Stolen Valor Researchers Sound Off About Proposal
Military.com reports that people in the stolen valor community, notably Doug Sterner, are voicing their concern about the proposed legislation to require the veteran’s signature and consent for a FOIA request.
Stolen Valor Researchers Sound Alarm on House Proposal to Curtail Access to Military Records
20 Jun 2023
Military.com | By Rebecca KheelUncovering when people are lying about their military service could be harder under a proposal in Congress to restrict public access to some military records, researchers of stolen valor and military history say.
At issue is a provision included in the House Appropriations Committee’s draft 2024 Pentagon spending bill that would bar the military from releasing basic details about someone’s service record without that person’s consent.
“It is a horrible idea,” said Doug Sterner, who curates a database of Medal of Honor recipients and championed a law that makes stolen valor a federal crime if it’s for profit. “It’s a horrible idea, and it flies in the face of the true history of the men and women that preserved this great nation.”
Right now, researchers, journalists and other members of the public can quickly ask the military services for some basic information about a service member’s record without filing a formal public records request that could take months or years to process. Releasable information typically includes name, rank, past and present duty assignments, awards and decorations, among other details.
Under the proposed defense spending bill, a current or former service member, or their next of kin if they are dead, would have to consent to releasing that information.
If the service member or their family does not consent, members of the public would have to file a formal Freedom of Information Act request to obtain the service information. But the service member or their family would still have to be notified of the request, potentially adding even more time to the infamously slow FOIA process.
On the surface, to a layman this sounds perfectly reasonable. To those of us out in the trenches, we KNOW this is a bad idea to require a veteran’s signature.
US: “OK, Mr. BigClaims, prove it by allowing us to get your records with your signature.”
PERP: “My records are sealed. Besides, I don’t have to prove anything to anybody. I know what I did during my time. Bin Laden’s dead because of me. Your welcome.”
Category: "Teh Stoopid", Politics, Stolen Valor, Stolen Valor Act
So which bigwig is about to be exposed as a fraud?
Bingo.
Good point, this could very well be a ruse to cover up current and future politicians’ and other “VIPs'” fraudulent claims.
11B-Mailclerk,
Smallwigs.
Liars, embellishers, and phonies on both sides…..
… but in the last few election cycles, the GOP has had more.
VG/TAH knows all about
23 GOP smallwigs in my state alone.Way to go Doug Sterner – represent!
I’m conflicted; I want people’s privacy respected, but I want claims of “daring-do” verified. Something halfway perhaps? Example would an inquiry into military records of Joe Shit the Rag Man. He claims Army Ranger, SF, Purple Heart, Silver Start ect…They respond with a checklist to confirm dates of enlistment and milestones listed.
Service Yrs. 1980-2005
Army-Y
Rangers-N
PH-N
Ect…
In know its either all or nothing, but something in between could satisfy all involved.
The problem you would then have is records clerks with little to no military experience interpreting 2-1 files.
Why don’t they just make federal politicians records off limits?
Doesn’t have to be a sweeping change for everybody.
Although I think it would a little unfair that they are exempt, it is something I can live with.
Never been a fan of the “two sets of rules” idea. Besides, would it apply to people running for office? People thinking about running for office? People in office? People who left office?
I believe our leadership should be put to the exact same standard we are. Otherwise we end up with Majewskis. We already have Biden and he’s bad enough.
Federal politician’s records should be set aside for quicker access, not placed off limits.
Ditto. They’re the worst perpetrators.
Here, the Air Force broke the law. Instead of holding them accountable, which is how Rule of Law works, they’re just going to make more laws.
If you’re not going to hold people accountable what is the point? What I have found over the years is that when people break the law; making more laws isn’t going to make them stop. They will just break whatever the new law is.
It has worked so well on guns and drugs.
Yep. and on that whole rule of law thing…? Should be obvious, to most with more than 1 brain cell, the rule of law is now the “Rules for thee, but not for me.” The latest news headlines in re the artist formerly known as “the smartest man I know” is just one more example of how the despots are not even trying to hide their increasing push to turn We, The People into We/Them, The Subjects. The despot will vigorously enforce laws against the “thees” and will pass laws to protect the “mes”.
