Comments for Do you know this Brigadier? [Updated]

Do you know this Brigadier? [Updated]

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:33:42 -0600

If you do, I'd love to know his name.Why am I asking? Well... I'm kinda sorta suspicious that perhaps he's not who he's dressed to be.This picture was taken 12 December at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, as the Victory Party for now-Mayor Annise ParkerLeave aside I can't think of anyone with *two* Distinguished Service Crosses (the second highest valor award) and British SAS wings, and who wears a *CIA* liver badge (as we call those things that aren't on the lapel... and that in order for him to have a Combat Infantryman's Badge with *two* stars on it means...

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2010-01-19

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:44:02 -0600

Centurion - ya didn't click the link in the post - it was a full frontal of our poseur.

I think he actually has a BG uniform on - black facings. But the rest, well, it's as we've all been saying.

We (collectively, the milblogs) got the local ABC affiliate, FBI and a US atty interested. Methinks Michael, who clearly needs help, is about to get all the incentive he needs to get his act together.

Heh.

Comment from RetRsvMike on 2010-01-19

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:21:32 -0600

well, i finally dug up a solid lead on his identity: tentative identification as one who goes by name of "Maynard G. Krebs".

known to associate with: "Dobie"

last seen carrying bongoes.

Comment from lvncenturion on 2010-01-19

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:23:07 -0600

Gold Plated Poser, not much of a challenge to prove why. Here's a few of the real easy ones:

CIB with two stars. The last of these was awarded for WW II, Korea, Vietnam. Because of the way that they grouped conflicts, everything from Dominican Republic (Actually Bay of Pigs for a few, but that story is for another day) to Gulf War I (ODS) was grouped together for CIB purposes, only 1 CIB no matter how many of these gigs you showed up for. When we took on the Taliban in 2002, those awarded a CIB in Vietnam, Grenada, ODS, etc. could get a second CIB and many did. But to get the third one, you would have to have had a Korea era CIB. No one qualified, so no 3d CIB has been awarded since Vietnam.

Decorations. No multiple awards of the DSC since Vietnam, this guy's no Vietnam vet. Defense Distinguished Service Medal and Distinguished Service Medal - given to GO's mostly, not to dweebs like this. Also wearing a Legion of Merit and Distinguished Flying Cross which he is wearing in the wrong order. Forgot to ask Marlow White to mount them for him. Neck decoration is the Commander, Order of the British Empire (Civil Version). He was never gazetted for this, guaranteed, but if he were if would be to the Military Division (different ribbon)

Badges. No stickin' gringo can wear the SAS badge on his gringo uniform

Facings. The facing on his mess jacket are blue for Military Intelligence. General Officers wear black facings (Can't see his sleeves, so we don't know what rank he is wearing, but reports say he was posing as a Brigadier General.

Shave. I suppose that he had a shaving profile after the contusions that he got at the limbo contest at the gay and lesbian ball.

Leavenworth had one of these posers, Michael Wielbacker. I caught Mike red handed when he applied for a secuity clearance and fired him. A year later he showed up at the Marine Corps Ball in St. Louis wearing a USMC mess jacket adorned with a Navy Cross among other decorations. One of his table mates was a Marine veteran FBI agent. Mike plead guilty and was given probabtion

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2010-01-19

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:52:15 -0600

Nah, Eric, we're sure. This isn't a Reuters-sourced photo, and once we got a name, the guy is a rash over the 'net with his uniform fetish.

He is, however, the very Model of a Modern Major General...

Comment from eric on 2010-01-19

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:56:35 -0600

are you sure this isn't just Reuters at work here? you know how good they are with pictures. in any case the man looks perfect for a "join the army" pr tour visiting those madrasses in a'stan.

Comment from Carol Kirk on 2010-01-19

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 12:17:41 -0600

There aren't enough words in the English language, nor in Army or Navy creole to express my total disgust with this creep. He mocks the very men who made it possible for him to stand up there and make an ass out of himself.

