Posted on Jan 4, 2018
If you are in a High School ROTC Unit and routinely wear uniform items out in the public and receive free comps, are you stealing valor?
22.2K
136
53
12
12
0
My Brother is in an JNROTC Unit at his High School and commonly wears his boots and jackets in public and receives free food and discounts at restaurants. He never asks for these things, but he doesn’t change his wardrobe. I tell him that he is committing Stolen Valor, but what is y’all’s opinion?
Posted in these groups: 
Stolen Valor
JROTC
Stolen Valor JROTC
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 48
A little torn on this. While not exactly touting that he is a service member, he is receiving free stuff by people having the impression that he is a SM while not trying to stop them. Some would argue that he is stealing valor, while others would not. Personally, I think he is exploiting these places and should stop.....at least because it is the moral/ethical thing to do.
(22)
(0)
18
18
0
I say absolutely yes since he is not a member of the armed forces. He is a civilian, probably a good one but not a military member yet.
(18)
(0)
SPC Jimmy Floyd
I can't stand them. I am a veteran of the 101st Airborne. My esprit decor remains high. I wear my 101st cap almost everyday. I was approached by a new hire at my job and when he saw me wearing my 101st cap, he pulled up his T- shirt and showed me his RANGER tab tattoo on his shoulder. He was a very fit , mid 20's, black man. I was impressed. I gave him a Hoowah, fucking Ranger! We went back to work.
I have the highest respect for Army Rangers, I am a Mogvet, (Veterans of Somalia), I was in Mogadishu when Task Force Ranger lost so many brave soldiers during the Blackhawk Down battle.
I caught up with the new hire with his trainer. I was the Asst Mgr, so I told his trainer that I would take him for awhile. We were alone inside a Auto Rack railcar. I started asking questions. What was your rank? I was a SSGT. Oh, you were a E-5? He said yes.
Well, he flunked that one!
I asked, I guess you got Air Assault qualified too ? He looked at me confused, and said, yah.
Where DoD you go to Jump school at? He said, I can't remember....someplace down south?
I am fuming MAD! A fucking poser!
I cut right in front of him and slapped him so hard that he fell on his ass! Then I started yelling at him, You stupid Fuck! If you think you can fool everybody into thinking your a Army Ranger just because you got a tattoo. YOU HAD BETTER DO YOUR FUCKING HOMEWORK! You are not a Ranger! You can walk back to the office or we can ride in the shuttle van, but I going to tell everyone in the van that your a lying piece of shit!
He took off walking. I took the shuttle van back to the office and told my Mgr what I did.
The new hire never even came in the office. He just got in his car and left. My Mgr was cool with it. Nobody saw me slap him. We were alone. Jake said, that's cool!
I have to tell you it felt GOOD!
I have the highest respect for Army Rangers, I am a Mogvet, (Veterans of Somalia), I was in Mogadishu when Task Force Ranger lost so many brave soldiers during the Blackhawk Down battle.
I caught up with the new hire with his trainer. I was the Asst Mgr, so I told his trainer that I would take him for awhile. We were alone inside a Auto Rack railcar. I started asking questions. What was your rank? I was a SSGT. Oh, you were a E-5? He said yes.
Well, he flunked that one!
I asked, I guess you got Air Assault qualified too ? He looked at me confused, and said, yah.
Where DoD you go to Jump school at? He said, I can't remember....someplace down south?
I am fuming MAD! A fucking poser!
I cut right in front of him and slapped him so hard that he fell on his ass! Then I started yelling at him, You stupid Fuck! If you think you can fool everybody into thinking your a Army Ranger just because you got a tattoo. YOU HAD BETTER DO YOUR FUCKING HOMEWORK! You are not a Ranger! You can walk back to the office or we can ride in the shuttle van, but I going to tell everyone in the van that your a lying piece of shit!
He took off walking. I took the shuttle van back to the office and told my Mgr what I did.
The new hire never even came in the office. He just got in his car and left. My Mgr was cool with it. Nobody saw me slap him. We were alone. Jake said, that's cool!
I have to tell you it felt GOOD!
(5)
(0)
14
14
0
Kacee Howell I'm a Private Security Officer, I've gotten the "Police" Discount at McDonalds and Taco Hell more than Once. Never Asked for It. (Usually about 15% Knocked Off). One time I was in Civies and I got the "Police" Discount and I couldn't figure out why, Get to the Window and the Girl said "Oh that is the Seniors Discount" I Liked it Better When they Called it the "Police Discount".
(14)
(0)
5
5
0
He's not in the military technically, but I'm not sure Id call it stolen valor. Honestly I've gotten tired of this stolen valor stuff. I didn't sign up for discounts, and I don't ask for them when I go places so it doesn't bother me when some people lie to get them, I just tell myself they can have my discount for the day. I don't need to confront them or say something to the people I'm with or harass him and put it up on facebook, I know what I did and in his heart of hearts that person knows they haven't earned shit. I'm walking around on two legs and have everything where it should be so I consider myself incredibly lucky, life is far too short to worry about people who aren't as lucky as I am to have known such great people and had so many amazing experiences.
(5)
(0)
5
5
0
He should be upfront and tell them he isn't in the military but JROTC. I bet he'd find that he gets most discounts anyway. I wouldn't go out of my way to call it stolen valor but I think a simple explanation to the waiter would clear up any confusion.
