Stolen Valor: What it Should be Teaching America about its Veterans
I am going to open up with this link to a young man explaining why he donned an Army Combat Uniform and wore it around campus, until several young veterans called him out and asked him to remove the garment. (This is the link to the original video) The Veterans were arrested for Disturbing the Peace and making threats. The young man who was wearing that uniform has now become the victim in the eyes of his local news organization–in this act of bullying–as they portrayed it.
Here are some simple facts to warm this conversation up:
-
The young man is well within his rights to wear that uniform as he pleases. It is a first amendment right.
-
The news organization can say whatever they want as long as it does not endanger the public. It is a first amendment right.
-
Disturbing the Peace is defined as: “a crime generally defined as the unsettling of proper order in a public space through one’s actions. This can include creating loud noise by fighting or challenging to fight, disturbing others by loud and unreasonable noise (including loud music), or using offensive words.” These young veterans legally violated this law.
I’m not disputing any of this. That is the country we live in. What this case does do is highlight the differences between the veteran class and the non-veteran class.
I am going to focus on two key points. The first being, why Stolen Valor means so much to us as Veterans, and why civilians don’t understand. The second being, a highlight of the behavior differences between Veterans and civilian personalities as highlighted in this case.
Why Stolen Valor matters.
Lawyers, doctors, and accountants are all professional fields in which you have to meet a series of minimum requirements to be able to participate. And all of those careers carry felony charges for impersonating and practicing the profession without proper licensure. There are no laws supporting the impersonation of a service member. Why? Because it poses no risk to the public for the impersonation. It isn’t fair, but it is the truth.
All of those jobs carry with them a high amount of effort to enter into those fields. They also carry high financial rewards compared to the Military, which has high costs and fewer rewards, which is why Stolen Valor has become such a hotly contested issue for us. The civilian population doesn’t understand that we don’t put any piece of our uniform on without earning it, not the stripe down my Dress Blue pants, the bars on my sleeve, or the ribbons and badges on my chest. Every one of those items is a representation of a cost paid, either by myself, those beside me, or those that came before me, individuals who I am now able to call my brothers and sisters. All of that said, those ribbons, badges, bars and stripes when added together don’t amount for anything of marketable value.
They represent something.
The licensure attained by doctors, lawyers and accountants has a marketable value. They will attain a higher wage. That licensure, which they worked so hard for, does have value after they earned it.
I have only placed my awards onto one resume (by request of a military provided resume coach), and I was offered an entry level position.
I understand, it is capitalism. But when we remember the blood, sweat, and tears that go into everything that makes up our uniforms, and all that we got from it was a strip of cloth or a shiny badge . . . that is why we get so emotional about them. That is why you can hear that Ranger’s voice cracking when he fended off the passive-aggressive assaults from the crowd, while he defended something he earned, which was being portrayed by someone as cheap trinkets that the young man wanted to earn.
The difference between veterans and civilians.
75% of Americans do not meet the minimum requirements for military service according to a report titled: “Ready, Willing, and Unable to Serve,” published by Mission Readiness (You can find more information about them at www.missionreadiness.org). According to this article in the NY Times (which also addresses the divide between the military and civilian class) less than .5% of Americans are presently serving. That means that only 2% of those eligible to enter military service do so currently. There was a time, WWII, when 12% of the US population served in the military, which was in a time of the draft. This is important, because in an all-volunteer military we need to consider the types of people that it will attract, especially in a time of war. Whereas, during draft time, those able were obligated to serve, capturing a more diverse (not demographically, but value-wise) segment of the population as opposed to today. That, is actively serving, including guard and reserves.
The total population of Americans who are veterans is about 10% now. I want to throw this number out there, although it is less important for my argument.
Today, when America is still technically at war, there is no hiding the potential consequences of military service. This is a spectacular filtering process. By virtue of the War on Terror, we only recruit those who understand that going to war is a distinct possibility. Those people are more devoted toward personal and national values, hard working, and risk averse, which is also an important consideration.
