"Homeless Veteran" in the Lowe's Parking lot.

So, I'm at Lowe's this morning getting stuff for the honey-do list and as I'm loading my stuff in the car there's this homeless dude that comes shuffling past with a sign ... heading for the entrance of the parking lot where he'll sit and beg. His sign says "Homeless Veteran. Please Help"


A couple stalls down from me is this kid (I say kid ... probably mid 20s) with a full beard, lots of tats, lots of muscles loading his stuff into a lifted 4x4 and he sees the guy, reaches into his pocket and pulls out a money clip and says to the guy "Hey, brother..." and the homeless dude spins around and starts shuffling back ... with purpose now because he sees the money clip.


When the Homeless guy got about 6 feet from the kid he asks the homeless guy "So, brother, what was your MOS?"


Homeless guy stops cold, confused look on his face (like this kid was speaking German or something). Says "My what?"


Kid says (slower and more deliberately this time) "What was your MOS?"


Bum is still confused and says "I don't know"


Kid stuffs the money clip back into his pocket and says "Man, get the fuck out of here! And lose the sign because if I catch you pretending to be a vet again I'll fuckin' feed it to you."

That's when I noticed the giant globe and anchor on the rear window of his truck.




Anyway, I thought it was funny ... and I learned how to deal with homeless "vets".

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Originally Posted by Zundfolge

So, I'm at Lowe's this morning getting stuff for the honey-do list and as I'm loading my stuff in the car there's this homeless dude that comes shuffling past with a sign ... heading for the entrance of the parking lot where he'll sit and beg. His sign says "Homeless Veteran. Please Help"


A couple stalls down from me is this kid (I say kid ... probably mid 20s) with a full beard, lots of tats, lots of muscles loading his stuff into a lifted 4x4 and he sees the guy, reaches into his pocket and pulls out a money clip and says to the guy "Hey, brother..." and the homeless dude spins around and starts shuffling back ... with purpose now because he sees the money clip.


When the Homeless guy got about 6 feet from the kid he asks the homeless guy "So, brother, what was your MOS?"


Homeless guy stops cold, confused look on his face (like this kid was speaking German or something). Says "My what?"


Kid says (slower and more deliberately this time) "What was your MOS?"


Bum is still confused and says "I don't know"


Kid stuffs the money clip back into his pocket and says "Man, get the fuck out of here! And lose the sign because if I catch you pretending to be a vet again I'll fuckin' feed it to you."

That's when I noticed the giant globe and anchor on the rear window of his truck.




Anyway, I thought it was funny ... and I learned how to deal with homeless "vets".

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Could of been he wasn't Army or Marines (MOS)
Might have been Air Force (AFSC) or Navy (NEC) and truly was confused.
Homelessness, despair, and futility can make you ignorant

Just ask for a VA ID card. They give them out for free with verification. I never heard of MOS until friend of mine joined the Army. I had an AFSC, I never ever heard anybody in the Air Force talk about an MOS. My AFSC code doesn't even exist anymore. If I am panhandled, I usually ask where were you stationed and have a decent conversation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_Specialty_Code

What do you think of this hymn?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHzd35ElwuU

Even if you asked for an MOS and they responded, unless you were in the military would you even know if they gave you a correct response?

Life imitates The Duffel Blog:

Homeless Vietnam Veteran So Traumatized By War, Can’t Remember Unit, Military Terms

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“It was definitely rough when I came home from the war in 1978,” says Richard McAdams, a veteran who served in the Marines during the Vietnam war. “I got off the plane and they were spitting on me and calling me baby-killer.”

McAdams says he served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1978, although the war officially ended three years prior.



“Well I don’t exactly remember the year,” he says, “but I know that it was really hell over there, especially when the Chosin was so freezing cold. My friend Billy actually lost his fingers to frostbite.”

McAdams is of course referring to the Chosin Reservoir, the location of the famous 1950 breakout by Marines of the 1st Marine Division during the Korean War, when McAdams was only one year old.

Korea is about 1800 miles away from Vietnam.

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As I understand it (explained to me once), inquiries about someone's 'Rate or Rating' would also apply if their Service was with another branch & letters or a title, not necessarily just numbers would have been the appropriate response. This is not the same as the E...

Though, I was also told that MOS has become a common vernacular most generally recognize if they were in the Military since/after Vietnam.

Curious if the above info is accurate. Lmk if I have it wrong. Thanks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United...ccupation_code

Yeah, I dunno. I’ve been working around AF folks now since 2016, and I still have no idea what they do, how they designate it, or their bass ackwards enlisted rank system. At least I recognize the officer’s ranks.

