Surname: Dale
Christian Names: Andrew Stephen (Drew)
State or Province: Queensland
City or Town: Brisbane
Service: Army Reserves
DREW DALE UP DATE – MAY 2020
Our initial exposure of Drew DALE revealed a despicable piece of work who knowingly stole the image of a decorated Vietnam Veteran and claimed it as his own. He also falsely wore service decorations and badges that he has no entitlement to.
During the investigation into DALE, our researcher formed the view that there were some more 'skeleton's in his cupboard" and these suspicions have proven to be correct.
We now have irrefutable evidence that DALE is a fraud and a convicted fraud at that.
We now know that in 2008, whilst serving as an Army Reserve (Ares) Lieutenant on Full Time Service (FTS), he was charged by the Queensland Police for several fraud offences relating to forged documents, particularly a university degree and false statements that enabled him to join the Army Reserve and subsequently undergo Officer training. His unit at the time, 7 CSSB, issued him a Notice to Show Cause for discharge, he did not respond to that formal document, rather he offered to resign his commission, believing that would resolve the matter. He was wrong.
Due to the ongoing investigation by both the Australian Defence Force Investigations Service (ADFIS) and Queensland Police Service (QPS), Army held his discharge in abeyance. He was convicted and actually received a prison sentence. His service in the Australian Defence Force was then terminated (circa 2009). He only ever reached the rank of Lieutenant, not Captain as depicted in his photograph. He served in the Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps (RAAOC), never Royal Australian Infantry (RAInf) despite being photographed in uniform, wearing the infantry corps badge. As we reported in our initial exposure. He never deployed. The only medal he may be entitled to is the Australian Defence medal (ADM).
He most definitely is a fraud and convicted criminal.
The level of his deceit is breath-taking and his claims of being in receipt of a TPI pension from the Department of Veterans Affairs must be investigated.
He has clearly committed offences against the Defence Act 1903
Defence Act 1903, where he is in breach of Part VII Sections 80A and 80B, which state there is a maximum penalty of $3,300 fine and six months imprisonment or both for:
80A. Falsely representing to be returned soldier, sailor or airman
DEFENCE ACT 1903 - SECT 80A
Falsely representing to be returned soldier, sailor or airman
(1) A person is guilty of an offence if:
(a) the person represents himself or herself to be a returned soldier, sailor or airman; and
(b) the representation is false.
Penalty: 30 penalty units or imprisonment for 6 months, or both.
(2) For the purposes of this section:
(a) returned soldier means a person who has served abroad during any war as a member of any Military Force raised in Australia or in any other part of the British Empire, or as a member of the Military Forces of any Ally of Great Britain;
(b) returned sailor means a person who has served abroad during any war as a member of any Naval Force raised in Australia or in any other part of the British Empire, or as a member of the Naval Forces of any Ally of Great Britain; and
(c) returned airman means a person who has served abroad during any war as a member of any Air Force, air service or flying corps raised in Australia or in any other part of the British Empire or as a member of the air forces of any Ally of Great Britain
DEFENCE ACT 1903 - SECT 80B
Improper use of service decorations
(a) the person wears a service decoration; and
(b) the person is not the person on whom the decoration was conferred.
(2) Where the person upon whom a service decoration was conferred has died, it is not an offence against subsection (1) for a member of the family of that person to wear the service decoration if the member of the family does not represent himself as being the person upon whom the decoration was conferred.
Note: The defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in subsection (2). See subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code.
(3) It is not an offence against subsection (1) for a person to wear a service decoration in the course of a dramatic or other visual representation (including such a representation to be televised) or in the making of a cinematograph film.
(4) A person shall not falsely represent himself as being the person upon whom a service decoration has been conferred.
(5) A person shall not deface or destroy, by melting or otherwise, a service decoration.
Penalty: 60 penalty units or imprisonment for 12 months, or both.
Drew DALE is a fraud of the worst kind. He lied to gain his commission in the Australian Army, he has lied about his service by claiming to have deployed overseas and wears medals and badges that he has no entitlement to wear.
He is known to the Queensland Police, hopefully a member of that police force will take an interest in the actions of Drew DALE as outlined by ANZMI and take appropriate action against him.
Drew DALE is an enigma. He is an author, martial arts expert, computer expert, airman and soldier, or is he? As an author he has written a number of books including 'Engage and Neutralise' and 'Callsign Albatross', a ripping yarn "based on real events involving real people" states DALE in the authors review of the book. "It is not an historical account, rather a story about one young man's experience of service in Australia's modern Defence Forces" he continues.
Here is DALE's autobiography. Note the image he has used to identify himself, as that will become relevant shortly.