We don’t see the world the same way, and we are quite willing to step outside of our comfort zones, which is important when we consider how insulated America is from the reality of the struggle to survive. We pay lip-service to daily struggles, but in the developed world, if we completely quit trying, there is a government sponsored safety net to help us meet our daily needs. Only by stepping outside of that net, which is a substantial effort, can we find within our nation the daily struggle to survive.
The consequence of this insulation is our transition up Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. We no longer need to concern ourselves with the physiological or the safety levels, and have moved into a mixture of the love/belonging and esteem levels. If you want proof of this, go onto your Facebook page. You will find it all over, watching how friends and family interact and what they talk about. Or, for that matter, look back to the News 10’s representation of the interaction between the young man and the veterans who called him out. Their focus wasn’t on the safety afforded the country by those veterans who have put themselves into harms way, it was on the young man’s need to belong to an organization he is unable to join–because he is unfit.
Unfit.
In a nation where everyone wants to belong, there are organizations in which we are unfit to join. You simply don’t meet the minimum requirements. These requirements aren’t set forth by any small measure. The consequence of us loosening the standard on the physical and mental capabilities of an applicant has a far greater consequence compared to that of most civilian sector jobs. In the most extreme of positions–which makes up approximately 12% of the military population, the remainder being in support roles–the consequence of being unfit may potentially have deadly consequences. Now, this isn’t having to come in on Saturday to finish a report, or receiving a lower tip from an unsatisfied table. In the combat arms community, being unfit is a gross liability to one’s self and those around them. Even our support elements, which are less in the direct line of fire by the nature of their duties, understand that their failure to act isn’t a late shipment and an unhappy customer. It is a nineteen-year-old who doesn’t have ammo or chow.
These types of extreme circumstances, paired with having a military raised in a time of war, create a culture of doers. Within the ranks, we don’t have a culture that promotes conversation. I promotes action. We need to get things done now, or this will be the consequence. That isn’t true for the better part of our country, which has a heavy focus on conversation, which was why in this video we heard several people asking those Rangers why they were going after the civilian impersonator. They asked the question, confused at the veracity in which these Rangers addressed the problem in front of them, and when they got an answer they walked away or called the police (Because public safety is not the responsibility of every citizen, it is the duty of the police officer).
The sad part is our voices are being drowned out, because the indifferent, unaffected class of civilian Americans who are untouched by war are a growing population, while the population of veterans is dwindling.
US Population 317,736,457 (Taken on Mar 22, 2014 at 2127 UTC US Census Bureau)
Post 9/11 Vets 1,761,446 (Taken from US Census Bureau)
It is only a matter of time before the .5% of veterans is all that remains of our veteran population. And this nation’s perspective only further alienates their veterans, a class of people who have dropped down a level on the Hierarchy of Needs on behalf of others, those who are currently portraying us as bullies and impersonating us to gain recognition for acts that were not their own. We have foregone the safety level, and sometimes physiological level, and have stepped down the pyramid. It wasn’t for our own sakes, the economic return wasn’t there, especially compared with the opportunities that exist in the civilian sector–at a much lower cost. We did this because we believe in something, that it was worth it for others for us to do these things.
The hard part is awareness. There is only one way to educate a person about the differences in perspectives to truly make them understand. But that was why we did it, so that those who we left behind wouldn’t have to endure what we did. The consequence of our own actions is the ignorance of the civilian population. As a result of these differences, the insurmountable divide that is ever growing between a population of ignorant individuals and a dwindling population of the aware will only get worse. They will segregate themselves from us and us from them.
Category: Media, Military issues, Phony soldiers
That was one of the most eloquent articulations as to why stolen valor is an issue to the veteran population that I have ever read. I thank you for that.
Thank you, everyone laughed at me at dinner tonight when I told them that I eloquently articulated something. Thank you again.
You guys should run this past Commander Phil Monkress and All-Points Logistics.
Particularly the “Dishonored VMI” ly’in Colonel W. The III.
Wow.
They would ignore it, Green Thumb.
If the draft were still in force, Stolen Valor would not be an issue. But it is not a part of the national mindset any more and may not be again until or unless there is a real and well-defined threat, the way there was at the start of World War II.
I take issue with only one thing: the word ‘unfit’. It is generally used to describe someone who is physically incapable of performing military duties.
