Scotty Priest – U.S. Marine, Beirut, Scout Sniper, 0321, 16 Confirmed Kills w/Weapon Plus 3 More Hand to Hand, POSer, Blog of Shame
3012/23/2015 by
Scotty Priest has visited some Beirut groups including a Beirut PTS chat room and stirred up quite a bit of attention with tales of confirmed kills and shooting the driver of the vehicle that bombed the Marine Barracks on 23 October 1983.
BACKGROUND AND CLAIMS
Scotty Priest has attracted some attention for quite some time on Facebook. He is a self-described “sof” …
… as well as a USMC veteran skilled in the art of special warfare.
Last year, he joined a few Beirut Veteran groups. A few of these groups were support groups focused on PTS and Priest shared some interesting stories with his introduction.
NOTE: MOS 0321 is Recon, but Priest implied he was a sniper (ghillie suit).
Beyond the implication with the suggestion of a ghillie suit, he actually stated that he was a scout sniper in Beirut, Lebanon (i.e. “the root”).
He then went on to say that he shot the driver of the vehicle that blew up the Marine Barracks in Beirut. By implication, this would have been on 23 October 1983 as part of the Multinational Force (MNF) Lebanon.
NOTE: It was a Mercedes truck vs. a car as Priest claimed, so this raised a red flag.
Then again, to give the benefit of the doubt it has been over 30 years.
Some veterans started leaving the group citing that they did not feel comfortable around people they were not certain had served in combat with them in Beirut. This may or may not have been prompted by Priest’s posts, but this activity was during the same exact time period of his posts.
Then, a general group statement was put out about the importance of “controlled environments”, where everyone had confidence who everyone else was as in the PTSD discussion groups at the VA due to participants providing their DD-214’s. The statement was further emphasized by stating “We cannot jeopardize the purpose of this group by letting just anyone in without knowing they actually served in combat, or even served period.”
Priest seemed to take exception to this even though it was not specifically directed at him…
… and in spite of reassurances from group members that nothing was specifically directed at him.
Since this plays into the case as well, Priest also claimed he was on disability. However, it was not clear if this was a VA claim or another type of disability.
Several inconsistencies prompted a look into Priest’s military background.
. . . . .
FOIA RESULTS – SELECTED
Several FOIA requests were ordered. In fact, four (4) were eventually ordered but recent FOIA requests came back with only summary sheets but were identical. There is one more outstanding FOIA request but it is anticipated it will come back with just a summary sheet as well. A FOIA request made back in 2013 had a little more detail to it, but dates are inconsistent.
NOTE: The 2015 FOIA results were identical and only had a summary sheet even though detailed history of assignments with dates were specifically requested multiple times. Due to them being identical, only one was displayed in the above illustration.
Because of the dates being inconsistent, it is probable that the starting date of 17 NOV 1979, combined with the language of it being “RESERVE”, may reflect Priest’s date of enlistment contract on a delayed entry program in the 2013 FOIA results. The history of assignments being on 04 JUN 1980 as reporting for recruit training and which would reflect a day of travel (see below). This makes the 2013 FOIA dates consistent with the 2015 FOIA dates.
The 2013 FOIA results says Priest’s end of enlistment was 25 MAY 1982 but it says he was discharged from Camp Pendleton, California. It also says he was discharged from Camp Pendleton, California in the 2015 FOIA results. Specifically, the brig. Additionally, the 2015 FOIAs say that his enlistment went until 1984, a date also supported by the DoD Manpower Data Center results.
. . . . .
FOIA RESULTS – COMPLETE
NPRC: 02 MAY 2013 |
NPRC: 03 SEP 2015 |
| NPRC: 05 OCT 2015 |
DoD-Manpower Data Center |
. . . . .
SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION
DISABILITY
If Priest is suffering from a VA claimed disability, the question arises as to whether it is PTSD. This is a legitimate question because he made a curious effort to join a Beirut PTS group when the likelihood is slim to none that he was even in Beirut (or combat for that matter).
. . . . .
