Recently, on the vast network that is Reddit — a social networking, news and “entertainment” website — someone posed this simple question: “Has anyone here ever been accused of Stolen Valor when they were actually in the Military?”

As you may have guessed, the responses were plenty and fascinating. We’ll include some of the best ones below, however, please keep in mind that none of these have been corroborated to be absolutely true. So, just like with so many things on the internet today, take it with a grain of salt.

The ol’ restaurant confrontation.

I’m in a reserve airborne company and was on a drill weekend when a Ranger captain came into the restaurant we were eating in and began to grill us about where we were stationed, then refused to believe that there was a base in operation like 3 miles from the restaurant. Eventually we exchanged id cards to prove we were each who we said we were. He then tried to get us to admit we weren’t actually jumpers because reservist don’t jump… He went back to eating his pho and left us alone after I told him the name of the airfield we use at the Ranger camp.

When you just want to eat Panda Express in peace.

I’m a reservist airborne soldier too (psyop and I assume you’re either that or civil affairs). I got something a little similar but more passive. Like a 82nd abn veteran tyfys me then proceeded to ask me how many times I jumped, jump school details, what my unit path/beret stands for, etc. All i wanted to do was eat my panda express before my 3 hours drive home. Also once was practicing rucking in my civilians. Got another veteran thinking I’m ROTC and giving me shitty rucking advice. This pissed me off more.

Grilling the cadet.

I was accused of it a few times when I was a cadet. On campus they had us wear ranks that kind of look like actual enlisted ranks but the rockers are straight lines so the rank is boxy instead of swooping. So little 19 year old pimply faced ——- got locked up by a national guard NCO for impersonating a SSG. It was an odd conversation which I think hurt his head because I was trying to explain that I wasn’t really in the army, but kinda was as a cadet so I could wear the uniform but I’m not actually a soldier. And then trying to explain to him that it was a cadet rank not actually SSG rank confused him even more so I just accepted getting yelled at, said I was sorry and walked away.

Another person thought that I was wearing a LTC rank when I had my cadot on. But by that point I had learned to just walk away.

The last time was after I got my commission I was at a touristy area in Florida while on leave and drove around for 30 minutes but couldn’t find a parking spot. But I drove past a VFW with an open lot so I thought maybe I could park there and just walk to where I wanted to go. The guys inside couldn’t get that I didn’t want to join the VFW, I’ve never deployed, I just wanted the parking spot for a couple of hours. They started to grill me trying to figure out I fought and then thought I was back tracking when I said I’ve never deployed. I ended up having to jump in my car and drive away.

Walmart? Walmart.

Yeah. Was at Walmart on a Sunday night (like 2100ish) after getting back from drill. Was still in uniform because I needed some breakfast stuff and couldn’t be bothered going home to change first. Some female in civvies claiming to be an NCO started giving me the third degree because, ya know, I was in uniform on a Sunday night in Walmart. Laughed in her face, pulled my ID, and watched her turn red.

Forgive, but never forget.

One confusion I could pretty much forgive was when I saw some Seabees, in their very peculiar looking fatigues (which have prolly been changed a few times since then.) But their uniforms were tidy, so I figured they were legit, whatever they were. But someone else thought they were fake, “because they didn’t look like ‘real’ Marines.”

The sad looks on their faces said this had happened to them before. One explained they were Seabees.

“What does CB stand for?”

Mall grilling.

Just flew in for Christmas in uniform (had to during tech school). My parents picked me up and stopped at the mall on the way home to exchange something. I went in with them. While standing in the store a lady came up and grilled me asking what my job code, duty station, what my job entailed and Air Force regulations. Turns out she is a Major in a guard unit with the Air Force. Was a bitch the whole time. Even after I proved I was in.

Have stories of your own? We’d love to hear them. Share them in the comments below.