‘Unsuitable’ is more appropriate; it is specific, as in ‘unsuitable for military service’.
I saw that used occasionally on early discharges from WAVES recruit training when I was stationed at RTC Orlando.
I completely understand why “Unfit” can be taken issue with. But regardless of how coarse it is of a word, especially when referring to people, it is true. Some people are simply mentally or physically unfit for the basic requirements to function in a military environment. I don’t intend it to be offensive in any way, just a statement of fact.
Adam, Well done. What you wrote should be required reading in all US History classes.
Many Thanks
That is awesome. I really appreciate it.
“The young man is well within his rights to wear that uniform as he pleases. It is a first amendment right.”
Where the hell did that come from? There are still Federal Statutes against WEARING the uniform and medals.
There are Federal Laws 10 USC 771 AND 772 AUTHORIZED AN UNAUTHORIZED WEARING OF MILITARY UNIFORMS.
The wording of those laws has more to do with Discharge but it does address civilian wear.
The problem is they have been challenged several times.
The first amendment is a wonderful thing. It does allow for thing that most people don’t agree with but if it were more limiting then it would not be as effective.
So the faker wears his uniform, he says he is expressing his freedom of speech. I still have my freedom of speech so I can question him and call him out on it.
The real problem is when the faker wears the uniform and when confronted lies about being on Active Duty of being a Vet.
The Supreme Court has narrowed the true violation of the rule down to when the uniform is worn and the military is spoken against. Everything else is free speech. This kid just wanted to support the troops. It is his first amendment to do that.
The law says you can’t wear it unless you are taking part in a play or production, nothing to do with negative statements.
The last case I read about, ( it was in the 1970s) dealt with some anti-war POS wearing the uniform and spouting off disloyal crap.
They tried to charge him by saying he was not part of any play or production, but the SCOTUS ruled that the definition of a “play or production” could be loosely defined.
The Federal Code is still there, just no one has the balls to charge anyone with it because they figure it wil just be appealed and eventually thrown out.
10 USC § 771 – Unauthorized wearing prohibited
771- Except as otherwise provided by law, no person except a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps, as the case may be, may wear—
(1) the uniform, or a distinctive part of the uniform, of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps; or
(2) a uniform any part of which is similar to a distinctive part of the uniform of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps.
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/theorderlyroom/a/uniformwear.htm
This is kind of long, but covers the SCOTUS rulings on wearing the uniform. Bottom line is, its up to the local DA.
Chances are they will piggy back it on other charges to make sure something sticks.
At the end of the day, enforcement defines the value of any law. And as much wiggle room as the Supreme Court gave for this situation it isn’t worth the paper it was printed on.
Didn’t that guy try to claim phony valor and try to become president of the U.S. of A.?
He could have murdered children, non of it takes away from the established precedence. The courts could revisit the decision if another case was brought before them, but I doubt they would.
Quite a family he’s honoring. Lots of heroes.
One who is an E-8 (long time service).
Another family member served with the vaunted 101st Airborne.
One who was a Ranger.
Another who was with EOD.
Plus the CIB award. Is there anyway to check his family story out? I’m sure grandpa will be ruled out in the first flash. I really don’t see anyway grandpa would have served and come up with the PTS dribble. But then you never know…
The little camo covered turd got his special four Purple Hearts trying to get to the snow cone machine on campus… Those big mean football jocks trampled him.
Love that shaved wannabee military haircut too!
To SJCD and the wannabe campus cops, FU. No class in your ranks.
Someone failed this kid, to include the recruiter who helped him get a uniform. Someone should have been less concerned with his feelings and more concerned with teaching him the right thing.
Someone should have beat his backside.
There is realy no proof that the recruiter encouraged this asshole to go out and buy a uniform and wear it. He was caught in so many lies I wouldnt put it past him to try to throw a recruiter under the bus.
Very true, I try not to get lost in the details. There is a reason that the military encourages on-the-spot corrections. It promotes an environment of accountability. No one ever corrected this kid. I’m not even mad at him.
I don’t believe the recruiter story!
