Death-hoax phone calls to Soldiers' families - grrrrr

[Tommy Gunn]

Prank Caller Tells Man Soldier Wife Dead
By Associated Press
February 13, 2004, 6:36 PM EST

WATERBURY, Conn. -- A phone call to Eddie Valentin saying that his wife, a U.S. Army Reserve sergeant, had been killed in an explosion in Iraq turned out to be a hoax.

But it took him nearly 24 hours to find out that the report of Sgt. Betsy Valentin's death was false.

"I went crazy. I banged my head against the wall," Eddie Valentin said Thursday.

The caller Wednesday claimed to be a colonel with the U.S. Department of Defense and knew personal information about Betsy Valentin, including her Social Security number, her husband said.

On Thursday afternoon, another call to Eddie Valentin cleared things up. It was his 37-year-old wife telling him that there had been no explosion and no injuries.

Her call was prompted by an e-mail message to her from a reporter for the Republican-American who had interviewed her when she was home on leave last month. The reporter sent the message after being unable to confirm the report of her death with military officials.

A reply came four hours later. She wrote that she was fine and had spent the day packing up gear she no longer needed. She followed that up with the call to her husband.

Police were at the Valentin home when the sergeant's call came in.

"There are a lot of sick people in this world," Eddie Valentin told his wife.

After talking to the military, police said Friday they are sure the call was a cruel prank, and they are pursuing a criminal investigation.

"The military was definitive. That is not how they notify next of kin when there has been a casualty," said police Sgt. Scott Stevenson.

Army officials said next of kin normally are notified in person by a soldier in uniform. Next of kin are only notified by telephone in rare cases, such as when the military wants to tell a family member before the name is released in the news media, they said.

"No one in the Army has placed this call," said Tesia Williams, spokeswoman for the U.S. Army human resources command.

She said there have been at least two other similar hoaxes.

Police executed a search warrant Friday to obtain cell phone records to determine where the call came from, Stevenson said.

Potential charges would include harassment and criminal impersonation, Stevenson said.

"The husband, he was just incredulous," Stevenson said. "He could not comprehend who would make a phone call like that."


:fork:

[martinexsquaddie]

scum bag should be given a new pair of nikes by the judge and given a head start :lol:
scumbag

[Jack Mehoff]

That guy deserves a good ass kick

[Ichhabe]

Stupid question; Why would someone do that?? :fork:

[George W. Bush]

Hate

[memphiz]

who ever did this should die

[ShotOver]

What a sick ****, pricks like that should be shot.

[ßå$tĮТHÏ¿ð]

Thats twisted....wierdo's these days. :slap:

[oldsoak]

To do this to someone is outrageous. A hard booted kick in the fork - several times should cure it. :bash:

[Tengu]

****ing asshole :-*$

[marktigger]

sick bastard. May be a tour in IRAQ would sort his ideas out.

[Yard Ape]

Stupid question; Why would someone do that?? :fork:Some lack the intellectual capacity to differentiate the Soldier (and in this case the soldier's family) from the government policy that they disagree with. Some actually come to hate soldiers based on this inability to differentiate and on an ignorance of how the military works, and who its members are. Another contributing factor is a liberal western naivety that all the world is as safe & cuddly as North America.

This was an act of hate carried out by the stuipid.

[Cael]

People seriously have a lot of time on their hands to do dumbass things.

I feel for the husband, I feel terribly bad for that guy. For at least a couple of hours he believed that his wife was gone.

[NcDeuce]

What a dimwit.

[CX20]

Stupid question; Why would someone do that?? :fork:Some lack the intellectual capacity to differentiate the Soldier (and in this case the soldier's family) from the government policy that they disagree with. Some actually come to hate soldiers based on this inability to differentiate and on an ignorance of how the military works, and who its members are. Another contributing factor is a liberal western naivety that all the world is as safe & cuddly as North America.

This was an act of hate carried out by the stuipid.

