Stolen Valour

Case notes:

Medal Cheats and Wannabes are fairly easy to detect. They are easily identifiable by their peers, particularly in the Military because the Wannabe is usually the loud mouth, know it all who wears honours and awards they are not entitled to and attempt to create a persona they have no right to claim. Our website is full of these characters.

While ANZMI tend to only investigate ‘military imposters’, every now and then a case comes along involving someone in the Emergency Services whose stupidity and arrogance is such that we could not refuse to investigate the case.

This the story of Len Carter, AFSM a senior member of the NSW Rural Fire Service who has come to our attention by wearing a plethora of fake ‘tin’ medals and worse, a specialist badge only able to be worn by uniformed members of the United States Armed Forces.

Here are a selection of images of Mr Len Carter, AFSM (as he likes to be called):

The problem that confronted our researcher who was looking into the case was the fact that every photo has him wearing a different medal rack so identifying the ‘tin’ has not been easy, but we were able to pin most of them down.

It is probably easier to start with the medals we believe he is entitled to wear.

Left Breast
Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM)
National Medal

Right Breast
NSW Rural Fire Service Medal (plus clasps for years of service)
NSW Rural Fire Service Commendation for Service
Year of the Volunteer Medal

And now to the rest…On the left breast, Carter displays the following:

Left Breast
QE2 Dimond Jubilee Medal (NO Entitlement) – not accepted for general wear by the Australian Government
QE2 Golden Jubilee Medal (NO Entitlement)
Foreign Service Medal (Tin)
AFSM (Entitled see above)
National Medal (Entitled see above)
National Defence Medal (Tin)
Cadet Forces Medal (Tin)

Right Breast:
NSW Rural Fire Service Medal (plus clasps for years of service)
Unknown (Tin)
Year of the Volunteer Medal
NSW Rural Fire Service Commendation for Service
Unknown (Tin)
Unknown (Tin)

In one of the images, Carter is seen wearing an unknown neck decoration, we have tried to identify it and there are a number of possibilities including the Maltese Cross of Order of St John , a popular choice among Wannabes already on our website.

'Tin' is the generic term we at ANZMI use to describe any unofficial commemorative medal that can be purchased rather than issued by the Federal or State Government, recognised philanthropic organisation or Foreign Government (and approved for wear by the Governor General of Australia). There are a number of organisations that 'create' a commemorative medal specific to the needs of that organisation but they are NOT official medals and should never be mixed with Officially sanctioned and properly issued medals.

Examples of the ‘Tin’ being worn by Carter are seen above. These type of ‘medals’ are becoming harder to find in Australia, but they are still very much in circulation overseas. While the above are predominately designed to align with service in a Defence Force, however further research indicates they could ‘loosely’ be linked to Emergency Services as well.

For example, the ‘award criteria’ for the Foreign Service Medal states:

Note the line The Medal is to commemorate overseas service in both War and Peace, that has not been recognised by any award’. We know that Carter has traveled extensively overseas attending numerous firefighting related events, but we don’t believe that constitutes foreign service in any shape or form. In any event, as a representative of the NSW Rural Fire Service, he has already been awarded the National Medal, NSW RFS Medal and not to mention the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM).

In truth, the only real criteria for the award of these ‘medals’ is to have a valid credit card or PayPal account.

In some of the images, Carter can be seen wearing two of the medals awarded to recognise the Golden and Diamond Jubilees of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Both are genuine medals but neither medal is approved for wear by Australians, except for a small select number approved by the Governor General. When approved for issued by The Queen, the medals were awarded across the Commonwealth to the Defence Forces, Emergency Service personnel and numerous others. However, Australian governments at the time decided not to accept the awards, other than for a select group of citizens.

The select few who are authorised include winners of the Victoria Cross, George Cross, Cross of Valour (Australia) and State Governors. Mr Len Carter, AFSM does not qualify and should not be wearing these ribbons/medals.

Len Carter, AFSM does not limit his wearing of illegal medals to his RFS duties, he is also a member of the local Light Horse
Re-enactment Group. Not surprisingly, he has a different rack for this role. We wonder how he keeps up with what medals to wear when and why.

Now to the matter of improper use of Military Badges.

On the left breast, above the medal racks, Carter can be seen wearing the prestigious Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge. He has absolutely no entitlement to this award.

There can be no reason or excuse to explain why Carter has decided to wear this badge on his RFS uniform, other than to portray the image of a person highly trained in explosive ordnance disposal (EOD). As may current and former service personnel know, EOD work is one of the most highly dangerous roles that can be undertaken, and EOD operators make up a high percentage of modern day battle casualties.

