USMCFLYR

Also known as 'The Stolen Valor Act of 2013'.

A *new* law replacing 'The Stolen Valor Act' of 2006 which was struck down by the SCOTUS last year because it also sought to punish those who would CLAIM to have been awarded certain high ranking awards and which the Court decided was protected under the First Amendment.

This *new* law is much more focused in the language:
"The focus is now on the intent to profit from the lie, to obtain money, property or something of a tangible benefit, which is what con artists have been doing throughout history"

The maximum punishment is a $100,000 and up to a yer in jail by fraudulenty claiming receipt of the:
- Medal of Honor
- Air Force, Distinguished Service or Navy Cross
- Silver Star
- Purple Heart
- Combat Infantry Badge
- Combat Action Badge
- Combat Medical Badge
- Combat Action Ribbon
- Combat Action Medal
- Any replacement or duplicate medal for such a medal as authorized by law.

Source: VFW Magazine Aug 2013.

Albief15

There should be a provision that allows for the public tar and feathering of these Walter Mitty's as well.

FWIW...the mentors I had that really "did the job" were typically some of the most restrained, modest, and professional men I ever met. There was never a lot of external bravado.

Ftrooppilot

I wonder why they left the Distinguished Flying Cross out since it ranks higher then the Purple Heart.

Awards and decorations of the United States military - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

USMCFLYR

Those are the ones listed in the article that I sourced. I have not looked for, nor read, the entire Public Law 113-12. Maybe that isn't an all-inclusive list of the awards. Let's hope so. I would actually hope that all military awards would be covered.

FrankCobretti

Some guy lying about his record to get laid is just shenanigans. Some guy lying about his record to get hired is fraud. This new iteration of the law makes more sense than the old one did.

USMCFLYR

Doug Sterner began in 1998 to gather information needed to build a database of all US military Bronze Stsar (w/Valor device) and above award recepients. In 2008, he approached the 'Military Times' with a request for support and they took on the project. The link below is to the 'Military Times Hall of Valor' website.

Military Times Hall of Valor

rickair7777

I tend to agree. It targets those who are essentially stealing tangible benefits from those who earned them via fraud.

Or maybe getting laid is tangible benefit too?

I also felt the original law perhaps went a bit too far. With that precedent, there are other kinds of unpopular speech which might also have been subject to suppression, such as climate change denial.