To the editor:

Earlier this year during the annual Celebration of Lakes event in January, I as well as others, were approached by an individual claiming to be a former Vietnam War POW (Prisoner of War). Being a Vietnam Era veteran, I listened intently to his experiences which immediately set up red flags in my mind due to the knowledge and experience I have with POWS and the military. I suspected and learned later (with help from The POW Network and thru the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy act of 1974.) that he is indeed a wannabe/phony POW.

Thus this letter to the editor.
POW Wannabes are not quiet, not professional, not diplomatic, and most of all, they are not warriors. A wannabe is someone who brags, basks and feeds off of the valor or sacrifice earned by others. These impostors are looking to impress people by pretending they were part of something they werenít part of at all. Wannabes know no boundaries of race, class, gender or ethnicity, of the veteran soldier. However, there are also a lot who want to and do, make money from it. More than a few have led lives of prominence and success until exposed.

ìKnowing real ex-POWs, they are the most humble soldiers youíd ever want to meet. Too many veterans never get over their combat experiences, their wounds, their nightmares. Mary and Chuck Schantag (co-founders of The POW Network) added, ìImpostors, steal the stories of heroism, but theyíre not stealing the nightmares, or the pain. By their lies, the fakes diminish the suffering of the real POW. They have no conscience.î At times wearing and or displaying military decorations that were never awarded to them

Under Title 18, of the U.S. Code- Section 704, ìWhoever knowingly wears a medal not authorized by Congress ... shall be fined or imprisoned not more than six months or both.î

Awards and decorations can be easily purchased on the internet.
Many veterans are reticent to share their experiences with anyone but with brother veterans. Former prisoners of war are hesitant to talk of their travails. Wannabes do not share these traits.

Wannabes are an embarrassment to their community, a disgrace to their families and in some cases, dishonor the veteran organization(s) they belong to, thus being expelled from the organization. Impostors take jobs away from others, deceive and abuse the trust of women, and boast about stupid exploits; sometimes they even manage to fool acquaintances for an extended period of time...but eventually they will be discovered and exposed. Impostors beware! You will have to explain your lies to co-workers, wives, children, family, community citizens and others within your social arena.

As a reader of this letter, if you know of, or suspect that such a person does exist in your mind or within your community, log on to www.powernetwork.org to validate your suspicions. The POW Network Organization has been in existence for 15 years working closely with the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri researching Military personnel records exposing wannabe POW impostors.

John Schmidt
Lindstrom

Top of Page

©ECM Post Review

6448 Main Street
North Branch, MN 55056
Telephone: 651-674-7025
Fax: 651-674-7026
E-mail: editor.postreview@ecm-inc.com