For Carter, for whatever reason, to wear this badge is offensive to the veteran community. Notwithstanding the fact he has no military service that we can find, the Master EOD Badge he wears can only be awarded to qualified members of the United States Armed Forces only.

Yes, Carter is a wannabe and the fact that he wears medals, badges and bling that is either not authorised or simply tin rubbish is bad enough but the fact that he does so while wearing the uniform of the NSW Rural Fire Service is of serious concern to ANZMI and should concern the Commissioner of the NSW RFS.

The NSW RFS is made up of volunteers who desire to protect their communities from the threats of bush fire and natural disaster. Many volunteers are young and impressionable men and women who would generally expect that a senior officer of the RFS wearing a chest full of medals and badges has the ‘runs on the board’ so to speak to justify the wearing of those awards.

Carter is not that sort of leader. He has chosen to embellish his uniform with tin rubbish and stolen the valour of the United Stated Armed Forces EOD personnel.

Cater was awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM), a prestigious medal of no small significance in 2004. He should be satisfied that by granting him that award, his country is acknowledging his service with the RFS. If he thinks so little of that award that he chooses to mix it in with cheap, fake medals then he should return the AFSM immediately. Better still, perhaps the RFS could move to have the AFSM taken from Cater because of his offensive and illegal behaviour.

It is fortuitous for Carter that he is unlikely to be prosecuted for his actions. The Defence Act 1903 does have provision to prosecute for the improper use of service badges, but as the EOD badge is an American award, it is unlikely that a successful prosecution could be achieved.

Carter will have to be judged in the Court of Public Opinion by his peers and those who read this report. If one of those who read this is the Commissioner of the NSW RFS, perhaps he could take the appropriate action to ensure that the RFS uniform is not belittled by persons wearing unauthorised badges and bling and take action to remove Len Cater, AFSM from positions of responsibility in the Rural Fire Service.

UPDATE: OSCAR - NOW OSCAR PARKER - JUNE 20

"Oscar" is still working his "magic" on the dating website "Bumble". He is romancing ladies and has disclosed his name as "Parker". Because of the blatant lies he has told on "Bumble" it is doubted that "Parker" is his real name.

For the purpose of shutting down this creep. If any other people have experienced "Oscar's" charms, please let us know what name he used, and what he has said about himself.

***

Oscar would not get an Oscar, for his portrayal of an Australian Army Officer.

Oscar advertises his charms to lure vulnerable ladies and maybe gentlemen to his lair on a dating website, known as "Bumble" . Here is a graphic display of his persona wearing the "uniform" of an Australian Army Colonel.

Notice that Oscar's uniform is out of synchronicity. He has failed to wear his lanyard, wears two different collar badges, and is bereft of two Colonel's collar Gorgets. Oscar wears the fake uniform to prove his claims, that he is an Army Jet Pilot, who has flown off Air Craft Carriers. The photograph in fact proves that he is not an Australian Army Colonel.

Oscar needs to be more diligent with his subterfuge, as any Army recruit can pick the anomalies. The simple ones are:

There are no Jet aircraft in the Australian Army and never has been.
If there were, no person of the rank of Colonel would be a "Jet Jockey"
Claims to have been at Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1983. He was not there.
Wears "Tom Cruise" sunglasses as explained below:

Oscar is also a Search and Rescue Chopper pilot when he is not zipping on and off aircraft carrier decks:

Whilst Oscar's machinations are hilariously funny to any reasonable person, there is the down side to this behaviour. Oscar brings the Defence and ex Defence fraternities, into disrepute with the audacious lies told on Bumble. His behaviour is dishonest, and brings disrespect to vulnerable people, who innocently respond to his ridiculous impersonation of an Australian Army Officer.

We have published this, without knowing Oscar's surname, however, we are confident that he will be identified, and he can be humiliated in the same manner he intended to humiliate vulnerable respondents to the Bumble website.

Oscar is grounded with ignominy.

Calum McNaught of Perth Western Australia has been caught out, by one of the thousands of ex service persons who work to ensure that the ex service and veteran communities are not polluted by frauds and liars.

Here is the blather that McNaught put forward, about his "service" resulting in his self proclaimed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Here is one of the observations from a genuine veteran

McNaught realised he was caught red handed and decided to "fess up" to his deceit.

Now days, falsely claiming heroic, or any kind of false military service, includes the danger of being exposed as a liar and a cheat.

