Fake Frogmen

March 26, 2002

By Steven Waterman
SFTT

LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, OH: Some classes of SEAL trainees have had a dropout rate as high as 90 percent during the 17 weeks of rigorous training. Since 1962, fewer than 10,000 men have completed the course that even has claimed some lives. For the graduates, being a member of one of the world's elite fighting forces becomes their essence. That's why when people falsely claim to be SEALs -- as a Lawrence Township police officer is doing -- former SEALs like Ron Relf take it personally.

"A lot of our teammates have given their lives to serve with honor and integrity," said Relf, 50, a retired Denver police officer now living near Philadelphia. "These (fakes) are trading in on the good reputation of the guys we knew."

False claims have become an epidemic of sorts, according to SEALs and their devoted followers.

One of the latest targets is one of northern Stark County's most 'respected' police officers: retired Lawrence Township Lt. William Chevrier, who since 1982 has told people he was a SEAL. He has worn the SEAL trident insignia pin on his police uniform.

His SEAL claim was so well known, it was one of those things people around town just knew about him.

"It's just understood," explained Northwest Schools Superintendent Dennis Lambes.

Chevrier, 59, is a resource officer in the district and is working to obtain a grant so that an officer can be stationed permanently at the buildings. But there is no record of Chevrier ever being a SEAL, according to Naval Special Warfare officials.

"He's as phony as snake's milk," says Captain Larry Bailey, USN, Ret., a SEAL officer for over 26 years.

"We've got a list of everyone who's ever gone through SEAL training. We've never had the database be wrong." states Captain Bailey. Chevrier counters that when he was in SEAL Team 1 between 1962 and 1966, it was a deeply classified outfit.

"I didn't exist," he said. He said that's why he left the Navy in 1966 -- he couldn't be promoted because of his classified status. As for the fake exposers and their database, "It's not always right," Chevrier said. "They're out to get people running around saying things," he said. "I've run into two or three (legitimate SEALs) who said it happened to them."

Chevrier declined to produce a copy of his military discharge papers to the Akron Beacon Journal a paper that ran an article on him. He said it won't say on the records that he was a SEAL because of his classified status.

LCDR Roy Boehm, USN, Ret, the founding father of the SEALs and author of the book FIRST SEAL, has told me personally that there has NEVER been a classified group of SEALs. The existence of the SEALs was classified for a while, but there are records of every man who ever graduated UDT/R or BUD/S training. People like Chevrier are simply thieves of honor and reputation that are earned with blood and sweat.

Given what men like SEAL Neil Roberts have done in combat, it makes those of us who have served in war entertain thoughts of violence.

The entire story of William Chevrier's exploits as a former SEAL are so much BS. Chevrier even has a couple local judges hornswoggled. Two of them in his area are too scared of repercussions to admit they know he is a fake, or they realize that to do so now would shed bad light on cases where Chevrier has appeared as a prime witness. If a cop can be proven a liar, some real scummy characters, even more scummy than the fake himself, could perhaps go free.

The records that came back from the Military Archives in St. Louis backed up what many had known all along. Chevrier was just a fleet sailor on board the USS McCoy where he had no special training, nor received any awards.

At this time, it is reported, the kids in Northwest High School, in Lawrence Township, jokingly refer to Chevrier as the Fake Frogman. Out of the mouths of babes...

Stay tuned for the story of another fake SEAL who makes this guy here look like a rank amateur.