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, 2023LITTLE 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
Did he flunk out of the Prep School or just not make it through the Academy? What fancy dick stepping (other than not understanding the honor code) prevented him from earning his commission this year?
…
I have an issue with the terminology used in the first sentence of the article. It referred to the douche bag as a “man”. While he might be an adult chronologically, he falls well short of the sobriquet of “man”.
How about fire, fine, and jail the VA employee(s)
responsible for approving fraud?
As well as the VA administrators
responsible for creating policy that approves fraud?
Reverse the VA budget and/or the federal debt?
Cut off fraud at the beginning.
Before it happens.
That would be a real good start, MD61!
Remember when the Honor Code at the Hudson High School for Wayward Boys actually meant something? Bobby Lee weeps.
Holy Crap.
Deploying the FU of Google (minus West (Point)) on the name.
Like father, like son ?!?!?!?
And it appears,
the father is a GS-13…. at the VA !!!
Enjoy digging.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Darold+Maxfield+-west
Hmmm, interesting. It appears that his father approved the PTSD application.
Fraud apparently runs in the family.
I wonder if Lori Benton was in on the defense?
Couldn’t the VA have done all that investigative work BEFORE issuing the money?
Unfortunately everyone wants VA claims to be expedited
because of long waits, this is what you get
a turd slipping through the cracks
I carried a dead West Pointer in my battalion for several months before concluding he wasn’t going to make it as a platoon leader and moving him along. Where’s my $91k?
How long before the ring knocker stunk?
The moment after taking the Oath on the Plain…
Both the enlisted guy in me and the state school ROTC grad in me are laughing at this comment.
I had him brief me on a machine gun range not long after he took the platoon and got serious misgivings. He got a re-do. We went out to the field for STX and it was clear he couldn’t fight a tank platoon so he was done. Everything between was on a sliding scale from “maybe he’ll come around” to “I don’t think so.” Even his PSG couldn’t bring him along.
Everything I have read about the USMA Prep School indicates that it’s the same as being on active duty in the Army, so the question is: Did Darold receive an NDSM and a DD214?
If so, the Brotherhood weeps. / s
Four months? That’s not even long enough to get married to and broken in by bubba & Thor! Regardless, this is NOT going to look good on his resume’!
He should have received four years in the federal pound, not four months.
Can’t have flashbacks to wars you weren’t in or dead cadets you never saw. Just sayin’.