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Posted in these groups: 
Stolen Valor
Stolen Valor
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 6
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It Piss's me off when I hear about the people committing this fraud, and then read about a service member that is denied VA assistance because the VA has "lost" their records... again. How can the VA be that screwed up? (that was rhetorical) I think it is our job as Active Duty to check and verify the claims of these people. Civilians wont know the difference, and their claims reflect on the rest of us. Out them any chance you get, but make sure you are right first.
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When I was a kid, there was an elderly man everyone simply knew as "Garfield"...I believe he was what people called "slow" back before PC and being offended about everything came about. "Garfield" was famous for walking about town wearing a garish uniform and carrying a pipe major's baton. He marched in the Veterans' Day parades...he was often approached by tourists for photos...a lot of people, including many of our local WWII and Vietnam veterans would buy him meals and I think even the local American Legion Post went out of their way to help him from time to time. I often saw him at Memorial Day events, standing there in his ridiculous "uniform", rendering a forlorn salute , tears streaming down his face while TAPS was played. To the best of my knowledge, "Garfield" never served a day in his life. Supposedly, we was born around 1919, and was physically incapable of serving in WWII. He died, alone and in abject poverty shortly before I left to start my own service.
I agree 100% with the notion that when someone lies about or exaggerates their service to gain financial, social or political benefit...they truly detract from the efforts of real heroes to obtain the benefits they deserve. To my mind, that true theft...and fraud...is more dishonorable and harmful than the lie itself, and should be punishable as such. Those of us who minimize, or disregard the impact this has are truly naive, or worse...enabling further insult or injury to our brothers in arms.
However, I fear that there are those...mostly among my own generation of veterans...who have taken it too far. I think if some young hothead had taken it into their mind to confront "Garfield", they'd have had to face down a dozen or so true-blue heroes who had fought from Normandy to Khe Sanh first. If its just and proper to punish those who blatantly "steal" honors...then it should be equally punishable to dishonor the uniform by becoming a self-styled vigilante, and attacking the feeble or mentally incompetent who neither mean, nor do any real harm.
I agree 100% with the notion that when someone lies about or exaggerates their service to gain financial, social or political benefit...they truly detract from the efforts of real heroes to obtain the benefits they deserve. To my mind, that true theft...and fraud...is more dishonorable and harmful than the lie itself, and should be punishable as such. Those of us who minimize, or disregard the impact this has are truly naive, or worse...enabling further insult or injury to our brothers in arms.
However, I fear that there are those...mostly among my own generation of veterans...who have taken it too far. I think if some young hothead had taken it into their mind to confront "Garfield", they'd have had to face down a dozen or so true-blue heroes who had fought from Normandy to Khe Sanh first. If its just and proper to punish those who blatantly "steal" honors...then it should be equally punishable to dishonor the uniform by becoming a self-styled vigilante, and attacking the feeble or mentally incompetent who neither mean, nor do any real harm.
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SGT (Join to see)
I think TRUE stolen valor, that is, awards for valorous actions, and those who steal the valor, should serve time in jail. They do hurt veterans with their consistent lies and BS. They take up space in the VA system claiming their PTSD from valorous things they did in combat, which never existed.They scam the system. How do I know this? I caught two liars at the VA when I was going through my PTSD problems. I reported them, and sure enough, they were lying and got booted out. They took up two spaces that should have been filled with honest vets problems. They claim to be SEAL's who almost won a war by themselves. The get invited to be guest speakers at various functions and they are paid for telling their lies, and taking advantage of others, who believe in them. They make fools out of people who just take their word for it. They start benefits, and fund raisers, and guess who pockets the funds raised? They pose as Wounded Warriors, and they have taken money designated for the WW program, but they have nothing to do with the WW. I have one scumbag on my posted phonies blog here in RP, who took a kids money, He had been selling lemonade, and saving money he wanted to donate to the WWP. He scammed a kid. Dont ask me who's valor they are stealing. They are stealing valor from civilians who believe in them, and raise funds for them and their crooked scam. The civilians they scam are getting their valor stolen by these dirt bags. It's not as simple as the author made it out to be. The scams they pull prevent some of the donors contributing to honest charities, from continuing to donate once they find out they have been scammed. Recently, the two CEO's from WWP, were fired for using donated money to go on lavish trips, and buy themselves expensive cars, etc. You think others who were donating, would continue with WWP, and other vets programs? No, they won't. The very donators to WWP, were the ones who found out what was going on and blew the whistle, and will never donate to another veteran charity. Yes, those POS do ruin the valor civilians do for our vets.
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SGT Jonathon Caldwell
SGT (Join to see) - thank you for your response. It drives me bonkers when people act like it's not a big deal and we are the ones being the trouble makers. We are all part of a brother/sisterhood that need to stick together and fight for one another's rights and honor. I personally feel that there should be harsher punishment for these frauds. I for one don't want them getting a simple undeserved Thank You when walking down the street.
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SGT (Join to see)
Me either SGT Jonathon Caldwell. They make fools out of those who thank them and contribute to them. It's a big deal with me and it always will be. I've also busted two wannabes who's war stories were in a newspaper. Something just didn't seem right with their lies and after receiving their military files from the IOFA, I called the newspapers and told them what I found out, and sent them copies on email. They were both surprised.
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