SUMMARY

Todd P. Golding posts anonymously around the internet under the names “TPGUSMC”, “tpg USMC (RET)” and “TPG”.  Over the years and in well over six thousand (6,000) posts across several forums, his military service claims became bolder over time and included a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, three (3) Purple Hearts and at least two (2) Combat Action Ribbons that were not supported by his official service record. In addition, he claims to be a double-amputee having lost both legs in an IED explosion and claims that he retired from the Marine Corps as a CWO5.

Since Golding was born in 1972 and graduated High School in 1991, his age would not support his claims that he participated in MNF operations in Beirut, Lebanon in 1983 unless the USMC made an exception to let a 11 y/o boy serve as a Sgt of Marines. In fact, in ironic contrast to claims of a Bronze Star and Purple Heart from Beirut in 1983, a newspaper article in The Winchester Star on July 7, 1983 shows that the highest award Todd Golding received in 1983 was a Boy Scout Tenderfoot badge. This article also establishes him in Winchester, Virginia (USA) vs. Beirut, Lebanon.

He would not have been able to go to boot camp in 1976 as he claimed since Golding was a four (4) year old boy at the time he claimed he attended MCRD Parris Island SC. His age also precludes him from being a Marine Corps Drill Instructor at Parris Island in 1985 as he claimed. Since he was a senior in high school and graduated in 1991, it undermines his claim of being in the first Gulf War with 1st Recon.

Golding served in the US Marine Corps but was injured in basic training in Jan 1993 according to The Winchester Star. He was medically discharged from the Marine Corps in 1998 according to The Winchester Star.

This would mean that he could not have fought in Afghanistan as he claims. It would also mean he could not have deployed to Iraq as a Marine as claimed. Further, it would then mean that he could not have fought in both Battles of Fallujah in Iraq as claimed. This also means that he could not have had both of his legs blown off by an IED explosion just 19 days prior to his retirement as a CWO5 as he also claims.

The 2013 photos of him in The Winchester Star clearly show a man with two legs and in fact one photo shows him balancing on just one leg. Although there are companies that make prosthetic legs with realistic hair and advances in mechanics may support balancing on one of two artificial legs, he claimed his artificial legs are metal. The Winchester Star also stated that Todd Golding was discharged with a disability stemming from the injuries sustained in the accident that he had in January 1993. He claimed that his disabilities are combat related.

NOTE: While waiting for the FOIA request results on Todd Golding, we found that most claims were disproved by Golding’s own statements and references to his age in published articles in The Winchester Star.

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CLAIMS

On Service Academy Forums (SAF), “tpg USMC (RET)” posted a graphic of his military medal rack, which prompted people to comment about the Silver Star medal and three (3) Purple Hearts...

SOURCE: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/i-took-the-day-off-from-work-to-fix-my-roof.8053/page-2 [NOTE: Forum thread has now been locked/hidden.]

Then, “tpg” makes reference to the avatar being constructed from his shadow box of ribbons. He offers further comments about his three (3) Purple Hearts…

SOURCE: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/i-took-the-day-off-from-work-to-fix-my-roof.8053/page-2 [NOTE: Forum thread has now been locked/hidden.]

A summary sheet is provided below for the complete thread…

. . . . .

On the Veteran Benefits Forum (VBF), forum posters were talking about the Combat Action Ribbon and “TPGUSMC” speaks about the CAR he was awarded for Operation Desert Storm (ODS)…

SOURCE: http://vets.yuku.com/topic/22121/More-Phonies?page=1#.VPDOW_nF98F

TPGUSMC also claims that he has a CAR with a star which implies that he had been awarded two Combat Action Ribbons…

SOURCE: http://vets.yuku.com/topic/22121/More-Phonies?page=1#.Vbot9_lVhBe

Then on the Service Academy Forums (SAF), “tpg” claims he received a CAR for Lebanon…

SOURCE: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/new-ribbon.5732/page-2

A summary sheet is provided below for these and other threads…

. . . . .

Todd Golding claims that he had both of his legs blown off by an IED explosion and then receives numerous praises for his service. He responds with modesty to this praise and insists that he did not intend to put the focus on him or his injury.

For some of TPG’s claims you don’t have to look beyond the SAF’s forum itself and TPG’s very own claims to realize inconsistencies. For instance, if you accept all of his statements as truthful, does he have one leg or no legs?