Take a look at this. This happened in a city in the UK on the same day as a big Stop The War Coalition demonstration. I was visiting the city and was shopping with the missus at the time when I saw this. I was so angry I was pissed off for the rest of the day. You can't tell from the photo, but the paint was bright red and supposed to symbolise blood. The ironic thing is, the STWC official line is that it has nothing against our troops, yet it does something like this and then triumphantly posts the images on it's website. Hypocrisy.

http://www.xbox-connection.com/hostedimages/armycareers.jpg

It just further stands to expose the ultimate hypocrisy and hidden hatred of these so called "peaceful and tolerant" protesters. Like a lot of bleeding heart leftie types, they preach and fight for tolerance for everyone, except those who disagree with their views, in which case they persecute them to the ends of the Earth.

There have also been several cases in my city of military personnel in uniform who have been physically assaulted by these so called peaceful, non-violent types. Yet when the police became involved, they suddenly lost the courage of their convictions and claimed it was their right of freedom of speech, and they were being persecuted!! :cantbeli:

[EvanL]

Strange story. I just saw on Fox 5 News here in NYC that it was the husband who claimed to receive the phone call. He never received it. Why he would want that kind of attention i do not know.

[usa320]

My guess is some 22 year old, anti-social prick, who hates bush and spends his time looking at **** and playing RPG games.

[usa320]

Actually, sounds like something Dicmus would do...

[Dennis G]

What an ass

[EvanL]

My guess is some 22 year old, anti-social prick, who hates bush and spends his time looking at **** and playing RPG games.As i said. It was the husband himself who did the prank.

[Gordon]

It's really sad that someone would do that.


Actually, sounds like something Dicmus would do...

It's pretty sad that you said that, especially about a serving soldier and considering you want to serve too. Maybe it was a joke but it was a joke in the poorest taste.

[Seoulstriker]

i wouldn't say ducimus would do it.


that is something mortimer would do. he'd probably do it several times and then wait for the reactions and then start laughing over the phone.

:bash:

[Haiw]

Actually...no. Mortimer was (or is) a soldier too.

[jamesp]

I seen a documentary about British commandos during World War 2, and some guy pretending to be an army padre, told a soldiers mother that he personally seen her son drown during the St. Nazaire raid. There wasn't actually any padre's there during the raid, and the soldier was actually taken prisoner. Sick ****.

[NeedsABetterName]

Sick sick sick...Oh if only public torture was legal here...

[Tommy Gunn]

My guess is some 22 year old, anti-social prick, who hates bush and spends his time looking at **** and playing RPG games.As i said. It was the husband himself who did the prank.

I have been looking all over for the story but did not find anything. Could you provide a link.

Personally, I thought there was something really odd about a guy who would stay home while his woman went to war. She must keep his balls in a jar.

[usa320]

It's pretty sad that you said that, especially about a serving soldier and considering you want to serve too. Maybe it was a joke but it was a joke in the poorest taste

To be blunt, i dont consider DIcmus a soldier. He lacks the morals, understanding for duty, and attitude that a soldier has.

In other words, if i was his unit commander, he would be pushing pencils. Kids like him that have a complex only put the rest of the squad in danger.

[EvanL]

It's pretty sad that you said that, especially about a serving soldier and considering you want to serve too. Maybe it was a joke but it was a joke in the poorest taste

To be blunt, i dont consider DIcmus a soldier. He lacks the morals, understanding for duty, and attitude that a soldier has.

In other words, if i was his unit commander, he would be pushing pencils. Kids like him that have a complex only put the rest of the squad in danger.
Kind of like why your not in the military. ziiiiiiiiiiiing.

[Maverick77]

It's pretty sad that you said that, especially about a serving soldier and considering you want to serve too. Maybe it was a joke but it was a joke in the poorest taste

To be blunt, i dont consider DIcmus a soldier. He lacks the morals, understanding for duty, and attitude that a soldier has.

In other words, if i was his unit commander, he would be pushing pencils. Kids like him that have a complex only put the rest of the squad in danger.
Kind of like why your not in the military. ziiiiiiiiiiiing.

