Darren Huff, Combat Veteran Poser
3712/04/2014 by militaryphonies
Chief of Police in Kimball, NE.
Claims:
Combat Veteran
DOD Contractor with Navy Seals as a bomb canine.
Saw several people die.
Law Officer Connect Profile
The picture with the red circle is the Chief standing on
the stage, its the same one in the veterans day article.
He signed in on a sheet at the front that said, “Veterans sign in here.” He went up on the stage when they asked all veterans who served come come up on stage.
Memorial Day ceremony at Kimball cemetery
At the cemetery when they asked all veterans to identify themselves, he walked up to to a microphone and said, “Darren Huff DOD Contractor serving in Iraq.”
“Worked with SEALS”
Despite being a dipshit, did this guy actually work as a contractor or was that a lie?
I know Chief Huff and to my knowledge he's never made himself out to be a U.S. Military combat vet. I'm the Kimball County Veterans Service Officer and I've visited with Chief Huff many times, sharing and contrasting our experiences. He's never claimed anything but DOD Contract experience in Iraq. If he said he worked with SEALS I'd give him the benefit of the doubt. If you check published SEAL deployments and A/O's you'll sure as hell find an overlap and it's very well known that SEALS pulled DIPPRO all over that country. Furthermore, if you take a close look at the picture of the vets on stage, you'll see another local LEO non-veteran on stage who was also a DOD Contractor in Iraq. I'm obviously not going to name him because of what you've already done here. In our small town the Veterans Day program is put on by the High School Civics Class. They understand the difference between military and non-military war zone veterans. They don't play games with reciting rules and regs. All of those on that stage served their nation and took the same oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. Our small town of Kimball has no problem honoring those DOD Contractors on Nov. 11. Finally, Chief Huff and his Police Officers, several of whom are military veterans, go above and beyond to work with my office and our local veterans. They are the ones who raise the U.S. Flags at dawn at the Cemetery on Veterans and Memorial Day. IMO what you've done here is pretty low.
“I know Chief Huff and to my knowledge he's never made himself out to be a U.S. Military combat vet.” – The folks who reported him to us claim otherwise. Standing on stages and being honored as a Veteran, with pictures in front of others is proof.
“He's never claimed anything but DOD Contract experience in Iraq.” – He made a number of claims of being a combat veteran and even signed in prior to the start of the Veteran's day program as a veteran.
” If he said he worked with SEALS I'd give him the benefit of the doubt.” A lot of contractors “work with” special forces and it doesn't make them a veteran.
“Furthermore, if you take a close look at the picture of the vets on stage, you'll see another local LEO non-veteran on stage who was also a DOD Contractor in Iraq” – If someone reported them, they would be posted here too.
” They don't play games with reciting rules and regs” – Explains a lot.
” All of those on that stage served their nation and took the same oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States” – Contractors didn't wear the uniform, aren't eligible for VA services, and having them onstage further confuses the matter on what constitutes a Veteran. It's not called “Overseas Contractor Day” for a reason.
“I'm the Kimball County Veterans Service Officer” – I suggest you talk with the other veterans who spoke up, made complaints to the department, complained to city hall and evaluate their idea of what constitute a veteran. Officer Huff is not a veteran and made claims that he is. This entry stays up.
A veteran is defined by FEDERAL Law, MORAL code and MILITARY service as a person who served for any length of time in ANY military service branch.
As a VSO you should know this fact inside and out. A Contractor, while a veteran of the war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan, is NOT by popular definition or FEDERAL Law a Veteran in the true meaning of the word. If you ask any civilian what they believe the definition of Veteran is they will answer, more often than not, that it is a person who served in the US Military.
Your Chief of Police, as an officer of the law, should also know this and should not be playing games with that definition. Being a contractor does NOT entitle your Chief to any of the benefits that a true Military Veteran would receive from the VA or various civic organizations such as the Legion or VFW.
I commend your Chief for spending time in Iraq as a contractor but being a contractor does not make him a Veteran and if he has any honor and integrity at all he will acknowledge this and correct his mistakes before it comes back to bite him on the ass. Trust me when I say that if he kicks over that Veterans hornets nest he won't like the results and from what I read in Doug's reply he has already caught the attention of some of his local MILITARY Veterans.
I use to work for Darren. I have never heard him claim to be a veteran in my presence. He has nothing but respect for the men and women that put on the uniform and has always supported all veteran functions.
