History Main / PhonyVeteran

* ''Film/TradingPlaces'': Valentine's first scene has him panhandling while presenting himself as a [[ObfuscatingDisability blind and crippled]] Vietnam War veteran. When two cops, both genuine veterans, question his story, it quickly falls apart. Claiming that his service record was classified because he was "Agent Orange" didn't help either.

* ''Film/TradingPlaces'': Valentine's first scene has him panhandling while presenting himself as a [[ObfuscatingDisability blind and crippled]] Vietnam War veteran. When two cops, both genuine veterans, question his story, it quickly falls apart.

* Sgt. Colon from the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' series actually ''was'' in the military, but he exaggerates his accomplishments. In the Watch, he's the resident DeskJockey, so most other characters believe that he stayed in the back as much as possible in the army as well.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Planes}}'': Dusty's mentor [[GrumpyOldMan Skipper]] is an old reclusive war veteran who keeps telling heroic stories about his time serving in the Jolly Wrenches. When looking at the hall of fame during his stay on the U.S.S. Flysenhower, Dusty is shocked to find out that [[spoiler: Skipper only flew one mission, one that [[MyGreatestFailure failed spectacularly]] as his entire squadron was shot down due to him miscalculating the danger. Still, the incident has traumatized Skipper so badly, that he couldn't bring himself to fly anymore, let alone tell anyone the truth. Dusty feels betrayed by this.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Planes}}'': Dusty's mentor [[GrumpyOldMan Skipper]] is an old reclusive war veteran who keeps telling heroic stories about his time serving in the Jolly Wrenches. When looking at the hall of fame, Dusty is shocked to find out that [[spoiler: Skipper only flew one mission, one that [[MyGreatestFailure failed spectacularly]] as his entire squadron was shot down due to him miscalculating the danger. Still, the incident has traumatized Skipper so badly, that he couldn't bring himself to fly anymore, let alone tell anyone the truth.]]

* In ''Series/SonsOfAnarchy'', Moses Cartwright is the chief enforcer for crime lord August Marks and claims to be both a veteran of the US Army and Blackwater. This is technically true, but he was never actually deployed as a soldier, and had a desk job at Blackwater, which he compensates for by constantly spouting about loyalty and what makes a "good soldier." He's only dangerous when he's got a crew of thugs backing him up, and he eventually gets killed by Jax in a one-on-one fight.

Phony Veterans are known in the British Army as "walts" or "Walter Mittys", after the title character of "Literature/TheSecretLifeOfWalterMitty", while in the US this is referred to as "Stolen Valor". Serially impersonating veterans is known as "walting" and grounds for a royal HumiliationConga, often following an ImpostorExposingTest. It's worth noting that, in the United States at least, laws have been passed making this behaviour illegal, though at least one has been struck down by the Supreme Court as infringing on the First Amendment. Falsely claiming to be a veteran is protected as free speech, but using these claims for the purpose of obtaining tangible benefit isn't. In Europe, it is flat out illegal in many circumstances.

* For a while the Italian comic ''Lupo Alberto'' had a RunningGag of Enrico making some odd claims about his service in World War II, at different times declaring to have run around with the SS, served under Rommel (who apparently stole his wallet), and been in the crew of a US bomber. While these ''could'' have been possible due Italy switching sides in the war, a later story makes clear he was lying when Alberto says Enrico makes up stories about having served in the air force during ''The UsefulNotes/PunicWars'' and Enrico ''immediately'' starts telling a story involving himself, Scipio Africanus, and the Red Baron.

* ''ComicBook/TransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye'': Tailgate claims to have been a member of the Primal Vanguard during the days of Nova Prime, fighting off-world enemies and doing all manner of impressive deeds, as well as being a crew-member of the original Ark. It's all lies he made up when he learnt he'd spent six million years stuck in a hole and no-one ever came looking for him, which he admits when Cyclonus (who ''was'' on the original Ark) points it out.

