Florida’s new stolen valor law
We all know about the Stolen Valor Act that makes wearing medals a serious offense and makes it a real crime to wear or claim military medals when a fraud didn’t earn them. Well, Florida lawmakers want to take it a step further and make it a felony to even claim to be a veteran when it’s not true;
On Friday morning, Neal Quittell was dressed in fatigues and wearing a hat that read “Veterans Support Organization” as he collected money on Northeast 17th Street and Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale.
“I’m not a veteran and I know I’m not,” he said. “I can’t sit out here and lie. We’re a nonprofit organization. … Our money goes out to the veterans and the VAs.”
Jacobs’ district aide, Franco Ripple — who was also credited with calling attention to the issue — called the Lauderhill-based Veterans Support Organization “one of the largest perpetrators throughout the eastern U.S. and Florida, known as the ‘granddaddy’ of the offending organizations.”
Justin Wells, South Florida chief operating officer for the group, said his organization gives 65 percent of the money it raises to the veterans, and puts up more than 50 veterans in its transitional housing.
Solicitors who are not veterans wear uniforms representing veterans, he said.
“You don’t have to be a veteran to help a veteran,” Wells said. “We agree that vet groups should be more watched and that they should be held to a higher standard.”
Street impostors file for corporate status, which requires them to give veterans a portion of their donations, Gelber said, but the public should donate to one of the groups sanctioned by Congress so that veterans get the money intended for them.
The organization says 65% of the collected money goes to veterans, but Florida lawmakers say only 15% goes to veterans. Even at 65%, it’s a poor rate when 100% of the symbolism involved in taking the collections is related to veterans. Putting someone who never spent a day in the military on the corner in a uniform to collect money is fraud, pure and simple.
Thanks to 1stCavRVN11B for the link.
Category: Phony soldiers
Is there any wording in the stolen valor act that would prohibit a civilian from wearing a military uniform that included garrison and deployment patches? I have seen a young man walking around my college campus wearing an ACU top with a 3ID garrison patch and a 2ACR deployment patch. I am sure he just thinks he looks nifty, but it really chaps my ass. Because there is a deployment patch, could that be construed to say that he is claiming to have an Iraq campaign medal, or would that be too much of a stretch. I have never talked to this young man, but I would bet large amounts of money that he is not a veteran, because he looks much too young to have done a 3 year tour with an active duty unit, and also the way he carries himself does not suggest to me that he has a military background. I wanted to have a good understanding of the law before I attempted to say anything to him. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with a fellow veteran.
-alext2867
OIF 08 – 09
There’s a guy who goes to Gathering of Eagles events who wears an incorrectly formed black beret and I don’t believe he was in the military when they became the authorized headgear. Does that count as Stolen Valor?
I saw a bouncy, giggly young lady yesterday evening at a car care place (yes, in Florida) when I was picking my car back up after getting an alignment, wearing DCU’s complete with boots, name tag, everything. I had a very hard time believe she was really in the Army. Wearing corporal stripes, if I recall correctly. I don’t mean to be disrespectful if she was really in the Army; I know what it feels like to have people treat you like you’re a liar about military service when it is true (it seems some people who were never in the military have a hard time believing that I was). Do the Army DCU’s now come with a matching fleece? Also, there is not an Army post anywhere remotely around here that I’m aware of – it is all Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard, which makes her further suspect…though I guess possibly she could have been National Guard or something. Do the National Guard doing their weekend duty wear US Army on their uniforms the same as active US Army? Also, if she was really in the military, she could have at least been wearing her cap outside. I strongly doubt she was actually in the military though, in which case, I have a serious problem with someone wearing a full military uniform (sans the cap – wouldn’t want to muss our hair…) to make a fashion statement.