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Strider Knives, Game Over!
- Thread starter Bubbanumber1
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The point on Tommy Taylor is that if they are going to post him on their wall then they at least need to give credit on who did all the work. It wasn't Kevin and it wasnt the Schantags. It has the appearance that they are taking credit for something they didnt do.
Well two thing are gona happen on this one, either I am gona get permission to post a PM or Sharky will be along directly to give you his take on this and what followed and then you can here it from the horses mouth.
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It doesn't matter who outs phonies, once the info gets sent to POW Network and it gets checked and rechecked it ends up on the website. If somebody wants credit thats fine, tell them to contact them "POW Network" and let them know that but I have never heard of anyone doing that before, most people are just glad somebody gives a damm.
It will be great to hear Sharky say what his take is on this. He got duped, the website got duped, DOD got duped, everybody got duped by Lakis and why did that happen, because people thought they knew stuff that turned out to be all lies because people didn't bother to check DOD paperwork. I hope he personally makes the people involved show some paperwork or apologize to Veterans. Sure I too have read where Sharky cursed out Lakis in the end but that does not change history, at one time they were very buddy buddy when Lakis was a fraud and member of SOCNET, Been There, Done That.
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It matters to those involved and no one who was involved in it contacted POWnet, it was a 3rd party trying to act like he was connected. When we have the FBI lined up to investigate this guy we really dont need someone else rechecking our work thank you. .
Hopefully we will get Sharkys view of what happened, I have heard it, and the only thing I will agree with in the above is that paperwork should be checked.
Hmmmm.... heard that before..... :thumbup:
I pretty much agree with all of this, with the addition of the below.....
IMO ........ What a person does or says or believes in their private life is pretty much up to them and nobody else's business...... AS long as it does not hurt or damage the right of others.
BUT, when the individual "private life" is brought to public attention by the individual themselves and / or by any others, in a legetimate way ... Then the once "private life" becomes fair game for public scrutiny.
If untruths are uncovered...... oh well.. tough break
They should have been / should be addressed by the individual in question.
IF in fact, what the individual has said about themselves or allowed to be said about them [without correction] is not accurate in some way and causes them "discomfort' ... oh well, when it all hits the fan..... so what.......
This doesn't just relate to knives... it relates to anything in life.
And to think that just because it does relate to knives offers immunuty... is insane.
I could care less about the knife issue in this case. Most of what I have heard through the years is STRIDER makes a good knife PERIOD.
But when I started reading this thread I became interested as to what the truth really was ... real interested. NOT, because of the personalities involved so much .... but more because of the attitudes of what I seemed to be reading in some of the posts.
It made me reflect in days past of simple stories told by my Grandfather and Dad.
Stories of WW I & WW II..... first hand accounts ... and the far away look they would at times get in their tear filled eyes when "talking about it" ... when they rarely did.
I think about my older cousin who survived.. IF that's what you want to call it.. the Bataan Death March.
Oh, he NEVER talked about it ..... the only way I knew was when I was very young I asked my Dad why he always acted so strange. My Dad told me in a way I shall always remember.
Then I think about those I knew... that died in sunny south east Asia...... without ever living their life.
Then about the others that did live..... some adjusted fine... many never have, nor will.
Also about the troops that are in service now and all the ones I did not recall from present through past times.
So yeah, to me it has nothing to do at all with knives. It has to do with what the truth really is in this case.
It is not hard........ either the person is / was what was claimed or they are / were not.
It does not matter if they were going by the name Dwyer or Poland..... it does not matter what their Social Security # was or is or if they even had one.
What matters to me, in this case anyway... what is the truth ?
One man can set that straight .... no question about it.
And in my decision and the very, very limited sphere I influence.... until this matter is answered somewhere by the only true one who knows,,,
....... " a duck is a duck " .....
No hard feelings, no emotion, no wish for harm or business failure, and nothing personal.
But out of respect for the VETS I have mentioned above AND for all the one's I have not mentioned.
Because, when you get right down to it.....