BRIG
A strong argument can be made that Scotty Priest was transferred to the brig at Camp Pendleton, California as noted by the “CORRECTIONAL FACILITY BRANCH, SU#2 HQBN, MCB, CAMP PENDLETON, CA” notation on the official military records reflected by the 2015 FOIA summary sheets.
. . . . .
BEIRUT, LEBANON
There were no overseas assignments listed and the history of assignments preclude Priest from being in Beirut, Lebanon in 1983. Since he was most likely in the Brig in Camp Pendleton in 1983, this casts doubts on his claim that he shot the driver of the vehicle that blew up the Marine Barracks in Beirut on October 23, 1983.
Also, having no medals listed does not support Priest’s claim that he was in Beirut, Lebanon in 1983.
Several people reached out to Priest and asked him about the MOS. Oddly, he repeatedly used the term “Forced Recon” vs. “Force Recon” for the 0321 MOS. He sometimes referred to that as a sniper. It is an Assaultman, and usually designates Reconnaissance but that could be Recon Battalion vs. Force Recon.
The MOS of 0811 was the only one listed and that is correct. There is no military education that would suggest he was 0321 or a scout sniper.
In addition to FOIA requests, several members of the Artillery Battery were consulted.
Priest was in Delta Battery 2/10 and that unit did not deploy to Beirut, Lebanon.
When pressed about some of these inconsistencies, things took a bizarre turn. Priest threatened to kill people and bury the bodies, as he claims he has done before.
Priest was convicted of aggravated assault and appears to have served prison time for it since it is a Class C Felony.
Since he is a convicted felon, is he allowed to possess the rifle that is displayed in his Facebook photo?
Then, a few minutes later things took an even more bizarre turn…
. . . . .
SUICIDE
It is the policy of Military Phonies that no man should be pushed past his breaking point although many in this conversation were not associated with Military Phonies. It is our strong hope that someone will view being confronted with their military history as an opportunity to turn things around. In fact, some have expressed gratitude as well as relief that they can stop living a lie and come clean with those around them. We cannot anticipate outcomes, but we can’t let a remote possibility that someone is unwilling to face their past dictate our actions.
. . . . .
TIMING
This was all bad timing to begin with. It was just after the Beirut Remembrance on 23 Oct 2015, so everything took a strategic pause until more information could be gathered.
Local newspapers in Parsons, Tennessee were monitored but no death notice, obituary or funeral arrangements for Scotty Priest were published.
Several days later after this unfolded, it was Scotty Priest’s birthday. His family and friends were posting birthday wishes. Among the people wishing him ‘Happy Birthday’ was the same person claiming to be Scotty’s widow. There was no mention of his death.
It was obvious that his immediate family were not aware of his death. Did Priest or someone close to him fake his own death on Facebook to get out from under the scrutiny? In either case, someone with access to Priest’s Facebook page removed the ‘Happy Birthday’ posts from Facebook soon afterwards.
Priest did not seem to have sensitivity with getting on a Beirut Veteran’s PTS group and telling tall stories about his 16 confirmed kills with 3 of those being hand to hand. Someone claiming to be Priest’s widow lashed out under his Facebook account suggesting that people were being insensitive and perhaps drove him over some edge.
Priest’s behavior of posting on the Beirut PTS groups could be labeled insensitive since this could trigger PTS with any of the veterans in those groups. What about them? What about the potential for them going over the edge? Who and what sensitivity is the greater consideration here?
. . . . .
SUMMARY
We hope Priest takes this opportunity to come clean about his military record and seek help. We have a responsibility to report his embellishments and false claims to the veteran community. We afforded Priest with an opportunity to respond to our inquires.
. . . . .
PHOTOS and SOCIAL MEDIA
PHOTOS
SOCIAL MEDIA
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/scotty.priest.9 (pic)
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/scottypriest1
. . . . .
UPDATE: Fugitive Who Threatened Officers Captured
. . . . .
This Ain’t Hell: http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=63478
UPDATE: This Ain’t Hell: http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=64347
So why so many Beirut wannabe veterans ????
you have to love all that prison tattoo art he is sporting I guess he is saving all of us from having a good laugh because of no military tats Lol…
But dang, he was “forced recon”. Fucking genius.
