Stolen Valor - Outrage Over Stolen Valor Prompts Bill in Massachusetts

SSG Norman Lihou — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 18:27:19 -0400

The bill introduced by Westfield state Rep. John Velis, a U.S. Army Reserves captain who served in Afghanistan, would make such misrepresentations punishable by up to a year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.

"When you're doing it for financial gain, whether it's a veteran's discount at a store or a special rate on a loan, that should be a crime," Velis said.

The bill -- one of the strongest versions of the federal c in the nation -- is gaining the support of local veterans, who say it addresses a growing problem documented in YouTube videos of veterans outing wannabes seeking discounts and attention.

Read the entire article here:
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/03/23/outrage-over-stolen-valor-prompts-bill-in-massachusetts.html

Outrage Over Stolen Valor Prompts Bill in Massachusetts

A bill that would make it a crime to pose as an active-duty service member or a veteran for financial gain is drawing the support of veterans groups, who say those who make such false claims are an insult to those who have served, and died, for their country.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 23 at 2015 6:29 PM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 18:29:11 -0400

Perfect! Stolen Valor is horrible!

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 23 at 2015 6:31 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 18:31:34 -0400

I don't think it should be a crime. I think public shaming is absolutely effective as a punishment.
If we have to criminalize this behavior, I vote to bring back stocks in the public square and bring a couple bushels of old tomatoes to the nearest VFW.

Response by SFC Ronnie Seaton Jr made Mar 23 at 2015 8:54 PM

SFC Ronnie Seaton Jr — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 20:54:39 -0400

I wonder how this will be enforced, not to mention how will it be researched on each violation. Individual service records check. The services have current violators in the ranks wearing whatever they purchase until you check the records.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Mar 23 at 2015 11:15 PM

COL Charles Williams — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 23:15:24 -0400

That dude looks legit... I am all for such legislation, but I believe, these are also hard to enforce.

Response by SGT Tyler G. made Mar 24 at 2015 12:12 AM

SGT Tyler G. — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 00:12:38 -0400

That uniform...there is just so much wrong with it that it's actually painful to look at.

Response by LT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 24 at 2015 10:57 AM

LT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 10:57:02 -0400

Ah yes, MSgt Soup Sandwich, his service record is long and distinguished, part of the illustrious Air Force Airborne-Scuba-Infantry Wing. The best part is if you see the other pictures he's wearing the dress blue pants bloused into desert boots.

Response by CDR Michael Goldschmidt made Jun 6 at 2015 8:39 PM

CDR Michael Goldschmidt — Sat, 06 Jun 2015 20:39:23 -0400

Silliness. Look at this dumb SOB. He looks seriously disturbed.

Response by CDR Michael Goldschmidt made Jun 6 at 2015 8:40 PM

CDR Michael Goldschmidt — Sat, 06 Jun 2015 20:40:38 -0400

Sounds like a year of free chow and medical care. If I were an already overtaxed Massachusetts taxpayer, I'd be outraged.

Response by SFC Jim Ruether made Jun 24 at 2015 4:51 PM

SFC Jim Ruether — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 16:51:44 -0400

He looks like he's fourteen yrs old. Must be a badge collector too!

Response by MSG Alfred Aguilar made Oct 21 at 2015 3:37 AM

MSG Alfred Aguilar — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 03:37:23 -0400

Tax payer money could be better spent then on these clowns. Since canning is not legal in this country, public shaming will have to suffice.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 23 at 2015 3:59 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 03:59:52 -0400

The REAL question is WHO IN THE HELL invests this much time into doing this? I just don't get it, if they want to be military so badly, why not just join up and be like the rest of us? I still don't understand why people outside of the Military feels like we are so entitled...

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 8 at 2017 5:18 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 08 Sep 2017 17:18:55 -0400

so many chest candies!

Response by SPC(P) Mark Newman made Dec 10 at 2017 6:20 PM

SPC(P) Mark Newman — Sun, 10 Dec 2017 18:20:50 -0500

I apologize to my Brothers and Sisters. Ecp. combat vets. But when i saw the photo for this article, I laughed. I'm still smiling! Wow, what a career this kid has had ah ha ha ha. Hey, you've been really, REALLY busy! And the EXPRESSION on his face is priceless. He never have served a day, but I have a feeling this is one full-bird sergeant who's going to have him some PTS. Dear God, look at him! I think hes been shot a total of 197 times

Response by SP5 Peter Keane made Dec 17 at 2017 1:17 PM

SP5 Peter Keane — Sun, 17 Dec 2017 13:17:59 -0500

It is a shame that guy was in 3 wars and only got 2 CMB's

Response by SFC Jim Ruether made Mar 19 at 2018 8:24 AM

SFC Jim Ruether — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 08:24:48 -0400

He looks despondent or depressed and was perhaps a candidate for enlistment and was turned down. I believe in the good in everyone and this young man needs to be taken aside and told that what he is doing is wrong, plain and simple and that he needs to stop what he is doing. His portrayal of a Master Sergeant is wrong but would still be wrong if he was an airman. Is there anyway we can suggest a warning for their first offense before we lock them up or force them to pay a fine they or anyone else could ill afford?

Response by Sgt Randy Harrison made Mar 30 at 2018 2:42 AM

Sgt Randy Harrison — Fri, 30 Mar 2018 02:42:15 -0400

This guy is wearing more decorations than GEN Curtis LeMay had!