.............All gave some ..... but ..... Some gave ALL ......
To allow a poser, whoever or where ever they may be to continue their deception in a public way........ is a disgrace.......
A total disgrace of those that allow it to go unchecked.
But, more importantly ...... a severe & total disgrace to the memory of those that have served honorably from the years past to present day..
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Teacher I could not have said it better. Well done.
I have this to add.
Rather than continue this 'divide' of one side and another lets look at what we can agree on.
Surely both sides can see and even agree that there is controversy surrounding the Strider company yes??
Surely both sides can see that there is discrepancie between verbal claims and paperwork documented claims in many forms.
Surely this controversy has been going on a number of years and we can also recongnize this. I think we all agree that the man in quesion is a public figure and even somewhat of a celebrity in the industry of his profession.
Lets look at it as if we can for a moment forget who it is that is involved.
If a "John Doe" said he was a combat vet and later it was found he was not. would we all agree that this Doe guy should be held repsonsible and accountable for his words and actions? Can we all agree yes here?
If John had a record in the past and also surrounded himself by other nefarious individuals surrounded by as much controversy as he has around himself would it not be something we can all still say we see and agree that we see?
Ok lets keep going then.
Suppose it turned out you worked in or around a man that did any of these things or even lets say just suppose you bought a product they sold. If you had a son, relative, or loved one even if it was just a friend that served in Iraq, or one of the other conflicts would this slap in the face to their service by a John Doe poser bother all of us? Would it bother you that someone was laughing uncaringly about the deaths of others and even making money on it? I like to think that it would. If not ask why not because I think any patriot, any true patriot I mean, would sure be upset by finding out that someone did not support our troops or our country. At its core thats what this is really about and why its a hot button issue I think.
STR
I have this to add.
Rather than continue this 'divide' of one side and another lets look at what we can agree on.
Surely both sides can see and even agree that there is controversy surrounding the Strider company yes??
Surely both sides can see that there is discrepancie between verbal claims and paperwork documented claims in many forms.
Surely this controversy has been going on a number of years and we can also recongnize this. I think we all agree that the man in quesion is a public figure and even somewhat of a celebrity in the industry of his profession.
Lets look at it as if we can for a moment forget who it is that is involved.
If a "John Doe" said he was a combat vet and later it was found he was not. would we all agree that this Doe guy should be held repsonsible and accountable for his words and actions? Can we all agree yes here?
If John had a record in the past and also surrounded himself by other nefarious individuals surrounded by as much controversy as he has around himself would it not be something we can all still say we see and agree that we see?
Ok lets keep going then.
Suppose it turned out you worked in or around a man that did any of these things or even lets say just suppose you bought a product they sold. If you had a son, relative, or loved one even if it was just a friend that served in Iraq, or one of the other conflicts would this slap in the face to their service by a John Doe poser bother all of us? Would it bother you that someone was laughing uncaringly about the deaths of others and even making money on it? I like to think that it would. If not ask why not because I think any patriot, any true patriot I mean, would sure be upset by finding out that someone did not support our troops or our country. At its core thats what this is really about and why its a hot button issue I think.
STR
And so here I am.
First, apparently this drama is about Mick Strider and Duane Dwyer. I don't personally know either man. I dont know their history, nor do I care to. In short, I have no stake in this drama, nor do I want one. I will post the story of what happened with the Lakis incident and I am done with this.
Bottom line up front, what I quoted by Bubba#1 above is correct. I was duped. SOCNET was duped. Several friends of mine were duped. DOD was duped. All true. The paperwork check thing is wrong though. I saw hundreds of documents to back up the story Lakis told. DD-214's, Certificates from schools, awards, orders etc. He had it all. Why? Lakis was school trained in computer graphics. He manufactured what he needed. Some of it he simply bought.
