A man was arrested and charged with second-degree impersonation after he pretended to be a soldier in an effort to get bumped up to first-class on his American Airlines flight. The man wore camo fatigues, a military-style buzz cut, and fake dog tags, but was caught, after landing and having enjoyed his first-class ride, when he couldn’t answer basic questions about his service.

Entering the Dominican Republic from JFK, after he had cruised in first class after a stewardess had spotted him in his uniform and moved him up to the fancy-people cabin, a gimlet-eyed customs official caught him in his lie.

When asked his rank, he said he was “E-5,” even though he was wearing staff-sergeant insignia, a higher rank. He couldn’t answer where he was stationed. In addition, he wore a POW patch on his sleeve, in a spot a real soldier would never put it.

American Airlines didn’t respond to the Post’s request for comment, like why it took an interrogation to figure out that the guy wasn’t a soldier. All you have to do is take one look at him and see the only combat he’s in is an internal battle over whether to get the number 5 or the number 7.

LI man busted for ‘pretending’ to be soldier to get first-class upgrade [NY POST]

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