Comrades in Arms: ___________________________ ADAM FENNER wrote: “Because public safety is not the responsibility of every citizen, it is the duty of the police officer” ___________________________ With all due respect, Sir, for an otherwise well written article, I could disagree more strongly with that parenthitical statement. It is due to the LACK of individual responsibility, that our citizenry has forfeited so much of their personal liberty and unalienable rights, plus, that acquiesence and abdication has unfortunately resulted in our beloved Republic becoming a police state, ruled by tyrants and despots, both politically and bureaucratically. Personally, for a number of YEARS now, I have been greatly concerned and have repeatedly written about the uncanny parallel between our contemporary American society and the uncomfortably similar historic rise of the Third Reich. Furthermore, it is well to remember the circumstances affecting the eary history of our Republic, and examine the still valid logic of WHY the specific wording and arguments were so carefully chosen to be forever inscribed within the Declaration of Independence and/or our divinely inspired Constitution of the United States of America. WHY did a mere SEVENTY-SEVEN (77) farmers and merchants deliberately choose to arm themselves, muster on the village green, and defy the most powerful military force in the entire world? WHY were the several states INSISTENT on an inclusion of Amendment II in the Bill of Rights? WHY was the later establishment of the United States Military Academy such an UNPOPULAR idea? WHY did George Washington admonish the government to “avoid foreign entanglements”? Today, there are those who applaud the end of military conscription, resulting in an all volunteer professional military force. That affects ME (!) personally, for were that true in 1967, I never would have been able to serve in my beloved United States Army. By contemporary standards, I was one who was clearly “unfit” and/or “unsuitable”. But, I was fortunate beyond my wildest imagination, and I shall always profusely thank our Heavenly Father for thus blessing me with that fantastic opportunity. Anyway, them there is my thoughts. Thank you. John Robert Mallernee Armed Forces Retirement Home… Read more »
You are absolutely right, it was a sarcastic statement meant to be facetious. But I am quite glad that you agree it is the responsibility of every citizen to protect themselves and those around them.
A story somewhat along the lines of this BS claim:
Several years ago the “Vietnam Wall” came to Northern California. I bought some art work from “incountryart.com”. I took my prints to a friend who is a known artist and framer. He never served in the military.
We were in high school together. As he was looking at my prints, he mentioned a schoolmate that had been “all screwed up” over the Vietnam War. “Ray” had told my artist friend that his unit was sent into Laos on river craft. They did their combat deeds and came out on the same landing craft. On the way out he “Claimed” they were all handed a bunch of medals then told that they had to throw them overboard as it was a secret mission.
I did correct my artist friend on this issue. And about “stolen Valor” He was surprised, had no idea. Bye the way he’s not of the left wing.
I’m still trying to get back to the home turf to “have a chance meeting” with my former HS wannabee.
Just another wannabee…
I’m never mad at someone who plays wannabe, they simply aren’t. Me and my buddies always make the joke. “I’ve never met a retired cook.” Even vets tell tall tales about their service.
Right but most of us tell tall tales unrelated to how badass we were or weren’t….
My tall tales consist of the story about how during the late ’70s all of Atlanta GA was populated with super models….and how I never, and I mean never, had to sleep with an unattractive, overweight woman during that time frame….or how my roommate had such bad eyesight it took the military months to get his prescription squared away so he wore his heart shaped purple lensed eyeglasses for weeks and became quite a celebrity amongst the drill sergeants…
It sounds like I need to get over to GA. I tell similar stories about Hattiesburg, MS.
Oh damn!! the prescription glasses fiasco with some of the boots.
When I was a Hat we had a kid that we didnt get squared away ’til 3rd phase. He had some blue tinted John Lennon specials. His nick-name was “love child”,,,or “woodstock” depending on who saw him.
Another point-
Never forget that the Stolen Valor Thief (AKA “Truth Molester”) must take elaborate steps, by his own doings, to steal the valor from veterans.
Some steps:
The financial cost he incurs/the purchasing of- uniforms, name tags, medals, ribbons, unit patches, tabs, hats, t-shits, diplomas, military certificates etc. must be taken into account. He must look for these items because he was not issued them.