Comment from BloodSpite on 2010-01-19

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 11:27:21 -0600

This Ain't Hell has notified the FBI and apparently has sent a few E-mails including to the DLI

I didn't find anything on channel 11 or 13's websites, those are the only ABC affiliates I know of in Houston (my ex-wife lives in pearland. Gave her a shout for giggles to get the stations. She was married to me while I was still in so she understands the questions)

Comment from Attila of Argghhh! on 2010-01-19

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 11:15:14 -0600

So, where are we on the effort to bring this guy to justice? Anybody?

Comment from BloodSpite on 2010-01-19

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:55:37 -0600

He is officially BUSTED!

Ta Da
Michael Patrick mcManus Chan

Comment from fdcol63 on 2010-01-19

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:46:16 -0600

And yet he still managed to spend 16 years honing his Buddhism, doing all that Army stuff, AND promoting gay rights.

OVER-achiever! LOL

Comment from Micah on 2010-01-19

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:31:12 -0600

IF he graduated in 1989, then he was 21 when he graduated (odd). IF he is 44, then he would only have 23 yrs, as of today, to go from enlisted (he claims min E-5), to getting his commission to GO. I have heard of fast tracking, but that is plain ridiculous. Oh yeah, and NOTHING goes above the CIB. I guess the general didn't get that memo. Lower case "g" was intentional...he is no General.

FYI--Another blog that wasn't listed above is on him, as well. (SOCNET)

Comment from BloodSpite on 2010-01-19

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 08:42:40 -0600

I think the worse thing I ever did was fail to shave for a picture after I was out of service heh (which John promptly slapped my wrists for ;) ) Didn't think anything of it at the time (mostly as my dad and Uncle were in the same boat, not defending just saying remiescent like)

But this goes wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy beyond that.

I'm sure it will be used, as mentioned by others here, as a "I'm just protesting the machine man, the ee-bil government opressment against my peoples, ya dig?"

And he will be allowed to go scott free.

I'll toss up a cross post at my place on this as well just to see if we can't help validate the identity of the offender per se, for whatever its worth.

Comment from fdcol63 on 2010-01-19

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 08:20:01 -0600

I'm pretty sure the Tenzin Chophak in these photos is the same guy:

http://cid-310be8dee9cf3185.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/.res/310BE8DEE9CF3185!117

Comment from fdcol63 on 2010-01-19

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 07:37:51 -0600

He "came out" again in Houston ..... this time revealing his idiocy and/or mental illness.

Comment from Iraqrecall on 2010-01-19

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 07:13:30 -0600

Checked AKO people and this guy is not on it.
Says he graduated from High school 1n 1989 so too young for Panama so no two stars on CIB
Came out as a Gay guy in 1993 as a SGT, but was a Capt 1986.
Here is hoping to see this guy on the New's as he is hauled off to Jail.

Comment from Hamilton on 2010-01-19

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 06:56:38 -0600

Long time fan, first time caller.
--
"bodyguard and interpreter" Another lie. They are separate jobs, and those that have met them know why. Well picked PSDs are fantastic. They are not dumb gunslingers or they would not be on the PSD. They may even be pretty good at the local language. However they are not interpreters. At best it is a title he has self imposed. He may have some language skills... but....PSDs are rightly concerned with whether they need to shoot each person they do not recognize. Not quite the same people who greet the Mayor of East BF Chollanamdo. From time to time they are the people who put said mayor face in the dirt because he arrived early, and broke the security line trying to make a rush to the rest room. Just kidding, he was just restrained.
--
"What is that sign?" "Sir it says their tires are as cheap as shoes." (Wow, I'm an interpreter!)
--
I almost need to laugh thinking of how he would fare at the audition for the PSD at my current command. The MSG in charge has several native speakers and they are all hands on type people.

Comment from Mike on 2010-01-19

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:26:33 -0600

At various times he has claimed to be only a LTC and then also has claimed this as his dates of service at other times.

