Job Interview Military Embellishment. It is never a good idea to embellish on skills or your imagined military service during a job interview. In fact, there was just an article about a fake Veteran “SEAL” who had to repay $300,000 to the VA for falsifying his military service.

Job Interview Gone Wrong: The Tale of the Embellished “SEAL”

Chad Braggston sat nervously in the lobby of GlobalTech Solutions, fidgeting with his résumé. He had heard that this tech company was looking for someone “tough, adaptable, and with leadership skills”—qualities he sort of had. But after reading an article about how some guy pretending to be a Navy SEAL had scammed the government out of $300,000, Chad had an idea. A terrible idea, but an idea nonetheless.

“I mean, how hard could it be?” Chad muttered to himself. “They don’t know I’m not a Navy SEAL.”

Chad wasn’t exactly a stranger to stretching the truth. His résumé already included a couple of “creatively enhanced” details: like that summer he worked at a camp as a lifeguard being magically transformed into “Certified Aquatic Safety Specialist.” So why not go big this time? After all, everyone loved a good military backstory.

When the receptionist finally called his name, Chad took a deep breath, mentally prepared to become the Navy SEAL he always thought he could have been—if, you know, he hadn’t gotten distracted with video games and snack breaks in high school.

The Interview Begins

Chad entered the office of Mr. Johnson, the hiring manager, who looked up from his computer and gave Chad a polite nod.

“Welcome, Chad. I see you’re applying for the Senior Operations Manager position. Your résumé looks… interesting.”

Chad grinned. “Thank you, sir. I’ve had quite an extensive career.”

Mr. Johnson’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if sensing something was off, but he motioned for Chad to sit. “So, it says here you have experience in leadership, tactical decision-making, and crisis management. Can you elaborate on that?”

Chad straightened up, puffing out his chest. “Well, sir, I learned those skills in the military.”

“The military? Which branch?” Mr. Johnson asked, leaning forward, his interest piqued.

Here it was. The moment of truth. Chad cleared his throat and, without a single hesitation, said, “Navy SEAL, sir. Team Six. You know, just… the best.”

Mr. Johnson raised an eyebrow. “Navy SEAL Team Six, huh? That’s impressive. When did you serve?”

Chad felt his palms start to sweat. “Oh, uh, you know, a while back. Classified missions and all. I can’t really get into too many details, but let’s just say there were… helicopters, and night-vision goggles, and a lot of sneaking around.”

Mr. Johnson nodded slowly. “Fascinating. And how long were you with the SEALs?”

Chad hesitated. “Uh, well, I don’t like to brag, but… several years. Six, actually. Six grueling years.”

“That’s interesting,” Mr. Johnson said, folding his hands on the desk. “Because you look a bit… young for six years of SEAL service. How old are you?”

Chad’s heart rate spiked. “Oh, you know, 26. But I’ve got one of those faces that hides my age well.”

Mr. Johnson stared at Chad for a long moment, his expression unreadable. “So, you became a SEAL at 18? Fresh out of high school?”

“Uh… yes, sir. Straight from the football field to the battlefield,” Chad said, nodding so hard he nearly knocked his chair over.

“Right,” Mr. Johnson said, leaning back in his chair, clearly enjoying where this was headed. “And tell me, what was your most challenging mission?”

Chad’s mind raced. He’d seen a couple of action movies, right? Surely he could piece together something believable. “Well, there was this one time… in, uh… the desert. We were tasked with, um, rescuing hostages from a… secret base. Had to rappel down a cliff, dodging enemy fire while coordinating air support. It was intense, sir. Very intense.”

Mr. Johnson’s lips twitched, as if trying to suppress a smile. “Wow, sounds like something straight out of Call of Duty.”

Chad chuckled nervously. “Yeah, you could say that. But, you know, real life.”

The Moment of Truth

Mr. Johnson tapped a pen on his desk thoughtfully. “Well, Chad, your military experience is certainly… colorful. But there’s one small problem.”

Chad froze. “Problem?”

“You see, my brother is a Navy SEAL. Actually, he’s with Team Six, and he’s been serving for 10 years. Funny thing is, I don’t recall him ever mentioning your name.”

Chad’s face turned the color of a ripe tomato. “Oh, well, you know, sir, it’s a big team… We didn’t all, uh, work together.”

Mr. Johnson leaned in, a glint of amusement in his eye. “Is that so? Because I just sent him a quick text while we were talking. He doesn’t know any ‘Chad Braggston,’ and he also informed me that Team Six isn’t currently looking to hire tactical decision-makers who confuse night-vision goggles with swimming goggles.”

Chad was sweating bullets now. His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, trying to find a way to save face. “Uh, well, you see, sir, I… um… maybe I misspoke about the specific team?”

Mr. Johnson grinned. “Let me guess—you were on the classified SEAL team, right? The one that operates so deep undercover that even the SEALs don’t know about it?”

Chad swallowed hard, realizing he had been caught in the act. “Yeah, sir, I think I should probably… go.”

Mr. Johnson stood up, extending a hand. “Good idea, Chad. And a word of advice? Embellishing your résumé is one thing, but impersonating a SEAL? Not smart. And definitely not something a real SEAL would ever need to do.”

Chad stood, shaking Mr. Johnson’s hand with all the enthusiasm of a man shaking hands with his own failure. “Yes, sir. Understood.”

As Chad turned to leave, Mr. Johnson called after him, “Oh, and Chad?”

Chad paused at the door, dread creeping up his spine. “Yes, sir?”

“You might want to look up that article about the guy who had to repay $300,000 to the VA for falsifying his military service. Just in case you decide to try this stunt again.”

Chad nodded weakly and bolted out the door, realizing that his imagined life as a Navy SEAL had been short-lived… and very costly. And if there was one thing he had learned today, it was that some jobs—especially those involving military service—are better left to the professionals.

Or at the very least, to people who know the difference between SEAL Team Six and a team of six guys playing paintball.

The End

The Frontlines

Explore the fantastic range of military-themed shirts, mugs, and posters available at The Frontlines Shop! Don’t miss out on our amazing sales happening right now! And believe it or not, some of the comics I created during my 20 years in the military have actually been published! These humorous and occasionally edgy reflections are inspired by incredible mentors, wonderful friends, and a genuine love for sarcasm. Check them out on Amazon The Frontlines

Popular Products