When I first arrived on SOCNET, I think this was in 1998, Lakis was already there and firmly established. He hosted the first SOCSHOOT at his home in Ramona, CA which is where I saw the mass of documents he had first hand. When I was checking all this out, I was accompanied by a retired SF CW-4 who saw everything I saw. It looked real. The guy was good. He had all this documentation and he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut and play the role of the humble quiet professional, which 1) gave no details out for anyone to use to unravel his story and 2) lended credibility as we all know that the guy who runs his mouth about his exploits instantly draws suspicion.
So, as far as I was concerned, Gary Lakis was legit.
I wont go into the whole SSI story, as I think that was covered in the press well enough. He basically robbed Carl Taylor of his company. Carl is a long time Marine S/S with a great reputation in that community and he was one of Lakis' biggest defenders, even after I told him my suspicions over the phone. That should tell you something about how good Lakis was because Carl is no dummy.
So lets move on to how Lakis was finally revealed.
A friend of mine who worked for SSI went to Hawaii to be one of the SSI managers there. He didnt get along well with the Navy brass so SSI brought him back to CA. He didn't have a place to live when he came back as he sold his house before moving to HI. So, Lakis offered to let him live in his house until he found a place. This friend and I were chatting on Yahoo IM one day shooting the shit. He was on Lakis' computer and mentioned the massive amount of "I Love Me" stuff that Lakis had on his wall. I agreed that it was crazy how much the guy had done and the awards he had received. My friend remarked that some of the schools he had never even heard of. I asked which ones. He told me that Lakis had a certicate on the wall saying that he had graduated from NSA's "Advanced Scout/Sniper Course". Well, that was a new one on me and I said so. Never heard of such a thing. It was weird enough that I contacted a friend at SOTIC to see if he ever heard of such a course. We came to the conclusion that the only way it could be legit would be if NSA's internal security folks had sponsored a course and allowed other agencies to participate and even that was far-fetched. NSA is not known for sharing much of anything.
So, I called my friend back and told him I thought the certificate was bullshit. I asked him what else was on the wall. He said you name it. So, I got the info from his Ranger School cert, MFF, and CDQC (Scuba School). For those who aren't aware, Lakis had claimed to have served in SF as an Officer after his first enlistment with the USMC then later returned to the USMC. These were Army schools so they were fairly easy for me to check. I enlisted the aid of another admin on SOCNET who was at the time active duty SF. We checked all three schools. None of the information was correct on any of the certificates. He had never attended any of those three schools. I was blown away and mad as hell.
The more I dug, the more bullshit I found. So, I enlisted the help of a retired USMC 3-Star. I told him what the situation was, what I had found and what I suspected. He offered to contact USMC HQ. The next day he had results showing that Lakis served one active duty enlistment as an 0331 Machine Gunner. I believe that was for four years. He then was in the USMCR for another four years. Highest rank earned was E-5. No high speed schools. No Scout/Sniper. No Force Recon. Nothing. Confirmed by the USMC.
My next step was to contact the SF CW-4 who had been with me at Lakis' house to give him the news. He too was dumbfounded. I told my friend who lived with Lakis the news. He called Carl Taylor and tried to tell Carl, but Carl refused to believe it. I spoke to Carl on the phone. He still didn't believe it and asked for documentation that Lakis was a phony, which I couldn't provide.
So, I went back to the CW-4 and asked his advice. His opinion was that it should be reported to NCIS as Lakis had used his creds to get a $15 million dollar contract with the Navy to provide training. I gave him the details of everything I knew and he took it to NCIS. NCIS launched their investigation and brought in the FBI as well.
Lakis heard about what was going on, I assume through Carl Taylor. He knew the game was up. So let me back up a minute. Lakis had convinced Carl to make his (Lakis') wife (a former stripper, go figure) 51% owner of SSI so that a female owned company could get a leg up on contract bids. So, legally, she controlled the company. So, when Lakis saw that the game was about to be over, he had his wife clean out the company bank account (I was told $5 mil) and he and his wife disappeared. Later the FBI issued a warrant for his arrest on multiple charges. It has never been served.
But, we have long memories. We found Lakis in New Zealand where he and his wife own a bar registered under his wife's maiden name. He lives there and is a devoted fan of the local rugby team. I informed the FBI of his location last year but to my knowledge no action has been taken to apprehend him.