Those who have experienced the rigours of military service, in particular, those who have been deployed to war zones are watching for rogues. Those like McNaught who are reported will have their deceit published for the whole world to read.

Robert Ratkovcic, served in the RAN as a Commissioned Officer however he has now changed his name to Robert Mathew. Since resigning from the RAN, he worked as a paid Executive Officer (XO), of Legacy Western Australia.

Legacy is a charity providing services to Australian families suffering after the injury or death of a spouse or parent, during or after their defence force service. They currently care for around 52,000 beneficiaries, with 82% (over 76 years of age) of them being elderly widow, widowers throughout Australia.
.
We hold Statutory Declarations detailing that Ratkovcic aka Mathew had medals on display in his office, that included an Australian Service Medal with Clasp "Special Ops" He explained to other Legacy executives that the medal and clasp was for "service aboard a Submarine on special operations". That is a lie, he failed his Officer Submarine training course and was never a crew, member of a Submarine during special operations.

Here is the Australian service medal and the "Special Ops" clasp that is affixed to the medal:

But that's not all. Legacy Australia has a superb history of caring for families of ex Defence members. It is a Charitable organization that depends on the honesty and integrity of those who manage and administer it. In the position of XO, Ratkovcic, who falsely claimed to have been awarded an Australian Service Medal with clasp (Special Ops), stole money and goods designated for the benefit of widows, widowers, children, orphans and disabled beneficiaries.

He was charged with thirty offences. Six were stealing and a further twenty-four were fraud offences. In all cases, the ultimate victims were beneficiaries of Legacy WA.

For example:

He purchased a couch using the trust fund of a disabled legacy beneficiary. Ratkovcic aka Mathew then had it delivered to his own residence, and the disabled beneficiary received nothing except an account deficient of approximately $1900.

He used 5 Legacy gift cards (used for widows and wards) to buy a dress for a newly bereaved widow to wear to her husbands funeral. It was in fact used to buy his daughter a dress.

Below are details of the fraud and stealing charges laid against Ratkovcic, aka Matthew by WA Police.

Stealing as servant 1 charge
Fraud 24 charges
Stealing 5 charges.
Insert

Ratkovcic aka Mathew at the Perth Court

Initially he pleaded not guilty to all charges and that prolonged court action for many months. Finally, on 19 May 2020, he pleaded guilty to nineteen of the thirty charges. Prosecutors agreed to the withdrawal of 11 of the 30 charges if Ratcovcic was to enter a plea of guilty for the remaining 19. A factor was the age and health of a number of witnesses.

He is on bail, and to be sentenced on 21 July 2020, we will update this matter then.

Corruption, fraud and theft by an ex RAN Commissioned Officer is as dishonourable as it gets. An ex commissioned Officer who steals from a Defence related charity is simply beyond any pity.

We include him in our compliment of wannabes and cheats for falsely claiming to have participated in "Special Operations" aboard RAN Submarines, however, because of his deplorable dishonesty, even having him on our website, is an insult to all the other villains, malefactors and scoundrels that are listed.

UPDATE "ADMIRAL" Peter Cowell - JUNE 2020


This bloody idiot is still at it, with his mythical organization named International Search and Rescue (IntSAR) which in reality, can be associated with the children's puppet show "THUNDERBIRDS".

IntSAR is an impossible to achieve organization, dreamed up by a delusional, ex delivery driver, who on occasion wears a uniform, very similar to an Australian Navy Admiral. He not only dresses for the part, but he also lives the part. He doesn't often wear his uniform, but he makes sure, his Admiral's hat can be seen in the rear window of his car,

The hat, the ribands and badges he wears, are all false. He is the very model of a fake and shoddy Navy Admiral.

Since our first exposure of Cowell in 2014, a steady trickle of reports have been received detailing his actions and antics. With financial help of a charitable organization, he was residing in a caravan park in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT), then moved to Bathurst New South Wales, and now resides at The Rocks, 200 km west of Sydney, NSW.

Notice that on his IntSar LinkedIn website, www.intsar.org/leadership/officer-comand...s/bio-official-photo , Cowell describes himself as "Admiral", however whilst living in the bush in NSW 200 Km from the coast he is not living the lifestyle of an "international Coordinator by appointment, to the IntSAR Commission", and a "Diplomatic and proud member of the Australian Institute of Professional Intelligence Officers".

Appointments are available for recruits interested in joining his "crew". He describes IntSar On the latest IntSar Facebook page.

