West Point Cadet PTSD Case Ruled to be Stolen Valor and Fraud

Where are they now? A cadet at West Point put in a VA claim for PTSD after he said he carried a dead cadet while in training. Yeah, but…

North Little Rock man sentenced to prison, faces $91K+ in restitution in VA stolen valor fraud case
by Alex Kienlen | Jun 8, 2023

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A North Little Rock man was sentenced to federal prison Thursday after prosecutors said he claimed disability in what they called a case of stolen valor.

Darold Maxfield Jr. received a four-month prison sentence and was ordered to pay $91,651.70 restitution for false disability claims to the Veterans Administration. The 30-year-old Maxfield pleaded guilty to theft of public money and making a false statement in January. He will also have to serve three years of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence.

The U.S. Attorney said Maxfield had submitted a disability claim to the VA for psychological trauma in 2018 due to recovering the remains of a cadet who died during a land navigation exercise at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Maxfield claimed to have been attending the U.S. Military Academy Prep School when the recovery of the cadet took place. His application for disability was approved and he began receiving $1,567 a month.

The VA’s Office of Inspector General investigated Maxfield’s claim after being alerted to possible fraud. Investigators found that the physician’s signature on his disability claim was cut and pasted from another application.

Investigators further determined that a West Point cadet died during a field training exercise three days after Maxfield’s enrollment at the prep school. However, investigators said Maxfield was nowhere near where the remains were recovered and was not on the land navigation course when the deceased was discovered.

Investigators said the two cadets who did find the deceased cadet’s body told investigators they were the only ones there when they made their discovery.

Authorities said Maxfield received a total of over $91,000 in disability payments before his fraud was discovered.

The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas.

Although he wasn’t there when the cadet died, Darold most likely identified as being there – you know how this works.

In my opinion, it may be a bit of a stretch to call this stolen valor unless you fold it into a claim of a military exploit while serving or resultant PTSD while participating in a military-themed exercise.

A Google search suggests that Darold worked for the VA as a [drumroll, please…] – veterans claims examiner. He also went to the University of Arkansas and came away with a BA in Criminal Justice. There’s gotta be some irony in all that. He certainly used every aspect of his training and experience to further his goals.

Darold Maxfield

Four months? That’s not even a hockey season.

“Do it, Harold. Six months, it’s nothing. It’s a hockey season.” – A Few Good Men –

Should now be…

“Do it, Darold. Four months, it’s nothing. It’s not even a hockey season.”

Category: Stolen Valor, Stolen Valor Act