended to read was one by SpecOps.Briggs. I read what he had written and having spent some 18 plus years in the service was immediately irked by the inconsistencies in his claims. He stated that he had been in the 101st Airborne as a Marine. Having served at Ft Campbell with 5th Group and interacted with the 101st on occasion, I knew this was incorrect as the 101st had not had embedded Marines. As well there was an issue with his rank claims. I also recalled there was a newly registered member at this site with that same board name. Investigation easily revealed it to be the same person. Looking over the posts here, there were numerous inconsistencies. Rather than take any immediate overt action, all moderators were notified.

This website is a place where persons of all walks and beliefs are welcome to come and post. There is a fair amount of truth stretching that occurs in some instances as well. But that is all in fun. There is however, one area where this forum has drawn a line to which all persons will adhere. When an individual posts accounts of military service, their record must be verified. When I first came here, I under went the same scrutiny. Mine was perhaps even more extensive as I received a visit from ghostrecon.net Staff at Ft Campbell. There are a host of persons here working at this site whose investigative skills, particularly in the electronic field, would do justice to even FBI standards. Also this site has a vast network of contacts with persons not only in the gaming community, but among governmental and military agencies.

SpecOps.Briggs was contacted by Zjj, NYR_32, and myself through a series of PMs. With every PM to which he replied the accounts of his military career became less and less plausible. Forum Staff also began to pour over countless posts by this individual at other websites. Normally an individual may join this site without concern that their actions at other sites will have any bearing on how they are treated here. This case is an exception as SpecOps.Briggs own actions and posts made appearances and references at other sites a valid factor of consideration. Some of them such as the post to have a Navy Cross

http://forums.ubi.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc...0093#7421080093

was not only questionable, but also in the end, despicable.

He claims in one post to have reached the rank of Gunnery Sergeant in the Marines. A rank that on average takes 10 years in the Marines, and he isn’t even 24 as of yet. What a tough 13 year old he must have been at boot camp.

http://forums.ubi.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc...7493#8881027493

The thread above is replete with lies and inaccuracies. Forum Administrator Zjj was handed the matter and she began investigating his background uncovering his true name. Still the Staff exercised caution. Zjj sent a PM to the individual and expressed concern for the inaccuracies. She also brought up the issue of having been awarded the Navy Cross. SpecOps.Briggs responded with a lengthy PM that was full of lies. The gist of his story was taken directly from a real account. In short, here is a summation of just a small number of his false claims in Zjj's PM to him:

No Navy Crosses were issued for what happened at Ramadi on April 6, 2004.

No Navy Cross was ever issued to Johnny Briggs.

5th Battalion wasn't called in to assist Echo Company on April 6, 2004.

You were barely out of bootcamp and already in Iraq, according to the enlistment dates given, at the time of Ramadi.

You state you were a gunny in the Marines, but then changed that to PFC.

You state you are 24, but according to your profile, you won't be 24 until June.

You state you were in 101st Airborne as a Marine.

You state you were in 82nd Airborne but didn't know if it was an Army or Marine unit.

You state you had citizenship issues with the Marines due to "looking like a killer" but somehow the Army didn't have the same issues.

Your account of that day in Ramadi is almost word for word from a news website.

You are inconsistent about your Army service with the 75th. You first say it was 75th Mountain (which doesn't exist) and then you say 75th Ranger.

Everyone on this forum has been touched by the war on terror. Many people here posting and on Staff are either Military, former Military, have family that is, or have close friends that serve. Many people on this forum, members and Staff alike have lost friends to the war. Regardless of your opinions about the justification of what is occurring abroad, the Military and Military service deserve our respect. And a big part of that respect involves not making false claims and riding one’s ego upon the sacrifice of others.

For this, SpecOps.Briggs has been banned. Other websites where he has espoused similar claims have been notified. Since he had stated that his extensive military background assisted his obtaining a position with the SWAT Team, his employer has also been notified.

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He never did convince me of him being in the military, he said he had a polish name and his marine DIs used it in boot camp, then he decided to go by the name of john briggs?

plus if he was not in any special forces type unit why would his name be "specops", was anyone even remotely convinced he was in the military at any time?

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He never did convince me of him being in the military, he said he had a polish name and his marine DIs used it in boot camp, then he decided to go by the name of john briggs?

plus if he was not in any special forces type unit why would his name be "specops", was anyone even remotely convinced he was in the military at any time?

His real name could be of Polish decent. He said the specops title came around from playing BF2.

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He never did convince me of him being in the military, he said he had a polish name and his marine DIs used it in boot camp, then he decided to go by the name of john briggs?

plus if he was not in any special forces type unit why would his name be "specops", was anyone even remotely convinced he was in the military at any time?

His real name could be of Polish decent. He said the specops title came around from playing BF2.

good point

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As I told HF, while I didn't really pay attention to his claims, there were some things that didn't smell right to me after it was brought up.

There are to many people on this forum and on staff no less that are or have been members of the military and we all take a dim view of being a poser. Don't do it as it may bite you in the ass if you aren't careful. As shown, we will publicly out you (this is at least the second time it has happened) and make sure that other places you may visit know that you are a fake.

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Im a union Ironworker and mY wife is in the USAF. My little bor served in Iraq and just came back recently. My unlce edwin and cousin tony both served in desert storm... :D

Its sad actually that someone finds the need to lie about there lives....depressing.

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I'm constantly amazed how you guys smell these guys out. I never really pay attention when someone post that their SpecOps or have ranks on their name.

