Is this a case of Stolen Valor or Respect?

There is no such thing as Stolen Valor, and we need to get off our soap box, I choose to see the positive in the message instead of the negative. We do not need any more division among us.

I get that he is trying to do a meaningful thing, but I question his motivation in getting all dressed up in a uniform he didn't earn the right to wear to do that. If he truly respected those who wear the uniform, he wouldn't put it on. I think he was as much OR MORE! seeking attention for himself as he was trying to show respect for the recruiters that were shot.

I am going to assume this man has a good heart, simply by the actions he is taking in the pictures, and therefore I will say that my answer is respect. There are a few things that influence my answer.

First, this man isn't walking around the local shopping center looking for discounts. He isn't there primarily to tell his story. While it may have been reported that he was an Army Medic, we all know that sometimes reporters misunderstand, their editors make last minute changes, and things go to print that aren't entirely true. Perhaps, the reporter got a quick statement while this man had other priorities, to include paying respect to the fallen, and made some assumptions to fill in the holes in the story. We don't know that there was any ever intention of representing himself as something he is not or never was.

Second, I personally know many contractors who are not and never were military, but have some combination of the uniform because they too have deployed to support our efforts. If one of them decided to throw on their uniform to show that they continue to stand with us, I wouldn't immediately be offended. While it may not technically be correct, as they are portraying themselves in a certain way when they wear the uniform, if their heart is in the right place, I'm not going to attack them. I would rather have civilians who support and stand next to the military, and genuinely care when lives are lost, than a crowd of people quick to point out how they feel we are overpaid, undereducated, and a drain on tax dollars.

Now, if this story was attached to an interview with the man where he went on for half an hour about the action he saw as a Medic, using the tragedy to sell his story and genuinely gain his 15 minutes of fame, I would feel differently. From the information I have here, however, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that he was just trying to show that there are good people out there who stand with America.