Category Archives: Embellisher

Mario GRENIER – he’s NOT a Gulf War Veteran!

 

 

We were asked to review a number of photographic images of retired Sergeant Mario Grenier, a self appointed veterans advocate  and former infantryman with the R22eR who resides in the Quebec City area. His service in Canada, Lahr Germany and operational deployment to the Balkans in 1992 were quite easy to confirm.

However, The Persian Gulf and Kuwait (PG&K) Medal with bar he wore at every occasion became lightning rod for comments as not one individual could vouch for his service in the operational theatre between September 1990 and March 1991.

Our team conducted a thorough review of all available records, this included websites, newspaper articles, photographic images, regimental tour books, searchable data bases of medal recipients and extracts from military documents in Canada in order to determine the legitimacy of his claims.

Grenier has claimed that the United Kingdom awarded him the Canadian PG&K Medal with bar. Now why would they do that? If he was, in fact, attached to / on exchange with the Brits, would he not have received the UK Gulf Medal like the other CF members in that situation?

All the Canadian Forces recipients of the UK Gulf Medal and they are known / gazetted and Grenier isn’t among them. DH&R name two of the recipients in the publications, while the UK Ministry of Defence have confirmed via a Freedom of Information request that there are a dozen CF recipients of their medal including Captain Ian Hope who would later lead the 1st Bn PPCLI / Task Force Orion in Afghanistan 2006. 

Note the differences between the UK version (L) and the Canadian version (R) – Grenier wore the Canadian version….

It seems Grenier has been telling different stories to different audiences, he has absolutely no GW1 service despite his fairy tales of being attached to 23 (UK) Engineer Regiment for a 20 day period  (8-28 February 1991) and was tasked along with another Canadian from Ontario on a secret mission to run down SCUD missiles in Riyahd!

Of course, Grenier followed a routine that is quite familiar to us shock, anger, immediately scrubbing all of the images of him wearing the PG&K medal (and the QDJM) from his social media accounts (November 2020), indignation followed by feigned cooperation, the inevitable threats of legal action followed by a lawyer’s letter… 

In an email exchange (15 Feb 2021) Grenier agreed remove the bogus medals from his group and send us a before / after images, the quid pro quo – SVC would have published those pics on our media platforms without any identifying information and Grenier could have carried on with his veteran support activities.

However, Grenier made the decision not to send us the images that he had previously agree to, furnished a picture of his cut and subsequently threatened taking legal action action against us. Note the cut on the left has 6 medal ribbons attached and the most recent version on the right has just 4 – the PG&K and QDJM ribbons have been removed. 

 

When SVC published the details of Grenier’s medallic fuckery ™️, he very quickly posted on his FB page that he had taken the two medals down as he didn’t know he couldn’t wear the British ones… You know, the medals that he said he received in the mail in 2012 as witnessed by his buddy Pierre. 

 

Incredible, Yes! 

So, where was Grenier during the Sept 1990-March 1991 time frame? He wasn’t in Doha, Qatar guarding our air force assets with Cie C 1er R22eR nor was he chasing Scuds with the UK Land Forces. Like everyone else, not deployed, he was probably watching events unfold on the 24 hour news channels.

On 23 July 2021, Grenier posted up a pic of his revised group of medals with the PG&K and QDJM removed…

Now why would a recipient remove legitimately awarded medals? Could he not sought out the assistance of RHQ R22eR in confirming his Gulf War service and obtaining the official documentation / proof of his claims?

Why would he throw legitimately awarded medals into the garbage? 

 Mr Grenier was a Cold War infantryman who deployed to the Balkans. There was no need for him to embellish his military service but, he did… 

It’s long past time for him to publicly apologize for claiming service in Persian Gulf, wearing two medals without any apparent lawful authority and quietly walk away from his military themed fairy tales. 

Je me souviens

A Vietnam Prisoner of War? You decide…

Mark S. BERES

Beachville, Ontario

We were asked to have a look at this individual who wears a substantial group of medals detailing his service in South East Asia as a combat infantryman in the 101st Airborne Division.