Yeah, the looks like the kind of comment who from someone who takes 1940s U.S Army war movies too seriously.


how can you sit on the internet and make fun of any soldier and still feel good about yourself?

[EvanL]

It's pretty sad that you said that, especially about a serving soldier and considering you want to serve too. Maybe it was a joke but it was a joke in the poorest taste

To be blunt, i dont consider DIcmus a soldier. He lacks the morals, understanding for duty, and attitude that a soldier has.

In other words, if i was his unit commander, he would be pushing pencils. Kids like him that have a complex only put the rest of the squad in danger.
Kind of like why your not in the military. ziiiiiiiiiiiing.

Yeah, the looks like the kind of comment who from someone who takes 1940s U.S Army war movies too seriously.


how can you sit on the internet and make fun of any soldier and still feel good about yourself?
Come on man give him a break. He had a tough day working at the grocers.

[garyfanclub]

It's pretty sad that you said that, especially about a serving soldier and considering you want to serve too. Maybe it was a joke but it was a joke in the poorest taste

To be blunt, i dont consider DIcmus a soldier. He lacks the morals, understanding for duty, and attitude that a soldier has.

In other words, if i was his unit commander, he would be pushing pencils. Kids like him that have a complex only put the rest of the squad in danger.
Kind of like why your not in the military. ziiiiiiiiiiiing.

Yeah, the looks like the kind of comment who from someone who takes 1940s U.S Army war movies too seriously.


how can you sit on the internet and make fun of any soldier and still feel good about yourself?

This comes from a kid who posts "KILL ALL ****ING RAGHEADS" and "WE SHOULD NUKE NK **** THOSE BASTARDS". You need to remove your asshole from your neck and cut out the hypocracy. From what I've seen you post I don't think I'd want you in command of a Gardening Platoon, god forbid you get your hands on something sharp.

****.


Yes, this "peacekeeping" is bull****. The troops doing that are just targets for the terrorists.

They should be in the countryside, killing those f***.

11k troops out there is not enough. The Taliban is gaining more than the coalition right now. that is bull****.


f*** the french


f*** Syria

Invade them anyway


its time to get rid of these f*** regimes that support terrorism.

Syria, Iran, North Korea

Man, Need I say more?

[NcDeuce]

From what I've seen you post I don't think I'd want you in command of a Gardening Platoon, god forbid you get your hands on something sharp.

rofl

[Maverick77]

what do any of those comments up there which I stand behind 100%
have to do with making fun of soldiers on the internet.

Yes **** the French for not allowing the men that gave them freedom to participate in cerimonies there.

Yes there should be more combat troops in Afghanistan and less Troops trying to keep a peace that isnt there.

And yes the west should stop waiting for the terrorists in Iran and Syria to plan attacks agaisnt them and kill them before they can carry them out.

****

[usa320]

Let me ask you all something- would you want Dicmus to be serving beside you in combat?

Someone who doesnt want to be there, is against the cause, and has a poor attitude?

I wouldnt.

[Sixgun Symphony]

what do any of those comments up there which I stand behind 100%
have to do with making fun of soldiers on the internet.

Yes f*** the French for not allowing the men that gave them freedom to participate in cerimonies there.

Yes there should be more combat troops in Afghanistan and less Troops trying to keep a peace that isnt there.

And yes the west should stop waiting for the terrorists in Iran and Syria to plan attacks agaisnt them and kill them before they can carry them out.

****

Agreed

[Maverick77]

Let me ask you all something- would you want Dicmus to be serving beside you in combat?

Someone who doesnt want to be there, is against the cause, and has a poor attitude?

I wouldnt.

The man you describe there I would definatly not want next to me in combat.

But I dont know decimus..... I dont think comments made on the internet show the real man.

Their just typed words.

[garyfanclub]

what do any of those comments up there which I stand behind 100%
have to do with making fun of soldiers on the internet.

Yes f*** the French for not allowing the men that gave them freedom to participate in cerimonies there.

Yes there should be more combat troops in Afghanistan and less Troops trying to keep a peace that isnt there.