Ok we get you use to work for him after posting that multiple times. How can u say he never claimed to be a veteran? Look at the picture he's standing on stage that was supposed to be for veterans only!! This guy had the balls to look at a vet and say he rated being a vet more then the national guard and reservists because he was in combat everyday for almost a year. The guy is a complete phony and disrespectful disgrace. He doesn't deserve to be the chief and destroy and disrespect it anymore.
I think he thinks that his time as a DOD contractor put him on the same status as a veteran that served in the armed forces. A mistake as all that those fun filled times in “A” school and the endless hours mopping and cleaning. Sweepers, sweepers anyone ? Anyhow I am not denying it doesn't look bad, but understand as well he worked in a combat zone along side some pretty good guys.
As I said, I never heard him say he was a veteran and by all accounts all I heard him ever say was DOD contractor. If you are going to label someone a phony, make sure that the intent on their end is that, to be a phony. In this case it seems one man believes he should receive the same respect as veterans, there are a little bit of merits to that argument.
However, he is not a veteran and should not receive the same recognition as well, I will agree. And yes I did post multiple times as I didn't see the posts put on the wall.
Has he been fired yet? This is essentially fraud; masquerading as a veteran when clearly he is not. Isn't it illegal?
I personally asked him not to take credit for this and I am not the first. He knows that he doesn't rate veteran status but doesn't care. Since this last time when many veterans decided enough is enough and same with civilians, notice the statement from the teacher. He has not even said sorry for misrepresenting himself but instead has gone on to claim that he rates it more then a national guardsman or reservist and also forced a cop out of his department that was a veteran for asking him not to continue to standup and claim to be something he isn't. I realize you worked for him and think he is a good guy. Well he is if you don't ever try to correct him when he is wrong. I'm sure you wont believe this because you know him and think he's a great guy according to your post and reply about him but this man continues to deceive the community and disrespect the veterans. Do you really think that I would want to kick this kind of hornets nest for no reason with living in this town? Hell no I don't and that is why I have went to him and when told that he rates it more then non active military and actually some active military like admin clerks. But there is only so much a guy can take. Plus before he knew who I was other then just a military veteran last year he showed me a CIB(combat infantry badge) and other Army stuff and told me he earned it for his time in Iraq so I assumed since he was in Iraq he was in the guard or reserves and then when he asked about me and I informed him that I was in Iraq, I am a Marine, I have a real CAR(combat action ribbon), I unfortunately am a two time Purple Heart recipient, I lost brothers on my deployment including my best friend, roommate, driver, and workout partner in an IED attack on the early morning of February 14, 2006 while I was fighting consciousness from wounds I received in the blast LCPL Probst died from his wounds he sustained protecting me from anymore shrapnel. I owe my life to Michael Probst and I take this very hard and was sickened by Darren Huff's actions on thinking it is ok for him to claim a status he didn't earn.
He DID NOT sign his life away on a contract for his country to send him wherever, whenever, and however the military sees fit at the time for duty to country not for money. He did however except a job that paid extremely well (probably $8,000-$12,000/month) to go over as a CIVILIAN to do who knows what, that's another thing with his decision to continue to lie, he has claimed to do diplomatic security, K9 dog handling for the NAVY SEALS, combat patrols, covert missions, HVT(high value target) elimination, HVT interrogations, Iraqi police training, Iraqi police and Army K9 handling training, and hand to hand combat training for the men in his “group,unit” (whatever they call it) as well as for the Iraqi Army and Police. I really have a hard time believing that he did all of this, maybe he did. If he did then good deal and the guy should really be somewhere else then a small town of around 3,000 people in Kimball, Nebraska because his skills are way over needed for such a small town but at least the members of his department should be well trained. Still DOES NOT change the fact that the man DID NOT serve in any branch of the military. If he really cares about the community like he has said in interviews with the papers and wants to take the opportunity to talk with members of the community to build a great relationship and listen to them in order to serve them, then he should have listened to the multiple requests to please not deceive the community as a veteran when he is not one. He should not show Army awards and say he earned them when in fact he did not, he should not claim he rates veteran status more then a national guardsman, reservist, or non combat active military personnel, he should not tell real veterans to mind their own damn business when asked to not falsely represent himself, he should not force a veteran out of his department because he asked him not to stand up as a veteran because it is disrespectful, most of all he should be an honest and committed public servant that is here to serve and protect not deceive and disrespect.