In the group, there are two medals which are readily researchable. The first, the Silver Star, the United States’ 3rd highest award for heroism in combat and, the Prisoner of War Medal.


Our team could find no open source record of these two medals ever being awarded to Beres so, we contacted our US counterparts for their advice and assistance. They initiated a FOIA request for his military records on our behalf.

The documents received from the National Personnel Records Center are quite interesting as there’s absolutely no mention of the Silver Star nor the POW Medal…



We’ll draw your attention to the Decorations and Awards block.

The accounting for US Army Vietnam Prisoners of War (returnees / escapees) is 100% accurate, Beres isn’t listed!

https://www.dpaa.mil/portals/85/VietnamAccounting/pmsea_acc_p_usa_20191227.pdf

Interestingly, the three other Vietnam POW claimants we are currently tracking are not listed as returnees / escapees either!

https://www.dpaa.mil/portals/85/Documents/VietnamAccounting/pmsea_returnee.pdf

https://www.dpaa.mil/portals/85/Documents/VietnamAccounting/pmsea_escapee.pdf

You decide…

Beres can contact us if he has independently verifiable evidence of the awards. We aren’t hard to find…

In fact, we encourage him to do so.

Captain Mark OSBORNE – $3500 fine!

Osborne, a serving Canadian Army Logistics officer was tried and convicted by court martial on 10 May 2021 for wearing four medals without lawful authority. Of course, there was the now routine joint submission / plea deal in which the fraud charge s117(f) NDA and one charge under s129 NDA were dropped just days before his trial…

For your reading enjoyment, linked is the court martial decision.

https://decisia.jmc-cmj.forces.gc.ca/jmc-cmj/cm/en/item/496768/index.do?fbclid=IwAR39vUX23qLOzRJ88ahoQWDBlxhDUqenx6aUTm_yTkie5onuIdm9wqAmu-g


Osborne is a finance officer who appears to have difficultly understanding simple arithmetic, this genius awarded himself a medal that was created / distributed 2 years prior to his birth!

He should re-read the text on his commissioning scroll, paying particular attention to “WE reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Courage and Integrity do by these Presents Constitute and Appoint you to be an Officer in our Canadian Armed Forces”.  

After studying the wording of his scroll, Captain Osborne should come to the realization that he lacks the honesty and integrity to serve as an officer in the CAF.

Making an immediate appointment with the release section should be his next life event… 

UPDATED – Has anyone seen the Colonel? – UPDATED

In mid 2018, SVC became aware of a potential issue with the medals being worn by the Honorary Colonel of 2 Air Wing HQ @ Bagotville.

We were advised that Mr Perreault, a long-time former CIC officer who had transferred to the Regular Forces as a Logistician, had been wearing 3 medals in his group without lawful authority. The Chancellery at Rideau Hall and the CF’s Directorate of Honours and Recognition had also been made aware of the situation.

We believe that Mr Perreault has absolutely no entitlement to the Centennial Medal (1967), the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal (1977) and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012) yet, the ribbons are clearly visible in his official portrait and they were listed on his now deleted RCAF Honorary Colonel biography.

Anecdotally, we have been told that Perreault has also embellished the both the Canadian Forces Decoration and St John Ambulance Service Medal with unearned clasps (this is not reflected in the image of the ribbons above).

Shortly after SVC started asking questions, Mr Perreault was quietly removed from the list of RCAF Honorary Colonels. Was it just a coincidence or, was it something more disturbing? Was Perreault permitted to sneak out the back gate?

Two of the bogus medals that he was wearing pre-date his investiture into the Order of Military Merit and the Order of St Jean. So, that begs the question, will his ongoing membership in these prestigious organizations be reviewed as a result of his medallic fuckery™?


https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/medals-expelled-military-merit-1.6024218

Andy KRUZYNSKI – Dog Tag Dude.

SVC actually piquetted and bypassed Kruzynski several years ago based on a commitment from individuals on the ground that he would cease and desist from his antics.

When he recently resurfaced on “Police on Guard for Thee” FB page (12 February 2021) making claims of operational military service along with those of being both a Police Officer and a Corrections Officer our email blew up

After reviewing this image, we’ll offer the following observations on the medals Mr Kruzynski is wearing.

