James “Mike” Swanson – U.S. Navy HM1 (E-6), Three Purple Hearts, Blog of Shame
2206/03/2020 by militaryphonies
BACKGROUND
James Michael “Doc” Swanson comes to us from Huntsville, Alabama. Swanson is 36 years old at the time of this writing – June 2020.
Swanson adorns his Facebook page with military-related imagery from his deployments. Things took a bit of a turn years after getting out of the service.
His rank and the medals Swanson earned in the military starting evolving.
RANK
On Swanson’s Together We Served (TWS) profile, he lists himself as an HM1, which is a Hospital Corpsman First Class (E-6). Later, documents will show that Swanson was discharged as a Hospital Corpsman Third Class (E-4).
A couple of other side notes on Swanson’s TWS profile:
1) LENGTH OF SERVICE – Swanson has three service stripes displayed which denote 4 years each for a claim of twelve (12) years of military service. Later, it will be shown that he had eight (8) years and nince (9) months of total service. This would mean he would display two (2) service stripes to properly represent his service.
2) ASSIGNMENTS – Swanson has assignments listed. Later, it will be shown that this listing is accurate.
As far as the rank of HM1, Swanson would have spent enough time in the service to make it to HM1, so that is plausible. If HM3 was the highest rank he achieved, it would seem odd for the amount of time he was in. It is more plausible that he achieved the higher ranks but was busted down due to Non-Judicial punishment (UCMJ violation) or some other reason.
Here is a photo where he claims to have been promoted to HM2 (E-5). We have no reason to doubt its authenticity or his claim of HM2.
In the following post, he is displayed in an HM2 uniform (E-5) which is the “crow” on the shirt lapels with two rockers underneath. One rocker would be HM3 (E-4) and three rockers would be HM1 (E-6).
In this post, Swanson wears the rank of HM2.
In this post, he wears a vest with the designation HM2 on it.
In this post, talking about his family’s military service, he has a photo of himself as a baby and refers to his current self as HM1(ret).
Then, in this posts he claims to have made HM1 but didn’t get to pin it on citing “bad choices.”
Bottom line: We suspect that he achieved the rank of HM2, and believe it was plausible that he made selection to HM1 but did not get to pin it on. However, it is accepted that one claims and displays the rank they held when they were discharged, not the highest rank that they held. Swanson’s official military records show that he was an HM3 (E-4) when he left military service.
If Swanson was in fact medially retired, it would not be accurate to refer to himself as HM1(ret). It would be HM3(ret).
MEDALS – INCLUDING THE PURPLE HEART
The medals and awards that Swanson displays on his TWS profile are as follows:
In a Private Message to someone, he displays another rack different than the one above, this one displaying a Purple Heart for being wounded in combat.
In a Private Message chat with someone else, Swanson claimed he had a Purple Heart.
Later, in another Private Message chat, Swanson claims to have earned three (3) Purple Hearts.
In a post having to do with Challenge Coins, Swanson displays a Military Order of the Purple Heart (topmost coin) which signifies that one was awarded a Purple Heart and is an member of this organization.
PURPLE HEART CITATION(S)
Swanson sent away for Purple Heart citations. The following photos depict the envelope’s arrival.
There is evidence to suggest that he simply ordered them from:
https://military-certificates.com/purple-heart-medal-usmc.htm
Among other evidence, the example citation advertised on the above site is signed by “William G. Kelley”:
What’s telling is that this “William G. Kelley” has a different title depending on which service branch you designate once you order the certificate.
PHOTOS
In several photos Swanson posted of him in uniform, they show no Purple Heart medal.
Some people were skeptical and asked Military Phony to look into these claims. Several people claim to have given Swanson money and other things of value based on him claims of being a wounded combat veteran.
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ACTIONS CONDUCTED BY MILITARY PHONIES
James Michael Swanson’s military records were ordered through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
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FOIA RESULTS
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY (DoN)
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE MANPOWER DATA CENTER (SCRA)
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OTHER INFORMATION
Some of the above dates and charges prove to be interesting. In the following post, he talks about being in a motor vehicle accident.