If the guy was navy or AF, “MOS” would have been a foreign term to him as much the gobbledygook I hear from the Air Force folks every day at work.

The average Vietnam Vet (let's say 20 years old in 1970) would have been 40 when I was 14. One of my friends Dad was pretty messed-up. I laugh hard when I see guys my age, or just a bit older, rocking the "Vietnam Veteran" hat and "woe is me" act- such a scam.

I got busted by a Navy O1 wearing the white short sleeve dress shirt with the shoulderboards- "Aren't you supposed to salute an Officer?" At that time, 99.9% of my exposure had been to Army personnel, so my response was genuine- "Sorry Sir, I didn't recognize your rank".

In the OP's story, I would say it's probably 90% likely the bum was a scammer and 10% he was NAVY/AF.

There is a reason the guy is begging in the Lowes parking lot instead of getting actual care at VA. Either a scammer or druggie, and likely to be both.


I don't care what a beggar claims, they get nothing. Props like dogs, musical instruments, or children just piss me off even more.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by XJ

There is a reason the guy is begging in the Lowes parking lot instead of getting actual care at VA. Either a scammer or druggie, and likely to be both.


I don't care what a beggar claims, they get nothing. Props like dogs, musical instruments, or children just piss me off even more.

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We're pretty much in alignment there.

Most of my career was in Joint environments so I learned MOS early on despite being Air Force although I only knew what a handful of them meant. I donate to the Springs Rescue Mission, Care and Share, Catholic Charities, etc. so I don't respond to requests for cash. I've bought meals for vent men in Philadelphia, gas for people who claimed to need to get home, etc. but they don't get cash.

The local American Legion post has fundraisers for vets in need -- I trust the old vets to be able spot scammers better than me and to take care of those that really need it.

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Originally Posted by .455_Hunter

The average Vietnam Vet (let's say 20 years old in 1970) would have been 40 when I was 14. One of my friends Dad was pretty messed-up. I laugh hard when I see guys my age, or just a bit older, rocking the "Vietnam Veteran" hat and "woe is me" act- such a scam.

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I'm 55; born in 1965. I don't spook easy, but when I do it's usually somewhat dramatic. Every now and then when I get spooked I'll say 'Sorry, flashbacks to 'Nam.' I'm amazed at the number of people who ask me 'You served in Vietnam?' (seriously believing it). My response is then 'I wasn't even 10 when the Vietnam War ended. Just how old do you think I am?'

Quote:

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Originally Posted by XJ

There is a reason the guy is begging in the Lowes parking lot instead of getting actual care at VA. Either a scammer or druggie, and likely to be both.


I don't care what a beggar claims, they get nothing. Props like dogs, musical instruments, or children just piss me off even more.

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Amen & +1

I know there are legitimately some folks out panhandling who NEED help but because there are so many who are just looking for a simple way to make serious cash off the books (and many drive better cars than I own), I won't give a cent directly to any of them. As Aloha_Shooter said, there are a lot of charitable organizations out there that provide assistance to those who NEED it; I'm happy to donate to those organizations.

Well I suspect this bum was not a vet because he slinked off pretty quickly ... I'm thinking an AF or Navy guy would have defended himself rhetorically a bit ... this guy looked like he knew he got caught.

As for not knowing what MOS is, I've never served and I'm familiar enough with the term that I recognized it ... but then I've also lived in a military town for most of the last two decades.

I was Navy, but I know when someone asks what my MOS was they are talking about my specialty.

When I tell them Electronic Warfare they get this excited look in their eyes thinking I played video games all day long.....

Or I could say Anti-ship Missile Defense, or its still classified LOL

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Originally Posted by thedave1164

I was Navy, but I know when someone asks what my MOS was they are talking about my specialty.

When I tell them Electronic Warfare they get this excited look in their eyes thinking I played video games all day long.....

Or I could say Anti-ship Missile Defense, or its still classified LOL

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I read your post and had this thought; What if the panhandler had responded with, "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."

During my son's last deployment I would sometimes wear a hat he gave me unique to his unit. Got approached by a homeless guy, said he had been a SEAL, could I help him out. Sure, what was your class number? Came up with some weird assed battalion number and infantry unit. I laid in to him tellling me I was the wrong guy to ask with a son up to his eyeballs with bad guys trying to kill him and his fellow soldiers. He just shuffled on looking for his next target.

During my active church days, they handed me the "winter packet/package" for people in needs. It had a nicer pair of socks than my socks. It had bottle of water, soap, tooth paste/brush, and towels.
We were giving out to many homeless people. Everyone said the word thanks, but most had little disappointment written on their face. Except one guy near 120th and Washington Barnes & Noble.

