Asked to stand as a groomsman at wedding of a guy I hardly know...

I'd decline. It looks like is just using you.

I don't know about etiquette but this seems like an offer you can't refuse without it being a slap in the face. Are the other groomsmen frat brahs of yours?

If you were/are NOT intending on going to the wedding, then say that unfortunately you won't be able to make it.....due to another issue. Wish him the best of luck and say that you were honored by him asking you to be a part of his special day...blah blah blah.
Remember, the 2 of you were not close friends, but he did admire you so don't make him feel like a dooooosche bag for asking!

Ya, I kind of agree with this. I'd suck it up and do it. And who knows, maybe the stag'll be fun and the bridesmaids will be hot skanks. If my friends have taught me one thing over the years, it's that the only thing faster than the speed of light is the speed of dark...

I was put in this situation, and went through with it. I didn't want to but felt it wouldn't hurt me to suffer through it. I hated the experience, by the way, but don't really regret doing it.

i would pass....

^^^Yeah, if I had to do it over again, I'd pass. I haven't talked to the dude or his wife since then, and it was many years ago.

i hear you...if i was the OP, i would politely decline and wish the groom to be luck.

Is this out of town? Do you have to travel to the stag? I think it's much tougher to say no if it is reasonably close to where you live. If you have to travel for this, I think you are have an out but you are going to have to lie and say you have other commitments.

Also, maybe you can just avoid the stag altogether.

I think the true test of character is doing things that we sometimes would rather not do, but that are important to someone else. That he "always respected [you], looked up to [you], other nice complementary things" suggests you might have been an example to this guy back then without realizing it. How many times have we all seen, as an example, a teacher get nominated for some special award years later by a student she barely remembered, but nonetheless impacted profoundly. The truly selfless thing to do would be to honor his request and make what is a special day for him even more so.

I know there are people I have not seen for years that I greatly admire that probably have no idea, and vice versa. I converse regularly with some of the guys from my former outfit that I served with in Iraq. They communicated up the lines to former commanders of mine that I had done well in my academic studies and was now transferring to a four year university. The commanding general of my unit learned of this and sent me, unsolicited, an amazing letter of recommendation. I had always believed I had served well, but somewhat quietly, and did not realize that my efforts had been noticed by someone of this caliber.

It is an honor to be asked to stand-in as a groomsman, especially if he truly did admire and respect you. He is not a stranger to you, but a "frat brother." That should mean something. I would accept and say that it would be an honor to stand-in, period.

Now, if it is out of state and would place an undue financial burden on you, then certainly that is a reason to decline, but decline in the same way that you were asked.

Well put.

This was what I decided when I was faced with the same dilemma. As I mentioned, I didn't regret doing it, although in my case, I really didn't know either one of them that well at all. As I reflect upon it, I believe it was his mom who wanted me to do it. At the time I didn't have anything better to do and it wasn't a great expense. I wouldn't do it now, but it was okay back then.

This is great advice!