Mark Menting AKA Kage Gaigan- phony E-8/MSG, Ranger, Airborne, Air Assault, and Stolen Valor guardian, Blog of Shame
4105/16/2017 by
Mark Menting AKA (Kage Gaigan) comes to us from different sources. He has been a member as well as an administrator on numerous Facebook military groups proudly proclaiming to be a retired E-8/ MSG Ranger. Below was the bio Menting provided to the Facebook group (U.S. Army Nation).
Pretty impressive career, right? Well if he is on militaryphony.com then you know just about everything above is false. As with any potential poser brought to our attention we started some basic investigating. With the claim of being a retired MSG who enlisted in 1983 we consulted the DoD Manpower Single record search. The results of which are below.
Now I’m not the best at math, but if you joined in 1983 and claimed to be active duty till 2003, I’m pretty sure the DoD would have you listed. Not the case here. We used multiple dates to try to verify actual service with no results. The record above was used as a mid-career example.
As with any poser Menting’s own stories were his undoing. When Menting became an administrator in the U.S. Army Nations group he got more or less power hungry and demanded that all members both existing and new complete a military history like the one we have on him listed above. If anyone refused to comply he called them out as a poser. With basic research tools in hand like the DoD Single Record search above, Menting would call out legitimate Army veterans as posers. Along the way Menting was able to infuse himself into legitimate SV communities with his pretend experience. An example of this is posted below.
Military Phonies contacted Menting via telephone to get his side of the story, and with two investigators on the line Menting said he was active for only a couple of years, then went into the Reserves and retired as an E-8. When asked for his birth-date to verify his story he gave us a date one year off of his actual birth-date. We already had his vital information So we knew he was lying. Below, when asked, Menting said Dave Hardin had his military info. (He speltided it Harding)
Mark Menting AKA Kage Gaigan, had managed to work himself into many military sites over the years. He established himself within those groups well enough to become respected and gain positions of authority. He had a long list of people who had friended him on social media over the years. He used those relationships to further bolster his credibility. He began to work his way into the Stolen Valor community by reporting potential cases and offering assistance.
We have established a policy within our community that everyone provides a DD214 and/or has a FOIA done to verify their service. Embellishers and posers often try to work their way onto friends lists of legit veterans. Menting just did it to the wrong one this time.
Menting realized he had been busted so he posted a confession to the U.S. Army Nations group stating he had completed Basic Training, and was about to graduate AIT when he was busted for a bad check. Well, the confession is posted below so you can read it for yourself.
Even with Menting attempting to cleanse his soul to members of the U.S. Army Nations group he continued to lie in his confession. Stating that he had attended and passed the Airborne course, the Air Assault course, and had atempted RIP (Ranger Indoctrination Program) as an IRR (Inactive Ready Reserve) soldier. IRR is part of the 8 year commitment required by everyone who enlist in any military service. If a person enlists for Active/ Reserve/ National Guard for even 1 year they are actually committed to the military for 8 years. After that 1 year of service the individual becomes a civilian again but is subject to recall in times of war. After the 8 years are done the individual is no longer held to any wartime commitments. Given this explanation, Menting was on the street as a civilian and would not be trained in any military specialty schools while on IRR. He also claimed to have been a part of KFOR (Kosovo Force) in 1997, KFOR did not come into existence till 1999. When he was confronted again with this lie, he quickly modified his confession to the one listed below.
On to the actual records. It should be noted that Menting has maintained that he did graduate from AIT, and received his MOS (Military Occupational Specialty). We filed a FOIA request to obtain Menting’s military records. The results of that FOIA is shown below.
According to Menting’s records he did not achieve an MOS rating as presented with the 31V00 listed above. Had he completed his AIT and graduated he would have obtained the 31V10 designation. Menting was released 6 months to the day of his enlistment. Menting has proclaimed that he is veteran because he served 181 days on active duty. The 181 day rule does not apply to Menting because his separation action started before he reached 180 days of continuous creditable active duty. The regulation is presented below. So no, despite his claims he did not receive his MOS, or should he be considered a veteran in our opinion.
Below are photos of Menting in his Kage Gaigan persona trying to look the part of an actual Army veteran, he failed.
In both pictures above Menting is wearing a beret with the Special Operations Support Command flash with no DUI ( Distinctive Unit Insignia) attached. The flash is pictured below.
Menting is pictured above wearing Army BDUs (Battle Dress Uniform) and a BDU style cap with Airborne wings on it.
A word to the wise, don’t get upset when someone asks you to verify your service. Even people within the Stolen Valor community can be taken for a ride…but its usually a short ride and ends with a boot in their ass.
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100015509049292&hc_location=ufi
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This Ain’t Hell Blog: http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=72114
Great work
Those are totally legit SPECOPS boot laces. I think you guys might have made a mistake with this cat.
jesus, i’ve been chatting with kage for several years now…..had me fooled
This guys claims of being a ranger involved with OUF on Grenada were over looked here.
We only try to post verified info, or something tangible like a screen shot as proof. If you have something like that we will gladly add it to the BoS.
how can I get information on a guy I know that who claims thon be an ex navy seal. I can tell he wasn’t. I think he was a bell ringer.I would love to know for sure.