So, yes I was duped. The list of people he duped is long and distinguished, to include the Commandant of the Marine Corps who took a picture with Lakis in full poser regalia. And yes, I was the "other SpecOp contact" who wrote the initial letter to the USMC Force Recon Association telling them that Lakis was a phony. They took no action until months later when the story hit the news.
See here... http://www.forcerecon.com/FRA Sit Rep Jan 2003.pdf
So, yes, I did make a mistake with Lakis. But, given the circumstances, I dont feel that dumb for being duped. Lakis was a talented liar and thief. There's the first hand version of the "rest of the story" about the Lakis incident.
Now, that being said, I made a mistake and I freely admit that. I can accept that criticism with the caveat that those who criticize probably would have been duped just like I was. But you should also know that my credibility and reputation mean a lot to me. I have no need to defend it as it stands on it's own merit. Too many people on SOCNET and ArmyRanger.com know me, served with me, and have worked with me in Law Enforcement over the years for me to worry much about what one guy says about me on here. I guess you can all decide for yourself based on what I have written. I did back a phony and defended the bastard many times, but at no time was my intent to be anything other than straight-forward and honest. I also brought that phony down in front of the world, [edited to add that I did NOT do this alone, I had help from some key players who will remain nameless unless they choose otherwise on their own] although most folks didn't know who it was.
So, in my eyes, my reputation is intact. If any of you would like to call that into question, I gladly invite you to do so in person. I am in the D.C. metro area. You know where to find me.
[Also edited to add that these facts are what I believe to be true based on my point of view and memory of what happened. Carl Taylor, for example, may have additional facts or corrections to make to my account about what transpired. Others may also. I say this because what I wrote in some cases is second or third hand info, but it is the best that I can give you from my perspective at the time and my memory. In Carl's case, it was one of the parts I felt the worst about all of this as Carl is a good man and a friend who was ripped off by a lying piece of shit that we all trusted. But, Carl was hurt worse than anyone in all of this.]
THAT is how you admit a mistake publicly, and move on.:thumbup:
Thanks for coming on BladeForums, Sharky.....really sorry you got dragged into this.....and relating this story of a determined scumbag who helped to sully the reputation of good men, by deceipt and lies....may he suffer in the way he has made others suffer....at the hands of a con-man's tricks, and may he burn in Hell for bringing disquiet to the Corps.
Best Regards,
STeven Garsson
wolfmann601
Gone, but not forgotton. RIP Ira.
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Wow teacher, prolific...........
Thanks Sharky, you are A-1 in my book..................Be well, be safe and maybe we can have a beer next May in DC.
Now. back to Duane and the sniper saga so secret some seek stuff not related to DD/Poland et al.
Is Duane a Scout Snipe-that is the question!!!
Thanks Sharky, you are A-1 in my book..................Be well, be safe and maybe we can have a beer next May in DC.
Now. back to Duane and the sniper saga so secret some seek stuff not related to DD/Poland et al.
Is Duane a Scout Snipe-that is the question!!!
Cougar Allen
Buccaneer (ret.)
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Let's not clutter up this thread with urban legends, people. That one is completely false, and so are all the variants....
Details at http://www.snopes.com/rumors/budweiser.asp
Normally, I agree with most of what you say and agree with the statement above if it were a general statement. But I think you're reaching a bit with regards to this particular subject. I really don't think those at Strider are "laughing uncaringly about the deaths of others". I really don't.
Further to that, I've never understood the mindset that a whole profession should ever feel the shame for the actions of an individual, regardless of what that individual had done. As a professional firefighter, should I feel ashamed of my profession when some sick f*@k decides to burn buildings only to come to the rescue for visions of grandeur? Well, I don't. And I think it's somewhat offensive to cover a topic like this with the "any true patriot should feel..." mindset.