Swanson says he was run off the road by another driver that fell asleep. However, he was charged with Hit and Run and Reckless Driving around this same time period.
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DISCUSSION and SUMMARY
Mike Swanson’s official military records from the Department of the Navy (DoN) do not support several of his claims.
Rating & Rank
Swanson was in the HM rating. That stands for Hospital Corpsman (medical corpsman). He got out of the Navy as a HM3, which is an E-4. As discussed, it is plausible that he made HM2 and even HM1, but by his own admission made “bad choices” so left the military as an HM3 (E-4). If that was the case, it is not honorable to claim the highest rank held – even if he identifies with being an HM2 or HM1.
Medals
The official military records do not support Swanson having a single Purple Heart medal, and certainly not three as he claimed. The medals that he claims seem to expand each year.
Swanson claims he was injured and recieved a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) as a result of an IED (Improvised Explosive Device).
Even if this were true and he is writing people he served with to get statements in order for him to be awarded a Purple Heart – he should not claim one until it is officially recorded in his records.
That said, these several posts are quite interesting…
He claims in this one that he was wounded in Aug 2011…
His Purple Heart certificate states that he was wounded on 28 Aug 2011 and was awarded the Purple Heart on 16 Sept 2011…
But strangely enough, in these series of posts to his Facebook profile there is no mention of being wounded or in an IED explosion, nor is there mention of his upcoming award of the Purple Heart. As much as he is live blogging all of his experiences in Afghanistan, this would be significant but there’s not a word about it.
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STOLEN VALOR
If the claims by Mike Swanson were used to leverage work, military or civilian promotions, money or anything else of value, he may be in violation of Stolen Valor laws.
State laws may also apply in regard to Stolen Valor.
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PHOTOS
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SOCIAL MEDIA
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/mike.swanson7
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This Ain’t Hell: https://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=100462
Here we go James Michael Swanson, you embellishing POS! Let me be the FIRST to congratulate you on your soon to be new found Google Fame. Don’t think they give out Purple Hearts for self inflicted crank stepping. The troops of TAH gonna have fun come the morning time. Enjoy…..Bitch!
Hey man why no “FMF” after your HM2 on your tactical
body armor? You know considering the shit-storm you went through what was it three (3) PHM’s you earned it shipmate.
Me I’m just your garden variety 100% DAV (P+T) ISCM who’d really like to get close to you and put you out of your misery. Hey with regard to your expanding ribbon bar why don’t you throw-in being a SEAL!
Also… He lies often about having to tend to suicidal vets, after others kill themselves… so that he can go off and be with other women… who the hell lies about vet suicide and then talks about how serious it is on facebook all the time
[…] folks at MilitaryPhony send us their work on James Michael “Doc” Swanson. He usually goes by […]
He uses his false narrative and sob stories along with other lies to manipulate and exploit women.
Mike worked for me when he was an undeaignated altman. He went to HM ‘A’ school and then was attached to a Marine unit and made several deployments. I have kept in touch with Mike, and is not a POS nor has he stolen valor.
With all due respect, merely making a declaration that this is not Stolen Valor is not helpful. We outlined the case as above complete with documents and photos of support. Some of it was Swanson’s own statements. If you have proof that there are inaccuracies in the case, please expand upon your assertion. He may have been a great guy and top-notch sailor when he worked for you but you should be willing to stipulate that people can go downhill. Consider that maybe he’s not the same person you knew and has evolved into someone else after making some bad choices? Again, please provide proof of your claims as we did for this case. Thank you.
I am looking into this, but I am not willing to throw someone under the bus without absolute truth. And yes, people can change over time. If it turns out I’m wrong, then I have no qualms about admitting it, but for me to just go by what has been published thus far would be reckless of me. Also, I think if people are going to comment, they should post their names.