On his IntSar Facebook page he also promotes the following "Related Categories":

RELATED CATEGORIES
• Abortion service
• Addiction service
• Alternative and holistic health service
• Disability service
• Emergency rescue service
• Healthcare Administrator
• Home healthcare service
• Mental health service
• Nursing agency
• Orthotics and prosthetics service
• Reproductive service

In addition he claims alliance with dozens of organization throughout the world, including: Rescue of stray cats in the UK and affiliation with the Fire Department of Harlem New York

Although Cowell dresses like an Admiral, and admirably promotes his organization, he is not an Admiral's boot lace. IntSar, his organization, has no credence. He is a person with delusions of grandeur and the ability to lie without constraint.

Cowell would have the world believe he is an Admiral and a member of the International intelligence community. Here is an extract from his web site:

"Today, as an IntSAR Admiral with experience in Intelligence. I have 25 years in total within the services. In accordance with the official secrets act the remainder of my service is confidential due to its nature"

The buffoon does not even know, that there is no such thing as the Australian Official Secrets Act.

If you see Cowell anywhere on the horizon, steer well clear, as he is not an Admiral, he is a lying fake, who is as dishonest as any Pirate who ever sailed the seven seas, or tread the bush at The Rocks in NSW.

 *****

UPDATE COWELL April, 2018.

Canberra beware! A new crook is in town. The less than "Admiral Peter Cowell", is still trying to convince people that he is a "mover and shaker" in the world wide intelligence network. Unfortunately it is not possible for him to succeed, for apart from the fantasies pervading his cranium, he possesses no intelligence whatsoever.

Here is the latest copy of his resume.

Originally enlisted in the Australian Army for 6 years where I served in Armored (sic) recon (Cavalry), undertaking many specialist courses including basic Intel which set to (sic) scene for my career post-Army I transferred to the Corps of Engineers. After some time I moved on to Law Enforcement within the area of Corrections and Internal Investigations. Due to my earlier service with the army. After a time I became involved with a Maritime aid agency (N.G.O.) where I became aware of new Technology of potential military threat and use against Terrorists. I brought that to the attention of senior military authorities (said technology now having been developed by the United States and in use today). This together with my Degree in Security, Terrorism & Counter-terrorism with a second major in Law Studies saw me move into the Intelligence Community. Today, as a retired IntSAR Admiral with experience in Intelligence which carries with it some potential for diplomatic fallout. I have 25 years in total in the services. In accordance with the official secrets act the remainder of my service is confidential due to its nature. Today I provide limited consultancy on Geopolitical Strategic Military matters. My most recent client was the Office of the United States Secretary of Defense (sic).

In the above resume, he claims to have earned academic degrees in Security, Intelligence and Counter-terrorism with a second major in Law Studies. On his LinkedIn page, he also claims to have earned from the Murdoch University in Perth degrees in -;

Security, Terrorism and Counter-terrorism. Further studies toward a Masters in Asymmetric Warfare, International Relations and National Security Studies

A search of Graduate Students from Murdoch University did not list a person named Peter William Glen COWELL as ever graduating with any qualifications. The Murdoch University advise that if a person is not on the publicly accessible Graduates list, he has no Murdoch University qualifications.

Response By Email (Student Liaison Officer)
Hi XX

Thank you for contacting Murdoch University.

If a student is not listed in the graduate register which is located on the Murdoch website, then they have not completed a degree at Murdoch University.

We hope this information helps!

Should you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact us.

Kind Regards

xxxxxx

The Student Centre Team

His false claims that his twenty five years of service gives him experience, have connotations of the Officials Secrets Act and vast experience as an investigator. His twenty five years are all "Urine and Wind", as he served very little time as a Private Soldier in the Army Reserve and his Law Enforcement time was of short duration and spent as a Corrective Service Officer at the bottom of the promotions ladder. He never spent any time in the Navy and promoted himself to Admiral in an organization that was no more than a sham and a scam.

Here are photographs of Cowell as a Soldier and Corrections Officer:

On his Facebook page, Cowell recently claimed to be soon the Patron of a Veterans organization. He had his foot in the door, until the organization realised that he and his resume were nothing but lies and false pretences. They quickly sent him ashore, cancelled their "Ahoy shipmate" and bade him farewell.

Cowell is well represented in many places on the internet. Wherever he appears, he includes this photograph of his scruffy self as an "Admiral":

Ex Service organizations, the Defence Department and Citizens of Canberra beware of this Gilbert and Sullivan Admiral, who, by the way, has never served in the Queens Navy or sailed the deep blue or any other colour sea.