The false writings in Facebook, blogs, personal biographies etc., and the forging of DD214s, military diplomas, certificates etc… These lies takes effort so they will fit one’s personal timeline.
The the stories (lies) to be told to various individuals and groups on numerous occasions accompanied by their “bling.”
The tattooing of one’s body of a Tridant, Green Beret, Ranger Tab/Scroll (that just blows me away!)
These individuals are not “stealing” on a whim. These are cunning individuals (some smarter than others) who are crooks who take numerous steps to steal.
The “young man” who CHOSE TO purchase a uniform, boots, tabs, rank, patches and name-tag, and wear it on that day on campus, was basically called a thief by two victims. He not only stole from the two veterans personally, but from society as well.
The idea that someone would go to such great lengths is insane. This kid just threw on a uniform, but tattoos and forged paperwork. I don’t get it. But then again, I am happy in my own skin.
FYI, Adam was one of our dedicated Combat Medics stuck at an isolated COP in Afghanistan. I can attest to his ability to provide insight with candor and this piece is just one example.
Thanks John, always good to see a familiar ‘face’ out here.
Under what circumstances does being a veteran give anyone the right to abuse and bully the very citizens we have sworn to protect? The veteran felt he had the right. It is my opinion that we remain humble and professional and not try to impress upon our citizens that we are above them. The non-veteran was wrong….in my opinion. Sadly, we have fought to protect and give benefits to illegal aliens also.
Bryan I would not characterize telling a fool he’s a fool as bullying. A man wearing something he didn’t earn being told it’s disgusting that he would wear it is not being bullied…he’s being told a truth. They didn’t beat him up, they called him out for being what he was, a liar and a pretender…
How come no one wears a police uniform to “honor” the police? Because they would go to jail that’s why…try honoring airline pilots at the airport these days by wearing a pilot uniform when you are not a pilot and see how that works out for you. Our society has decided that there is one uniform you can wear that you didn’t earn and that’s a military uniform, why is that? Why do we allow those who are incapable of honorable service to wear that uniform without legal repercussion when so many other uniforms can’t by imposters without being arrested as a consequence?
I would argue it’s because our society places little value on military service….many people talk a good game and mouth the right words to service members, but it’s all a hypocritical display to cover a complete apathy towards servicemembers and the promises made to them. If our society valued military service lying about it and wearing the uniform would have a penalty beyond being called a liar in public.
We have the right to call a liar a liar because SCOTUS told us that was our only remedy for those who lie about their service or lack thereof. With no other remedy other than the truth liars should expect, perhaps for the first time in their lives, that they will be exposed publicly and shamed publicly for their dishonesty and their lack of character….
The young man is a sack of shit and perhaps now he will consider the ramifications of his actions and his words in a new light moving forward and become a better man for it, or maybe he’ll just become a better lying sack of shit as so many others seem to do after being caught.
Well put. My intent was to indicate the manner in which the veteran approached this young man. The apathy comment was dead on. I remember a time when wearing the uniform was like having 3 eyes. When I am I uniform and people thank me, I just say “You are welcome” and march on. Too many people have a major disdain for us. That is sad. The Vietnam veteran was abused by our public. I am hoping for it to not go the other way. I don’t want to see our veterans become abusive. I am sure by now the non veteran is feeling the pain. Guessing he won’t do it again
Thank you indeed for your service, I understand where you were coming from with your comment…I was not intending to be contrary, I wanted to point out that too many of these folks who lie every day never have someone tell them to their face they are full of crap, and perhaps that’s what needs to happen…more people being told when they are liars directly to their face.
No need to worry about it going the other way Bryan, most vets (as I have posted elsewhere) do like I do and like I suspect you will and that is continue to serve their communities through volunteerism with youth, wounded veterans, veterans organizations or whatever cause they are passionate about to make their corner of the world a better place in whatever capacity they can.
Many of these liars are only making their corner of the world darker, we need to shine a light on them and stop their lies before they escalate to actual crimes that get prosecuted as if most often the case…these guys start small and end up much bigger….usually by committing some act of fraud.
