Veterans’ groups are angered an Albury man attempted to concoct a distinguished service history to dodge extra prison time.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Adrian Peter Hoffman was sentenced to eight months jail by magistrate Alexander Mijovich after he was convicted of several charges including assault, contravening an apprehended violence order, destroy or damage property and possessing a crossbow at Albury Local Court on November 4.
The 43-year-old claimed he had an unblemished military record, of more than two decades, spanning three tours of Afghanistan and one of Iraq which sparked his addiction to methamphetamine.
A well-placed Defence source told The Border Mail Hoffman had less than three years service with the navy and did not serve overseas.
The source said Hoffman spent a time as an electronic technician but never left Australia.
“It really frustrates me when people blame the military for their problems, especially when a lot of us have issues from serving overseas, especially if they haven’t legitimately served overseas.
“It’s a bad look for the service and for returned servicemen and women.”
A Defence spokesman said the Army was unable to identify a personnel recording matching Hoffman’s description.
Under the Defence Act 1903, anyone who falsely purports to be a soldier, sailor or airman during any war faces up to six months jail
Wodonga-based Hume Veterans Information Centre chairman Kevyn Williams said falsified military histories were a source of veterans’ ire.
“As a returned serviceman, I feel very strongly about people that try to imitate soldiers that hold served overseas and some that paid the ultimate sacrifice,” he said.
“Therefore, anyone that wears medals or purports to be an ex-servicemen with a certain history it’s rather annoying and it causes embarrassment.
“It’s treated with resentment by veterans and causes problems … along with the potential to discredit those who have served.”
Bill Hobson, of the Australian and New Zealand Military Imposters website, said he believed people who blamed their wrongdoings on fraudulent service records were “absolutely disgusting human beings”.
Mr Hobson, who said the online group used a wealth of “experience and brains to solve problems”, said concocting fictitious military backgrounds was becoming more prevalent.
“There’s enough of us with PTSD that live it every day but don’t blame our problems on it,” he said.
“It reflects on the service because it indicates that people are going out and doing outrageous things and blaming it on the service.
“We’re not all crazy … we don’t all blame our problems on going overseas.”