Matthis Chiroux isn't an Afghanistan Veteran, he's no authority on war related matters. He served in the Army, so he could call himself an Army Veteran. This fact should be reflected on his profiles.
He was stationed in Germany and in Japan. He never combat deployed to Afghanistan, or to any combat theater. Therefore, he's not entitled to be labeled as a war veteran. His unit sent him to Bagram Air Base for a week, on a journalist mission. This wasn't a combat mission. It wasn't a combat support, or combat service support mission. He was on a journalist mission.
While there, he never left the Forward Operating Base (FOB). He has shown pictures to try to prove that he left the FOB, but they fall short.
Only one picture shows him, and it's blatantly obvious that he's inside a building that's inside the FOB. His desert boots are too clean, and his blouse doesn't show signs of being "pressed" in by body armor. It should've also had signs of sweat where the armor would've contacted his chest. His M4 didn't have a mag loaded in... We always had a loaded mag in our M4s while out in sector. He didn't even have a rack system on.
He had a good amount of hair on his head. It shows signs that he was wearing a soft cap (patrol cap). He definitely wasn't wearing his advanced combat helmet (ACH). The ACH is more comfortable on the head when you have a "high and tight" hair cut. This is the haircut associated with the Marines. Continuous operations outside the FOB would've driven him to get a high and tight hair cut.
So, he never stepped foot outside the FOB. His journalist mission involved him interviewing Soldiers that were actually serving in Afghanistan. Consequently, his articles, about his "nightmares" and on what happens outside the FOB, are laughable at best, WTF factor at worst.
I can't see how someone could have nightmares about a place most combat Soldiers look forward to visiting. Compared to the combat outposts scattered throughout the country, FOBs like Bagram are "paradise." For a Soldier, that's like leaving Minnesota for the tropics during the winter.
Refit trips to these FOBs provide troops with a break in routine. It gives them the opportunity to get more advanced vehicle maintenance done; to purchase new tactical gear (unless the fobbits purchased them all); to get personal items that aren't available in the combat outposts; and to enjoy a taste of home at one of the FOB's fast food establishments. Choices include Burger King, Pizza Hut, Subway, Baskin-Robbins, Cinnabon, etc.,
They also have massage parlors, barber shops, souvenir shops, bazaars, etc. Some of these FOBs have PX and fast food franchise arrangements that makes them almost comparable to strip mall areas in the U.S.
So, the question is, why is this guy even writing war related articles? Outside of that week in Afghanistan, he was predominantly a garrison soldier. The information on him, releasable to the public, doesn't show him as being combat deployed. It doesn't show him as earning an Afghanistan Campaign Medal or any other decoration that'd point to him as being a war/combat veteran.
2 comments:
Do you have any specific examples of him making these claims. As Matthis Chiroux' certified stalker, I'd be interested.
"Matthis Chiroux is a former Army sergeant, an Iraq War Resister and an Afghanistan veteran." -- Matthis Chiroux Huffington Post Profile
He claims to be an Afghanistan Veteran. He isn't. There are two ways that you can make that claim. One, that you engaged in a firefight, or got subject to an IED attack, regardless of how long you were there. These have to happen to you while you're carrying out a military mission, as a member of the military. Two, you were assigned to a unit there for more than 30 consecutive days, or 60 non consecutive days.
Matthis Chiroux doesn't qualify for either definition.
"Refusing to Redeploy: My Story" --Chiroux story on Huffington Post
The story is about his refusal to go to Iraq. This is a red flag to anybody that has combat deployed. Why? You deploy to the theater. You redeploy back to your home post.
On an interview with RT, he claimed to have "walked" during the convoys, and to have seen kids "under his rifle." Another red flag. You don't walk during convoys, you ride inside armored vehicle. The only person that'd be able to see kids "under" his weapon would be the gunner, who's manning an M2, M240, or M249.
This guy never combat deployed. That's blatantly obvious in his comments.
I got wind of this turd when someone played the RT interview. I quickly pointed him out as a phony. Note, I did say that he's an Army Veteran. He can claim that. But, he didn't combat deploy to Afghanistan. He's no "Afghanistan Veteran."
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