With respect VoV, while I find stolen valor disgusting and despicable, I would disagree with that. The reason there are legal repercussions to pretending to be a cop, lawyer, doctor, or airline pilot is that a person pretending to be a cop, lawyer, doctor, or airline pilot can wield actual authority with their phony crap. Phony military personnel can’t really do that; their authority outside of bases and theaters of war is essentially nonexistent. Now, if a person tried to gain financially from the fraud, or impersonated a soldier at a time like Katrina or the LA King Riots when the military did have actual authority, or claimed to have authority and tried to wield it where they didn’t, the penalty would be the same as impersonating a cop or any fraud involving money. But the problem is, to effectively criminalize stolen valor, we’d need to give the government the ability to pass laws against “lying” itself, rather than just claiming to be an authority figure for personal gain (the latter can be done under the Constitution; the former would require a changing of the 1st Amendment). Problem is, if government has the power to regulate ‘false speech’, who gets to define it? Do we get to have “hate speech” laws encompassing practically all right-wing views on immigration like the EU? If a guy like Al Gore gets elected president, does he criminalize anti-global warming views in the media for being counterproductive to the public good? It’s a power that could do great good at first, but it could also be used for great evil. And I don’t want government to have that power. So, until people at large learn to spot the telltale warning signs, sadly it’s down to guys like all us TAH commenters to call out the phonies. Sorry 🙁
Look at AJ Dickens as an example.
Wielding that “phony crap” can get gullible people killed.
Or at “McCrotheren”. Access to kids.
That first one, though, is covered by existing law. AJ Dicken was perpetrating a monetary fraud based on experience he didn’t have, not to mention possessing high-powered firearms as a convicted felon. As for Crotchrot, we’ve still got restraining orders and laws against stalking. I was referring to making stolen valor claims themselves, guys who just wear phony crap for accolades like the Round Marine and William Derek Church, illegal. That would cause problems.
You are certainly free to disagree, and you always express yourself and your position quite well. I would agree in a legal sense with what you say, but I would point out that when Giuliani was mayor he made a point of enforcing even the smallest infractions, the so-called broken windows theory of legalese.
The idea being that accepting small acts of lawlessness ie; vandalism leads to larger acts of lawlessness ie; squatting in a vandalized building and using it as a crack house.
Those who start with stolen valor don’t stop there, if they are not caught early they graduate to larger frauds and more serious crimes.
It is time our society stops pretending that people who put on military uniform and pretend to be what they are not are harmlessly expressing their first amendment rights. They are not, they are testing the waters for future fraudulent acts and if stopped early will be prevented from committing larger scale crimes with larger fallout for the victims.
Consequently I feel a great disservice was done to veterans and to our society when SCOTUS chose to equate lying about military service with the first amendment right to express yourself. Lying about what you were not is never done to just have a bit of fun and exaggeration, it’s a purposeful act designed to engender a specific response often at the expense of those that lie is directed at, SCOTUS should have recognized that facet of the law and directed law makers to rewrite that component of the law. I know some movement in that direction has been made, but it’s not nearly enough.
Our society already reaps the benefits of countless lies told every day that go unpunished, the truth is being overwhelmed with lies and we are fast approaching the point in our society where no one lies, they just occasionally mis-speak the truth…
True. My only beef with it is all the other things the power to regulate lying (as defined by the government itself) could be used for. A constitutional amendment specifically criminalizing stolen valor would be terrific. Unfortunately, with all the apathy among civilian voters and politicians, that’s unlikely to happen. In the meanwhile, I think the revised stolen valor act of 2013 is a pretty good compromise. Bans using claims of medals for personal advancement. Bueno. Although, on a side note, the number one thing I would like to see the laws get tougher on is DD214 forgery. How many times have we seen guys like Gregory Allen Parker forge their ways into jobs and con gullible students into attending tactical academies who curriculum/experience isn’t worth its weight in dog crap? From what I gather, that crime is rarely proscuted. If we could get the laws to take that at least as seriously as they do with phony driver’s licenses, that would be a massive victory.
That crime (DD214 forging) seems to be prosecuted as often as the mandatory gun crime law is here in Massachusetts. It’s typically the first charge dropped here in the Bay State to facilitate plea deals…while that is a topic for an entire thread of its’ own it is indicative of the problem with having too many laws.