The actual story line of DALE's book is not as important as the main character he introduces us too.
"Steve Hill had been working as a Sergeant Loadmaster on C130 Hercules Transport aircraft and had finally secured a place on a Rotary Wing Conversion Course, to train as a helicopter Loadmaster, Crewman and Door Gunner. We pick up Steve's story at his Rotary Wing Conversion Course Graduation at 5sqn RAAF Fairbairn"
Despite the assertion by DALE that this work is based on real events, his story fails at this first hurdle. In his book, DALE claims that the course was NO 12 Crewman's Course which graduated from No 5 Squadron (RAAF) in 1974. Records are clear, there were no ex C-130 Loadmasters on that Course. This has been confirmed with sources from the Airman Aircrew Association and RAAF Records.
Perhaps the reader is starting to wonder why this is an issue, does it really matter if the story in DALE's book crosses from non-fiction to fiction and back again? Normally no, it would not until we learn that DALE is claiming to have been a RAAF Crewman, flying UH-1H Iroquois helicopters with No 9 Squadron – a blatant lie. The clear and unequivocal intent is that DALE would have the reader believe his flying experiences are those that the character 'Steve Hill' is based on.
The truth is much more bizarre.
DALE claims to have served for nine (9) years in the RAAF in 1973 and discharged in March 1982 to pursue a career in business. He also claims that he joined the Army Reserve in 2004 or 2005 and was appointed as an Officer after graduating from the Royal Military College Duntroon on 25 March 2007 as the oldest graduate in history. Due to his reported martial arts skills, DALE claims that he was given the opportunity to undertake Close Personal Protection training, a qualification that allowed him to become part of the Close Personal Protection parties for VIPs and General Staff Officers. He has since left the Army Reserve and is in receipt of a Department of Veterans Affairs TPI Pension.
ANZMI has uncovered evidence that proves DALE first joined the Army in 2003 as an Instructor of Cadets with 46 Army Cadet Unit located in Port Augusta, South Australia. He later resigned from the Cadets and was accepted into the Army Reserves in 2005 where he underwent Officer training. By all accounts, DALE was considered a competent officer, but with 'skeletons' in his cupboard.
Here is Captain Drew Dale.
Note that DALE is wearing a RAAF 'Crewman' Brevet on his left breast, together with the following decorations:
Australian Active Service Medal (AASM)
Australian Service Medal (ASM)
Defence Long Service Medal (DLSM)
Australian Defence Medal
He is also wearing the Infantry Combat Badge (ICB). The minimum criteria for the award of the ICB can be found on Army's Website and states: Members of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps who, in an infantry posting as part of an Infantry Battalion were deployed for, at least, 90 days to an operational area and subsequently awarded the Infantry Combat Badge.
On the same page of the Website, this statement can be found; You must be individually authorised to wear the ICB. It is an offence under Section 80B of the Defence Act 1903, for a person who wears a service decoration and falsely represents themselves as being the person upon whom a service decoration has been conferred. A Service decoration is defined as "any …badge… that was or may be conferred for …participation in a campaign or other warlike operation… ".
The award of the AASM (post 1975) without a campaign medal is highly doubtful. His claimed RAAF service was 1973 to March, 1982. During this period, there was no prescribed war like areas in that would qualify him for the AASM. (post 1975)
If DALE qualified for an AASM post 2004, he would be wearing a Campaign Medal. The only war like service areas prescribed post 2004 are:
16/07/2003 - 28/07/2009 Operation Catalyst – Iraq
11/10/2001 ongoing Operation Slipper (war on terrorism)
18/4/2003 - ongoing Operation Palate Afghanistan
the ICB if genuinely awarded, has to have been awarded for service in Iraq or Afghanistan and he must meet the criteria and given the lack of campaign medals, it is clear could not have done so. It is highly doubtful that he would have received the AASM without also receiving the appropriate campaign medal, ISAF or UN Medal at the same time and have them court mounted together.
It is possible for him to have an ASM without another medal, e.g. Solomon Islands or have had a posting the RAAF Base Butterworth during his RAAF Service. In such cases he would only receive a clasp. (Solomon Islands) or (SE Asia) both of which are for non-war like service.
As well as the ICB, DALE can be seen wearing an AIRN badge. The silver AIRN badge was introduced for qualifying personnel in 1997.
Of interest to ANZMI is that he does not appear to have been awarded any campaign medals to align with the AASM he wears. DALE has been asked to explain this apparent anomaly, but to-date has refused to do so.