I am of the opinion that others have here. Odd that this subject is coming up now and brought into debate by one with an “R” behind their name. MD61 pointed out that many of the poli (many) ticks (blood sucking parasites) have an “R” there have already been busted for their embellishing. So have many with a “D” behind their name. It’s a good thing that lying ISN’T a federal offence. We’d have to build several more huge prisons just to lock up all the the lying (s)elected officials.
The UniParty is still working to protect one another and NOT working for We, The People. Seems like an old boy told us what we needed (and were REQUIRED) to do when that became the state of our Republic.
Prepare.
Those laws only apply to the little people.
Durn It.
We were fixin to do a FOIA on Robert Hunter Biden’s Navy service.
😉😎
Maybe we should – the response/denial may be more interesting that the content.
He’ll claim he was Rambo in his month of service.
“My records are sealed. Besides, I don’t have to prove anything to anybody. I know what I did during my time. Bin Laden’s dead because of me. Your welcome.”
Sounds like both phonies and certain SEALS…
One thing I’ve noticed is that no one likes a braggart. It goes without saying that anyone fluffing up their valorous deeds or walking around essentially say “thank me for my service” is going to be questioned, either overtly or silently. Me? I’m the silent sort. I won’t get taken for a fool, but I’m also not about to cause a scene; at most I’ll listen to BS for a few minutes before finding a reason to cut sling load. Besides, some of the SV Warriors have confronted legitimate Vets, which isn’t a good thing. If you earned it and want to sport it, or if you’re currently serving and in uniform, you shouldn’t be confronted by some guy with a high-and-tight and a beard wearing Affliction gear asking where you earned that CIB.
Even real-life GI Joe-type mofos don’t like it when their peers talk. IIRC, the SEAL who wrote about taking our Bin Laden caught a lot of heat. A rapidly rising storyteller on YouTube, MrBallen, is a former Navy SEAL who was nearly killed in Afghanistan. After being medically retired he started posting on social media to support the Veterans’ organizations he was working for, but he’s released a video or two about deciding to stop talking in-depth about his service after being contacted by other SEALS.
So, the braggart thing…in my layman’s mind, Special Operations are largely Quiet Professionals to whom any talk about “I was this or that” is taboo. Writing a book decades later is one thing, making the media rounds as The Guy is another. We Standard Issue types mostly admire them and don’t need to hear stories, but when we hear one of our peers start with the BS it’s game on.
Phonies should be tarred, feathered, and put in the stocks. Regardless of their current societal status.
“a reason to cut sling load”
… or pull chocks.
11B-Mailclerk – canceling folks before it was cool….
If this legislation passes, we’ll need to stand by for a tsunami of increased POSer activity.
POSer bullshit is already way out of control as it is. No need to intentionally make it any worse.
Mick,
The COVID shutdown of NPRC and other records repositories,
the slow re-open,
and now the huge backlogs
due to failure to hire more personnel, or pay some overtime,
hasn’t helped.
If this crap goes through the GOP led Congress,
it will be like 1973 St. Louis Fire times all over again.
I suspect this may be an attempt to get rid of the backlog. We have had a few archive techs already refuse unless they got the veteran’s signature. With some convincing, they changed their position.
It looks like AF Rescue is ‘in the game’. C-130 (16-5863) attached to 102nd Rescue Squadron (102 RQS) left Gabreski ANG Base around noon (eastern) heading in the direction of the search box.
Happy hunting, Zoomies!
edit: oops! I missed the target, reposting in the appropriate location also…
Will do pushups until I think gooder
Because I misposted here…
RSQ5863 is back over LI, NY at 21:41 hours (eastern).
Let’s hope they did a good.
Is Da Nang Dick a co-sponsor of this b%ll s%!t?
Nah.
He is to busy trying to upgrade shitbag’s discharges.
Phil Monkress must be and his new batch of Phildo supporters must ecstatic!
No more losing employees to
WTF?
Will try again.
Phil Monkress and his new batch of Phildo supporters must be ecstatic!
No more losing employees to stolen valor claims.
Meanwhile, interesting news from the land down under.
Medals to be stripped from some Afghanistan veterans – video Dailymotion
Has anyone ever submitted a request for the records of Ensign Hunter Biden, US Naval Reserve? They probably get that request 50 times a week.
D’oh! As usual, Hack is late to the dance. Ninja beat him to the punch.