Phonies, Imposters, and Impersonators
Believe it or not, we're talking about war veterans.
Tracking down people who aren't who they say they are is what a Skidmore couple does...developing a network exposing military fraud.
P.O.W. Network Co-founder Mary Schantag says, "It's a full time volunteer effort to make sure history is recorded accurately."
Starting the POW Network out of their home 15 years ago, Chuck and Mary Schantag wanted to honor the memories of those who fought for our country, and especially the prisoners of war...but then things started to change.
"It was matter of joining Vietnam Vet Assoc. and materials didn't match from 1 month to next, I'm very picky, I started collecting..." says Mary.
And she started finding...
"Along with the 92,000 missing we have frauds and phonies and wannabee's coming out of the woodworks," according to Mary.
And now the couple spends the majority of their time exposing the imposters. For Chuck, a Vietnam Vet and purple heart recipient, it's personal.
"I have 58,000 good reasons etched in a wall in D.C., guys that have never grown old," says Chuck.
They receive dozens of emails daily about claims vets make, then verify them with military documents.
"Like a fish story the lies keep growing bigger and bigger... We have 1 vet in Hawaii who said he got epilepsy from getting burned by a hibachi grill and collects numerous benefits for number of other ridiculous claims. Not one of the vets we have exposed has been able to prove they're record is true and our accusations are false," says Mary.
"We pursue these people vigorously," says Chuck.
Because according to the Schantags these people are stealing, by receiving services from VA hospitals, tax breaks, even free liscense plates...all out of taxpayers wallets.
According to Mary, "We know we`re changing history..."
"I now understand that the sign of a truly great man is his humility. When you talk to real POW`s they all tell you I didn`t do anything special."
And identifying the truly special is the Networks goal so those people and the sacrafices they made are remembered for eternity.
For more information...log on to www.pownetwork.org.
© 2004 KQTV