Is this Solider Collecting Facebook Likes in Support of the Troops?

An image being circulated shows a soldier holding a sign seeking Facebook likes in support of the troops. Is this image real or fake?

This photo is fake.

The image circulating in 2013 depicts a solider holding a sign which reads:

If you support the troops, please “like” this picture. We need your support.

The real story

The photo was a couple of years ago, and the text has since been altered from the original image. The unaltered image dates from April 2011, when a possible government shutdown was avoided by only a matter of hours. The Department of Defense stated that if a shutdown were to occur for any extended amount of time, the pay of soldiers would be affected. Around April 8th of that year, this photo was shared on dozens of websites, Similar pictures of soldiers holding signs with slogans such as “We can die but we can’t get paid” were also posted online at that time.

Let’s take a look at the fake photo being circulated in 2013 along with the original from 2011

Fake Image in 2013

Original 2011 Photo
This was circulated in April 2011 in response to a possible government shutdown:

There were similar photos posted in April 2011 in response to the possible government shutdown, such as this one:

Bottom Line

This is yet another example of an image being altered to fraudulently get likes on Facebook. Liking and sharing this photo will only fuel spammers and shady Facebook page owners seeking to get fast and easy likes for their page.

Sources:

• Shutdown averted, military pay to continue (Air Force Times: April 8, 2011, retrieved May 25, 2013. No longer works, not archived)
• How Do You Think the Troops Feel About Not Being Paid While We’re a Nation at War? (Urban Grounds: April 8, 2011)