How harmless is Stolen Valor?
Doug Sterner sent us message today about David Michael Melamed who is a doctor practicing Mohs skin cancer surgery in New Mexico. He claims that he was a Navy doctor serving in both Afghanistan and Iraq. He also claimed that he was wounded and awarded the “Purple Heart Medal”. As is often the case on TAH, that’s not exactly true…more accurately, he wasn’t ever in the Navy, let alone a doctor in OEF/OIF and it’s “Order of the Purple Heart”.
Doug says he tried to warn authorities about Melamed years ago, Now it seems that the New Mexico Medical Board has caught on to his inflated resume` which besides his fake military career included a fake stint teaching at Oxford.
Now we hear a mother in Texas has filed a malpractice suit against him for applying a sulfur powder to her son’s skin when the boy was allergic to sulfur. Melamed also had a license denied in Rhode Island because of an investigation of his conduct as a resident in California.
Doug is fond of saying that Stolen Valor crooks are always guilty of something else, too. Melamed is the poster child of that maxim.
There’s more about Melamed at POW Net.
Category: Phony soldiers
Not to be too picky, but according to TIOH and my Decoration certificate Signed by MG William G. Webster on 1 July 2005 PO#182-04 nowhere does it say “Order of the Purple Heart”
An organization now known as the “Military Order of the Purple Heart,” was formed in 1932 for the protection and mutual interest of all who have received the decoration. You can read about them at http://www.purpleheart.org/Default.aspx
The medal itself is simply the Purple Heart.
A doctor inflating his resume should be a crime or at least get his license to practice taken away.
But that does not make the Stolen Valor law constitutional.
Hey, did you guys see the new documentary I’m in? Sure that Duncan guy got alot of time, but look at my pretty picture. If only they had some other pictures of me wearing a CIB.
http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2010/s3018090.htm
HE ALSO IS INTO LAWSUITS….
Melamed admits lying about Navy Service to Medical Board, then this coward gets slapped on the wrist. Can’t someone indict this monster?
http://www.docboard.org/nm_orders/Melamed,%20David.pdf