Military service Infantry (11B), Jan 1992 – Aug 1994, United States Army, Berlin, Germany
• Medically separated from service on August 11, 1994 with 10% disability determination
• Received the Army Superior Unit Award, 5th Bat., 502nd Inf., Jul 1994
• Maintained security clearance and a hazardous materials license

Infantry (11B), Feb 1989 – Jan 1992, National Guard, Carlsbad, NM & Lubbock, TX
• Honorable discharge, transferred to active duty status on January 10, 1992

And from the other side of it

Dear Dharma Friends,

We have received information from the office of HH Dalai Lama that
Tenzin Chophak ( Michael Mc Manus) did not have an Audience with His
Holiness Dalai Lama on Oct.14 '99, at which he said he had received the
Tsogyal Dzambala Practice, to benefit Land of Medicine Buddha..

While at LMB we gave Tenzin Chophak more than adequate opportunity to
improve his work perfomance and in no way was he mistreated.

With Love
Breige & Gabriel
Interim Directors of Land of Medicine Buddha

Oh the best part

While stationed in Frankfurt, Germany in 1986, then-Sergeant McManus served as Then-General Colin Powell's personal bodyguard and interpreter; Sergeant McManus came out of the closet as a gay man in 1993 at a Memorial Weekend Requiem in San Francisco honoring the Unknown Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Soldiers

U.S. Army Captain Michael McManus revealed that General Colin Powell knew he was gay while McManus was serving as his personal bodyguard, and that it made no difference to the general. While stationed in Frankfurt, Germany in 1986, then Sergeant McManus served as Powell's bodyguard and interpreter, and it was during that time that Sgt. McManus "came out" to him, confiding to him that he was gay.

According to McManus, Gen. Powell, who was at that time the commander of the U.S. Army Fifth Corps, replied, "What do you want me to do about it? As long as youare doing your job well, that does not matter to me. And you are doing an excellent job."

Comment from BillT on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 23:26:31 -0600

...isn't it also a big no-no to show up at a partisan political event (as a candidates victory party would be...) in uniform??

Not unless he was the Governor's choice for Adjutant General of the National Guard of the State, but, when last I checked, Houston wasn't a state yet.

It's also a federal offense to impersonate an officer with intent to deceive, but since he's got the precedence for the fruit salad all out of whack, he can probably claim that nobody would possibly believe he was actually a GO. Of course, the Silver Star nails him as a f*cktard poseur, because there ain't no "Tenzin Chophak" in the SS Awardee online database...

...of course, he may have a different name on his birth certificate, because he sure doesn't *look* like any Sherpa I've ever seen.

Comment from BillT on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:50:26 -0600

so... if he's 44 and did it, mayhap he just really did earn all that tinsel.

...which would have made him about six years old when he earned that Vietnamese Civic Action Honor Medal. Mmmmmmmmmmaybe -- but then there's the matter of the WWII Victory Medal...

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:43:50 -0600

You are correct, Miss Ladybee... but, as you know from another thread, we all just got target-fixated... with so *many* targets it's hard to choose!

Comment from Miss Ladybug on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:19:58 -0600

One thing I've not seen mentioned on any of the posts I've read today: isn't it also a big no-no to show up at a partisan political event (as a candidates victory party would be...) in uniform?? Just icing on the cake, what with all the rest, but still...

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:05:57 -0600

The Castle Gay Community has impeccable taste. And an acerbic keyboard, should you run afoul...

Comment from Justthisguy on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:42:53 -0600

Dare I say that I think his taste in eyewear is, well, just wrong, and bad, and silly? I'll not say "gay", not wishing to offend any homosexual gentlemen who might be reading this, and have better taste.

Comment from fdcol63 on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:32:07 -0600

I thought he was just the doorman?

Comment from Rivrdog on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:25:38 -0600

Enhanced? Enhanced, you say? Well, in the Auld Days, there would have been a way to see just how much he was "enhanced".

On his way to the wall, it would have been appropriate to "drum him out" first, no?

Hard for the pants to stay up when all the brass buttons are cut off...

Now, who does that Mess Dress really belong to? Perhaps theft or burglary or somesuch might have to be added to the list of specifications.

Comment from RetRsvMike on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:42:42 -0600

well, he might not miss hitting the "ballpark age" criterion, but having watched some fast track classmates pass me on the autobahn of life, i ain't seeing nobody hitting BG at under 46 years of age....

so... if he's 44 and did it, mayhap he just really did earn all that tinsel.

