At this point I don't know what else needs to be said.
It is pretty firmly established now that both Mick Strider and Duane Dwyer are liars and posers. Why did they do this? What was the agenda?
Were they jealous of the guys that had actually been there and done that? Or was it just a way to make a fast buck, while stealing the valor of actual operators like Bob Horrigan, who died on his last tour in Iraq? Or did they just think they would not get caught if they were careful enough? I can not answer these questions.
One thing is certain - they did not give a damn about doing the right thing. Words like "honor" or "integrity" or "accountability" or even "faith" were just empty talk. Even when caught repeatedly, lying was still the first choice.
It is especially sad that guys that have walked the walk got suckered and conned. Lord knows I wasn't the first person fooled by them, nor the last, so please don't target Mahwhinney or others that were duped; save your ire for the liars themselves and those the choose to aid and support deciet. There are no excuses left at this point.
Nor is there any cause for celebration or gloating; this is a shameful period for us as a community. This is not about credit. Or bragging rights. Or "jealousy" "competitors" "agedas" or "grudges". It was about stopping liars from using the blood and sweat of servicemen as a sleazy way to market themselves.
A lot of people could have stepped up earlier. The right thing could have been done repeatedly, but I understand; peer pressure is tough. Freebies earn leeway. Money talks. It can be tough to tell a friend they are doing wrong. A number of people enabled this.
I'm closing this thread. I'm posting from my phone, so pardon any spelling & grammar errors.
Kevin Jon Schlossberg
Owner, BladeForums.com