1 – UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Medal  – Just over 100 Canadian Forces members were awarded this medal for their service in the Middle East in 1978. Kruzynski is not on that list. 

2-UN Emergency Force 2 (UNEF2) Medal – CAF members were awarded this medal for their service in the Middle East, primarily in Egypt, during the period 1973-79. Kruzynski’s actual service (1965-68) is well outside the medal’s eligibility period. 

3-Police Exemplary Service Medal Awarded upon completion of a minimum of twenty years of full-time service with one or more recognized Canadian police forces. 2 years with Toronto Metro Traffic doesn’t meet the eligibility requirement. Nor is he listed on the GG’s website / Canada Gazette as a recipient.

4-Corrections Exemplary Service Medal – Recipients must have been working on or after the date of creation of the Medal (1984), and must have completed 20 years of full-time service, not necessarily continuous, with one or more of the correctional services in Canada. Kruzynski claims only 17 years service as a CO and he’s not listed on the GG’s website / Canada Gazette as a recipient.

5-The Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal – CPSM recognizes peacekeeping service performed by Canadian citizens who have served with a peacekeeping/observer mission(s) for a minimum of 30 days accumulated service. He is eligible for this medal, his claimed in Cyprus has ben confirmed. 

Note, this is the “senior medal” and it’s in wrong position. 

6-UN Forces in Cyprus (UNFICYP) Medal – Awarded for 90 days of consecutive service as a member of CF in Cyprus. Kruzynski is eligible for this medal,  his service Cyprus has been confirmed.

SVC has been unable to determine the legitimacy of the military parachutists wings that Kruzynski is wearing, we have been in contact with a number of airborne forces experts for their assistance in determining the ground truth.

There are several more images of Mr Kruzynski wearing a much different array of medals from the first time we encountered him. The ESMs aren’t in the mix however, there are a number of WW2 medals in the group. 

This is an earlier iteration of Kruzynski’s magical medals. 

The UNFICYP Medal is in the senior position, it was legitimately awarded to him for service in Cyprus with the Queen’s Own Rifles. That deployment would also entitles him to the Canadian Peace Keeping Service Medal. 

He’s not rocking the UNEF2and UNIFIL Medals nor the Police or Corrections ESMs. 

But, he has the Defence Medal, 39-45 Star and the War Medal 1939-1945 on display, a most amazing occurrence as he wasn’t born until after the war! 

The privately purchased Normandy Campaign Medal in the mix is available to anyone for just 88 dollars plus shipping and handling. 

And, there’s more! 

He’s also wearing the Polish September Campaign Cross 1939. 

Poważnie?

Mr Kruzynski was a Cold War infantryman who deployed to Cyprus. There was no need for him to embellish his military service but, he did…

It’s time for him to walk away from his military themed fairy tales.

Making amends.

Mr Brent Tremblay who was featured on our website in 2019 sent us this follow-up note on 19 February 2021.

http://stolenvalour.ca/index.php/2019/12/01/brent-errol-tremblay-master-sergeant-purple-heart-cib-nope/

We wish him luck in his future endeavours. 

SVC

Albert BRUM – it’s never too late…

Mr Albert Brum, a serial embellisher of long standing was exposed by our friends at “This Ain’t Hell” in 2017 and he has recently resurfaced. Although, SVC was not involved in the original expose, we have been advised that Mr Brum has articulated a desire to leave the trinkets that support his military themed fairy tale as a lasting legacy of his service to a Canadian military museum located near his hometown.

This has prompted us to ask a couple of questions.

Will his donation include the three World War 2 Campaign Stars that he wore without lawful authority and the Legion of Honour that he was awarded by the French government for his supposed service in the liberation of France? 

Can we expect that the US medals and insignia including the Bronze Star and Combat Infantry Badge (second award) will be included in the package? 

