WHY? Would someone lie about being in Vietnam?

Question

Someone in my family has told his friends that he was in Vietnam, which is a total lie. What would be someones reasoning for this lie? My father was in Vietnam & it messed him up very badly so I just can't understand why someone who wasn't in it would lie.

Answer 1

Maybe because s/he has told his friends that s/he would visit Vietnam and under the same circumstances, s/he would not mess up like your father did. And s/he verbally promised to do that by a certain date and because s/he could not do it, s/he might lose face if his/her friends discovered that s/he talked the talk but could not walk the walk.

Please understand and not so critical.

Answer 2

Why do people lie in the first place? Usually the simple explanation is for attention or sympathy. I wouldn't have a clue as to why someone would tell a lie about being in Vietnam. If you don't respect this person, I would confront him about the lie and try and find out what the motivation is behind it. If you ignore peoples lies, you can only expect more of the same. But that's just me, I couldn't or wouldn't allow anyone to lie about something like that, but I would confront them about it privately. To try and get them to set the record straight.

Answer 3

Maybe he wanted to impress someone/others.

Most Vietnam veterans are regarded as heroes or ppl. that endured a great deal. Ppl can have a deep respect for ppl. tht served in the armies thus can get some benefits.

Answer 4

it's an odd phenomenon, just after the war many of those who served were treated poorly [ ps. i was always treated well and benefited as a vn vet], many kept there service quiet.. those who stayed home for any number of reasons where proud they did.. nowadays viet nam vets are honored and respected as they deserved.... and those who did not go even for legitimate reasons often act "sheepishly" when the subject comes up. they are often heard to say in a regrettable tone," oh  i had a high [draft] number , i didnt get called... " they seem a little embarrassed... they need not be !  more over guys like myself who didnt serve in actual combat  feel a little guilty about that. deep inside me there is a part that regrets not seeing actual combat...even as i know how horrible on many levels it was . its about  courage and honor.. ive seen many "rear echelon" soldiers embellish their war stories to make it seem more dramatic. i just spent time with an old army buddy . we spent most of the war wearing civilian cloths, partying and going to the beach... to hear him tell it now  we were like "john wayne" during our toure in the nam... its an odd phenomenon; wanting to belong to an elite group.  usually the ones who do belong are the ones who talk about it the least..... read "the red badge of courage"

Answer 5

I am guessing he/she just wanted attention. Or He/She just wanted to be cool and have people like him.

I am sorry about your father.

Answer 6

People lie about stuff all the time. Like the college they never went to but told everyone they did. They were in a war, but never had seen military service or were so far away they couldn't have contributed to the war themselves. People do this so that they will get respect from those who were there. Then when they are found out, they break down and cry and say that they just wanted  to be accepted by their friends who were there. What they don't realize is that those who actually were there did there parts and it may have screwed them up or made them better people for their knowing they stood for what they believed in at the time. But everyone lies, especially politician. Why if I remember correctly last year or so, there was even a Presidential hopeful who lied about being in Viet Nam and he was never even in the service. In my opinion, you will meet and hear about people lying to others about almost everything for the rest of your life. Just get on with living your own life and do not worry about theirs unless it causes conflicts with your own. Then do something about it.

Answer 7

I'm sorry about your father.  I think sometimes people lie like that to make their lives seem more exciting to others.  It's usually people whose lives are boring that make up things to "embellish" it.

Answer 8

Because they need to feel important and think it will impress others.  It's sad, really.

Answer 9

There are some mixed up people in the world who feel inadequate and make up stories about themselves to compensate for their inferiority complex.

Answer 10

Some people lie to make themselves feel better about themselves.  Others lie to gain people's trust, most people have a deep respect for war veterans.  I know one guy who claimed to be a Red Beret before escaping to the US from Vietnam.  He was obviously too young to have seen any military service during the war.

I saw through his lies interviewing him, I told my supervisor and co-workers not to hire him.  But that story about being in the Red Berets impressed people so much that they hired him anyway.

We ended up firing him, for forging signatures, claiming hours he couldn't possibly have worked.  I saw one timecard where he claimed to have worked 80 hours in one week.  Turns out he pulled the same scam on another company at the same time he was scamming us.