AITA for falsely accusing a veteran of stolen valor, when she couldn't give any details about her service?
He carried the weight of his Marine Corps past like a badge of honor, a silent testament to battles fought and lessons earned.
Now, as an MBA student, he found an unexpected confidante in J, a gentle, soft-spoken classmate whose quiet demeanor seemed worlds apart from the fierce camaraderie of military life. But when she claimed to share his naval background, a flicker of doubt ignited within him.
Her words, so carefully chosen and guarded, couldn't hide the uneasy silence that followed his probing questions—a silence that whispered of truths concealed and identities questioned.
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YTA.
The Original Poster (OP), drawing on his military background, felt strongly that his classmate's self-presentation did not align with his perception of military experience, leading him to aggressively confront and accuse her of lying.
This action severely damaged the relationship, as the classmate, who was indeed a veteran, reacted with clear anger and rejection.
Given the clear evidence of the classmate's service and the OP's swift, aggressive accusation causing offense, was the OP justified in prioritizing his personal 'feeling' about military demeanor over established facts and evidence, or should he have accepted her stated identity without question?