Brum would have believe he was a member of First Special Service Force (The Devil’s Brigade) with service in Italy and participated in the liberation of Rome.  He then claims to have transferred to 1 Can Para and made a jump into France on D +1 (7 June 1944) as a reinforcement. However, Brum is not listed on the nominal roll of the FSSF nor has any documented overseas service in Continental Europe! His story changes to suit the circumstances, the event and the audience and of course, he claims to have been a sniper! 

http://www.firstspecialserviceforce.net/fssf-roster-of-men.html

In fact, he has actual WW2 service in the RCAF (April-Nov 1944) and transferred to the CA (Jan 45-Apr 1946) where he eventually became a jump qualified RCE Sapper who volunteered to serve in the Pacific theatre. But, he has absolutely no service in an operational theatre. 

Brum is not a graduate of Royal Military College of Canada. RMC didn’t reopen until Sept 1948 making it somewhat difficult for him to complete his studies, graduate, train as a gunner officer and deploy to Korea in 1949 and again in 1951. In 1949, he joined the Militia where he eventually became a Major in the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry serving until 1969.

Once again simple arithmetic and recorded history proves that his claims of post war operational service in Korea and South East Asia are a complete fabrication! 

He never achieved the rank of Colonel in the CA, he was never a “CANLOAN” officer with the US Army in Vietnam or Cambodia in 1963 and 1965 nor, does he have any service with the US military as a Green Beret.

Major AE Brum CD should have been proud of his military service, there was no need for him to embellish his accomplishments over the course of several decades yet, he did. 

That will be his legacy…

https://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=71382

Hall of Shame / Gallery of Space Shuttle Door Gunners.

Robert LUPTON
Hamilton, Ontario
Paul ABBOTT
Sudbury, Ontario area.

Robert J McKinnon
Calgary, Alberta

Marianne KNAI
Longueuil PQ, Esquimalt BC, Dallas Texas

Kai Corey DUPS
Kent County Michigan
Bradley BELL
Calgary Alberta
“captain” Simon Derothschild
Cornwall On/Montreal Qc

Mario GRENIER,
Quebec.
Mario GRENIER,
Quebec
Mark OSBORNE,
Moncton, NB
William GREUSHCOW
Ottawa, Ontario
Albert BRUM
Honolulu, Hawaii / Hamilton Ontario
Andy “Kruzer” KRUZYNSKI
Kincardine, Ontario
Patrick VANDAL
Drummondville, Quebec
Patrick VANDAL
Drummondville, Quebec
William (Bill) MacKenzie
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Captain Robert HASTINGS
Kingston, On

Hendrik Van der pol
Summerside, PEI
Mark S Beres
Beachville, Ontario
Johann JEPPE
Calgary, Alberta.
Kenneth LAROCHE
Sudbury, Copper Cliff, Orillia Ontario
Andy WRIGHT
Edmonton Area, Alberta.
Dwayne Curtis EISEN
Okanagan Falls, BC
Stephen EVANS
Wallaceburg, Ontario
James FRENCH
Cloverdale, BC
“SIR” Brent HABETLER
Lloydminster, Sk

Terry “captain landmine” BIRCH
Cornwall, Ontario

Thomas QUIGLEY
GTA, Ontario
Ken POITRAS
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Matthew CONNOLLY
Kentville, NS
Robert DESABRAIS
Warren, Ontario
Hubert MEYERS
Fort Frances, Ontario
Herne STEELGRAVE
was Gary Reginald ROWE aka Herne GALLOWSGLASS
Jean Charles PERREAULT
Levis/Bagotville, Quebec
Jean Charles PERREAULT
Levis/Bagotville Quebec
Jacques “Ti-Co” HAMEL
Trois Riviere, Quebec
Mark S HALDEN
St Catherines, Ontario
Daniel WHITSELL
Windsor, Ontario
Gerry CONWAY
Guelph, Ontario
Andrew Robert FARROW
KW Ontario / Nanaimo BC
Stephen Dennis McDONALD
Calgary, Alberta
David MacKENZIE
Dugald, Manitoba
Jean Pierre ISORE
St Jean sur Richelieu, Quebec
Jean-Pierre Isore
St Jean sur Richelieu, Quebec

Matthew TREMBLAY
Thornloe, Ontario
John Edward JOHNSTON
Nipawin, Sk
Ryan FOSTER
Calgary, Alberta
Richard IVIE
Calgary, Alberta
Daniel “Fon-Fon” LAFONTAINE
Quebec City, Quebec