And yes the west should stop waiting for the terrorists in Iran and Syria to plan attacks agaisnt them and kill them before they can carry them out.

****

Couldn't you have just said that instead of using the F-word every other line in the comments that I posted?

[Maverick77]

what do any of those comments up there which I stand behind 100%
have to do with making fun of soldiers on the internet.

Yes f*** the French for not allowing the men that gave them freedom to participate in cerimonies there.

Yes there should be more combat troops in Afghanistan and less Troops trying to keep a peace that isnt there.

And yes the west should stop waiting for the terrorists in Iran and Syria to plan attacks agaisnt them and kill them before they can carry them out.

****

Couldn't you have just said that instead of using the F-word every other line in the comments that I posted?

no

[Sixgun Symphony]

Let me ask you all something- would you want Dicmus to be serving beside you in combat?

Someone who doesnt want to be there, is against the cause, and has a poor attitude?

I wouldnt.

Depends on the mission. There are plenty of unpleasant tasks, like burning ****. Perfect duty for someone like Dicmus.

[garyfanclub]

what do any of those comments up there which I stand behind 100%
have to do with making fun of soldiers on the internet.

Yes f*** the French for not allowing the men that gave them freedom to participate in cerimonies there.

Yes there should be more combat troops in Afghanistan and less Troops trying to keep a peace that isnt there.

And yes the west should stop waiting for the terrorists in Iran and Syria to plan attacks agaisnt them and kill them before they can carry them out.

****

Couldn't you have just said that instead of using the F-word every other line in the comments that I posted?

no

I'm assuming you're a kid, (12-13ish) so it's funny that you have a name like Airborne, because with an attitude like yours the only thing Airborne you're going to be is an Airborne Mess Kit repair specialist.

[Maverick77]

what do any of those comments up there which I stand behind 100%
have to do with making fun of soldiers on the internet.

Yes f*** the French for not allowing the men that gave them freedom to participate in cerimonies there.

Yes there should be more combat troops in Afghanistan and less Troops trying to keep a peace that isnt there.

And yes the west should stop waiting for the terrorists in Iran and Syria to plan attacks agaisnt them and kill them before they can carry them out.

****

Couldn't you have just said that instead of using the F-word every other line in the comments that I posted?

no

I'm assuming you're a kid, (12-13ish) so it's funny that you have a name like Airborne, because with an attitude like yours the only thing Airborne you're going to be is an Airborne Mess Kit repair specialist.

Im assuming your an idiot, (2-80ish) so it's not funny that you come on the goddamn internet and say stupid **** like that and acctually care if people use the word ****.

[California Joe]

The call was a hoax. The husband made it up. Duh.

[basket of soft kittens]

what charges are they holding against the guy who made the call

[Yard Ape]

Idiocy, which hold a life sentence w/out parole.

[garyfanclub]

what do any of those comments up there which I stand behind 100%
have to do with making fun of soldiers on the internet.

Yes f*** the French for not allowing the men that gave them freedom to participate in cerimonies there.

Yes there should be more combat troops in Afghanistan and less Troops trying to keep a peace that isnt there.

And yes the west should stop waiting for the terrorists in Iran and Syria to plan attacks agaisnt them and kill them before they can carry them out.

****

Couldn't you have just said that instead of using the F-word every other line in the comments that I posted?

no

I'm assuming you're a kid, (12-13ish) so it's funny that you have a name like Airborne, because with an attitude like yours the only thing Airborne you're going to be is an Airborne Mess Kit repair specialist.

Im assuming your an idiot, (2-80ish) so it's not funny that you come on the goddamn internet and say stupid **** like that and acctually care if people use the word f***.

It's wonderful to see that you have the reading comprehension ability of a hockey puck. Now go back to my original post, and reread it and there you shall find the reason why I posted in the first place. It was hypocracy not the F-word.

[Maverick77]

I never talked **** about any soldier so I dont know what the **** your talking about.

[limbaughfan89]

Now, how again did we get from a phone call (from a pervert that should be used for target practice) to a mini flame war?