The stolen valor law of 20 makes it a federal offense punishable by fines and imprisonment to falsely claim military honors or awards to affect personal, tangible gain. However, i am seeing a trend of kneejerk reactions by people who jump all over anyone in uniform. Fraudulently claiming military service or awards there has long been concern over persons who falsely claim to have served in the armed forces, to have been awarded military awards, or to have been members of elite fighting units such as the army rangers, the green berets, or the navy seals. How the vietnam generation was robbed of us heroes and history, a book that is certain. Weve put together a list of the top 5 most outrageous stolen valor incidents. Navy seal, petty officer 2nd class e5, injured in libya during a covert seal mission, blog of shame 11. The fake history from a real historian that fooled presidents and publishers by r. There was no stolen valor just another false accusation.
Stolen valor is a tough, courageous book, overwhelmingly documenting the fraud that has been so destructive to the true legacy of those who fought in vietnam. These incidents keep happening for a few reasons, sterner said. If awards are given with no evidence of valor or combat and claims of action and fighting are made in the same paragraph where the awards are referred to, we develop a problem known as stolen valor. Anyone who has an ounce of historical sense will name patton, macarthur, audie murphy. The book and subsequent hollywood movie made plumley a celebrity long after he retired from the army in 1974. If awards are given with no evidence of valor or combat and claims of action and fighting are made in the same paragraph where the awards are referred to, we develop a. How the vietnam generation was robbed of its heroes and its history 1998 is a. How the vietnam generation was robbed of us heroes and history, a book. Apr 25, 2015 a marine was accused of stolen valor for wearing camo pants duration. Here were eight other infamous examples of fabricated valor. That fight pitted 450 soldiers from the 1 st battalion, 7 th cavalry against 2,000 north vietnamese soldiers at lz xray.
Who has the final say about whether a law can stand. Working with ten plus years in this field, with several notable prosecutions. The term is taken from a 1998 book by vietnam veteran b. Stolen valor forsaken valor book 2 kindle edition by. I would gladly pay whatever price the publishers of this historical work would demand. Colby award for outstanding military book autographed by coauthored b. Louis veteran lied to improperly receive disability benefits, feds say. In 2012, the supreme court struck down the stolen valor act, which made lying about military honors a crime. Jun 05, 2015 these incidents keep happening for a few reasons, sterner said. Anderson condemns false accusations, noting that he attempts to contact the subjects of his investigations before posting his findings, to hear. The book, a collaboration with texas investigative writer glenna whitley.
Burkett, who made a career of unmasking phony military service claims, outed dennehy in his book stolen valor. The stolen valor of michael flynn veterans today military. We provide expertise in all forms of stolen valor investigations that take place inside and outside the veteran community. Stolen valor is the act of pretending to be a service member or veteran with the intended effect of personal benefit. We read or hear much about the false heroes and veterans claiming honors that they never. George washington took a dim view of those who commit lies of honor. Shelby stanton, one of the bestknown vietnam war historians, boasted of receiving numerous valor awards while serving as a green beret in vietnam. Dec 20, 2017 the phrase stolen valor was coined by vietnam veteran b. When any normal person reads action and fighting they are meant to assume combat. How the vietnam generation was robbed of its heroes and its history. Part two, jon oswell, the beckett book bullshit phony cia seal clown dude. He enlisted under nathaniel richard stanard, an adopted name, according to the dd214, but his birth name was nathaniel phillips. We are not on facebook, we are not on twitter, we do not have a blog nor do we confer with any authorities other than military personnel center and the veterans.
Part 2 robert howard dunn the life long fuck up phony seal. Stolen valor 1 when a civilian who was never military, therefore never earned the rights and privileges associated with the honor of wearing the uniform, wear one due to any of the following reasons. How the vietnam generation was robbed of its heroes and its history by b. Almon henthorne from orlando florida appears to make claims that he is a highly decorated combat wounded marine from the vietnam war. Jan 06, 2015 for example, the stolen valor facebook page, which exposes people who lie about their military service, has over 370,000 followers. Updatedon 21 february 2015, kelsie hoover, used a fake persona by the name of michael cipriani and posed as commissioned officer of the united states army. If you use any of the internet search engines such as or and enter the keywords stolen valor, you will be rewarded with a large number of responses. Yell at children this child should not have stolen valor from 18thcentury privateers. Stolen valor book how the vietnam generation was robbed of its heroes and its history winner of the william e.
The problem, according to burkett, is that too many of these soldiers and. They are trying to attract the attention of the opposite sex, or they just want peoples attention and thanks. In real life, there are two groups of menu writers. Why this disservice to veterans remains an ongoing problem.
Has anyone here ever been accused of stolen valor when. Jan 23, 2019 lauretta already wrote about how nathan phillips wasnt a vietnam war veteran, despite original reports. He was a distinguished lecturer, editor, and academic fellow, as well as the author of the u. Real veterans dont advertise their deeds and claim unbelievable acts of heroism. If youre in or you know youve been in, you dont have to prove shit to anyone. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Ford participated that day in some kind of memorial day ceremony, he was probably incorrect for his actions, particularly if he wore any part of the uniform. Eventually, i would track down his book, stolen valor. In addition, it reveals persons who were mistakenly given.