Darell – You may be new to these sites but people don’t use their names because of junk lawsuits. Many in this community have been exposed to, in my view and the court’s view, unfair lawsuits and in the case of a few where their names were listed on these lawsuits – it has cost them tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees. One perpetrator was labeled as a vexatious litigant by the courts which eventually offered some relief but until that time one had to fly over to Florida, get a hotel and show up in court or risk losing all of their worldly assets by default. The person that filed the suit would simply call in sick and ask for a new date. He even admitted that his goal was to cause people anguish and money. Stated another way – he wasn’t right, he just wanted to be a pain in the ass while he was proven wrong. As far as Mike, if you have spoken to him lately he has admitted a lot of things that he did were wrong. Pay particular attention to how drugs have played a role in his behavior change. Popped hot on a piss test, doesn’t have a Purple Heart, never put on HM1, etc. Another thing about the behavior of people that are outed on this site – they let friends, wives and girlfriends get out in front and wage the fight for their defense, while they remain silent. They are silent because they know they are not in good standing but would rather lay back to “see how it goes” while leaving their “friends” out there to twist in the wind. As with all cases, we encourage you to obtain James Michael Swanson’s military records yourself. When you obtain them directly from the source, you will have confidence that there was no spin put on the results. The DoN is pretty quick about it. All you have to do is fill out a SF-180 and submit it to the DoN. The address is right on the SF-180 form. I’m confident you will see what we see – there is no HM1 and he got out as an HM3, and there is no Purple Heart. Then it becomes a matter of did he actually claim he had a Purple Heart – hence the posted photos and captures of his Private Messages in his own words. We don’t take pleasure in any of this and give many people a pass because we’d rather be 100% sure than falsely call out a veteran. I think you will eventually find, if you talk with Mike more, that he will slowly start to backtrack and define shades of gray about all of this, assigning motives to people that contributed to his outing, vs. take responsibility for his actions. If he was honorable, he would do the latter and not let his friends get out in front of a losing effort. Good luck and let us know if we can be of any help.
****** ******…YOU are the epitome of stolen valor.
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[Comment redacted. No names or personally identifiable information. ~ Admin]
If, by “Epitome of Stolen Valor” you mean blowing the whistle on someone who has lied about being a recipient of the Purple Heart (this despicable act in and of itself is a huge insult to those individuals who HAVE earned a Purple Heart) then yes, I guess the person you were attempting to address in your comment is indeed guilty……
Also, if you need further proof that your son is guilty of Stolen Valor, go on over to the This Ain’t Hell site and read the report. (There’s a link to it in the comments section here.) I think you will find more proof in the comments section on that site. I will warn you, it’s not pretty. It’s understandable that you’d want to defend your own flesh and blood. But, I think you need to accept the facts as they are plainly made available to you (and the rest of the world). If you still doubt your son capable of doing these things, you can send off for his service records (in fact, it is highly encouraged that you do so!). I think you’ll find instructions on how to request those records in the comments section here. The fact that your son has deceived you and so many others is a hard pill to swallow. Search out the truth for yourself (that doesn’t mean take your son’s word for gospel) and accept the reality for what it is.
So looking at the effective date of paygrade and his discharge date. He was probably a HM2 went to mast got busted down to HM3 and was separated shortly after since he would have been past HYT for E4. Again the worst kind is people who actually serve and then lie about their service.
It may seem like a trivial point, but further proof that the Purple Heart certificate(s) is an entirely phony “mail order” fraud can be found by inspecting the envelop in the picture. It has regular USPS “adhesive stamps“ on it. Have any of us ever received mail from any Federal government entity that wasNot either franked or used a postage meter? The use of ordinary stamps clearly indicates that this envelop did not originate from the Bureau of Naval Personnel (or any similar command).
Yes, look in the lower left corner of the award. If you zoom in, you can read “PH commemorative”. Phonies gotta phony..
1) Rank: Navy Wide Exam results for the September 2013 Exam Cycle lists SWANSON JAMES M as selected to HM1. HOWEVER, he was likely frocked to PO1, got busted, frocking removed (PO2) and reduced one grade to PO3.
2) Medals/ Awards: There are raging discrepancies between the DD-214 vs. photo in uniform vs. Refridge Rack. He has awarded himself PHM, NMCCOM, JMUA and OVSM as well as extra NMCAM’s, MUC, and SSDR.
