Posted on Oct 26, 2019
How should I handle a situation of potential stolen valor?
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I live right out side of post.(fort bragg) I have this aquatince that I run into all the time. He tells me stories about his time in service. He has shown his veterans card. But recently I was talking with warrant officers outside of my apartment complex and he called this individual out on multiple lies about his time in service. And he informed me that him lying about aspects of his duty could be stolen valor. If this individual approaches me should I do or say anything or just let it go. I dont have nearly enough time in service to know how to handle situations like this.
Posted in these groups: 
Stolen Valor
Stolen Valor
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 11
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Say nothing to anyone. Confront no one! The individual in question will get his one way or another. Confronting higher ranks may paint a target on your back. Take the words of the suspect as grains of salt and do your own thing.
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If you think that person is full or crap, then don't associate with him. You can be full of crap and it not be "stolen valor" with The Stolen Valor Act. Thanks California...
Is he claiming a valor decoration that he did not earn? Is he claiming by official wear a Combat badge, Tab or other insignia on a service uniform that is not his? Is he making false claims about his service to gain financial advantage? How do you know ?
You are going to run into people like this from time to time. You can try and do a FOIA request for his service history, which costs some money and takes a month or two. Still doesn't tell you everything, like his actual decorations. It will tell you if they served, how,long, etc. Google Veteran Records NPRC FOIA. .
Is this person featured on a stolen valor site?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stolen_Valor_Act_of_2013
Is he claiming a valor decoration that he did not earn? Is he claiming by official wear a Combat badge, Tab or other insignia on a service uniform that is not his? Is he making false claims about his service to gain financial advantage? How do you know ?
You are going to run into people like this from time to time. You can try and do a FOIA request for his service history, which costs some money and takes a month or two. Still doesn't tell you everything, like his actual decorations. It will tell you if they served, how,long, etc. Google Veteran Records NPRC FOIA. .
Is this person featured on a stolen valor site?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stolen_Valor_Act_of_2013
Stolen Valor Act of 2013 - Wikipedia
The Stolen Valor Act of 2013 (Pub.L.113–12; H.R. 258) is a United States federal law that was passed by the 113th United States Congress. 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, property, or other tangible benefit by convincing another...
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Unless you believe he is somehow harming someone (to include financial harm), then what does it matter? Everyone has a fish story. And every time you tell the story, the fish grows an inch. If he is claiming VA benefits to which he is not entitled or vet discount or running for election or something, then yeah, it is something to worry about. Otherwise, let him remenber his "glory days" as he wants to remember them.
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