I suspect Stolen Valor laws would not get prosecuted very much either, for much the same reasons. But I would like to see that law present and available as a charge to keep these liars on their toes. I don’t necessarily see this as a slippery slope thing because it’s a definitive behavior with respect to a distinctive component of the government and is different than mere inflammatory speech in that regard. The Nazis and KKK will still be able to spew their hatred right alongside Farrakan and company, they just won’t be able to pretend they were part of the military while doing it.
Amen to that. The problem ain’t the laws we don’t have; it’s the ones we ain’t enforcing.
Abuse and bully? He called the poser out. We are either part of the problem or part of the solution. Doing nothing makes us part of the problem. The 1st Ammendment is a wonderful thing, what people forget is that it also has consequences. What bothered me in the video was the background chatter asking the veterans to leave the guy alone, because he took the patch off. Patch removed, the POS is still a poser. How would you have handled this situation Bryan?
You noticed the background chatter also. Our law makers need to be convinced that wearing the uniform should be a crime.
Spot on with this article, my personal concern is that we have become a nation that celebrates liars and cheats at the expense of our own national character.
Our celebrities and heroes are genetically gifted athletes who are also drug users and serial adulterers, our celebrated actors are some of the worst kind of humans on the planet, self absorbed douchebags with more money than brains whose behavior is riddled with alcohol and drug use and whose vapid opinions are given weight by the moronic masses our public education system has failed to educate.
That’s why these addle-pated fools don’t understand the military, the concept of serving the nation with honor, integrity and character has not only never occurred to them it’s an inconceivable thought at its’ root for these people.
They are more concerned that we make sure the illegal aliens get drivers licenses and in state tuition than whether or not the young men and women we send to die on our behalf receive the benefits they were PROMISED IN WRITING when they entered service….
I have become convinced that this country has been led down a path to its’ own destruction by the very people we have elected to lead us out our problems. It is my fervent hope that more of you young people who have served continue your service with elective office. We need disciplined, principled leaders in our congress and senate who understand it’s not easy to get out of a difficult situation and the only way to get that done is to start doing the heavy lifting sooner, rather than later.
Nicely done Mr. Fenner, I hope to see more of your work in the future.
“… who understand it’s not easy to get out of a difficult situation and the only way to get that done is to start doing the heavy lifting sooner, rather than later.”
Quote of the day, dude. IMO, we are well on our way to the real end of the Republic via the internal corruption of the values that made the Republic great in the first place.
IMO, our moral compass is broken, and the SV issue is just one of the many symptoms.
There was a time when 70% of our law makers were veterans. It is less than 20% now. I feel like that has a lot to do with it.
Fantastic article …
BREAK:
Bryan,
Hence the purpose of the article above … Are you a Vet? If you are I am disappointed! If you are joe civilian … you just don’t get it!
If I am reading your comment properly …
Thank you for your service sir. I am a veteran and I currently serve. I believe I do get it.
Fair enough Bryan. Thank you for your service!
Question: What would you do if you saw a poser parading around your base, hometown or local grocery store and you were the only man on site?
Would you request to see his ID card?
And if he did not have such ID card what would you do next?
Just curious?
BTW: I am a black and white kinda of guy on this issue … I know there are no gray lines here!
MCPO. To turn it around a little…I wouldn’t show my ID card to just anyone who wants to see it therefore I wouldn’t ask to see anyone’s ID. If I understand it correctly, the Supreme Court decided that it violates the poser’s 1st amendment rights unless he/she claims certain medals/awards for personal gain. Confronting someone poses the risk of getting arrested. I guarantee that my command wouldn’t care what my reason is. I am disgusted by many things the civilians do with respect to the military. There is an attitude by some that we serve because we lack intelligence.
Adam,
It is well written article and makes a needed point.
However,
Wearing the Uniform to Honor…Its Faker Code for I know I’m caught. Very much like the pot head getting caught always has a medical need for it.
He wanted to get attention, well he got it. He is no different from any other fake.
As for the freedom of Speech, Their are allot of things that can be said or done but shouldn’t. Westboro Baptist is the prime example.