ONE LEG

From 2009-2010, TPG makes several references to having only one leg…

REF: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/good-luck-to-all-here-hope-to-see-ya-in-a-couple-of-weels-at-the-latest.6075

REF: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/cant-sleep-tonight.13860
REF: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/i-took-the-day-off-from-work-to-fix-my-roof.8053 [NOTE: Forum thread has now been locked/hidden.]

REF: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/this-man-or-his-research-could-become-my-new-best-friend.8260

. . . . .

NO LEGS

Then, during the years 2011 – 2013, TPG makes numerous references to missing both legs…

The above post was followed immediately by forum members praising TPG for his service.

REF: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/ptsd-does-not-equate-to-violence.37491

REF: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/2lt-nicholas-vogt.22872/#post-221037

REF: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/memorial-day.32403/#post-315959

REF: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/americans-tune-out-as-afghan-war-rages-on.27381/#post-267084

THE 5K RACE

TPG posted about a race where he was going to do his first 5K since before his 2005 Iraq deployment. He expresses concern as to how “my legs will do” (i.e. prosthetic legs). He received a lot of encouragement and praise from forum members.

REF: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/only-5-more-days-until.22059/

“Tactical Nuke”, the forum owner/adminstrator even jumped in to wish TPG well. TPG underscored again that he had “fake legs”. He then went on to describe the injury to one of his stumps.

REF: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/only-5-more-days-until.22059/#post-212547

After cross-referencing posts within the same forum, the inconsistencies allow for the fair question as to whether TPG has one leg, or no legs?

Although it is plausible he had a second leg amputated between 2010 and 2011, the years in which his claims change, recall that he said that he lost both legs in an IED explosion.

. . . . .

Besides Todd Golding’s highly questionable claims of his own military service, he may also apply the same practice of embellishment to family members, both living and dead. For ethical reasons the living family members are excluded from this case write up as they may not even be aware of what has been said about them. However, his father-in-law recently passed away and Todd Golding’s postings about him demonstrate a tendency to embellish.

On VBN and SAF forums, he posted claims of his father-in-law’s service in Korea and Vietnam, in addition to him being awarded two (2) Silver Stars and wounded twice, which implies two (2) Purple Hearts.

SOURCE: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/showthread.php?t=18084

For an online resources listing Marines awarded the Silver Star in Vietnam, SSgt Gant is not listed. http://www.homeofheroes.com/members/04_SS/5_RVN/indexes/index_USMC_d.html

He also claimed that his father-in-law was a Drill Instructor at MCRD Parris Island, SC in the 1960s. The page in the FOIA request results were read and interpreted by experts who said he was a guard, but not a Drill Instructor.

FOIA Results Pg: Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations & Campaign Ribbons
FOIA Results Pg: Record of Service – MCRDep Parris Island, S.C.

Claims of his father-in-laws service in Korea were not supported by some fact checking on Google and ancestry.com.

In the father-in-law’s obituary in The Winchester Star, there were claims of his father-in-laws service in Korea and Vietnam. Interestingly, the dates of his 20 year service were shifted by one year from 1953-1973 to 1952-1972. Was this a simple mistake or intentional to account for fighting in Korea? There was also a claim that Charles Gant served in Korea printed in The Winchester Star on April 1st, 2013. This claim is not supported by Gant’s service record.

Experts examined the FOIA Record of Service pages and found no evidence of service in Vietnam.

FOIA Results Pg: Cover
FOIA Results Pg: Summary – NA Form 13164
FOIA Results Pg: Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations & Campaign Ribbons
FOIA Results Pg: Record of Service – pg04
FOIA Results Pg: Record of Service – pg05
FOIA Results Pg: Record of Service – pg06
FOIA Results Pg: Record of Service – pg07
FOIA Results Pg: Record of Service – pg08
FOIA Results Pg: Record of Service – pg09
FOIA Results Pg: Record of Service – pg10
FOIA Results Pg: Schools, Education, Occupational Specialties & Education

On Charles M. Gant’s service record obtained by a FOIA request, the page that covers his time during his first enlistment shows assignments in the United States and does not support the claim of Golding’s father-in-law serving in Korea during the fighting. The DATES OF SERVICE block show enlistment dates between 02 AUG 1953 TO 31 JUL 1973 so why were the dates shifted in Gant’s obituary and printed as 1952 – 1972?

A simple oversight, perhaps? 