** It bears mentioning that at no point does Fowler actually ''lie'' about his service or even intentionally withhold the truth - he just doesn't specify about what he really did, and other characters made the assumption based on his vague ramblings, to the point where he's genuinely surprised they thought he was claiming to be a pilot.

* In ''Film/TheHungerGamesMockingjayPart1'', Plutarch's original ideas for the promotional material involves Katniss standing in front of a [=CGI=] battle acting as if she's just rallied the troops. When it's pointed out that no one will believe Katniss's stilted lines and awkward delivery, she offers to actually go into the field and become the real deal.

* In ''Film/AReasonToLiveAReasonToDie'', Eli pretends to a veteran who has [[ObfuscatingDisability lost a leg]] in the war to try to con people out of food. Which unit he claims to have serve with changes depending on who he is talking to.

* Major Pollock from ''Film/SeparateTables'' says he's a major who fought in the North African campaign of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, when in reality he never rose above the rank of Lieutenant and was a supply officer far away from any combat theater. See also the original play listed under Theatre below.

* ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'': One character is mentioned to ''have'' served in a war, but he was bodyguarding a journalist well away from actual combat. Later, he uses his experience to bluster his way into a lucrative security job, but is woefully unprepared when actual trouble comes knocking.

* An episode of ''Series/EightSimpleRules'' had one of these. Rory was hanging out with a friend while on vacation, and his parents wanted to meet the friend to make sure he wasn't causing trouble. They're very surprised when the friend turns out to be a 70+-year-old vet... and surprised again when a police brings both Rory and the old man back, then berates the man for telling "that war vet story" again.
* Captain Peacock of ''Series/AreYouBeingServed'' is a UsefulNotes/WorldWarII veteran; the phoniness is that he claims to be a ''combat'' veteran who fought Rommel and (of course) to have been a Captain (in the Army, of course). He's frequently accused of, and later admits to, having served in the Royal Army Service Corps--the logistics department. Also, one episode implies that his actual rank might have been Corporal rather than Captain, but this never confirmed.

* The beginning of the very first episode of ''Series/{{Cheers}}'' has a kid trying to using a [[MinorWithFakeID fake military ID]] to buy beer. A kid who's ''12 at most'':

* In ''Series/{{Elementary}}'' season four episode "Ready or Not" Holmes and Watson look into a missing doctor named Vincent, who they determine was a survivalist renting space in a doomsday bunker, run by a former Marine named Ronnie Wright. When they visit the bunker, Holmes determines that the bunker is an ill-prepared fraud, and finds a bloodstain belonging to Vincent. Ronnie Wright admits to disposing of the body but claims he couldn't have killed him because a bad rotator cuff prevents him from swinging a weapon overhead. He admits that he was injured while on his high school swim team and that he was unable to enlist in the marines.

* [[Recap/FBIMostWantedS01E01 The pilot]] of ''Series/FBIMostWanted'' has the team tracking a man who had talked of being a decorated veteran in Bosnia who killed his wife and another man. It turns out both had discovered the man had lied about his entire past just for attention. This majorly affects his daughter who had enlisted herself to live up to her father's "legacy." When he tries to take her hostage, she beats him down, ranting on how [[BrokenPedestal she wasted her life looking up]] to a total fraud.

* An episode of ''Series/{{House}}'' (the episode after House has gone back to working at Princeton Plainsboro, after recovering from [[spoiler: going insane and then realizing that only diagnostics gives him the constant thrill he needs to keep the pain down, now that Vicodin is no longer an option]]) features a very cranky man with one arm, living in the apartment below Wilson's. Allegedly he served in Vietnam, which is where he lost the arm. Subverted in that he actually did serve - but as part of the peacekeeping force enforcing the Paris Peace Accords after the war ended. And not in the U.S. Army; he's actually [[spoiler: a Canadian citizen]] who lost the arm [[spoiler: while trying to save a kid from a landmine in a country ''near'' Vietnam.]] He's irritable for much the same reasons House is: he's in constant pain, due to phantom limb pain; House [[spoiler: fixes this]] and the guy ''breaks down crying with relief'' because [[spoiler: for the first time in over thirty years, he isn't in agony.]] It's never made clear whether he stopped claiming he was in Nam - it's implied, when he's telling House what really happened to his arm, that he just finds it easier to let people think it was Nam rather than deal with the questions that the truth would spur.

