Stolen valor is free speech, unless they get tangible/monetary benefits from it. Who cares if some idiot is wearing a uniform?

The post total was a comment sent in by ChipNASA, who saw the post in a Facebook group known as “Stolen Valor Exposed!” Unfortunately the group is private and as some witty Jewish fella once said, “I wouldn’t want to belong to a club that would have me as a member.”

That message itself isn’t what caught Chip’s attention, it was a thoughtful and heartfelt response. We’ve talked to the poster and she’s agreed to share her message with our group. She’s also been invited to join our rag-tag band of ne’er-do-wells.

I’ll let Kristy do the talking with her reply to the question asked in the title;

Taking credit for heroism you did not actually carry out is despicable. Honor is not just a word or an idea, it is an act. Honor is a verb. The honor of our founding fathers, the honor they swore upon and fought for, has become almost entirely a thing of the past. Honor is not something you sit around and talk about, it’s something you do.

Perhaps that is why our nation’s military is such a fantastic place for men – and women – of honor to flourish. Integrity is defined as the “quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.” It goes hand-in-hand with honor because one facet of being an honorable person that seems to escape many is the willingness to deal with the consequences of one’s actions whether good or bad.

The “stolen” in stolen valor is there for a rather obvious reason: when you commit this act, you’re taking something that is not yours. Maybe those who do this don’t see it as taking something since there isn’t anything physical being taken; valor is, after all, not a physical or tangible thing, it is a very particular character trait. Men for whom it is not just an act but a choice, a way of life. Those who would steal such a precious trait aren’t just dirt or lower than dirt, and while they themselves are not worth our time, the men whose valor they take are most certainly worth the expenditure of however much time is needed.

Perhaps it’s time for a little lesson in what valor really is. By its strict definition, valor is “boldness or determination in facing great danger, especially in battle; heroic courage; bravery” but there’s a lot more to it than that. Yes, valor at its heart has to do with the almost absurd level of inner strength it takes to stare death in the face and laugh, or to willingly walk into harm’s way to save a fellow soldier. But true valor encompasses a great many traits including selflessness and a willingness to sacrifice. Those who would give their lives so that their brothers might live are a rare breed.

F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote “Show me a hero and I’ll write you a tragedy.” His words ring true in many ways; in this case it’s all too true our heroes frequently prove their mettle with a dying act of stunning courage. No wonder so many want to be them, wishing they, too possessed the internal fortitude to perform the ultimate act of bravery. Here’s the difference, though: those who pretend to have that inner strength are fakes on more than one level, because they not only lie about their service, they lie about their character. They wish for strength when they have none. They speak of brave acts when, in reality, they would most likely run the other way, tail between their legs, should the occasion arise where heroes were needed. They do not understand the sacrifice it takes to perform acts of valor, and they never will. Of course, admitting you’re wrong takes courage, and a man who would steal the valor of a true hero has no courage.

Couldn’t have said it better myself. We here were in the stolen valor business before the Supreme Court of the United States decided in United States v. Alvarez (2012) that wearing unearned honors is protected speech under the First Amendment. Nobody here likes it, but we abide the decision.

Technically, “stolen valor” pursuant to the law requires some benefit to the person claiming the unearned honors. We have seen countless cases where even people who “aren’t receiving anything” from their lies in fact are. We therefore use the broader term, as eloquently put to digital paper by Kristy, because when you claim service and awards you didn’t put the blood, sweat, and tears into earning, then you’re stealing the honor and valor of those who put the effort in.

I’ll let Kristy introduce herself if she’s feeling brave enough. I’d warn you guys to play nice, but I feel like she can handle herself.

Category: Guest Post, Stolen Valor