Couple things that would explain his FOIA with different dates. It looks like the Fuckstick Deserted and was dropped from the roles of his unit in 1982. He was apprehended west of the Mississipi and sent to Camp Pendelton and booted. Sub-unit 2 is where they separate Douchnozzles.
I was in Echo 2/10 about the same time he was in Delta Battery. Delta Battery ( and later the rest of the Battalion) were the first Marine Units to get the M-198 Howitzer. The battalion was pulled out of the MAU/BLT float cycle for a while because we were training up on the new system. No unit from 2/10 ever deployed to Beruit.
Just got in touch with an old Echo Battery friend who I hadn’t seen since 1982. He left our battery and went to HQ Battery and worked with the legal Officer. He confirmed the guy was a shitbag and he remembers doing the desertion package on him.
Hi Dennis. While no unit from 2/10 ever deployed to Beirut, a handful of Echo Battery Marines were sent to Beirut as part of an Air Alert response to the barracks bombing. I was sent as part of an Alpha Air Alert team. We flew out just a few hours after the bombing. At the time we were at Ft. Bragg. I was a radio operator with E 2/10.
Matt, Yes there were replacements as we were on “air Alert” and attached to 2/6. who sent replacements as well. I was in guns Platoon at the time. I know we sent about 10-12 guys max from the battery as replacements. They were all FO’s or Radio Operators. I was in Echo from November 1980 to June 1984.
Rodger that. “C” battery 1/10 was the battalion on station, May- Nov 1983. “I” battery 3/10 was battery on station prior and after. 2/10 was an indirect fire battalion. Hoo Rah, Devil Dog.
Hotel Battery 3/10 was with 2/8 after the bombing and Granada. They were relieved by Golf Battery 3/10 with 3/8. India Battery never returned to Beirut.
m stands corrected. thought India was there on two separate rotations.
Looks like ole Scotty Priest is a racist piece of shit too.
He claimed to have shot the driver…I call BullS***! Sgt. Steve Russell was on duty as SOG that morning. He stated that the driver smiled at him as he drove over the SOG shack into the building. Besides, with the building still standing prior to detonation NO sniper would have had a shit at him.
As a survivor of the bombing I am more than willing to provide a copy of my DD-214. It clearly lists my deployment dates. Noone from Pendleton was deployed to Beirut.
I was in Delta 2/10 in Jan 1983. I was attending BCS during that time. I was a reservist and left in March or April. There was no float at that time. The post before about the 198s is correct. This is to the best of my memory 30 years ago.
I was one of the Beirut veterans that he threatened to kill…. This fuck needs to go back to being a bend over Billy in prison with the rest of his Dixie girlfriends.
[…] folks at Military Phony send us their work on this Scotty Priest fellow who claimed to be a sniper at the Marine Barracks […]
Hey tough guy wannabee. You flunky, you make those of us who served in the Marine Corps honorably do our best to wipe your face with used toilet tissue so you’d look more like a real Marine. You are as phony as your silly childish fake records. They tell it all, and you ain’t no damned hero. What you really are is a 100% ZERO!!!!. Anybody that has to lie and tell people on Face Book they are a bad ass, is truly a candy ass! I made sure you will get the fame you are so in love with. You see, I am personal friends with one of your small town homies. Only my friend is for real. Ask Danny McFall next time you see him how famous you are. Better yet, ask him how phony you are. Get my name and phone number from him…..then come and threaten me tough guy.
Please be aware that he has a family. He’s had issues. He does have PTSD whether it be from the marines or from the fact his mom and sister were murdered is debatable. As for someone claiming to be his ‘widow’ he’s only been married once. To my mother. They have 2 children together. You all are veterans? My military that I stand behind? Talking bad about someone that’s had it rough and has pyscological problems? You are supposed to be role models. Act like it.
