SHAM
VETERAN CONFESSES

Topics: Boasting; Bondage; Conscience; Deception; Falsehood; Guilt; Hypocrisy; Lying; Regret; Repentance; Sin; Truthfulness

References: 2 Samuel 12; 24:10; Proverbs 28:13

Werner “Jack” Genot wanted to be a hero. So, he concocted a story about serving as a marine and being taken as a prisoner of war during a bloody Korean War battle.

Genot, now seventy-one, is from the small Illinois town of Marengo, where he serves as an alderman. His story grew until the uniform he wore on special occasions became laden with fake medals he had ordered from a catalog—a Bronze Star, a Silver Star, and two Purple Hearts. He would march in parades and talk to schoolchildren. He even got a special license plate reserved for wounded veterans by forging discharge papers.

However, a veteran’s league eventually noticed a lack of records on file and numerous factual holes in Genot’s military record and began an investigation. For two years, Genot denied the accusations and danced around the questions. But he finally confessed his deception in an interview with a local newspaper, claiming he could no longer stand the facade.

“You can’t imagine what I’m going through,” he said. “I really didn’t know how to shake this demon. But I went to bed with it every night, and I looked at it in the mirror every morning. I don’t want to meet my Maker with this on my heart.”

—Jeff Long, “He Lied So He Could Be a Hero,” Chicago Tribune (November 22, 2005)