** ''[[Series/NCISLosAngeles Los Angeles]]'': One episode saw Sam being arrested for a woman's murder with his fingerprints found on a watch at the scene. When the {{UsefulNotes/FBI}} Agent and the prosecutor in charge of the case make it clear they're more interested in bringing down a "corrupt" federal agent than actually investigating, the team does it for them. [[spoiler: It's revealed to have been a man Sam went to SEAL training with before being drummed out and responded by stealing from those who '''did''' in order to pass himself off as a SEAL.]]. To the amusement of the team, the suspect starts crying when it seems Sam's gonna help him. They're also forced to work with "The SEAL Hunter" who runs a web series exposing similar similar imposters [[note]] Which given the amount of training and commit it takes to become one understandably pisses him off. That and he's a little(?) nuts...[[/note]]

** In one episode Elliot' s father, the Chief of Medicine of a high-priced private hospital, visits Scared Herat and claims it's the work he's seen since [[UsefulNotes/TheKoreanWar Korea]]. Dr. Kelso, a Korean War veteran who actually served in combat, replies "Where in Connetticut was you National Guard unit posted?"

* Wrestling/SgtSlaughter, to some extent. Robert Remus [[https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2020/02/27/the-man-behind-pro-wrestling-legend-sgt-slaughter-tells-stories-of-combat-tours-in-vietnam-but-he-never-served/ never served]], but has told stories supposedly "in character" about being infantry in Vietnam, and is used for appearances at veteran benefit events alongside WWE's actual former Marines, Jackson Ryker and Lacey Evans.

** He insists he used to be a high-ranking member of SOLDIER and demands appropriate respect and admiration from the other characters for this, and he has the poise and posturing down (not to mention the fighting talent). But as more and more of his past is revealed it becomes apparent that it's all an elaborate lie which he has begun to believe himself due to a combination of magic, psychological trauma, half-remembered war stories from his friend, and severe brain damage. Finding out the truth leads to him having a total HeroicBSOD until he is able to accept his real past. In fairness, it turns out he actually was in the army... as a faceless grunt. He's also a certified badass, just in a more [[BadassNormal down to earth fashion]] [[spoiler:(when's the last time you seen a simple grunt WINNING a fight against the WorldsStrongestMan?)]]

* ''VideoGame/HaloInfinite'' features a {{downplayed|Trope}} example in that the matter was a lie of ommission more than an active and malicious deception. Late in the story it's revealed that [[spoiler:the dropship pilot that Master Chief has roped into his mission, and who up until this point has been ''very'' desperate to flee back to friendly territory, is actually a civilian maintenance technician who stole one of the UNSC ''Infinity'''s dropships in an attempt to escape the losing battle in the game's opening cutscene. He feels deep remorse and SurvivorsGuilt over it, and by the game's ending has resolved to stay by Chief's side and help him retake Zeta Halo.]]

* A one-off example which is mostly PlayedForLaughs occurs in the ''LetsPlay/DreamSMP'', when it's revealed that [=ConnorEatsPants=] tried to use a military ID he got from [[spoiler:the]] L'Manberg [[spoiler:crater]] at a Chick-fil-A to get a discount, by pretending to be the person in the ID.[[note]]Not only did Connor never take part in any major conflicts, but he wasn't even a citizen of L'Manberg, ever. Even funnier is that whoever's military ID he picked up was probably (still) ''alive and kicking'' at that point.[[/note]] This ends up being {{deconstructed|Trope}} when Sam, the Warden of the local prison, ends up arresting and imprisoning Connor for this off-screen... [[spoiler:and he gets inducted into the Jailbreak by Technoblade in the Season 3 finale six months later.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/CelebrityDeathmatch'', Nick Diamond, feeling inadequate due to it being the 4th of July and Johnny Gomez being a Grenada Vet, claims to have fought in Vietnam. Johnny Gomez is suspicious since he never mentioned it before but Nick says it was due to bad memories. Nick spends the rest of the episode making reference to Nam and stars wearing face paint, medals, a knife, a dented helmet and [[BreadEggsMilkSquick a necklace of dried human ears.]] It's revealed in the end that his attire was stolen from the veteran guests, who gang up on Nick to get them back.

