For years Gregory Allen has paraded around the Marin County, California area telling residents that he’s a decorated Marine veteran, wearing medals of valor and even a Purple Heart at times for when he was wounded in combat (he claimed).

All of that came to a screeching halt, however, when someone had the United States Marine Corps unearth Allen’s service record — and they couldn’t find it.

Because it never existed.

A truly sticky situation now in the northern California community has been made stickier due to the fact that for over a decade Allen has helped more than 100 recruits prepare to become actual Marines at the “boot camp-styled” gym he owns in San Rafael.

It’s led some in the community to defend his honor.

It’s also led many others to do the opposite, feeling duped by a man who openly claimed he was a “retired” USMC lieutenant when he wasn’t at all.

According to CBS News, Allen enlisted in the Navy in 1968, but was discharged after only eight months due to a knee injury.

“One of the medals he wears is a Bronze Star with a Combat V. I wear a Bronze Star with a Combat V that I earned. To me, that is offensive. It stole my valor,” said retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. John Sammons said.