William Edward LANG
Pembroke, Ontario
Oskar KONTORSKY
GTA, Ontario
Wayne JOHNSTON
Toronto, Ontario
Joe FRAGA
Surrey, BC
Helmut KRES
Edmonton, Alberta
Eric JANSSENS
Orono/Bowmanville, Ontario
James M DOBSON
Windsor, Ontario
Robert COOPER
Wetaskiwin, Alberta
Dennis C SURRENDI
Nanton, Alberta
Ian DEWAR aka DEWAR-ADAIR
Hamilton, Ontario
James WELLHEISER
Ayr, Ontario
Elwyn/Elwin EVANS
Teulon, Manitoba
David Jeffrey DODD
Peterborough, Ontario
Curtis ROUSH
Smithville, Ontario
David C TOWNSEND
PEI
Donald LEMMOND aka TYRELL
Hamilton, Ontario
Byron S RODRIGUEZ
North Battleford, Sk
Arnold LePOTVIN
Sarnia, Ontario
Richard FANCY
Halifax, NS
Lawrence PATTERSON
Amherst, NS
Robert Wayne KELSO
Antigonish, NS
Earl Clarence WOOLERY III
Markdale, Ontario
Peter Miklos TOTH
Red Deer, Alberta
Bob KELLY
Leamington, Ontario
Franck GERVAIS
Cantley, Quebec
Art MURRAY
Cornwall, Ontario
Gerry MORGAN
Chatham, Ontario
Michael McNaught
Kingston, On
Sean BALDACCIN aka MARTIN aka HILTS
Northbrook, Ontario
Dale GRAY
Oshawa, Ontario
David Christie
Whycocomagh, NS
Steven A MARTENS
Scotch Creek, BC
Carl DALE
Kingston, Ontario
Ian NEWBY
Aldergrove, BC
Art LEONARD
GTA, Ontario
Pascal MIRON
Repentigny, Quebec
Ashley ZEDNER
GTA, Ontario
Michel- Eric CASTONGUAY
Levis, Quebec
Alexandre / Andre ASTLE
Pembroke, Ontario
Peter PASANEN
Burnaby, BC
Robert N White
Petroli, Ontario
Clayton DONOGHUE
Orillia, Ontario
Robert “Bobby” COLLINS
Saanich, BC

Never pass a fault – A bogus RCR Sergeant Major!

So, back in December 2020, Mike Blais wrote this piece.
We have now ID’d the individual who claimed to be a CSM in the Royal Canadian Regiment and a former member of the Canadian Airborne Regiment.It now appears that Mr MacKenzie has a long history of impersonating an infantryman that dates back several decades and in fact, continues to so based on images pulled from multiple social media platforms.

There is likely much more to his story as stolen valour is often just the tip of the iceberg…

Milan KRES – an update

Way back in 2017, SVC was asked to look at the claims being made by Milan Helmut KRES of Edmonton Alberta. He claimed to have been an airborne soldier and special forces operator who had deployed on operations world wide and lost men in battle.

His claims resulted in considerable discussion in veterans forums and we took every effort to contact him in order to sort out the situation…

His response?

Kres deleted the images of the medals, insignia and certificates and went silent.

Perhaps, he heard foot steps after SVC initiated the “Shameless Sunday” showcase of unrepentant posers, fakes and embellishers who had yet to responsibility for their actions.

After 3 years of silence Mr Kres contacted us last week and stated that he wanted to make amends and asked what steps he had to take in order to do so.

As the window to pursue criminal charges against him had long since closed, Kres was advised that a public apology for his reprehensible actions would be a starting point.

He was further advised that surrendering the bogus medals, badges, insignia and certificates for appropriate disposal action would confirm his commitment to never use them as props in a game of military make believe.

A SVC representative met with Kres on 4 August 2020 and took control of assorted bogus items. These items will be properly disposed of / placed on display in military facilities as appropriate or applicable.

SVC has now closed the file on this matter.

Now y’all know, we’re a patient bunch…