(5)
(0)
5
5
0
He should respectfully inform people that he is a High School JRTC Cadet and is not in the U.S. Armed Forces, if he plans to join then he could say with the intention to join the Armed Forces, he should thank them for the offer and say please offer to actual Veteran or active service members. That's how I would see it.
(5)
(0)
Kacee Howell I would not call it stolen valor, but your brother should not be wearing uniform items out in public.
(5)
(0)
TheGamerBros4Life .
I am an Army JROTC cadet. The only time I ever wear my uniform in public is going to/from school, out at JROTC events, and after award ceremony, my family always goes to dinner right after. But I 100% agree that you shouldn't wear the uniform unless you have a good reason.
(1)
(0)
5
5
0
PO2 (Join to see)
The original post was really specific. If he is just wearing combat boots or even a jacket with civilian clothes that doesn't make it stolen valor. I would say accepting the benefits with the items on does.
(1)
(0)
4
4
0
I teach Air Force JROTC and I do not allow my cadets to wear the uniform outside of our sanctioned activities. If a cadet wants to wear the uniform at some special event they must ask permission and then it’s only given on rare occasions. There have been times when someone has said something to a cadet like, thank you for serving or let me get that for you. I tell my cadets to say thank you or respectfully decline the gesture and explain why. The senior instructor of the JROTC unit that your brother is in should be made aware of this and put a stop to it.
(4)
(0)
3
3
0
2
2
0
No. Everyone thinks wearing a uniform is stolen valor. It’s not. If you actually read the law of Stolen Valor Act of 2013, you will see that Stolen Valor is a crime committed by those who would impersonate having received an award in an attempt to obtain money, properly, or other tangible items.
Therefore the ROTC cadet or anyone wearing a uniform is NOT a Stolen Valor case. ONLY those who claim to be awarded MoH, Bronze/Silver Stars, Purple Hearts, etc.
Therefore the ROTC cadet or anyone wearing a uniform is NOT a Stolen Valor case. ONLY those who claim to be awarded MoH, Bronze/Silver Stars, Purple Hearts, etc.
(2)
(0)
2
2
0
Pretty close and just as wrong...sure would hate it for him if an actual Veteran busted him out
(2)
(0)
Suspended Profile
Ehh.....it's pathetic and ghetto.....but HS kids do dumb shit. It is when he starts receiving free healthcare benefits or access to good jobs reserved for honorably dischsrged vets that it will really be offensive....and illegal.
1
1
0
First off He better check his 6 because if his Naval Science Instructor ever sees him wearing any part of his Uniform while not in School or at a School Function he will get a foot up his ass! AND He is NOT supposed to be wearing his jacket unless in FULL UNIFORM anyway. He knows that because he has been told that at the start of every semester! He is lucky he has not been caught and kicked out of the Unit! I work with Navy, Air Force and Army JROTC units locally and I know the regulations they expect their students to adhere to. IS he stealing Honor? No because all the Uniforms are distinctly marked with devices and patches identifying them as Junior ROTC but he is deceiving the merchants and stealing from them, Not a good start for a prospective service member.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
1
1
0
The real question should be are the restaurants in question aware of his status. If they are then it's their choice to give the discounts. If not the the cadet is wrong to take advantage.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
1
1
0
Ok, if it happened unintentionally once in awhile sure no issue there. Sometimes JROTC does public things and sometimes they go to a restaurant as a group or individually before returning to school or going home. I get that and that's ok. He may not be misrepresenting himself by going out and saying he's a Sailor directly but by wearing the uniform items in public he's indirectly misrepresenting himself and he probably knows it at this point.
If he is receiving discounts, first he's not owed them. None of us are owed a discount for serving, we should be humbled to receive them if at all. Second if he's doing this action repeatedly then yes he is stealing valor by misrepresenting himself as a service member.
It's great that he's in the JNROTC, that's awesome and he should be proud to do it. Maybe he joins the Naval Academy or maybe he enlists, or maybe not. Until he signs the dotted line though, he might want to reevaluate what he's doing in public and why. He might end up coming across a salty vet who will chew him out in public.
If he is receiving discounts, first he's not owed them. None of us are owed a discount for serving, we should be humbled to receive them if at all. Second if he's doing this action repeatedly then yes he is stealing valor by misrepresenting himself as a service member.
It's great that he's in the JNROTC, that's awesome and he should be proud to do it. Maybe he joins the Naval Academy or maybe he enlists, or maybe not. Until he signs the dotted line though, he might want to reevaluate what he's doing in public and why. He might end up coming across a salty vet who will chew him out in public.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
I was not allowed to wear my uniform outside of military events and school when I was in NJROTC. What I would say is ask you brother this: If a Wounded Warrior sat across from him, would he feel comfortable telling him or her about this? Probably not... Kacee Howell
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
Stolen valor is a big thing for me because my father spent twenty-four years in the navy and had an extensive fruit salad and he earned every one of them. I served in the navy for six years and earned several medals the one I'm most proud of is my national defence and my good conduct. The only ribbon I wear on my chest I did not earn is my Viet nam medal and it because my dad gave it to me because he said I should to honor my friend and family we lost thier
(1)
(0)
Read This Next
-
Ask questionGet expert advice and
tips for your questions. -
Post updatePost pictures, personal updates, plans, or anything you like!
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google