Oddly, DD214 is missing unit awards as well AFSM and HSM. I know NPAC aka “Navy Records” at Camp Lejeune does screw some things up but it NOT common to see such omissions.
3) Discharge: It is clear the James Michael Swanson was DISCHARGED from active duty not medically retired. DD-214 Block #23: Type of Separation. This entry depends on the Character of Service (#24). If block 24 is anything other than Honorable you will typically see “Discharge” or “Discharged”.
Pissing Hot as well as previous incidents with civilian authorities is the quickest route to a reduction and OTH.
It would appear that lil’ Mikey Swanson forgot this line from the Hospital Corpsman Pledge: “I WILL NOT PARTAKE OF NOR ADMINISTER ANY UNAUTHORIZED MEDICATION.” This also applies to ALL illegal substances.
Thank you so much for your work on this, Chief. We did notice a trend with the unit awards but did not draw too much attention to it. As I understand it, Swanson has admitted to some type of violation involving drugs when he was in the Navy which led to his rank reduction and most likely his release from active duty.
So the blocks and code on his DD-214 confirm temporary disability honorable discharge. I am a civilian and not well versed in military lingo but I read that to be medically retired. Please correct me if I am wrong. There are plenty of other lies, smokescreens, and misrepresentations from this individual.
No nonsense:
NEGATIVE!! Nothing is confirmed within the context of my comments on discharge.
We can only presume the likelihood of what is in Block #24 based upon the wording in #23. Block #26 would be the most definitive detail as it holds the code for the specific reason for separation from service.
The ONLY way to definitively clear the issue would be for JAMES MICHAEL SWANSON to request a personal copy of the DD-214 and have it delivered directly to Military Phonies or some other independent entity….and we know the chances of that are ZERO…ZILCH…NADA!
** The following is reposted from TAH for continuity of information to all. **
– No nonsense says: June 6, 2020 at 7:25 pm
HMC (FMF) Ret_87-10. I got this information from the original copy.
– HMC(FMF)Ret_87-10 says: June 6, 2020 at 8:10 pm
No nonsense:
It appears that you have/ had access to information that we (the public at large) do not have.
You will have to make your own decision based on the information that you personally have.
As a side note, it is possible that this person was processed for separation under a medical condition after an unfavorable event (substance abuse) if it could be lumped in with a medical issue like PTSD. This also helps save-face for the command/ unit he was last assigned.
With all that said, nothing justifies this EX-Sailor’s self-glorification through false awards and deeds.
– No nonsense says: June 6, 2020 at 8:10 pm
HMC(FMF)Ret_87-10
From the original:
23 “Discharged” 24 “Honorable” 26 “SFK”
Like I said, I’m a civilian and while I have learned some military lingo, I am nowhere near as well versed as some of the vets on here.
– HMC(FMF)Ret_87-10 says: June 6, 2020 at 8:21 pm
SFK: Placed on temporary disability retired list, USN Enlisted.
So it would appear that the discharge was white-washed by NAVHOSP Camp Lejeune to save-face.
This does not diminish the fact that he lost TWO grades in the last months of service; PO1 down to PO3. That is still plenty of smoke to show his world was burning down before separation.
– No nonsense says: June 6, 2020 at 8:26 pm
HMC-agreed
**END**
HMC(FMF)Ret_87-10
From the original:
23 “Discharged” 24 “Honorable” 26 “SFK”
This stuff goes way beyond my current level of knowledge of military lingo. Would love your input🙂
HMC, thank you for clarifying these things!!!
Some people are not satisfied with who they are, and invariably make up stories to make them feel better about themselves, or others admire, and respect them. In Mr. Swanson’s are, as in many others, those people actually start believing the lies they dispel. Although I cannot condone what Mr. Swanson did, I as a Chaplain with the DAV have certainly dealt with many like Mr. Swanson. I forgive him, as the Lord would, and pray that he make restitution to those he has undermined by his actions. “Wild Bill” Chaplain, DAV.