I do think that he is exaggerating his time in Iraq big time, if he really did all of what he claims then honestly why is this man with that kind of resume in Kimball, Nebraska and not somewhere that could use all of his amazing knowledge and skills? He has proven that he will go to Iraq for money so why wouldn't he go somewhere in the states for a job that would pay him what he deserves for his skills and abilities? I think it is because Kimball is a small town and does not have the resources to find out if any of it is true or not and just like the way I was raised still go on a man for his word and take him at it until he proves you wrong. I believed him for a while and would've believed all of what he said if he wouldn't have gone way to far and claimed to be in fire fights daily for a whole year and have so many kills. Anybody that deployed and was outside of the wire on combat patrols daily know what it's like and can tell when someone if full of it. So as to your “If you are going to label someone a phony, make sure that the intent on their end is that” well Justin I have shown you multiple things he has done in order to deceive us on his status as a veteran. Mrs. Ferguson has wrote a statement showing that he signed HIMSELF into the veteran log in book, and then when asked about it said “the school asked him to come and standup with the veterans as a DOD Contractor for his time overseas” well that didn't happen at all, they did not know he was a DOD contractor as per her statement, they were under the impression that he was in the military during his time over seas or at least in the military at one time. Before this went public he was given the opportunity multiple times to make it right and apologize for the misunderstanding but instead chose to attack the veterans that asked him about it, force one to loose his job over it, and then disrespect the national guard, reserve and non combat military personnel. So how much should one take? How many chances is this man to be given for his continued decision to lie and deceive? As a cop how long would you take a criminal to lie and deceive you on a situation before you gave up on them and arrested them? I guarantee you that after you gave them multiple chances to come clean and make up for their wrong doings and they decided to blow you off and threaten you that they would be arrested.
This man has committed a federal crime!!! Is that not a big deal since he is a cop? This has gone past an “accident” on multiple occasions he has falsely represented himself as a veteran for personal gain in order to profit from it, from free meals to whatever else has been given to him. Maybe a misunderstanding the first time, but after being told that he cannot do that and then still doing it multiple other times shows he does not respect the men and women that earned and died for the right to wear the uniform and become a member of the military and then on top of it he is breaking a federal law so it shows that as a LEO he thinks that he can punish those that break the law but somehow has the right to break it if he wants since he is a LEO. I would be willing to bet that if we dig into his time at the department prior to Kimball he probably took recognition of being a veteran there as well. You can continue to support him because you worked for him but I feel sorry for you that you think that this man breaking the law and deceiving the community and disrespecting veterans is ok.
As of now nothing has been done to him, he has not been placed on Administrative leave or anything. He continues to deceive the community and break the law and get away with it. please help us out and you see his contact info and the city of kimball phone number is 308-235-3639 and call them and voice youre opinion on them allowing the chief of police to get away with this. we need all the help we can and im afraid the only way this will be done is with the city getting views from veterans across the nation along with us locally on this dirtbag doing this.
Everybody that would help us please do!!!!! This man has continued to disrespect the military, stated that he is a veteran more then the national guard and reservist because he saw combat. He continues to break the law a gain from his lies. Voice your opinion by calling the City of Kimball at 308-235-3639 or email info@kimballne.org thanks for all or you that continue to post this to facebook and help us bring this phony poser out into the open and face what he has done.
He is still doing what he wants and has faced nothing for this while they sort it out. He isnt even on administrative leave. He forced a veteran out of the department for asking him to not do it again even. This guy thinks he can do whatever he wants and get away with it. Please help us out and look at my post below and call or email the city and voice your opinion on it. Some of us veterans that brought this up are now being targeted by this man that has a badge and is still allowed to do what he wants. I mean hell he forced his own officer out of the department for asking him to stop falsely representing himself as a veteran.
Jay I don't work there anymore man. I was just giving a different perspective on the matter. I also know his father is a retired veteran as well. Stay safe out there man.