Use the submission form link on the home page. Name, location, DOB or age, dates of service and any links to social media are helpful.
Negative thats what caught him caught some of us pay attention to the details.
I admin an Airborne page with 8k+ members and he got past our screening process. We cut him loose. Thanks for the work.
How does one join your page?
I hate dirtbags like this who take away from the honor those of us who did serve and retire should be receiving.
I was a real 11B1P in Company B 2/505 (82nd Airborne) from 1988-1992. That is an Infantry unit and a 31V would not be assigned there. His claim of an Infantry AIT at Sand Hill in 1987 would need to have been prior to his assignment to the unit.
All 31v’s in the 80’s anyway, were sent to Sill for Basic. For some reason their AIT was at Sill and not Gordon. This guy tried to accuse me of faking being Airborne because he had never heard of my unit Guard unit I served in after Active (I.e., TXNG G Co 143rd ABN) . I was onto him 3 years ago and most people said I was crazy. I’m happy that he’s finally been exposed.
That’s a problem I’ve encountered with some well intensioned people. You were probably told that he was “a great guy” and then it’s discovered he wasn’t
I never liked this piece of shit, he got banned from our 82nd Airborne group I admin a long time ago for being a jackass. Glad to see him exposed, I truly got a laugh when all this kicked off. Solid work, ladies and gentlemen!
Wow…I had no idea people actually go to these extremes. I mean, sure, I’ve seen the videos of some obviously mentally handicapped people in mixed uniforms and impossible decorations and wild stories, but…Wow. Good work guys. Good work
Lmfao. I did like the shoe laces in his sneakers in the one picture…. gag off.
He became an Admin for the Airborne Facebook Group and then proceeded to wreck what was once a good group. He let guys post pics of naked women (similar to that Marine FB group) and he tolerated members making personal attacks on other members. It got so bad that I left the group. I always thought that he acted very immature for a retired E-8 but I never suspected posing because I never suspected that someone would have the gall to be a faker and then become an admin of a military Facebook group. I was wrong.
[…] friends. He was using the name Kage Gaigan, but his actual name was Mark Menting. The folks at Military Phonies did the research after I confronted […]
I was an admin on the “Airborne” site with this Scumbag when he took it over by deleting me and several other admins, was really stunned a few other admins allowed him to do that!
He wanted all 5 jump chumps off the site because they “never walked the walk” of a assigned Paratrooper!
The only thing missing in this is the infomercial phrase ” but wait, theres more”
I’m a Marine Vet. 1963-67….. I’ve seen and read many posts my ”Fake” vets. I don’t understand why these jerk-offs make these claims. For near 40 years, I never said much at all about my time in service. For years Vietnam Vets were left out of public eye, now thousands are claiming to be Vets. I’ve been asked if I an the real deal.Some questions asked of me I can’t answer, I figure I just can’t remember anymore. I turned 71 yesterday, memories aren’t at my best. However I do remember my dates of service, MOS, and Marine Corps Service Number. 7/8/63-6/30/67 2531-0300-0811 2047620 check me out and let me know how to prove who I am. Thanks for any help..
You should already have the proof a DD214 copy? If you do not a replacement can be requested thru the national archives. https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records
I was on a flight to PR with this piece of dirt back around 2005. The flight was early and people wanted to sleep. He was drunk and being pathetic. I asked the Flight Attendant to ask him to take it down a notch and stop serving him alcohol. He was bragging about being Army retired and going on a trip for scuba diving survival or some shit like that… Of course we got into it because he got worse after told to cool it down. We were escorted off the plane by the airport Police and held until I was cleared – a few passengers backed up my story. I don’t know what they did with him but he couldn’t prove he was retired and i just knew he wasn’t. What a piece of dirt… AA had to also apologize to me because the damn Flight Attendant never stopped feeding him alcohol and it made the whole situation worse. Oh, I still get pissed off when I think about this dude. I would love to run into his ass outside federal jurisdiction… 👊 By the way – I am Army retired.
I’m retired as well and would love to run into these phonies, I would tear them a new one, I wear my proof in my arm, it’s my blue retiree I’D card and i would definetly ask to see theirs.
I did. I asked for his ID and he wouldn’t produce it. I knew he was a fake – no one retired would ever act that stupid and brag about time in service unless directly ask. Especially not a senior NCO. I was pissed but had to handle myself correctly since we were on the air and I was with my daughter. But, I did call him a fake and let everyone else know his behavior was not of a retired NCO and lacked Army values.
It would be nice if someone here could post the links, or name the sites where this idiot was a member or Admin. so I can read his ironic insults at other “posers”. I didn’t have any luck putting his 2 names in google.
Thanks,
Jeff
I had a run-in with this douchecanoe on one of his sites about a year ago. He knocked me off the (unrecalled) site because I wouldn’t FB friend him and called him a homo. He tried belittle me because I was ONLY an SFC and he was a MSG. A real dickwad.