** Subverted by Grampa -- when he tells Bart about his experiences in UsefulNotes/WorldWarOne, Barts calls him out on it, pointing out that he couldn't ''possibly'' be that old. Grandpa corrects him, cutting to a flashback of a five-year-old Abe in an over-sized uniform.

* As seen inn one of the chapters of ''Manga/BlackLagoon'', Dutch may be one of these, as a military character points to flaws in Dutch's accounts of serving in Vietnam and the fact that Dutch appears ignorant of G.I. lingo. [[spoiler:Later chapters subvert this by suggesting he ''has'' experience, but is possibly just lying about when and for whom he was serving.]]

* 'General' Brad Whitaker in ''Film/TheLivingDaylights''. General Pushkin gives a scathing rundown of his actual military record, which begins with expulsion from West Point for cheating and goes down from there.

* As seen inn one of the chapters of ''Manga/BlackLagoon'', Dutch may be one of these, as a military character points to flaws in Dutch's accounts of serving in Vietnam and the fact that Dutch appears ignorant of G.I. lingo. [[spoiler:Later chapters subverts this by suggesting he ''has'' experience, but is possibly just lying about when and for whom he was serving.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/CelebrityDeathmatch'', Nick Diamond, feeling inadequate due to it being the 4th of July and Johnny Gomez being a Grenada Vet, claims to have fought in Vietnam. Johnny Gomez is suspicious since he never mentioned it before but Nick says it was due to bad memories. Nick spends the rest of the episode making reference to Nam and stars wearing face paint, medals, a knife, a dented helmet and [[BreadEggsMilkSquick a necklace of dried human ears.]] It's revealed in the end that his attire was stolen from the veterans guests and gang up on Nick to get them back.
-->'''Nick''': Hey wait! I'm a hero! I was over in Nam fighting Charlie, I swear!\\

->'''Doctor:''' Your son appears to suffering from PTSD, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.\\

* According to a recent chapter of ''Manga/BlackLagoon'', Dutch may be one of these, as a military character points to flaws in Dutch's accounts of serving in Vietnam and the fact that Dutch appears ignorant of G.I. lingo. [[spoiler:Later chapters subverts this by suggesting he ''has'' experience, but is possibly just lying about when and for whom he was serving.]]

* ''ComicBook/TheBoys'': One LegacyCharacter (a CaptainErsatz of ComicBook/CaptainAmerica) claims to have served in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII (the original one did, but was quickly killed as a result of his incompetence and starting the pattern of what happens when Vought Incorporated gets involved with warfare). When Billy (a veteran of the Falklands war) kills him, he tells him he's an insult to the men who truly served.

* ''Series/ThePunisher2017'': O'Connor is an alleged Vietnam War vet who constantly shows off his Silver Star he says he won in combat. He uses this background to support his AngryWhiteMan RightWingMilitiaFanatic spiels about how society is going to the pits, and insults the [[ShellShockedVeteran Shell-Shocked Veterans]] for being "pussies". It's ultimately revealed that he only briefly served, long ''after'' the Vietnam War had ended, and never earned a Silver Star. [[spoiler: This ends up getting him killed in an undignified way.]]

* An episode of ''Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet'' had the detectives talking about a case where two guys ended up killing each other in a BarBrawl over a fight about their respective times in the military. Turns out, ''neither'' man [[EpicFail had ever served.]]