I also used to work with Darren Huff at the Kimball Police Department as the School Resource Officer and recently resigned over this situation. For those of you that don't know my background I’m a 20-year Chief Petty Officer of the Navy. I served 4 years of active duty onboard the USS INDEPENDENCE CV-62 serving two tours in the Persian Gulf combat zone. I then joined the Navy Reserve and served on 7 active duty mobilizations in Virginia, Tennessee, Germany, and in Kuwait, which was also a combat zone. In three tours I have received Combat Tax Zone Exclusion Pay and Hostile Fire/Imminent Danger. The tour that haunts me with awful memories the most was not even in a combat zone it was in Landstuhl Army Hospital in Germany. There on a daily basis I checked in veterans from every military branch. Each day I saw the horrors of war like you wouldn’t believe. Men and women with missing arms and legs and some of them that never made it back home alive. I met them in the ambulances and looked at their terrible injuries on a daily basis, it was god-awful experience, but if they asked me to do it again I would. …………You can’t see this as I’m typing but I had to stop for a moment as tears were starting just thinking about it. I didn’t do anything special and certainly don’t boast about it I just want you to know why this whole situation with Darren Huff I look at in an ultra sensitive way.
After 7 long years of mobilizations I was ready to get back into the civilian world again. I saw the opening for School Resource Officer and thought what a great job that I could bridge the gap between my former life as a High School History Teacher in Maywood, Nebraska and my other life as a Police Officer. As I interviewed Darren Huff said, “This is a dream job, and the best part is since it’s a grant position you don’t have to work in the summer time and you still get paid.” I asked Darren multiple times that the part about getting paid in the summer for not working sounded to good to be true and he each time he responded that the conditions where true. I then asked him one last time if it was true and said I was going to ask my Commanding Officer if I could leave my mobilization early. This was not a small request, but my CO understood how much reservists put our civilian lives on hold to serve in these mobilizations and he approved the request. I then asked Chief Huff to put it in writing and within hours I had the city administrator calling me and explaining that what Chief Huff said was not accurate. I share this with you all as this was my first instance where Darren was misleading. So, why did I come is what everyone asks me? Well even with Darren’s misleading comments or flat out false selling of the position, it was still great working hours during the day and how awesome is it that you can work with your children at school. Little did I know that was one of the biggest mistakes of my life.
So I have been asked if Darren was on the stage on November 11, 2014, and I can confirm to my shock and dismay that I saw him on that stage that day. I was wearing my Police uniform, but I was proudly displaying a US Flag pin with Navy Emblem next to it. Darren on the other hand did not show up in his regular Police uniform rather a desert camouflage shirt and pants with his badge and duty belt. What was he trying to portray with this uniform? Again, I can confirm that Darren walked up on the stage, when they announcer asked, “All VETERANS please come up on the stage to be recognized. I could not believe what I saw when Darren was standing there, I was embarrassed for the Police Department and as a real veteran I was mad as hell!
Life went down hill quickly for me after that. I went to my supervisor who was also a Navy Veteran and asked him to tell him to never again go up on a stage during Veterans Day. I then talked to a number of local veterans as well. In the end my supervisor told me, “You had better go talk to Darren about this and stop talking about him behind his back or it won’t end well for you, you have every right to be mad at him and I’m mad too.” I did not talk to Darren as I decided I would let the veterans put pressure on him to stop this behavior.
As I mentioned life went down hill quickly for me and I was removed from the School Resource Officer position and reassigned to 1900 to 0700 shift. So now my “Dream Job” as Darren described it was quickly turning into a nightmare. I no longer had the time with my children piece which brought me here in the first place, so I decided enough was enough and resigned.
Darren made an attempt to try and work things out and came to my house and apologized for offending me or any veterans that might have taken offense to what he did. But during the conversation Darren DISRESPECTED his own apology by saying, “Ryan what did you do that was so special, you were just admin clerk in the Navy and the biggest thing you did was serve in Germany in logistics, I know what I am and I served in combat!”
Shawn Evertson, I respect your opinion sir and thank you for serving our veterans as Kimball County Veterans Service Officer. Your comments are making a broad statement that seems to include all veterans of Kimball County, I believe your comments are irresponsible to say the least, “Our small town of Kimball has no problem honoring those DOD Contractors on Nov 11.” No, it is called Veterans Day for a reason, its not called DOD Contractors Day. Contractors serve an important role, but I would submit to you that most do with for the fat pay check. One of my instructors at the Police Academy went to Iraq for $145,000 for 12 month tour. Shawn I consider you a shipmate since you served in the Navy, I'm sad you would support Darren, what he did goes against our Navy Core Values, of Honor, Courage, and Commitment, you should know this.
This is bizarre and disturbing. I commend you and Scott for all your good work in flushing out these criminals that pose as veterans. I posted on the Kimball PD's facebook and website, but they blocked me. Seems as if they are complicit with all this incriminating info on their own Chief of Police! How can you fight these corrupt leos that don't care that their chief is a FAKE?! I suggest you go to the media with this. I am not military and cannot believe the vast numbers of these frauds out there posing away and stealing the valor of legitimate heroes. I think a media blast would blow this guy (and his supporters) into the dirt. Good luck!
