Phony Navy SEAL of the WEEK... Les Agro. Fake Fraud Phony Military Impostor
Phony Navy SEAL,Les Agro from Summerville, South Carolina is our "PHONY NAVY SEAL of the WEEK." Retired Navy SEAL Don Shipley exposes Phony Navy SEALs and Military Impostors.Last week, Les Agro of Summerville told a story about being a Navy SEAL whod taken part in the 1991 liberation of Kuwait. It was a tale hes convincingly spun for at least eight years.
On Tuesday, Agro admitted hes an impostor.
"I wanted to be more than I am," he said of the lie hes told to his family, the American Legion, a therapy provider and the newspaper. He did serve five years in the Navy, discharged as a petty officer second class, records show.
Agro, 43, was featured in a front-page Post and Courier story Monday about post- traumatic stress disorder and an effort to provide vets peace through horse-riding therapy. The interview took place on the Ridgeville farm where Leslie and Sidney Clark operate Horses In Service Ministries, a faith-based nonprofit that hopes to strengthen ties between PTSD victims and their families. Agro has a wife and three children.
During the interview, Agro, a barrel-chested man who wears his hair military-style short, spoke of the bond forged with comrades in combat, even becoming emotional about his experiences. He also claimed to have been wounded during the liberation of Kuwait.
Leslie Clark said she thought Agro to be legitimate and wanted to provide a spiritual benefit.
"I believed him," Clark said. "I didnt check his story because Id heard it from several other people."
Agro also had been sponsored by the American Legion Post 208 West Ashley, which put up the several hundred dollars needed for the Agros to join the horse program. A member of the legion post also said hed accepted Agros account of his military service as factual.
Representatives of groups that regularly monitor military claims, including some former SEALs say Agro was spotted among the streams of phonies detected every year for inflating their record or creating an alternative military persona.
"If we knew why, wed be rich," said Mary Schantag, a founding board member of POW Network, which strives to keep military records accurate. The Missouri-based group has listed more than 4,000 exposed phonies who come from all types of religious, ethnic and social status backgrounds.
Don Shipley of Virginia, a retired SEAL who helps keep a database of team members that goes back decades, said he investigates up to 10 cases a day of people claiming to be SEAL veterans -- the Navys elite Sea, Air, Land special warfare commandos. He puts fakers into two categories: those who start by trying to impress women and those who live their lie full time.
Telling a phony story while a deceived wife stands nearby is part of the cons common trick to gain acceptance, Shipley added. "Thats how they get in, " he said.
Shipley said he welcomed media coverage of military story-tellers, saying its a paper trail when theres a reason to expose someone as fraudulent. He estimated that for every true member of the SEALs there are 300 more who say they are, including the "loudmouth" in a bar or an uncle or neighbor whose story doesnt ring true.
If a person gained any financial benefit from a false service assertion, they could be investigated under the Stolen Valor Act, which makes it a federal crime to falsely claim earning a military decoration.
Agros confession came after The Post and Courier repeatedly asked him to defend his service record, a record that throughout the day Monday he steadfastly asserted as accurate and true, even to the point of offering to provide his discharge papers. At the same time, The Post and Courier filed a Freedom of Information Act request Monday with the militarys National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis.
The data provided Tuesday shows Agro did serve in the Navy from September 1986 to November 1991, leaving at the rank of petty officer second class. It indicates no record of service on land in the Persian Gulf and no record of service in Panama, where Agro also claimed to be a SEAL.
In a later e-mail, Agro said he wanted to atone for what hed done. "The old adage about lies growing like snowballs is true. One grows into 10. Ten grow into 100. I couldnt stop it once it got started. I wanted to repeatedly. I think thats why I did the interview. I wanted to stop, and to stop in my head meant getting caught."
Flex Steel
10/30/2018
00:09:18
What a weridO ...should have let the horse kick his teeth out
Abida Babida
06/06/2018
01:48:42
oh god this femboy should be wearing a skirt. Even the reason for making up a fake seal backround is a lie! This guy is the typical loser who realised he didnt do much while serving and now that there are tons of REAL combat vets returning from these wars and getting appreciation from Americans, he;s jealous and wants a few attaboys and pats on the back for himself so he can feel like a man. He was young enough back in 02 to re enlist and go get some combat experience but pussy boy sat home with his ptsd problem - part time suckin dick
NWTopCop
08/09/2017
11:55:35
Dear Don!
As a graduate of BUDS Class 549, I can attest to the fact that the training itself causes mood swings...let alone the combat I faced on SEAL Team 007. Lighten up. Sincerely, Elmer T. Bushbottom, Navy Seal (Not SEAL) - Retired. ::arf! arf! flippers flapping::
NAM SREETRODDER
12/12/2016
16:20:14
They say a horse has a brain the size of a walnut. That beats the shit out of this moron!
Daft Brit
09/18/2016
06:41:23
I feel bad for his family. I was raised by a chronic liar who even after being confronted would still stick to their story then retaliate against those who confronted him. What a sad way to live.
Skipper
05/13/2016
14:22:41
Lumpy Ass Punk......
Lonnie
12/01/2015
06:36:17
I hope somebody gets Les Agro.
Dagwood
11/27/2015
17:44:33
Poor, sloppy reporting is common these days. These clowns don't fact check anything and every news station is bias crap spinning someone's agenda. I'm glad I have horses I can trust.
Lazarus
11/07/2015
13:20:47
SAY HI TO DANNY BERNATH: oooh, courtesy of someone else:
Home; 239-288-6034
Cell; 503-367-4204
Email; USSYORKTOWNCVS10@YAHOO.COM
http://www.therecorder.com/id=1202727067078/Yelp-Stuck-Battling-Reviewer-Suit?slreturn=20151007132305
Or http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-5118-daniel_bernath.html
Just Google search "Daniel A. Bernath" and look at the results. I advise you to have plenty of popcorn and beverage when you do, there's plenty. :D
Twin72s
09/25/2015
14:23:45
Most lies in 2 mins......fukin tool