It is certainly interesting to note how, despite the growing number of people who are working towards exposing military fakers and the increasing number of bloggers who document the efforts of these volunteers, there are still people with the audacity to try and masquerade as the heroes that they are not.

Case in point is an article on the Army Times that shared how another hero-wannabe was exposed. One cannot help but think: when will they ever learn?

It was, however, another accomplishment for the POW Network as well as blogger Mark Seavey, who, along with fellow bloggers, posted a photo of a self-proclaimed “Army General,” bedecked with all sorts of medallions imaginable. The faker turned out to be 44-year-old Michael McManus, a former Army private first class who served from 1984 to 1987.

Of McManus, Seavey said: “Wearing two Distinguished Service Crosses and a Combat Infantry Badge with two stars, is analogous to saying someone is a pitcher for the Red Sox and a quarterback for the Patriots. If that person existed, you would know about them.”

Seavey received McManus’ photo from Mary Schantag of the POW Network. A friend’s brother had sent Schantag snapshots of McManus in his uniformed splendor at the Dec. 12 inauguration for Houston Mayor Annise Parker. It was through the research of volunteers and anonymous tips that McManus was revealed as a fake, and this eventually led to his arrest on February 5.

Seavey is actually a new media manager for the American Legion, but uses his spare time to blog on stolen-valor cases and other military topics.