Stolen Valor

Generally, all veterans deserve to be honored as citizens that love their country. Some veterans may lose faith with their brothers and break their bonds of honor or may pretend to have known those bonds by pretending to have served honorably. This is more about truth. The imposters lies are a dishonor which is tangential to enforcement under federal law by stolen valor. Most military veterans are honorable and would have little influence for reluctant federal prosecutors to pursue Stolen Valor Act charges against a criminal. Military imposters are frequently caught in their lies and exposed due to mistakes and inconsistencies in their stories or behaviors. Real veterans readily spot these mistakes, especially when an imposter claims to be part of the same branch they have served in. For example, when their age or role is inappropriate for the rank to have served in war, inadvertently professing to have been in two ranks or at different places at same time, or might state factually incorrect information about the war they allegedly were part of. For imposters in uniform, they often mistake the correct placement of patches, insignia and medals, wear the wrong branch or campaigns they could not possibly have taken part in.  It does a dishonor to steal from those veterans that served honorably in prior military duty, or those that currently serve honorably in their profession of arms. Both are examples about the bonds of brotherhood formed during military service.

In the United States, the Stolen Valor Act of 2013 makes it a federal offense to falsely claim to have received any of several major military awards with the intention of obtaining money, property, or other tangible benefits, was passed and remains in effect. There are additional laws criminalizing the altering or forging of discharge documents, and attempting to obtain veteran's benefits from the government. Previously in 2005, a Stolen Valor Act had criminalized any false claim regarding military service, was struck down as violating the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment.