Posted on Mar 22, 2018
Why are genuine heroes who display awards or decorations not awarded, not "confronted"?
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What is the most appropriate way to address the issue of genuine heroes who present themselves in public settings; organizational photos, parades, appearances etc, wearing awards they simply did not or could not have earned? A specific example would be a former WWII Navajo Code Talker, who in official organizational photos, parade appearances and other venues, displays a Combat Infantryman Badge, third award (very select list, which this individual is not on) and a China Service Ribbon with two devices (not possible). If your average Joe was out presenting themselves in this manner, someone would be all over them.
Posted 6 y ago
Responses: 8
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When you start talking about Vets who are that old it may just be an issue where they mistook the award for the right one. I think that it is important to think rationally about these kinds of things. These are people that have no reason to embellish their service, so why would they? Maybe pull them aside in private and let them know hey that's not the right one or the right way to wear that. Then again, I think that it is stupid to be running up on even the worst cases of stolen valor because it isn't worth my time.
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If this guy really is a code talker, he is really, really, really old. Probably has someone else (a relative who doesn't quite know better perhaps) building his ribbon rack for him.
My initial instinct-- all WWII vets get a pass. Take the time to listen to him and learn from him (if for no other purpose for the posterity of stories that may not have been told yet) rather than getting feather-ruffled about a few jacked up ribbons.
If you feel like you need to do something-- don't take it straight to him. If there is a family member you usually see him with (preferably one who is not 80+ years old), politely voice your concerns to that family member. I would do it in a manner suggesting you are genuinely trying to be helpful rather than accusatory. It could be a genuine mistake. It also may be possible that he wears the awards his brothers-in-arms won (or should have had they lived) in tribute to their memory... I knew a WWII vet who did that-- never saw him wear a uniform, but he had them on the wall of his house in his dead friends' honor. Pretty sure he's beyond caring if that is 'allowed' by uniform regs or not.
My initial instinct-- all WWII vets get a pass. Take the time to listen to him and learn from him (if for no other purpose for the posterity of stories that may not have been told yet) rather than getting feather-ruffled about a few jacked up ribbons.
If you feel like you need to do something-- don't take it straight to him. If there is a family member you usually see him with (preferably one who is not 80+ years old), politely voice your concerns to that family member. I would do it in a manner suggesting you are genuinely trying to be helpful rather than accusatory. It could be a genuine mistake. It also may be possible that he wears the awards his brothers-in-arms won (or should have had they lived) in tribute to their memory... I knew a WWII vet who did that-- never saw him wear a uniform, but he had them on the wall of his house in his dead friends' honor. Pretty sure he's beyond caring if that is 'allowed' by uniform regs or not.
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Based on the number of current service members who don't know how rare a 3rd Award CIB is (just check the most recent, popular question on here about it) I wouldn't be surprised if he just didn't know that he wasn't authorized to wear it.
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