Has anyone else seen this article on the previous Kimball Police chief?
http://www.starherald.com/news/local_news/kimball-police-chief-sidelined-by-investigation/article_e5f839d8-9757-11e2-9448-001a4bcf887a.html
Apparently, he also had shady and “suspicious fallacies” revolving around his qualifications! Where there is smoke, there is fire…
Funny you bring that up because from what I have been told Huff helped get rid of him and funny how he became the acting Chief then remained as chief. There is no doubt that the previous chief was a fraud and lied about stuff but I would really like to see what is on Huff's resume because I'm sure it has stuff along the lines of being the K9 handler for the navy seals, taught the Iraqi army and police hand to hand combat and K9 tactics like he has claimed as well as diplomatic security which is actually probably the truth because most of those guys like him did security and stuff on the bases but i doubt the rest is true. Plus he has said he was over there for 12 months to me and others and today I found out that it looks as though he was there not even 4 months. So now I wonder what he did to get fired after 4 months or maybe not fired but most those guys are over there for more then 4 months. Maybe 4 months at a time and at home for a week or 2 then back and do it for a few years. So maybe he came home because he couldn't hack it.
This story is about Chief Mark Simpson, when Darren was a CAPT. Darren took over after he was fired, but I suspect he learned a few tricks from him.
Maybe someone should contact the Police Standards Advisory Panel and report this
http://www.ncc.nebraska.gov/crime_commission/membership/committees/psac.htm
Or maybe this one to see their opinion on this matter.
http://www.ago.ne.gov/contact
I appreciate the help and if you are willing to help voice you're opinion on the city facebook or email the city or call. I have all the contact information below. Thanks for the help, the only way anything will be done is by continuing to let the city administration know that this is complete crap.
So with the new information I just read with him failing twice does that mean he didn't ever go to the academy? Or what? How is a man that couldn't even pass the entrance exam after 2 tries even be a cop let alone the Chief and this isn't like it was done when he was young, this happened just in 2007. What a complete joke, so he bounced around these small towns until he found a city dumb enough to believe him and gave him the job of Capt. and then Chief after he helped get the old Chief fired. This guy is a complete scam artist. The more I find out about this guy the sicker it makes me. Everybody watch out for you're belongings kids and especially you're back because he is out to benefit himself as much as he can and doesn't care who he hurts in the process.
Just saw his letter of apology. So he admitted his fraud and is still employed by the town of Kimball as Police Chief???
Update Darren Huff is placed on Administrative Leave, why doesn’t this surprise me. http://www.omaha.com/news/nebraska/kimball-police-chief-placed-on-leave-but-reason-isn-t/article_2d894ac8-fd62-5e69-a70a-5daa2ba726cc.html
Please tell me…. How long has Darren Huff worked for the Kimball Police Department?
What I found online is that is says he was hired in 2013
The poser was finally fired this past Tuesday. A complaint was filed against him which I understand includes who I was treated after his poser actions were launched.
Also the crazy thing about Kimball Police Department is they have had four Police Chiefs in the last seven years I believe it is and all have been fired for doing something major.
Here is a news story from the local newspaper. http://kneb.com/regional-news/kimball-police-chief-steps-down-bremer-appointed-interim-chief/
Here is another one talking about two criminal complaints that were investigated against him.
http://www.westernnebraskaobserver.net/story/2016/10/13/news/huff-resigned/3443.html
Jay,
your comments about trust and integrity are sickening as you are of the same caliber as Mr. Huff with all of your phony insurance claims and scams.
I know him several years, he had never said, “I am a veteran.” He was a contractor and had the same luck that any soldier in the war. He could lose his life, but he helped with his trained K-9 dogs searching bombs to save a life to the soldiers. I read disgusting posts, and he is a big man for a small town of a narrow mind people. If some of you claim that he was paid for it, why not? Why soldiers signed a contract for four years and received money? Please do not be hypocrites. Don’t tell that you fight for the freedom of the country, freedom of what are you talking? You were used to the big corporations and fought for them. Don’t be foolish! Veterans of what fought for what!!!!
He is a good man and well-trained police who fought against the crime in a big city. Sorry, but it is my opinion about small towns and narrow minds. You lose a good man.