ANZMI don't doubt that DALE may have served in the RAAF and later joined the Army Reserve as he states, and the evidence confirms his claim that he attended RMC as the 'oldest reserve officer to have completed Officer training'. That is where we have evidence which links him to the Queensland University Regiment (QUR) but there are a number of inconsistencies with his 'military' story.
Here is an image of DALE from his Twitter Page. Note that he is younger, and wearing the badge of the Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps (RAAOC). In the later picture (above he is wearing the badge of the Royal Australian Regiment. It is plausible that at sometime during this Army Reserve Career, he transferred from the RAAOC to Infantry, but it is highly doubtful he ever deployed as an Infantry Officer.
Nowhere in any of his personal blogs, or career summaries has DALE made any reference to a deployment overseas which would attract the award of the AASM and the ICB (remembering the 90 day requirement). There are no photographs of him in a 'Warlike' pose, whilst on deployment to operational zone that would warrant these awards. The only person who can answer this conundrum is DALE himself. ANZMI has irrefutable evidence that confirms DALE has never deployed overseas, and he has no entitlement to the medals and awards he is wearing, with the exception of the Australian Defence Medal (ADM).
Turning now to the picture that DALE uses to support his claim of being a RAAF UH-1H Crewman.
While the second image is blurred because its size cannot be increased, the reader will see the similarity of the images with that provided below.
He also has used that image (albeit cropped and in colour) on his Facebook Profile Page.
Closer inspection of the image used by DALE (above) raised a number of concerns and there appears to be evidence that the face of person has been cropped or photo shopped. If you examine the black and white image against the colourised version, it can be seen that it is the same photograph. But is it? Here is the genuine image obtained from the records of the Australian War Memorial (AWM).
Above is a genuine image of Cpl Dennis Fredrick Olsen A18781 who flew with No 9Sqn in Vietnam and was awarded a Mentioned in Despatches (MID).
Here are both images together.
It can be seen that the face has been photo shopped onto the pose of Cpl Olsen, but apart from the pose, if you look closely you will see a number of similar points of reference, including teeth (Olsen's teeth are not seen in the original), position of hands, helmet and pilots seat configuration. A closer look will also show that the cropped image failed to remove a small tuft of hair from the top of DALE's head but does appear in the original image.
Clearly, DALE has used an official AWM image from the Vietnam War and firstly, used it to deceive people who purchase his books into believing the image is of himself (hence making it so small). Secondly, and most significantly for ANZMI, he has photo shopped his own image onto an official photograph in order to have people believe he was a RAAF Helicopter Crewman. A role he never had.
DALE has stated in a number of forums that he is a client of DVA and in receipt of a TPI pension. While it is possible to receive this benefit while not having seen active service there must be doubt regarding the circumstances of his injury that DALE provided to DVA to secure his TPI status.
ANZMI has uncovered a series of Facebook posts from DALE to a 'DVA Entitlements' page and they make for some interesting reading.
In an early post, DALE sets the scene in by making a call for help which is answered by numerous page followers expressing concern for his welfare.
Of course, DALE can't talk about his experiences because of Government Policies. How many times has that one been used by a wannabe on our website?
Like all good story tellers though, when pressed DALE is prepared to give us a little bit of his 'experience'. Does this story sound familiar?
Trouble is, DALE was never in the jungle setting claymore mines. But here's the kicker, if you follow the link he provides in his post, it will take you a place where you can buy his books!
Facebook can be a trap for the wannabe, and DALE is no exception. A simple question about his flying career in the RAAF exposed him for what he is. The aircraft in the photograph DALE uses as his own is a UH-1B (Bravo) model Iroquois, not a D model as he states. The RAAF did fly UH-1D's for a short time before they were superseded by the UH-1H, all of this occurring before DALE even joined the RAAF. If he were a Crewman as he states, he would have known that.
Author's Note: In the post (above) we believe Diana's should be DVA and is a case of Facebook Auto Correcting his text.
Drew DALE is a fraud and a wannabe. He wears a prestigious RAAF Aircrew Brevet without any entitlement to do so. He wears Honours and Awards which he has no entitlement in the form of the ICB and Crewmans Brevet and medals which are doubtful and worse still, he has used a genuine image of a RAAF Vietnam hero to advance his own personal gain.
Drew DALE has claimed to be in receipt of a TPI Pension form DVA. If he is prepared to photo shop his image onto a genuine photograph of a decorated Veteran simply to perpetuate the lie that he was a RAAF Helicopter Crewman, and wear medals and awards which he has no entitlement, what else has he done? ANZMI can only wonder what stories were spun to gain that benefit and will be reporting him to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
There is nothing lower than a valour thief and Drew DALE is definitely that. He may have had limited success as an author putting his spin on words, but let's see him spin his way of our Website.