I just read their post and take for what it is. When they start blabbering about technical stuff, I get bored and skip it.

At first I never believed that some SF guys would actually hangout here...well with one or two guys now that I found out thru other ppl here of course. You guys know who you are.

And how you guys research someone's background that's better than FBI boggles me.

Just for kicks can you PM my background? :)

Anyhoo, with BF2 players bringing in their game ranks here, again I'm not suprise.

Anyhoo, ranting again.

Good job guys, I'm off looking for more funny jokes. :thumbsup:

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As my current friend at work states................."We are quiet professionals. Emphasis on the quiet."

He was in the military in Vietnam. He answers questions that are asked, he never volunteers much.

I always thought THAT says a lot.

good job guys....... :thumbsup: ............kingkat

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I can't see how anyone would want to disrespect their country by making a mockery and fraud themselves that way. Claiming to be doing what thousands die for. Claiming to get the Navy Cross that only a few get, stealing someone elses story for their own. I'm at a loss for words.:ermm: By outting him and what he did, maybe he will open his eyes. I hope it changes him. Isnt lying about receiving a Navy Cross against the law?

*Edit*Yes, found out its a serious crime, if he does this in his normal everyday life to get jobs or other things. He could be getting himself in serious trouble. Federal Crime Link

Edited by VeLocityChaos
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Dude has been hanging out on our Ventrilo channel. I responded in this thread after you guys outed him. I appreciate the diligence in which you check the with veracity these guys' stories.

I have two close friends that are real operators, one of whom I describe in the aforementioned thread. Last year we had a guy hop on comms spout off that he was a SEAL. Reaper started asking questions and after 10 minutes he ICQ'd me with the letters "BS". He was telling me the guy was a poser.

I wanna thank all of you who checked into this, the guy wanted to join our squad. I doubt he'd have made it once Reaper gave him the third degree. ;) Either way hats off to you guys. There's no shame in not serving, but for god's sake don't disrespect the guys (and girls) who are willing to give the ultimate sacrifice for us. Endo (Hadez) gave me a hard time about not hammering the guy harder. I can't do any worse than you guys did, so I just voiced my displeasure and disappointment.

Hats off to all that serve, and for those of you who are operators an extra thanks from me. Above and beyond the call of duty is a the daily regimen of those fine folks. <S!!>

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I was only thinking yesterday, this spec ops briggs guy always talks about his experiences to every post he makes, i thought he was dodgy liar, but wouldn't say anything incase i was wrong, well i wasnt, lol you are a idiot spec ops briggs, i have family in the army and they go thro hell when they have to leave for places like Iraq.

You are w waste of space and you should be vey embarrassed we all know that you are a little liar. Go join the Army and earn the respect they deserve you wannabe loser.

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I'm constantly amazed how you guys smell these guys out.  I never really pay attention when someone post that their SpecOps or have ranks on their name.

I just read their post and take for what it is.  When they start blabbering about technical stuff, I get bored and skip it.

They stand out like a sore thumb mate to anyone who has really been in the forces... ;)

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I'm constantly amazed how you guys smell these guys out.  I never really pay attention when someone post that their SpecOps or have ranks on their name.

I just read their post and take for what it is.  When they start blabbering about technical stuff, I get bored and skip it.

They stand out like a sore thumb mate to anyone who has really been in the forces... ;)

My thoughts too. In my experence ( Which is not millitary in case anybody gets jumpey :o ) ppl in the services dont go around braggin about it. They may hint or mention it now and then, but thats it. Good Job Staff :thumbsup:

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Dude has been hanging out on our Ventrilo channel.  I responded in this thread after you guys outed him...

ruggbutt, :thumbsup: thanks for the support in taking this to your own site and area of influence. It is your type of action that helps everyone and prevents this guy from just going somewhere else and setting up shot.

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I can't see how anyone would want to disrespect their country by making a mockery and fraud themselves that way. Claiming to be doing what thousands die for. Claiming to get the Navy Cross that only a few get, stealing someone elses story for their own. I'm at a loss for words.:ermm:  By outting him and what he did, maybe he will open his eyes. I hope it changes him. Isnt lying about receiving a Navy Cross against the law?

*Edit*Yes, found out its a serious crime, if he does this in his normal everyday life to get jobs or other things. He could be getting himself in serious trouble. Federal Crime Link

The guy is a Canadian named Alex Grncarovski. He responded to PMs saying "My name is Johnny Briggs..." I had phoned Zjj a few hours earlier and she logged on, looked at what we had and was gone all of 5 minutes when she came back with the guy's real name. Spooky web talent. The guy, still pretending to be Johnny Briggs, has a webpage at 1up I encourage everyone to visit and 'express yourself'. The 1up Staff are now aware and will be looking at legal issues today. Here:

The Liar

He states in another post at the GRAW forums that his 'military experience' got him his job in Toronto. We'll see what his employer has to say. It won't open his eyes, the guy obviously has some serious mental condition,,,in addition to sheer stupidity. After he was sent evidence and asked to explain it, he just didn't answer and logged on to the GRAW PC forum here and started browsing. And now the community is giving him the beating he asked for.

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that is just sad. you should think that if he can make up stories with information he found on the internet, other people can use the same internet to find out if there is any truth to those stories.

Good work, guys. hopefully this will make people think twice before making claims like that in the future.

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Must admit I read his little article on sniping wondering how much credibility it had, the kind of blokes who actually do this stuff on here usually add to posts if they have experience to, not start that kind of post, ah well looks like the door hit him on the ###### on his way out.

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