LovelandPolitics
| Loveland's Independent News Source |
| LBP Founder Don Marostica Targeted By Veteran Groups for 'Fake Military History' |
Loveland, April 11, 2018
Former Loveland Mayor Pro Tem, State House Representative and now LBP (Loveland
Business Partnership) board member Don Marostica is the target of veteran groups that
expose people who make false claims about their military service; sometimes called
Stolen Valor.
Loveland's veteran memorial park, Harold Dwayne Webster, is named for the first
Lovelander to die in WWII during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Steps away
from that monument bearing the names of those Lovelanders who gave their lives in the
service of this country is a brick stating, Donald W. Marostica, US Army 71-79, Vietnam.
Marostica has long claimed to have been a Captain in the US Army often participating in
the "Ride to the Wall" travelling on his motorcycle with authentic Vietnam veterans to
the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. He even posed in one news article in front of
a local Vietnam Veteran's Memorial on his motorcycle sporting a vest full of military
patches. However, government records obtained by one veteran's group indicate
Marostica spent the early 1970's attending CSU and not in the jungles of Vietnam.
While serving in the Colorado legislature in 2009, during an interview with the Denver
Post published April 18, 2009, Marostica implied he was an expert in jungle warfare and
attributed his desire to remain standing in the Colorado State Legislature as coming
from his military service,
Q: You rarely sit. You don't even have a chair on the House floor. What's that all
about?
A. It started in the military. I was teaching jungle training to guys going to Vietnam,
and for eight months you were on your feet all day.
According to the blog, "thisAintHell" which obtained Marostica's military service records
through a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request, Marostica only served on active
duty for three months in Fort Knox, Kentucky in the early 70's. Following his 90 days of
active duty, Marostica remained either in the Army Reserve or National Guard
eventually achieving the rank of 1st Lt but not Captain as he claims according to the
records published online. According to the same records reviewed by LovelandPolitics,
they show he was never in Vietnam during his three months of active duty but instead
served his country for 90 days in Kentucky.
Loveland Mayor Demands Brick Be Removed
Loveland Mayor Jacki Marsh, a critic of Marostica's influential LBP group in city affairs,
is demanding the brick commemorating Don Marostica's service in "Vietnam" be
removed from the city owned park before Memorial Day celebrations. However,
Lovelandpolitics has learned the parks department and several members of the city
council are claiming the brick is not a violation of any city policy so fighting the mayor's
request. Sponsors who contribute donations are allowed to place a brick in the city's
veteran's memorial park with an inscription of their choice.
Marostica along with his fellow LBP board members were instrumental in getting Kelly
Jones the position in Loveland as the Director of Economic Development. Marostica's
group solicits funds from individuals and companies looking to gain influence over the
economic development process. Fellow board members have been awarded millions of
dollars in contracts for the Foundry and other construction opportunities funded
throughout the City of Loveland. LBP's finances are not open to public scrutiny so it is
unkown how much Marostica may be receiving in compensation for lobbying city
council and staff on behalf of LBP participants.
Mayor Marsh has a history of questioning the city's involvement with the group and
calling for a distance between Marostica's LBP and city officials.
Don Marostica is also a founder of Loveland Commercial Real Estate which recently
changed its name to LC Real Estate. He made his early money developing properties in
Loveland while serving on the city council.
Former Loveland Mayor Pro Tem, State House Representative and now LBP (Loveland
Business Partnership) board member Don Marostica is the target of veteran groups that
expose people who make false claims about their military service; sometimes called
Stolen Valor.
Loveland's veteran memorial park, Harold Dwayne Webster, is named for the first
Lovelander to die in WWII during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Steps away
from that monument bearing the names of those Lovelanders who gave their lives in the
service of this country is a brick stating, Donald W. Marostica, US Army 71-79, Vietnam.
Marostica has long claimed to have been a Captain in the US Army often participating in
the "Ride to the Wall" travelling on his motorcycle with authentic Vietnam veterans to
the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. He even posed in one news article in front of
a local Vietnam Veteran's Memorial on his motorcycle sporting a vest full of military
patches. However, government records obtained by one veteran's group indicate
Marostica spent the early 1970's attending CSU and not in the jungles of Vietnam.
While serving in the Colorado legislature in 2009, during an interview with the Denver
Post published April 18, 2009, Marostica implied he was an expert in jungle warfare and
attributed his desire to remain standing in the Colorado State Legislature as coming
from his military service,
Q: You rarely sit. You don't even have a chair on the House floor. What's that all
about?
A. It started in the military. I was teaching jungle training to guys going to Vietnam,
and for eight months you were on your feet all day.
According to the blog, "thisAintHell" which obtained Marostica's military service records
through a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request, Marostica only served on active
duty for three months in Fort Knox, Kentucky in the early 70's. Following his 90 days of
active duty, Marostica remained either in the Army Reserve or National Guard
eventually achieving the rank of 1st Lt but not Captain as he claims according to the
records published online. According to the same records reviewed by LovelandPolitics,
they show he was never in Vietnam during his three months of active duty but instead
served his country for 90 days in Kentucky.
Loveland Mayor Demands Brick Be Removed
Loveland Mayor Jacki Marsh, a critic of Marostica's influential LBP group in city affairs,
is demanding the brick commemorating Don Marostica's service in "Vietnam" be
removed from the city owned park before Memorial Day celebrations. However,
Lovelandpolitics has learned the parks department and several members of the city
council are claiming the brick is not a violation of any city policy so fighting the mayor's
request. Sponsors who contribute donations are allowed to place a brick in the city's
veteran's memorial park with an inscription of their choice.
Marostica along with his fellow LBP board members were instrumental in getting Kelly
Jones the position in Loveland as the Director of Economic Development. Marostica's
group solicits funds from individuals and companies looking to gain influence over the
economic development process. Fellow board members have been awarded millions of
dollars in contracts for the Foundry and other construction opportunities funded
throughout the City of Loveland. LBP's finances are not open to public scrutiny so it is
unkown how much Marostica may be receiving in compensation for lobbying city
council and staff on behalf of LBP participants.
Mayor Marsh has a history of questioning the city's involvement with the group and
calling for a distance between Marostica's LBP and city officials.
Don Marostica is also a founder of Loveland Commercial Real Estate which recently
changed its name to LC Real Estate. He made his early money developing properties in
Loveland while serving on the city council.
