"Stolen Valor" Struck Down...

The ruling is just.

A person claiming veteran's status to obtain benefits is violating fraud statutes.

Right and some folks aren't doing it to claim benefits per se, but to claim competence, job experience, etc. in order to be able to compete for certain types of military contracts or gain non-military employment. At least on the military contracts applications, they can be charged with falsifying government documents still.

I always disliked the name of "Stolen valor." Except in identity fraud cases, the claimed valor isn't actually stolen, but fabricated. The claim of service not performed, in an of itself, is not theft as implied by the nickname. I am not sure why we even needed a new name for the word "liar," but folks working the emotional side of the issue back during Bush's administration parlayed it into being law, in part due to the emotional selling point. It came across as a misleading moniker for a law that was against misleading people.

Back in the late 70s and through the early 90s at our family pawnshops, I was amazed at how many Vietnam 'snipers' were now roofers in the Dallas area. The guys were definitely former military as they still retained their military ID cards to use for identification, but the claim of sniper service always seemed strange and way too common. I met a lot more self professed snipers than I did cooks, mechanics or regular foot soldiers. Of course, being a "sniper" didn't get you any more money on a pawn of your roofing tools than being a guy short on cash and wanting to hit the bars that night.
 

MTT TL

New member
I always disliked the name of "Stolen valor." Except in identity fraud cases, the claimed valor isn't actually stolen, but fabricated.

It steals it from those who earned it because it cheapens it for them. Let me give you an example.

How would you feel if we both applied for a scholarship and I lied like crazy and won the scholarship? It is the same thing.


Back in the late 70s and through the early 90s at our family pawnshops, I was amazed at how many Vietnam 'snipers' were now roofers in the Dallas area.

You should have met a lot of Navy Seals and even POWs too. There are currently twice as many people claiming POW status from the VA than were actually captured in the war, and lot the former POWs are dead. Don Shipley who outs Navy Seals as a passion estimates close to 1000 imposters for every real one that has served. The FBI puts estimates at a more modest 300 to 1. Some sad sacks even put it on their grave stones.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/navy-...-woodwork-seal/story?id=13564587#.T_I8KPWrRxA
 

JimPage

New member
It really doesn't matter to me. I know what medals I have and that I earned them. So long as folks believe me (I don't brag, it just comes up in conversation) I don't care. I rarely mention my awards, only the deeds.

When a guy brags about his awards, I am instantly suspicious. I don't like the imposter, but I don't think it's a crime. I take more as a compliment that he wants to be like me, even when he claims higher ranking awards than mine.

Let people brag about pretences. It just makes them more inferior in their own eyes.

It doesn't hurt a thing and usually it is very obvious.
 
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