Oh yeah, people forget that a freedom comes with the responsibility to use it properly.
Fantastic article. That deserves a re post.
I served for 13 years. Just an average military career. I was not airborne/air assault/ranger/SF any of that. I’m proud of my service and I don’t embellish it.
Yeah, I was a REMF. But i still get pissed off when I see assholes like this guy strutting around in a uniform, getting respect that he never earned nor does he deserve. Angrier still that there are friends of mine who are still serving and some of who have died in service so that this dickweed can wear their uniform.
At the end of the day, I earned the right, no PRIVILEGE, of wearing my uniform. And it pisses me off that people treat that uniform like a f**ing costume.
When I was an infantry marine I was told that it took 7 support people just to support me. It wasn’t until I was army side where it was like 23 support people behind me that I understood how important that was (I also was a bit older, that helps humble a young arrogant Marine.).
I just don’t know a good way to educate civilians about what that uniform means and why they should respect it.
I remember an old saying, IIRC I heard from my former bro-in-law who was a plebe at West Point at the time, “Amateurs study Tactics, Professionals study Logistics.”
The Log train is always the unsung heroes, it seems.
I agree.
Good article.
Spot on, brother…
You did a good job for us – putting it into words. Although, I didn’t always catch some of your sarcasm (I reviewed the remarks-posting…and then understood.)…I wasn’t going to argue your comments. This is one of the better pieces that explains our views. You need to have it posted in several papers.
Just as a note: I’m reminded of a statistic done in the ‘90s about Vietnam veterans: 7-million Americans claimed to be ‘Nam vets by the VA, yet DoD could only account for 4-million who served. So where did the other 3-million come from? Well, it was simply explained that individuals who were of age for that time didn’t want to be counted out (some of those VA figures were people who were founded out never to have served military).
After the years went by, military service had gain the respect of the public again. By the ‘80s, honor was openly given to ‘Nam vets…for standing up and answering the call. Suddenly, everyone wanted a piece of that love (so to speak).
I fear that will happen to our new ranks of war vets (there are a couple cases of it already happening). But this problem is nothing new – it’s been happening for years in our Country.
But this problem is nothing new
Sadly I agree with you, man has been lying since he first learned to articulate language from connecting sounds…
There will always be those looking out for number one … alas …
Seems Man learned to lie shortly after he learned to murder.
Sadly, sarcasm rarely translates into text.
You are right, this problem isn’t going away, and like so many other things when it comes to our own self policing we keep getting stonewalled into stopping it at the lowest level.
Adam thank you sir for the article. Well thought out and written. I will, with your permission, save and use it as one of the many references I have gathered from this blog. Thank you again.
Not a problem at all, I appreciate it.
Have to agree with the accolades, Adam. Great post. You and Enigma4you need to collaborate and post at the NYT – would that even be possible? – the clueless young people need to be educated.
Have to agree with the other posters, Adam. Great job. This needs to be read by more than just the family at TAH.
You guys are great, right now I’m just so happy to be a part of this community. I wouldn’t even know how to get on the NYTs.
Adam this article was so eloquent, and I believe that you are absolutely 100% correct. Stolen Valor is an egregious, heinous offense, and no one should ever lie about having served in the military, and/or getting injured in the line of duty. Those people should be made to understand the consequences of their actions. When someone lies about service they are obtaining unearned rewards. I know someone right now who is lying about serving in the marine corps, and lying saying he was injured in the line of duty. Most people he tells this lie to believe him. He is obtaining; trust, admiration, respect, and people see him as an honorable soldier, and it is all because they believe a lie he has told. He has not earned the right to say he was a marine, and I am going to expose him for the dishonorable liar that he is. I know as a civilian it might not be my place to do so, but noone else will. I believe a true marine is a part of a brotherhood they fight together, and cry together, and fight for not only each others lives together, but also fight for the freedoms we all take for granted, and alot are naive at what those freedoms truly cost. I hope that exposing this liar, and getting him to stop is the right thing for me to do, and I know this may be miniscule, but there are civilians who understand may I say vaguely since the experiences are not mine, but awareness is out there keep up the cause. Also I am a 22 year old male.