An oversight is difficult to believe because Todd Golding’s postings on VBN clearly show that he had his father-in-law’s military service record one month prior to his death and was going through them, so how could these mistakes have made it in the newspaper and in the postings on line? Even if Todd Golding did not write his father-in-law’s obituary, a comparison of the obituary and Find A Grave memorial shows that Todd Golding had a direct awareness this information.

NOTE: According to his service records, Charles Monroe “Bud” Gant served with honor and distinction in the United States Marine Corps. There is currently no evidence or indication that he played a part in making any of these claims. It’s a mystery why his service was embellished.

. . . . .

FOIA – SELECTED

In addition to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request results, included are the results of a query from the Department of Defense Manpower Data Center (DoD MDC). The DoD MDC results show Golding was active duty in the US Marine Corps from 15 Dec 1992 – 07 Jun 1993.  In the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) query results it shows active duty in the US Marine Corps from 10 Dec 1992 – 07 Jun 1993. Both reflect military service that is slightly less than six (6) months or 180 days. It is uncertain as to why there is a difference but there may be a distinction in veteran’s classification as it pertains to the VA or other benefits if the service member had or had not completed 180 days in the military, depending on circumstances.

. . . . .

Although a FOIA request had been filed for Todd P. Golding and we awaited results, his stated age and quotes from interviews with the local newspaper completely undermine his claims of being in boot camp in 1976. His quotes to the newspaper also undermine his claim to awards of the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and CAR for his supposed service in Lebanon in 1983, being a USMC Drill Instructor in 1985, participation in the first Gulf War 1991 with 1st Recon and being awarded a CAR for ODS…

Having been discharged in 1998, he also could not have fought in Afghanistan or Iraq, let alone participate in both Battles of Fallujah and be wounded there.

As far as both of his legs being blown off in a violent IED explosion, The Winchester Star printed photos of Todd Golding in 2013…. . . . .

SUMMARY & DISCUSSION

Almost all of Todd Golding’s claims are not supported by his official military records. In addition, the statements that he supplied to The Winchester Star are at best inconsistent with his military records and at worst in stark contrast to the claims he has made over the years in online forums.

. . . . .

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/toddpgolding

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/tpgolding

SERVICE ACADEMY FORUMS PROFILE: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?members/tpg.1381/
[ NOTE: Has now locked down his account and does not allow viewing. ]

VBN/YUKU PROFILE: http://tpgusmc.u.yuku.com
[ NOTE: Now goes by ‘creative writer’: http://creative-writer.u.yuku.com ]
FIND A GRAVE PROFILE: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=mr&MRid=47307890
[NOTE: Included Find a Grave because it was used in uncovering TPG’s identity.]

Todd Golding was quoted in the February 2015 edition of Leatherneck magazine as he was part of a Veteran’s Writing Project seminar held at Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA. This is relevant because combined with his role as president of a Sons of American Revolution (SAR) chapter, he would be entrusted with accuracy when he writes about military history. Since Golding has now changed his online name to “Creative Writer” under the advice of legal counsel, it’s important that he makes this important distinction to people reading his writings *before* they are influenced into believing it is an accurate account of history and his military service. For any writer to make this distinction after they have been challenged on the accuracy of their facts causes a loss of credibility.

. . . . .

[SPECIAL NOTE: The families and veterans that are associated with the MNF Lebanon deployment of 1982-1984 have dealt with unspeakable tragedy, loss and pain. PTS is rampant throughout this community of veterans and takes its toll on family members. The events of Lebanon are largely forgotten by history, so those affected grieve privately. Each time one of these false claims surface they are aggressively pursued to protect the Beirut community from further pain. The Beirut community has lost too many brothers due to the grief and anguish over the years, some with impact on their health as well as those who could not bear life’s pain and took their own lives. Some were even involved to help verify these claims and are tormented when the claims prove to be false.

Stolen Valor is not a victimless crime and it affects the Beirut families and veterans more than outsiders could ever understand. Those that claim Beirut military service will be either brought into the fold of the Beirut community and placed on internal lists if not on them, or end up on a list such as this if the claimant’s story does not check out.]

. . . . .

This case has a companion blog entitled “Finding TPG…” which details some of the methods used to connect “TPGUSMC”, “tpg USMC (RET)” and “TPG” to Todd Patrick Golding. Click on the above button to view the companion blog.

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This Ain’t Hell blog: http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=61111