Stolen Valor Act in Pennsylvania
One aspect of Pennsylvania’s attempts to close the stolen valor gap was passed by the state senate. Apparently, a few years ago, PA decided to put an identifier on drivers’ licenses for veterans, but, there were no restrictions on it – you self-identified on application by checking a block on your application. The result is that there are people in PA who aren’t veterans walking around with veteran driver license. So the legislature is working to fix that this year.
Another Stolen Valor Act is making it’s way to a vote;
Pike County District Attorney Ray Tonkin said a case involving Timothy Flaherty proved legislation like this is needed. Tonkin said Flaherty exaggerated his war experience to get special treatment from the court system. He claimed he was injured in combat but records show that wasn’t true.
“I don’t think he is the only person abusing entitlement programs,” said Vietnam Era Veteran Daniel Gagnon. He and other veterans at the American Legion in East Stroudsburg were frustrated to hear people lie about service. Vietnam Era Veteran Arlington Wolbert said, “What’s the sense in faking something like that. It’s just not right.”
In the past, courts have deemed calling yourself a veteran, even if you’re not, “free speech.” Wolbert reacted, “Those people put their lives and their country first and I think that to fake something like that it is just unconscionable.”
[…]
If the bill passes, the penalty would be a fine of up to $2,500 plus up to a year in jail.
Yeah, I like how prosecutors are calling for a law they’ll probably never prosecute. It will end up being something that they trade away in a plea bargain.
Category: Stolen Valor Act
Just renewed my license yesterday, and had Veteran added. Course our state requires a copy of the 214/215 be presented.
Same, ours require the DD214 to have the embossed seal of the AG of the state to be considered legit. It’s surprising all Pennsylvania required beforehand was a check mark, how could that possibility have gone wrong?
How would your state AG know your 214/215 is legit?
I had the DoA review my 214 because my CMB was missing .. it took them about 10 days to update my 214 with a 215 with NINE “add” lines (to include the CMB).. and my education block is still goofy.
Don’t ever think a 214 is a golden document!
They have it on file, both my 214 and 22 were sent to them after I got out. The seal comes with a stamp that says this an official copy of the form on file.
I can’t find any evidence of this practice.
Further, neither the copy I received from DoA nor that from NPRC show anything resembling a certified copy stamp.
I can’t even find a “certified” option on the NPRC SF180.
When we lost all our important documents in a storage building fiasco, I was directed to the state AG to get a copy of my paperwork when I was needing it for the GI Bill. I went to Frankfort and they had it, took me mere minutes. How they got it I’m not sure, just assumed it was standard record keeping. I can take a photo of the seal and stamp if you are interested
O ye of little faith! Some of us prosecutors are veterans. If my state had a stolen valor law, I would not hesitate to nail the SOBs.
My home state also offers a Veterans license, but the DMV requires verification of service from the state Veterans Affairs department. What the hell was PA thinking, to only make someone check a box on the application?
I was just fishing in Lake Google and the ease with which plates can be acquired is amazing. Some states check nothing; others have a clerk look at a DD 214; others accept only a letter from a state-registered Veterans organization. And that last one is a pip because anyone can establish a Veterans organization and file with a state to create the legal entity that the MVA/DMV accepts letters from for specialized Veteran plates. I am thinking right now of Vietnam Veterans of America, which requires only that one served during the VN War era to become a member. Curiously, the name and the hat issued omit ERA.
Not requiring valid documentation. Where did they get that idea? From the same people who require no proof of citizenship to register to vote?
I coordinated the Arkansas Military Fraud Act (changed the name on the suggestion of Professional Soldier) with the Prosecutor’s Association Legislative Committee who provided great input. If you read 38 CFR, a Guardsman who served long enough to retire but was never mobilized cannot legally be called a veteran. So we included a definition of “military service” along with “veteran” because it is the phonies we want to nail not those who offered themselves up for military service. The Republican House Leader has obtained sponsors for the Arkansas Bill which has gone to Bureau of Legislative Research for drafting.
Once passed we’ll ask the Governor for a formal signing ceremony and invite every veteran in the state to attend. This all stems from a TAH post when the PA bill was introduced.
Not finding a copy of it searching the Arkansas website. Is there a link to the Act?