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Veteran's fake military record raises questions about charity where he worked
Published January 13, 2015
A veteran’s fake military record is raising questions about the charity he served, the Houston Chronicle reports.
Paul Schroeder claimed he shot and killed a machete-wielding child during a secret mission in Rwanda, and said he earned a Silver Star, Purple Heart and Combat Infantryman’s Badge, among other decorations.
Last week, Schroeder confessed to the paper that he had embellished his record.
In reality, he served 10 years as a military policeman in New York, Texas and Panama before leaving the military in 2001.
His admission, according to the Houston Chronicle, raises concerns about vetting procedures at PTSD Foundation of America, the faith-based nonprofit for veterans in Houston where Schroeder had worked as director of counseling since 2010.
Tax records show PTSD Foundation has been in the hole for at least three years and is carrying more than $200,000 in debt, the paper reports.
The Chronicle first questioned Schroeder's record after interviewing him almost a year ago. He said at the time that he served three combat tours in Afghanistan and one in Iraq, as well as secret missions in Africa and Central and South America.
The newspaper asked to see his discharge papers, but he never produced them. When pressed again this month, he said they were top secret.
Until Schroeder called the Chronicle to confess Wednesday, PTSD Foundation Chairman Gene Birdwell and its director of operations, Pastor David Maulsby, stood steadfastly by Schroeder.
When told by the Chronicle that Army records contradicted Schroeder's claims, Birdwell replied, "OK, so what? ... I'm only concerned about the job. He's doing a great job."
After Schroeder admitted lying and resigned, PTSD Foundation issued a statement Friday, saying that everyone involved in the nonprofit's work was shocked.
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https://www.foxnews.com/us/veterans-fake-military-record-raises-questions-about-charity-where-he-worked