When stolen valor shaming goes horribly wrong. Your Thoughts?

I was accused of stolen valor by another Marine some years back. I had been injured during training so I was walking around with a cane for a couple months while I healed back up. This random guy starts a conversation with me (I'm in my blues) and asked me what happened. I told him, bluntly, that it was embarrassing and I didn't want to talk about it. He kept pressing and pointed to my medals and asked why I don't have a PH, and that he was a Captain and he was going to tell my command I was trying to score freebies by pretending to be wounded. I showed him my bandage and told him happened during training and how. He said "oh" and walked off. Too often we're so excited to catch someone faking that we forget the consequences of accusing someone who isn't doing anything wrong.

This was wrong, disrespectful, and in just poor taste. I wish he could identify those Marines and have them NJPd.

He is a Brother Marine for Gods sake you should be thanking him, not humiliating him

I'm not saying it's correct but military standards, "If I don't correct them who will?" Now my dad was a Vietnam vet and if someone did something like that while he was alive they woulda gotten the shit best out of em. If you have something to say shut your mouth and carry on smartly so you don't disrespect those who have actually served in combat more horrific than guy could imagine. If you weren't there and you don't know that person then you don't get to decide what they did 40 plus years before you were born.

All these faggots out trying to shame people anyways? for what? what does it prove? most people I knew in the Military were people who were there because they were running from something or had no other options, very few cases of I do it for love of Country. What a bunch of fucking losers anyone is who thinks Stolen Valor even fucking matters. As a Veteran I could give a shit less what people do in their free time, but when your main goal is to hurt another human being for whatever the reason, you are a fucking piece of shit, military or not.

Apparently the youth in the military no longer have respect for those who are aged. Common courtesy was totally ignored. I was raised much better.

I don't care about the stolen Valor. Why is there so much energy put into this. If they feel good about stolen Valor let them. We should be flattered that people want to be like us. We represent America and it's freedom.

Those Marines should be at Capt Mass and be ordered to make a formal apology in person with thier C.O and SJM present.

This is very regretable and I posted on a different thread which used this article. I noticed that the guy's email was included in the article and so I sent him a short note. Looking at the comments left on the discussion portion of that page were really quite alarming to me though. There were people calling for the Marines involved to receive Bad Conduct or Dishonorable Discharges, extra duty, reduction in rank, and so forth, most of this seemingly coming forth from fellow or former Marines. I was shocked. While I would agree that the approach they used was not appropriate, at worst what we have here is a case of zeal without wisdom. A little bit of tact will go a long way and may possibly save you some major embarrassment. From what I've seen of this, the Marines involved were apparently void of any tact whatsoever. However, what everyone needs to understand is that this stolen valor business has become very serious with a lot of people. Although their approach was all wrong, I believe they are every bit as entitled to be indignant about stolen valor as anyone else who has ever worn the uniform...they perceived stolen valor was afoot, and they attacked it with all dispatch like good Marines would expect. I would imagine that if they are ever confronted with something like this again that they will use a modified approach, or just not say anything, because by now they have probably heard all about the error of their ways from all quarters and I would imagine they aren't feeling so great about it. This stolen valor thing is just evil...plain and simple.

I just messaged him to let him know I'm embarrassed to be from the same era of soldier as those creeps!

What a shame. Vietnam veterans are such a great and huge asset to our society and have been put down in some of the worst ways imaginable. I was trained by them when my career started, and I had the distinct honor to serve alongside many of them who mentored me during the first half of my career. I owe a great debt of gratitude to them for what I became as a soldier, and I trust that I am not alone in my boat on this. When my training was called upon in conflict, we were led by Vietnam veterans, and with all my heart I believe that the overwhelming success of Operation Desert Storm is a direct reflection upon their leadership. One of the most truly humbling experiences of my entire military career was being embraced at the Wall in DC and welcomed home by a Vietnam veteran. Somehow I didn't feel worthy of such a wonderful gesture by someone who was probably spat upon instead of being embraced. I hope these Marines have been disciplined and now have a clear understanding of the error of their ways. God love 'em, they are serving us, too. But still...this is unimaginable for me because zeal without wisdom is such utter folly. This stolen valor business is just pure trouble. The Marines involved are every bit as entitled to become indignant over it as anyone else who has ever served, they just committed a huge mistake and gross error in judgement. I have to think that by now they have heard all about it from every quarter and are totally ashamed of themselves. Maybe they should have offered to take Mr. Hughes out for lunch or for a drink or something after he showed them his VA Card.