***

Introducing Rear Admiral Peter Cowell, Retired (Rtd) of International Sea Air Rescue and Humanitarian Aid Service (IntSAR).

Note: This organisation should not be confused with "Thunderbirds are Go", the search and rescue organisation featuring Scott, Tracy, Virgil, Geoff , Lady Penelope and Parker the Chauffeur.

Although difficult to see, "Admiral" Cowell, has advised that the medals he wears are:

Note: Cowell is wearing only one legitimate medal the Australian Defence Medals (ADM). The others are all unmentionable junk. He claims entitlement to the ADM because he was discharged from the Army Reserve with Kidney Stones. Here is what he said about his military service:

Cowell's Defence File contains only two documents:

One is an Application to enlist in the Regular Army in 1979 but he did not show for processing. The other is an Enlistment Advice to join the Army Reserve in 1980 as a Private Soldier which was processed.

There are no other documents to show any activity after the enlistment.

What is this mysterious IntSAR of which Peter Cowell is an Admiral Rtd? Here in his own words is the answer:

Cowell had serious communications with Senior Politicians and also with Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). Here is a letter head from a Western Australia Senator who apparently believed that Cowell was an Admiral. We have other letterheads from prominent politicians of the day.

Here is a letter that he claims to have written to ASIO.

Of particular note is this paragraph.

Cowell appears to have been afraid of foul play and in a slick move, threatens to tell all to the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China. Below is the envelope ready for the "Drop Box" at the Chinese Embassy.

ENOUGH of the Bulldust - Threatening to pass "Secrets" to the Chinese Embassy, wearing a uniform of an Admiral with medal ribbons is evidence of his delusional state.

"Admiral" Peter Cowell is a fanciful Admiral from a fanciful organisation of no substance.

He now runs a small Courier business in Perth and should stick to that. Although his work garb is somewhat different from his IntSAR Admiral's uniform, they can both be described and "scruffy".

We suggest Cowell stop wearing a uniform that would be inestimably beyond his capacity to achieve. He exacerbates the consequences of his actions by wearing "Tin" medals and a genuine medal that was also beyond his capacity to achieve.

Because of his stupidity he has achieved the notoriety of being presented to the world as an idiot on this web site.

We welcome Peter Cowell, who is a Courier driver and not Carrier driver as he would have us believe.

It is unusual for a person to have survived as a fake Vietnam Veteran for forty years. Ian Douglas Blair, has maintained that charade in the town of Narrabri, in regional NSW for that long. The longer the charade, the harder the fall, and forty years ensures a very loud "thud", when the six thousand people of Narrabri learn of his deceit

There were twenty nine people from Narrabri who served in the war in Vietnam. All are listed on the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) website, Ian Blair is not listed.

In any case, he was born 2 February 1954, and no Australian Army personnel, below the age of nineteen years served in Vietnam.

There were no Australian Army units in Vietnam after February 1973, when Blair would have been nineteen years old. Of course Blair has addressed this anomaly by stating he lied about his age to the Army, on enlistment.

We hold Statutory Declaration, with details of Blair's antics over the years.

Blair has said he served with 10th Royal Australian Regiment (10 RAR). No such unit ever served in Vietnam during the war.

He avowed never to have anything to do with DVA, or the Returned and Services League (RSL), however, he does attend ANZAC day commemorations, and has wept over the memories of his "service". "Crocodile tears" for "crocodile service". He has said that it is "too hard to talk about his Vietnam service".

He also declares that he was awarded a Victoria Cross (VC) and a United States Purple Heart medal for his Vietnam service. He never wears medals, as like many on this website, claims he "threw them overboard on the sea journey back to Australia".

We are pleased to relieve Blair of the stress and anxiety of wondering when he would be exposed as a liar and a wannabe. He can now live without weeping on Anzac day, and will no longer have to remember what lies he has told.

Should he desire to apologize to those from Narrabri who actually served in the Vietnam war, we will be happy to furnish him with the names of the twenty two Soldiers, four Sailors, and three Airmen from Narrabri who did serve the hard yards in Vietnam.

Like Blair, those who falsely claim to be returned veterans will eventually experience the shame of exposure, and learn that the kudos of their false service, is surpassed by public shame, particularly in small regional towns like Narrabri.

Welcome aboard Ian Blair and throwing medals overboard on HMAS ANZMI is frowned upon