Due to extremely high Moral Hazard issues, I do not give out cash. Maybe necessities and/or personal care items.
I do not care their past being veteran, Veterinarian, or admiral-general. no cash.

It is late at night 20 years ago, I just walked out of bar in COS. Guy comes up to me, asks if I can get a veteran a cheeseburger. I said where were you stationed? He said "Wiesbaden". I gave him $3.
I had heard of Wiesbaden when I was stationed in Europe. Never been there though. Army put a Major next to me in the enlisted barracks. They were afraid we were gonna nuke the Army troops if the war got hot...by accident.

Helpful hint. There are no homeless veterans. And if there are then they are likely pieces of shit that you wouldn?t want to help out anyways.

Beggars don?t get my money or my sympathy regardless of what their bullshit sign says.

Free handouts for those who aren?t putting forth an effort to better themselves is one of many things that are wrong with society today.

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Originally Posted by ray1970

Helpful hint. There are no homeless veterans. And if there are then they are likely pieces of shit that you wouldn?t want to help out anyways.

Beggars don?t get my money or my sympathy regardless of what their bullshit sign says.

Free handouts for those who aren?t putting forth an effort to better themselves is one of many things that are wrong with society today.

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Hey, that's not very woke of you.

The VA can & will fuck you over. Been there, done that. Not to mention the 4500 veterans surgically lobotomized by the VA after World War II. I have personally seen some of the VA's victims, and it is shocking. I feel sorry for any veteran that falls through the cracks. I had to raise a shit storm to get the VA elevated to a cabinet position. Not to mention all the shit I had to go through to get a Space Force legislated.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by XJ

There is a reason the guy is begging in the Lowes parking lot instead of getting actual care at VA. Either a scammer or druggie, and likely to be both.


I don't care what a beggar claims, they get nothing. Props like dogs, musical instruments, or children just piss me off even more.

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^^^ 100% THIS

I'll admit to having a soft spot for the dogs of homeless people. I've probably pissed off a few because I see them with dogs on 16th Street, and I'll head into the Walgreens or 7-11 and buy a box of Milkbones to give them instead of cash or human food.

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Originally Posted by JTP80

I'll admit to having a soft spot for the dogs of homeless people. I've probably pissed off a few because I see them with dogs on 16th Street, and I'll head into the Walgreens or 7-11 and buy a box of Milkbones to give them instead of cash or human food.

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A buddy who works for a Sheriff's office told me that often times the homeless have pets as a way to dissuade the cops from arresting them. Evidently dealing with their pets is just a huge hassle, and the homeless people know it.

Plus those dogs are suffering zero. Dogs don't care if they live in a house or not.

The real homeless are probably sharing the milk bones.
Just sayin'

Zero f's given about transients now. After 64 the # of them has imploded by an order of magnitude of probably 600-700% in some areas. I don't give a shit what their sign is, when they're addicted to everything under the sun, I'm not paying for it. Whether or not they were Chuck Norris on Omaha Beach, I'm still not paying for their f'n fix.

SOrry to break this to you rich suburb/rural area folks , but I do have many experiences working part time night/grave at a gas station near bad neighborhood.
I worked at intersection of Long Beach Blvd and Compton blvd. about 19 years ago.

homeless daily process:
There are so many panhandlers that people who goes get gas will get hit on by many homeless people.
There is always homeless boss. They station people at this and that corner of intersection and ask for money.
Then they gather up at certain hours to see how much they got. Then they need to convert the coins into a bill, because drug dealers supposedly do not accept coins as their trade currency. Just bills.
The homeless boss negotiate crack, meth, or whatever their preferred drug with glass rose (pipe), brillo, lighters, etc.
They smoke crack somewhere and disappear for about 6 hours.
Then they come out with leftover money to buy those cheap 30 to 50 cent chips and drink for their post drugged up meal.

REPEAT EVERYDAY.



We got out of this around 2006, and I guess new guy shut it down or sold it by looking at the fences all around it. It use to be Shell gas station when we were doing it.
This gas station is so well known place (large st location, homeless, and so many thugs) that even people near Torrance, Long Beach, Cerritos, and even Buena Park knows this gas station.

This neighborhood is SO BAD that, even hoodlum or homie looking guys even told me that they are saving up money to get the F out of this F hell hole. [LOL]

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In situation like that the community forms a "star chamber".

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Originally Posted by MrPrena

SOrry to break this to you rich suburb/rural area folks

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No poor people or downtrodden allowed here. Move along.

Attachment 83138