- Joined
- Oct 2, 1998
- Messages
- 15,054
We live in a world where people feel as if they have the right to act with complete impunity.
That bothers me. Because of that, I hold people accountable for their words and actions.
This document serves to collect information regarding Mickey Ray Burger, a.k.a. Mick Strider of Strider Knives. Since 2000 (and likely before), through present day, Mick Strider has made claims about being a combat veteran, with a background in Special Operations.
Recently, information has been unearthed that calls the veracity of these claims into question. If these claims cannot be reconciled, then in my opinion this is clear evidence of a deliberate pattern of deception, lies through omission and concealment of the truth. To reiterate what I stated in another thread:
The magazine articles don't make sense. The claims Mick Strider made don't make sense. The court documents state information that contradict what Mick Strider has claimed repeatedly, since 2000 until present.
I keep hearing comments about "oh, he made a mistake" and he "paid his dues" and "learned his lesson"
I have to wonder, when someone claims that they were to be sentenced to serve in Somalia 5 days ago, claims they were a combat vet in 2000, has multiple magazine articles describing them as Special Operations personnel, and none of this is born out by the facts... what lesson have they learned?
That it's ok to fabricate their history because people will defend them as long as they are charming enough?
That they can get away with it, because as long as they don't answer questions directly they can't be proven wrong? That being able to win in a fistfight negates backing up your argument? That there is no accountability for lying and pretending to be something you aren't?
What are we suppossed to believe here? What would a reasonable man believe?
I'll state this, straight up: I have never heard of a spinal damaged E1, who has been barred from reenlistment, being recruited into any Special Operations role. I have never heard of anyone ever being sentenced to Somalia with their pay kept as forfiet. It is my opinion that these statements are straight out lies, and anyone making these claims is lying throuhg their teeth. This opinion is shared by every other veteran I've asked thus far.
If it was anyone else making these claims, they would be ridiculed and excoriated. If I made claims like this, my reputation would be destroyed, and I would be rightly branded as a liar.
Anyone who disagrees with what I said can come find me at my shop, or through here. I'm not going to hide.
I have based this information on statements made by Mick Strider himself (with appropriate citations), on BladeForums.com, TacticalForums.com, BadlandsForums.com, publicly available documents and corroborating evidence provided by others. When possible, I will use Mick Strider’s words to illustrate my points, with appropriate citations. Typographical, typesetting & spelling errors in quoted materials have been left as is for accuracy.
Summary:
- Mick Strider’s birth name is Mickey Ray Burger.
- Mick Strider claims he served in the 2/75th Rangers. .At some point Mick posted a copy of his DD214. Allegations were made that it was altered, specifically that he entered “Honorable” (note mixed case lettering) in the discharge block.
- Mick Strider claims that he is a combat veteran.
- Mick Strider claims that during service, he developed a spinal injury, causing him to lose jump status, resulting in his discharge. Mick Strider later claims that this injury led him to incur disciplinary action (whether Article 15 or other not known), and be discharged from service as an E1
- Court documents involving a libel & defamation case against Mick Strider include a settlement where he states his discharge from Army service as an E1, and barred from reenlistment. Part of the settlement agreement includes statemens refuting combat claims and "black ops" experience. Military.com shows Mickey Ray Burger as having a final rank of E1.
- From 1986 to 1993 there is no information on Mick Strider's activities. Evidence of Special Operations affiliation during this time is absent and not provided.
- Mick Strider states that after his time in the Army, he "rolled" with some "heavy" hitters and alludes that this time was spend performing Special Operations missions during magazine articles.
- Mick Strider claims in 1993 he was "tasked" with obtaining a vehicle and stole it / carjacked it. It is intimated that this was done while operating in a “black ops” unit. He was arrested and convicted for this crime.
- Mick Strider claims that during sentencing, the prosecutor was supposed to ask for his sentence to be one year’s service in Somalia, with his pay forfeit. Given the nature of the other claims, this service is intimated to be Special Operations in nature, especially given his attempts to tie it to the deaths of Rangers in Mogadishu during that time.
- Mick Strider does not “serve for a year in Somalia” and was instead sentenced to 5 years in prison.
- After release from prison in 1998, Mick Strider started Strider Knives.
- Following Mick Strider’s release from prison, he builds a reputation that his products are based on Special Operations and combat experience. Numerous magazine articles are written alleging to this experience and how it makes his product a better choice.
- Mick Strider makes numerous statements online that his is a combat veteran, and makes references to carrying and using firearms, despite revelations that he is, in fact a convicted felon.
- Current collaborations with other businesses list Mick Strider as former Special Operations personnel.
I welcome any corrections to this information. Any incorrect information will be immediately corrected or retracted.
I leave it up to the individual reading this to draw their own conclusions about this matter, and the inconsistencies between Mick Striders self related history, what has been published, and what is listed in court documents.
Below, please find relevant quotations, links, and statements about the items listed above