Response by Sgt Randy Harrison made Mar 30 at 2018 2:45 AM

Sgt Randy Harrison — Fri, 30 Mar 2018 02:45:33 -0400

Amazing - all these fake decorations and he can't even straighten his tie!

Response by SPC Donn Eggen made May 31 at 2018 12:30 PM

SPC Donn Eggen — Thu, 31 May 2018 12:30:20 -0400

Damn,...
Where is his Medal of Honor????

Response by SPC Sheila Lewis made May 31 at 2018 1:31 PM

SPC Sheila Lewis — Thu, 31 May 2018 13:31:16 -0400

I think this should be a punishable crime in every state.

Response by MAJ Clifton Goins made Aug 25 at 2018 2:48 AM

MAJ Clifton Goins — Sat, 25 Aug 2018 02:48:13 -0400

it takes a special kind of person to pretend to be something that they are not. I think it should be a misdemeanor- like impersonation of a police officer. There should also be a public shaming along with a fine.

Response by SSgt Pamela Upton made Nov 13 at 2019 2:03 PM

SSgt Pamela Upton — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 14:03:32 -0500

I think that they need to be punished as many a good man have died to attain many of these medals! He may be mentally incapacitated in some way and that would be a different story then-Period!

Response by William Barry made Jan 7 at 2020 5:27 AM

William Barry — Tue, 07 Jan 2020 05:27:51 -0500

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think service members get overtime. Take your monthly payments and average it by 4.3 weeks in a month and then divide it by 168 hours in a week. Now tell me if you are overpaid. Include the fact that the job you are doing can get you killed.

Heres a scenario for you. Let's say you are a squad leader or platoon sergeant in charge of a unit, and the commanding general is coming for an inspection Monday at 7 AM. All of your troops are out doing something else. Will you get out the floor scrubber and wax the barracks right before inspection? You know you will because you want a good grade on the barracks. It doesn't matter if its 3 AM. This scenario is part of my point.

I've had similar scenarios as an MHW for the Department of Mental Health. I've scrubbed floors at 3 AM on my unit when we know that the Joint Commission is coming soon. We have no housekeepers on 11 to 7 that work the units with scrubbers as the patients need to sleep. Any cleaning of smaller areas is done by hand. Only two housekeepers do the hallways with floor machines.

My lead MHW is like we have the cleanest unit, and it will stay that way. So if I have to do a housekeeper's job on short notice, it gets done.

Response by CSM Thomas Ray made Feb 2 at 2020 2:40 PM

CSM Thomas Ray — Sun, 02 Feb 2020 14:40:10 -0500

That guy has to be a joke, nobody's that stupid

Response by William Bottini made Aug 12 at 2020 1:49 PM

William Bottini — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 13:49:44 -0400

That's quite a lot of ribbons , and he doesnt even have a proper ribbon holder for all of em, plus they are not even in the correct order.i suggest 10 years in jail would be great

Response by SPC Paul Shene III made Nov 19 at 2021 10:43 AM

SPC Paul Shene III — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 10:43:54 -0500

The guy in the picture in this article looks like what I heard called "PX Ranger" Someone wearing all the medals he never earned.

Response by SPC Lyle Montgomery made Nov 19 at 2021 11:37 AM

SPC Lyle Montgomery — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 11:37:29 -0500

I think it sucks when some loser gets a discount on coffee or something small but when they get a large monetary benefit by claiming military service, then they should be prosicuted and have their name appear in the paper along with the drunk drivers and those soliticing prostitution with the title of stolen valor for all to see

Response by PO1 John Hudson made Jan 18 at 2022 6:34 PM

PO1 John Hudson — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 18:34:11 -0500

Anyone who poses as a past or present member of the military should be arrested, and face the same consequences as someone pretending to be a law enforcement officer. The oath taken is sacred to those raising their right hand, willing to give their full measure. That oath should never be marginalized, falsely claimed, hijacked by anyone who never raised a hand.

Response by SPC Robert Coventry made Feb 24 at 2022 6:40 PM

SPC Robert Coventry — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 18:40:39 -0500

I know the Chair Force gives away medals but....

Response by SFC Howard Holmes made May 16 at 2022 11:56 PM

SFC Howard Holmes — Mon, 16 May 2022 23:56:52 -0400

I usually just laugh at turds who try stolen valor, but the guy in the picture in the USAF uniform needs punched in the face. What a jack wagon. We had one of our guys in BCT go home on leave and had SGM stripes sewn on his uniform, he wasn't even an E-2. He got caught and WHEW, he had the book thrown at him.

Response by SPC Tommy Dean made Jun 13 at 2022 2:20 PM

SPC Tommy Dean — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 14:20:57 -0400

Damn. It' General Admiral Commandant President and Dictator for life. And if I'm reading the awards correctly, he may have been shot at scuba school? And his tie is crooked.

Response by SPC Michael Tierney made Nov 14 at 2022 11:00 AM

SPC Michael Tierney — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 11:00:01 -0500

Is that a real picture?

Response by SPC John Tsutsui made Jun 26 at 2023 4:54 PM

SPC John Tsutsui — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 16:54:11 -0400

He's getting right up there with the Korean People's Army brass.

Response by 1SG John Millan made Jan 29 at 2024 6:03 PM

1SG John Millan — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 18:03:51 -0500

This POS was court martialed for drugs wnd given a BCD by the AF. He died a while back. Good riddance