..or maybe he's just a dick.

Comment from Grumpy on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:20:17 -0600

John, I can just see you just walking up to him and shaking hands, this especially true if he's in that uniform. What do you think his life expectancy would be *after* that handshake?

Comment from Attila on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:33:03 -0600

I did a double-take when I saw this picture without even thinking.

I'm an Air Force guy who's dealt with both Army and Air Force 4-stars, so a lot of stuff on a uniform, especially an Army one, and especially an Army Mess Dress one, doesn't necessarily shock me. In fact, I for one am the last to judge Army protocol on uniform stuff--they always out a lot more stuff one their outfits than we do, anyway, usually half of which I have to ask, "What's that one for?. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

HOWEVER, comma, the hairs, man, the hairs! No line around the ears and the mere presence of facial hair on a GO made my eyes cross.

Now, about the milblog reaction. Nowhere near strong enough. He should be marched out in front of his brownstone condo and set alight. Disgraceful, and a slap in the face and spit in the eye to every CIB wearer alive or dead. But that's why they call me Attila.

Comment from Cricket on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:13:17 -0600

Oooh...I had a snark and just couldn't. I sincerely hope that whoever fisks him helps him earn that Purple Heart.

Comment from AW1 Tim on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:42:13 -0600

Dude is about to be crucified. Come tomorrow, I suspect there will be a flood of emails and phone calls to the Houston FBI field office, the Houston PD, the Mayor's office, and all sorts of calls, and emails to the Legion, VFW, DAV, etc.

If he thinks he was put0upon when he was in uniform (if, in fact, he EVER was) then he ain't seen nothing yet.

Man deserves to be in prison, for sure.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:27:35 -0600

He's also on Facebook - as Tenzin Chophak. If it's him, he's 44 and there is other evidence of his enhancing his buddhist resume.

I suspect it's rather like Fred is suggesting... he appears from his Friendster entry to be gay (not in and of itself an issue, unless he was active duty) and he was at the victory party of the first openly gay mayor of Houston, so I'm guessing the defense will be "satirical mocking of the anti-gay military" or somesuch.

Comment from OlafTheTanker on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:00:41 -0600

Over at This Aint Hell, he's busted outright and named.

Anyone able to get onto AKO white pages and see if there is indeed a "Retired BG" with this D-bag's name listed there?
No CAC login capability at the moment here..

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:00:26 -0600

Fishmugger - Desert Storm wraps up into the omnibus of #3. You fell into the same hole as Mikey did.

Fred - possibly, I'm willing to entertain even probably.

Still an illegal wearing of the uniform.

Comment from Fred on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:48:42 -0600

This is just some kid playing. Stupid but, likely not malicious.

Comment from Fishmugger on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:44:14 -0600

Didn't Desert Storm qualify for a CIB?

Comment from 11B40 on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:27:06 -0600

Greetings:

Are you sure it's his hand you want to shake? That pencil-neck is calling out to me to reach out and touch it.

Comment from Sean Maloney on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:11:15 -0600

O.M.G.!

Ever read B.G. Burkett and Glenna Whitley's "Stolen Valor"? Nice case study for the sequel......

Comment from MAJ Mike on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:10:51 -0600

OK. I shoulda read the reg you so kindly cited. Those answered my questions. Panama counted for CIB's.

I was an over-paid 11B10, not a PAC clerk.

Comment from MAJ Mike on 2010-01-18

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:05:56 -0600

Actually, he could have been awarded a CIB for Grenada, that was 1985-ish (my memory is increasingly foggy). Were CIB's awarded for the Panama operation? That was 1987-ish. Then there's Afghanistan and Iraq. Could've happened. But in those events, he'd be closer to my age of 60.

However, to my 60 year old eyes he's too young to be a BG and the facial hair is definitely a no-go at his station for any Gerenral Officer in my Army. But then, what do I know? I got passed over for O-5.

Maybe the Quartermaster Store had a sale?