For you, this might very well be just about the very things you mentioned above and I believe you. But let's be honest and acknowledge that for many this is a grudge. I don't care what the individual reasons might be for this, be it jealousy, competition, simple search of the truth, moral reasons, whatever. But each person should at be honest about why "they" want to know.
Like I said earlier, I really respect you and your opinions on this forum. Perhaps more than anyone else I've ever read threads from or communicated with, but I think that was a bit much this time.
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When was it determined that John Doe was undeniably fake? And more importantly, by who?
Please see Sharky's reply for undeniable proof when institutions with actual investigative power start digging from the right sources. In my opinion, there is a difference between the (again, in my opinion) incomplete information present in this thread and Sharky's example. And that is what I have been saying all along.
Myself, as an active duty soldier, I don't care enough to give a hoot if all this is some fake/poser stuff said in those horridly corrupted internet websites. If something along the lines of Sharky's case comes up then it's a different story.
I may as well address this too while I am here.
It was edited by a mod because we dont care for drama such as this on SOCNET. There is no conspiracy in either direction.
I dont even know who Lance Harris is, nor do I care. And no, he didn't almost get banned instantly. Maybe the mod who edited the post knows, but I dont.
What it implies is that we are both liars. I think I have already addressed that in my first post. You are welcome to discuss this with me face to face or be a man and apologize for insinuating that I am less than honest.
What we are known for is a low tolerance for bullshit and people talking out of their asses about things they know nothing about. As far as us being the final answer on military related questions, we have never claimed to be and I challenge you to show me where we have. We have been referred to as the best no-bullshit source of SOF info on the net by other websites and for that we are rightfully proud. We will continue what we've been doing for years. If that earns us a good reputation, so be it. We're okay with that.
True. No issues with that. I made a mistake.
Many of us are in fact friends. For the most part though, we have never met face to face but know each other through friends of friends within the community. But we have never edited or deleted anything to cover up our mistakes, which are many. That is a lie.
In short, I dont know who you are, nor do I care to. To me, you're just another prick on the net spewing lies and causing trouble for your own amusement with no regard to the cost. You make remarks about the honesty and credibility of people you know nothing about with no regard for facts or truth. If you were banned from SOCNET it's easy to see and understand why. I have no idea whether Duane Dwyer is a phony and I dont have time to worry about it. There's a war on in case you didn't notice. I'll devote my efforts there. I will say this though; if Dwayne Dwyer is indeed a phony, even if you are proven right about that, in my book you are still no better due to your actions. Again, I'm easy to find.
It was edited by a mod because we dont care for drama such as this on SOCNET. There is no conspiracy in either direction.
I dont even know who Lance Harris is, nor do I care. And no, he didn't almost get banned instantly. Maybe the mod who edited the post knows, but I dont.
What it implies is that we are both liars. I think I have already addressed that in my first post. You are welcome to discuss this with me face to face or be a man and apologize for insinuating that I am less than honest.
What we are known for is a low tolerance for bullshit and people talking out of their asses about things they know nothing about. As far as us being the final answer on military related questions, we have never claimed to be and I challenge you to show me where we have. We have been referred to as the best no-bullshit source of SOF info on the net by other websites and for that we are rightfully proud. We will continue what we've been doing for years. If that earns us a good reputation, so be it. We're okay with that.
True. No issues with that. I made a mistake.
Many of us are in fact friends. For the most part though, we have never met face to face but know each other through friends of friends within the community. But we have never edited or deleted anything to cover up our mistakes, which are many. That is a lie.
In short, I dont know who you are, nor do I care to. To me, you're just another prick on the net spewing lies and causing trouble for your own amusement with no regard to the cost. You make remarks about the honesty and credibility of people you know nothing about with no regard for facts or truth. If you were banned from SOCNET it's easy to see and understand why. I have no idea whether Duane Dwyer is a phony and I dont have time to worry about it. There's a war on in case you didn't notice. I'll devote my efforts there. I will say this though; if Dwayne Dwyer is indeed a phony, even if you are proven right about that, in my book you are still no better due to your actions. Again, I'm easy to find.
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