Stolen valor goodreads meet your next favorite book. Stolen valor is one book that every vietnam veteran should read. Please dont post videos of homeless people or the mentally ill, this subreddit will not tolerate bullying. Burkett, and glenna whitley should be required reading for all americans. Okay, so he wrote a book that exposes the total lack of integrity of hollywood and the media toward the way they treated treat vietnam veterans and exposed.
Its your duty as a veteran and a protector of stolen valor to assess, spot, and prevent instances of stolen valor on halloween. Im sure all that any genuine vietnam vet would ask of anyone would be is to read this book stolen valor by b. The menu writers had to rewrite the stolen valor act even though the lead chef approved it. To get discounts or free servicesdrinks, etc at stores or cafes. It reveals that numerous people claiming to have been mentally injured by serving in the vietnam war never served there.
Now, burkett and 1 have coauthored what amounts to a comprehensive indictment of this fraud. His awards and decorations by dick culver his is just a new thrust on an old, old story, and one that caused no end of heartburn in. Flynn, who served as executive director of accuracy in medias sister organization, accuracy in academia, from 1997 to 2003, teamed up with american spectator editor r. Stolen valor act the stolen valor act of 2005, signed into law by president george w. Top 5 most outrageous stolen valor incidents the sitrep. Some of the valor awards that mr henthorne was pictured wearing online are the navy cross, silver star, bronze star medal, navy and marine corps medal, combat action ribbon and the purple heart. It is not even the fraud that false heroes perpetrate against taxpayers, voters, and. History the problem of stolen valor has been an issue since the founding of the united states. Kelsie hoover uses fake michael cipriani persona, poses as. Seal shipley spoof videos ask master chief mad dog shit navy seal videos free stuff real seal interviews stolen valor ask don.
Harrisburg police officer wrongly accuses veteran, 75, of. Its central thesis should make american mainstream media cringe in shame from their decades of negligence and collusion in this defamation of those who served with honor. The 2005 stolen valor act, which doug sterners wife, pam, helped draft, made it a crime to falsely claim military decorations, but the supreme court overturned the law in 2012. Frueh said the problem was an open secret in within the va. The absurd conservative obsession with stolen valor the.
Kevin youngs bunk is an engaging, exhaustive, if somewhat overdone look at the history of american hoaxes and frauds. Ask a group of folks to name a hero from world war ii. Almon henthorne, us marine, force recon, combat wounded, blog. Burkett, a vietnam veteran, and glenna whitley, an investigative journalist.
Burkett, whose selfpublished book, stolen valor, used a photo of me in a costume i wore in a film a pseudo marine uniform with various military ribbon display and from the photo he wrote that this was proof of stolen valor. Comic book citizens organizations interested in a cause 2. Marine corps from 19721976 and never left stateside. Department of defenses analysis of agent orange exposure. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading stolen valor forsaken valor book 2. The law amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime for a person to claim they have served in the military, embellish their rank or fraudulently claim having received a valor award specified in the act, with the intention of obtaining money.
Met a lad on holiday last year claiming he was a bootneck and that he was a firearms teacher and that on prmc his sgt told him he was the fittest lad he had ever seen. Im assuming everyone knows about the stolen valor page on facebook, and theyre doing some pretty good work. A marine was accused of stolen valor for wearing camo pants duration. The phrase stolen valor was coined by vietnam veteran b. Military lies are harmful to actual veterans the denver post. Makers for veterans helped charles zollicoffer ride a motorcycle for the first time in eight years. For example, the stolen valor facebook page, which exposes people who lie about their military service, has over 370,000 followers. Marine imposter rick strandlof exposed on anderson cooper 360.
Has anyone here ever been accused of stolen valor when they. See more ideas about women figure, veterans discounts and military benefits. Oct 31, 2016 its your duty as a veteran and a protector of stolen valor to assess, spot, and prevent instances of stolen valor on halloween. How the vietnam generation was robbed of its heroes and its history 1998 is a selfpublished book by b. Burkett and glenna whitley not only sets fire to postwar myths. Feb 27, 2015 updatedon 21 february 2015, kelsie hoover, used a fake persona by the name of michael cipriani and posed as commissioned officer of the united states army. Some of the valor awards that mr henthorne was pictured wearing online are the navy cross, silver star, bronze star medal, navy and marine corps medal, combat action ribbon and the purple. The stolen valor epidemic and why civilians should care. This subreddit was established as a community to discuss matters related to stolen valor. He enlisted in the marine corps reserves, serving from 1972. How the vietnam generation was robbed of its heroes and its history burkett, b.
Almon henthorne, us marine, force recon, combat wounded. American spectator exposes the stolen valor of famed. The book denounces those whose records do not match their claims. Stolen valor is a term applied to the phenomenon of people falsely claiming military awards or badges they did not earn, service they did not perform, prisoner of war experiences that never. This is a major concern, said doug sterner, who would know. Burketts book stolen valor, for whom the act is named, dennehy was a marine from 1959 to 1963 but claimed he was in vietnam and wounded in combat. In addition, it reveals persons who were mistakenly given military awards. Louis veteran lied to improperly receive disability benefits, feds say police. Stolen valor forsaken valor book 2 kindle edition by spriggs, kal. Fake green beret forced to shut down honor guard group disabled st. Stolen valor names names and backs up the uncovering of these honor thieves with facts. The absurd conservative obsession with stolen valor. We read or hear much about the false heroes and veterans claiming honors that they never earned.
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