Stolen Valor: The Truth Behind False Military Claims

[ibnsos]

You're saying people are applying for VA benefits who were never even in the military?

Yes, they also dupe employers, schools, organizations, family members etc. for personal benefit. Head over to the Hall of Shame at http://professionalsoldiers.com/forums/index.php for many examples.

 

[BobG]

You're saying people are applying for VA benefits who were never even in the military?

I'd estimate that at least half the people in the VFW bar every night down the street from my ex-mother-in-law were never in the military. The VFW part (Veterans of Foreign Wars) just qualifies them as a club with laws a little different than would apply for a commercial tavern and I guess just about everyone down there is a member or a guest of a member, but there don't seem to be very many ex-military members in their club (not under the age of 70 anyway - in fact, I think the current situation is desparation by a once strong VFW Post that was in danger of dwindling away).

 

[MotoH]

I added the link to my earlier post. It is seriously a good read if you are looking to find out what the combat was actually like over there. Definitely gave me a different view on how the war was fought.

I believe one of the main reasons the VFW is dwindling is because the people who have served recently will do their tours, and once they get out they just don't want anything to really do with it anymore. At least where I live that is the main case. Our VFW is the same way with the non military members. Some nights I guarantee you there isn't a single military serviceman in the house! It really just is another bar to some people.

It's too bad that the WWII generation is starting to pass away. There is so much valuable information that hasn't been told yet because people haven't taken the time to listen to their stories. Just the day to day things that go on during the war are extremely interesting and it's a shame to lose them.

 

[pantaz]

From http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s109-1998" :

The Stolen Valor Act of 2005 (summary) - Amends the federal criminal code to expand the prohibition against wearing, manufacturing, or selling military decorations or medals without legal authorization; to prohibit purchasing, soliciting, mailing, shipping, importing, exporting, producing blank certificates of receipt for, advertising, trading, bartering, or exchanging such decorations or medals without authorization.
Prohibits falsely representing oneself as having been awarded any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the Armed Forces or any of the service medals or badges.
Increases penalties for violations if the offense involves a distinguished service cross, an Air Force Cross, a Navy Cross, a silver star, or a Purple Heart.​

Two places for checking on an individual's claim to military involvement:
http://www.socnet.com/
http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/links_verification.htm

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

This is the same for WWII veterans as well, my parent's generation. I was once told my uncle had landed at Normandy and fought through Europe. I asked him about it and he just stood up and walked out of the room as if he hadn't heard me. My aunt then said: "He saw people get killed. He doesn't like to talk about it." I also recall two or three of my mother's friends relating how their husbands sometimes thrashed in their sleep having war nightmares.

So, I think you're right that the seal's willingness to relate such things is probably not a good sign.

I had a friend who went so far as to lie and say that he never left the states and received an honourable discharge due to injury in order to avoid talking about what he went through in Vietnam. He never even told me himself but a mutual friend explained to me how he was suffering from PTSD and that was why he had a large bottle of vodka with him at all times.

The reason he spoke to that friend is because his father was in Vietnam and I guess he felt he would understand after hearing the stories from his father. My friend's father though was the sniper I mentioned earlier. He was not the sort to just talk about his military career but if he was around only a couple people whom he was comfortable with he would maybe talk a bit about his service. I wonder though if talking big may be a common thing for military guys. They like good stories and I have a few friends who have been in the military that made it sound like half of what they do is exaggerate and BS one another to keep each other entertained. The sniper I mention also told me that he saw an experimental jet on radar by accident once, not a very outrageous claim really. He also said that he knew a detective on the police force that knew OJ was covering for his son, and he spoke as if he knew what happened on the grassy knoll in Dealy Plaza. I certainly trust that he was a sniper in Vietnam. I suppose he knows people who told him things and he trusts those other people even if I might not.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Yes, they also dupe employers, schools, organizations, family members etc. for personal benefit. Head over to the Hall of Shame at http://professionalsoldiers.com/forums/index.php for many examples.

A link to that forum wasn't very helpful. I read a few threads and it just seems to be a bunch of guys who've defined themselves to be the authentic ones shaking their spears and thumping their chests at potential poseurs. I don't see any documentation of, or statistics about, people who've been proven to have committed fraud by false claims of military service.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I'd estimate that at least half the people in the VFW bar every night down the street from my ex-mother-in-law were never in the military. The VFW part (Veterans of Foreign Wars) just qualifies them as a club with laws a little different than would apply for a commercial tavern and I guess just about everyone down there is a member or a guest of a member, but there don't seem to be very many ex-military members in their club (not under the age of 70 anyway - in fact, I think the current situation is desparation by a once strong VFW Post that was in danger of dwindling away).

Hanging at the VFW doesn't seem to have much to do with applying for VA benefits when you never even served in the military.

 

[zoobyshoe]

From http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s109-1998" :

The Stolen Valor Act of 2005 (summary) - Amends the federal criminal code to expand the prohibition against wearing, manufacturing, or selling military decorations or medals without legal authorization; to prohibit purchasing, soliciting, mailing, shipping, importing, exporting, producing blank certificates of receipt for, advertising, trading, bartering, or exchanging such decorations or medals without authorization.
Prohibits falsely representing oneself as having been awarded any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the Armed Forces or any of the service medals or badges.
Increases penalties for violations if the offense involves a distinguished service cross, an Air Force Cross, a Navy Cross, a silver star, or a Purple Heart.​

Two places for checking on an individual's claim to military involvement:
http://www.socnet.com/
http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/links_verification.htm

So, the Stolen Valor Act is specifically aimed at people who claim military decorations they did not actually receive, not people who falsely apply for VA benefits.

 

[Sorry!]

So, the Stolen Valor Act is specifically aimed at people who claim military decorations they did not actually receive, not people who falsely apply for VA benefits.

No I remember reading an article. When the Stolen Valor Act first came out it only included wearing medals. So to get around that the people would then frame their medals and tell stories about them. So to put an end to it they made it illegal to own or sell etc. etc. these medals without authorizations and they also made it illegal to tell stories about winning medals or being such and such in the military without having actually done it.

I'll look for the article.

EDIT: here

Those laws were amended to impose tighter restrictions, added stipulations against making false VERBAL claims, and added greater penalties. However, despite the laws being stiffened and expanded, no additional funds were designated for their enforcement.

*emphasis mine
http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/phonies574.htm