Your support of your father is admirable but let’s not forget that he made a calculated effort to get into a Beirut PTS group and talk about all his fictitious feats of bravery. This is a group of Beirut veterans that are easily triggered into severe episodes of PTS. From what I am hearing you say, his mental state trumps anyone else that has psychological challenges? He didn’t mind displaying insensitivity toward them, but people are supposed to have sympathy toward him and give him latitude in all matters? Think about what you are saying.
https://m.facebook.com/664371490364615/photos/a.708827515919012.1073741829.664371490364615/747719485363148/?type=3
Wanted for threatening law enforcement on social media.
WANTED FELONY FUGITIVE
NATIONWIDE
SCOTTY EUGENE PRIEST
OUT OF DECATUR CO TN
**CONSIDERED ARMED & DANGEROUS**
DOB (10/30/1962)
White Male 6’01” 180 lbs Blonde Hair Blue Eyes
Priest is wanted by Decatur Co. Sheriff’s Office Investigators on charges of:
(1)Attempt to Commit an Act of Terrorism
(2)Harassment
Also wanted by Parsons Police department
Priest has made online threats to kill Law Enforcement officers and specifically naming Decatur County officers.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact the Decatur County Sherriff’s Office at (731)-852-3911
[…] might remember when we published the work that the folks at Military Phony did on Scotty Priest last year. He claimed to have been a veteran of the Beirut bombing. He faked […]
[…] Priest whose alleged wife alleged that he had killed himself when he was outed by the folks at Military Phony. A few weeks ago, he made terrorist threats against his local police department which sparked a […]
I know I am way late on my reply to this pinhead, but since when do snipers lay cover-fire? I was never trained as a sniper (0331 MACHINE GUNNER), but I always thought a sniper made calculated shots (one shot, one kill) and then slipped out hopefully unaware to his enemy. Snipers, especially with the bolt-action sniper rifle of that period do not lay cover-fire. What a goofball.
Mike_
I was in the Corps at the time, but not in Beirut. This guy’s story is obviously a disturbed, fabricated mess, but Read Eric Hammel’s excellent book, “The Root,” if you can get your hands on it. **If I remember this right** from Hammel’s account, STA/Scout-Sniper teams were posted on each corner of the roof of the BLT building in a surveillance/defensive role, and actually survived that awful day relatively unscathed physically as they rode the building down when it pancaked after the bomb detonated. Marine Corps snipers were heavily employed in Beirut, to the best of my knowledge, eliminating selected targets from rooftops in various (secured) parts of the city in support of the infantry mission at MNF checkpoints; but you’re right, this isn’t exactly “cover fire” either.
Yes, that is correct regarding the snipers. I was with 3/8 and was there before and then again after the bombing. We only went down to the MAU headquarters to get a shower once a week until they built us showers up at the American University compound where we were stationed. But I never went up beyond the first deck to ever see how they had the roof laid out weapons-wise. But on the top deck of our building along with Forward Observers we had snipers posted. However, my point was that snipers were not laying suppressing fire for grunt units. We supplied our own cover fire. I do want to get that book though. Semper Fi. Mike
Mike, I forgot to mention but that goof was indicating that he was in a tree line laying cover fire as a sniper as Marines were coming ashore. That is the claim (and the way it was worded) that got my dander up.
Thank you very much for showing how serious you take ptsd. I’m not claiming I have ptsd I’m just saying lots of us have been touched by it. we see what it does to people. thank you very much.
Detroit Mike, When and where were you located in Beirut when you’re unit was there?
Mike
Detroit Mike,
In my two tours in Beirut I did not experience the issues that the Marines of 1/8 and 3/8 did, so of course I have no issues with PTSD, but, regardless, I despise anyone who bullshits about this stuff. I think it takes balls to begin with to bullshit about something like this, but what Scotty The Preist did, by getting on a Marine site and bullshitting other Marines takes unmitigated gall and brass balls the size of Texas. The fuckstick had to know he was going to get caught and if he really did not know this, than he is way more fucked up than many of us will ever know.
Mike
I meant to say 1/8 and 2/8. Not 3/8. I was with 3/8. Lima company, weapons platoon.