* 'General' Brad Whitaker in ''Film/TheLivingDaylights''. General Puskin gives a scathing rundown of his actual military record, which begins with expulsion from West Point for cheating and goes down from there.

** Frank himself has claimed to be a vet on a few occasions, claiming that he "saw a lot of good men die in 'Nam"--which is at least MetaphoricallyTrue; he went there in the '90s and opened up a sweatshop. He's also claimed he did a tour, came home, and was hounded by state troopers, which usually provokes the response that he's mistaking the events of ''Film/FirstBlood'' with his own life.

* Basil Fawlty of ''Series/FawltyTowers'', of all people, was apparently in Korea: when he sneers at his wife that "I killed men!" she says to a guest "He was in the Catering Corps. He used to poison them." He also claims to have shrapnel embedded in his thigh that gives him problems, although the pain flares up at surprisingly convenient moments.

* Major Krum of the ''WesternAnimation/WallaceAndGromit'' games may be one, seeing as he can't remember whether he was in the artillery or the RAF. ([[FridgeBrilliance Maybe he started out in the Royal Artillery, then got transferred to the RAF Regiment?]]) Then again, maybe he's just senile.

* Phil from ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'' told a story wherein he gave UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler himself a wedgie. He is called out for this by Arnold (although Phil readily admits the Hitler part was just a joke) and proceeds to tell the story of how he incapacitated a troop of German soldiers by giving them spoiled Spam. There really ''is'' a statue of him in Washington D.C., crediting him with single-handedly winning the Battle of the Bulge.

* According to a recent chapter of ''Manga/BlackLagoon'', Dutch may be one of these, as a military character points to flaws in Dutch's accounts of serving in Vietnam and the fact that Dutch appears ignorant of G.I. lingo. [[spoiler:Later chapters subverts this by suggesting he ''has'' experience, but is possibly just lying about when andfor whom he was serving.]]

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone'': "The Encounter." Neville Brand, a real veteran, portrayed a character of this type.

* Basil Fawlty of ''Series/FawltyTowers'', of all people, was apparently in Korea: when he threatens a guest with "I've killed men!" his wife adds "He was in the Catering Corps. He poisoned them." He also claims to have shrapnel embedded in his thigh that gives him problems, although the pain flares up at surprisingly convenient moments.

* ''VideoGame/HaloInfinite'' features a {{downplayed|Trope}} example in that the matter was a LieOfOmission more than an active and malicious deception. Late in the story it's revealed that [[spoiler:the dropship pilot that Master Chief has roped into his mission, and who up until this point has been ''very'' desperate to flee back to friendly territory, is actually a civilian maintenance technician who stole one of the UNSC ''Infinity'''s dropships in an attempt to escape the losing battle in the game's opening cutscene. He feels deep remorse and SurvivorsGuilt over it, and by the game's ending has resolved to stay by Chief's side and help him retake Zeta Halo.]]

* According to a recent chapter of ''Manga/BlackLagoon'', Dutch may be one of these, as a military character points to flaws in Dutch's accounts of serving in Vietnam and the fact that Dutch appears ignorant of G.I. lingo.

* In ''WesternAnimation/CelebrityDeathmatch'', Nick Diamond, feeling inadequate due to it being the 4th of July and Johnny Gomez being a Grenada Vet, claims to have fought in Vietnam. Johnny Gomez is suspicious since he never mentioned it before but Nick says it was due to bad memories. Nick spends the rest of the episode making reference to Nam and stars wearing face paint, medals, a knife, a dented helmet and [[BreadEggsMilkSquick a necklace of dried human ears.]] It's revealed in the end that his attire was stolen from the veterans guests and gang up on Nick to get them back.
-->'''Nick''': Hey wait! I'm a hero! I was over in Nam fighting Charlie, I swear!\\
'''Veteran''': The only Charlie you seen in Vietnam is [[Film/{{Platoon}} Charlie Sheen]]!