Ok, we have had numerous questions about the fact he was transferred to IRR, and not put out. Basically what happened was he completed Basic Training, fucked up in AIT, but the Army said, “We got a guy who finish basic combat training we’ll put him IRR in case there is a war, and we need him to fight”. It’s not a badge of honor, it was a way to not waste the money and training they had already invested in him.
This guy was such a d bag on the sites I dont know how he got away fibbing for so long, I told a few dudes this guy didnt have the integrity to be an nco. He once blocked me and other real paratroopers from the Airborne site.
I have been Admin of the U.S . Army Nation group for years , he had us all fooled ..no shame in that , this cat is slick and will be back with a different name and M-O
Why is he still a member of the group?
I’m not sure of that though I think that he and Patrick Flores have been so busted it will be difficult for either to come back.
I was wrong about Flores, below: he’s not in the group you administered, but the Green Beret Posers Exposed (now Guardians of the Green Beret) have seen him reconstituted, on several occasions. Menting/Gaigan is different, though. I doubt he will be back anytime soon, particularly since he is now facing charges for battery in the state of Wisconsin, Waukesha County. https://wccabeta.wicourts.gov/
Ha, he posed as an E-8 to get a “straight” (what does that mean?) poser and then just couldn’t shake it being an E-8.
Gee, I had the same experience. When I went into undercover narcotics I dyed my hair blond and when I got out I just couldn’t shake that … for a while.
You’re another POS.
The ONLY military site I am on is SF Brothers. There you HAVE to be vetted.
Let’s not forget about his backup/ “wing man”, Naputi John. Whenever Menting told a bullshit story, Naputi was right there “saying “there we were… Blanks were flying…. A grenade simulator went off RIGHT next to us” Like he was in the foxhole with him…
BTW, class 44-87 for me, if anyone GAF…
Stolen Valor is a crime against every person in the world who has ever been a member of any military,friend or foe. It dishonors all of us in the present and every one of those who have gone before us in the course of history. It’s easy to understand the reasoning behind this action but that doesn’t make it right. I am a vet of the Georgia National Guard from 1964 to 1970 and I’m very proud to be able to say that. I would have done anything to protect and defend my outfit and my country that was asked of me. To see this man wearing a Georgia National Guard t-shirt in the picture above is shameful and reflects on every member of the guard everywhere. I am very happy that his actions have been exposed and that he is now known for what he really is.
A fake.
Sp-5 N.A. McGill, 148th Avn Bn, Fulton County Airport, Atlanta,Georgia
I locked horns with him for at least a year, and it typical poser fashion he called me a poser, One of his best tools was to get a bandwagon of like minded people to gang up on threats like myself..
Anymore the way I feel about fake people trying to impersonate a real military person should have to go in front of a firing squad and we shown what it’s like to be in the military.
I’m just so tired of all this fake BS especially in Washington we’ve got to get a handle on this and be behind our commander in chief.
These are people who are of weak character and who crave to be a hero or at least just noticed by their superiors. The rank and the stories they tell get them the attention they crave but never had. Most people who have been in the military will recognize the lack of truth and sincerity in the stories and spot a fake right away. If you were or are in the military and have a negative gut feeling about somebody’s military story then you are probably right. However do take into consideration that military jargon and nomenclature change all the time. My SP-5 rank no longer exists but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t in the military. Be careful before to make any accusations.
Although Mark Menting’s story is no longer on this site’s front page, I wanted to add a comment; I posted the comment, below, on “This Ain’t Hell.” On TAH, I’d also linked my blog discussing my experience with the individual. For better or worse (and it is worse) my post is at https://barbaraggrantblog.wordpress.com/
Mark is, in my judgment, the Kim Philby of military posers. Who was Kim Philby? The most well-known, and notorious, of the Cambridge Five, British double agents of the Cold War. While I’d doubt that Mark would ever betray country, he earns the moniker because he betrays everyone else. Since he is smarter than (just about) everyone else, he wasn’t called out for quite a long time.No one should feel badly for not noticing, earlier, as he is very, very smart.
Below, my comment from TAH:
As I’m going through these comments again, I can feel the anger, and it’s justified. Very interesting to me, since I came to the problem from a different angle and yet my treatment by this individual was ultimately similar to yours…PLAYED! Nobody likes being played.
I must add something about the “name.” There are two parts to it. I heard him pronounce it; it is _not_ “KAYGE GAYGAN” but “KAH-gee GY-gan.” On the internet, you can see him refer to himself as “Kagemusha Gaigan,” which is why I titled my linked blog post, above, as I had. So the Kagemusha character from the Japanese film was obvious. If you look up the film, you can see that it is about a petty thief who becomes the body double and later, the impersonator of a powerful Japanese warlord in feudal Japan.
If you look at the Wikipedia article on the subject, you’ll also see that director Kurosawa worked with another prominent filmmaker, T. Tanaka, the producer of the Japanese monster movies including Godzilla. I Googled Mr. Tanaka and found this link: http://www.tohokingdom.com/movies/godzilla_vs_gigan.htm See it for yourself.
So, ultimately, the man who stole valor, hounded legitimate vets, administered several websites, and hugely lied to me, had created his name, and his persona based on 1) An ancient Japanese fraud and 2) A Japanese movie monster.
51 years of age, or 15?