Dye has also offered his expertise to television, such as the hbo miniseries band of. Military, free speech and the stolen valor act board of veterans. Vietnam veterans, vietnam war, used books, my books, support our troops, fine. A former southern california marine has been handed a 21month federal sentence for faking a purple heart and lifting from another marines combat story to get disability benefits and a free house. In 2015, a marine corps veteran suffered a broken leg in sacramento, california.
While dennehy was a marine for four years, he was never in combat during the vietnam war, a fallacy he admitted in 1998. Stolen valor names names and backs up the uncovering of these honor thieves with facts. Jun 21, 2017 instances of stolen valor and the reactions of veterans and service members. Fort sill command sergeant major convicted of stolen valor. Makers for veterans helped charles zollicoffer ride a. Texas man faked way into army with phony marine record. Dod will unveil website to combat stolen valor this week. In this riveting insiders chronicle, legendary marine general brute krulak submits an unprecedented examination of u. The term is taken from a 1998 book by vietnam veteran b. Good thing, a retired marine named brandyn skaggs, was present at that time and he spotted in an instant how wrongfully the man was donning the suit. Malone is the quartermaster of vfw post 4412 in hudson, florida, and a member of the local marine corps league. In the war against stolen valor, the hunters can be just as dedicated as the. A texas marine has pled guilty to stealing the valor of a deceased marine who he served in combat with in afghanistan. Stolen valor is a serious issue that requires tactful investigation, and equally serious action.
In 2012, the supreme court struck down the stolen valor act, which made lying about military honors a. In their book fake warriors, henry and erika holzer estimate that 70. 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. The stolen valor act of 2005, signed into law by president george w. A decorated marine veteran of the vietnam war, dye is the founder and head of warriors, inc. A marine was accused of stolen valor for wearing camo pants duration. In a facebook post, the group explained that it would never post a stolen valor video that contained physical confrontation, nor would it accuse anyone of stolen valor without investigating those. His 199page service record, obtained by the american spectator, contains no mention of the marineturnedhistorian receiving two of the most prestigious awards given for combat valor. Working with ten plus years in this field, with several notable prosecutions. My son areal marine is out in the cold searching for reliable employment,and these a holes get away with all this as a disabled marine airdale this is out of my realm of. Stolen valor, like posttraumatic stress, is one of the most misunderstood issues in the u.
It had gotten so bad by 2005 that congress passed the stolen valor act, which established fines and jail time for imposters, including any nondeserving person who claimed, wore, bought, sold, bartered, traded, or manufactured any decoration or medal authorized by congress for the armed forces of the united states, or any of the service. Stolen valor fake marine goes to prison uncle sams. Volunteering for duty in iraq, duncan rose to the rank. Perelman, who claimed to have received a purple heart medal, is the first known prosecution in nevada under the stolen valor act of. In the linked story about ocasioreyes, it mentions malone as a purple heart recipient. 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. Required reading marine corps professional reading program. A graduate of the naval academy, rick had been in the pentagon when the plane hit on september 11, 2001. A veterans affairs employee from las vegas was indicted this week in a case of stolen valor and stolen benefits.
This wannabes downfall came at the marine corps birthday ball when he told the story of having been rescued by a single seal team member and being carried 20 clicks to safety. Stolen valor can also be a problem among activeduty troops. Remembering a marine hero, stolenvalor bulldog and veterans. Over at the burn pit, the follow up on the rick duncan case is not very encouraging.
Lying about being a seal is a victimless crime, they. Fake marine called out by army officer in kansas airport stolen valor. Please dont post videos of homeless people or the mentally ill, this subreddit will not tolerate bullying. American spectator exposes the stolen valor of famed. Know that people like this have some unstable minds and will bullshit to cover their bullshit. Fake marine busted for stolen valor after a retiree. Stolen valor is one book that every vietnam veteran should read. Stolen valor, fake navy seal at liberty university by nizzland456. I understand that the federal government no longer has any laws on the books for stolen valor crimes.
Stolen valor fake marine charged marin county, california gregory bruce allen, 68, from san rafael, has been charged in federal court in san francisco with one count of making fraudulent representations about receipt of military decorations or medals, a misdemeanor. Military lies are harmful to actual veterans the denver post. 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. Stolen valor, a lot more prevalent than you even know. Vietnam veteran accused of stolen valor by younger marines. Another stolen valor arrest the american legions burnpit. Usmc stolen valor points out fraudulent citizens that claim they have earned the title of marine. A marine was accused of stolen valor for wearing camo. Burkett, who made a career of unmasking phony military service claims, outed dennehy in his book stolen valor. Seems to me the kid wanted to be a marine but couldnt hack it, or decided college was the path instead.
This subreddit was established as a community to discuss matters related to stolen valor. Bloody fight after stolen valor accusation youtube. We provide expertise in all forms of stolen valor investigations that take place inside and outside the veteran community. We read or hear much about the false heroes and veterans claiming honors that they never earned.
What marine recruits go through in boot camp earning the title making marines on parris. Nathan phillips vietnam veteran status in question. Dog paw chronicles life journeys, whispers of heaven, and bobby convict ive written numerous short stories in. Eventually he was the only eight year old with permission from the local public library to check out books from the adult section because hed read everything else. Virginiaso he could not have been at hill 861 during that terrible fight. Eventually, i would track down his book, stolen valor. Sadly, the result is that many veterans like me have been targeted online by others claiming to be veterans with the intent of destroying our credibility, silencing us during a debate or some other malicious intent unknown to me. I never knew that the marines actually had a war correspondence company, in da nang. I lied about serving in vietnam and im sorry, dennehy is quoted as having said. Stolen valor can also be a problem among activeduty troops a combat action badge is displayed on a multicam uniform minutes after the soldier received it. The defense department will unveil a stopgap stolen valor website this wednesday designed to help citizens see if someone is lying about military medals. Rick duncan was a marine with a compelling story to tell, and tell it he did, to anyone who would listen. Kal spriggs started reading science fiction and fantasy in elementary school.
Stolen valor fake marine charged uncle sams misguided. In addition, it reveals persons who were mistakenly given military awards. Report stolen valor if you are reporting someone suspected of making false or embellished claims about their military service, we must have evidence of their claims before we can move forward. How the vietnam generation was robbed of its heroes and its history 1998 is a selfpublished book by b. Why this disservice to veterans remains an ongoing problem. Stolen valor is a sensitive issue do we need to adjust. See more ideas about stolen valor, steal, navy memes. This pretend marine was sentenced in us federal court. The marine lost both legs when his humvee hit an antitank mine in iraq in 2004. See more ideas about veterans discounts, military benefits and women figure. Burkett, a vietnam veteran, and glenna whitley, an investigative journalist. How the vietnam generation was robbed of its heroes and its history burkett. Stolen valor is the act of pretending to be a service member or veteran with the intended effect of personal benefit. Pam sterner herself had been inspired by the 1998 book stolen valor.
Guardians of valor, an organization dedicated to verifying military status and rooting out stolen valor, condemned the marines who attacked hughes. A palm springs man who wore a marine corps uniform with medals and bragged about fighting in a battle in iraq was sentenced monday to a year of probation, authorities said. My friend denied that he was doing stolen valor and said he was involved in a gang war in mexico and thats how he got shot his story i heard from other people was that he was a reservist in the army and got shot in afghanistan. It reveals that numerous people claiming to have been mentally injured by serving in the vietnam war never served there. A utah marine veteran is reeling after a salt lake city personal fitness trainer 4 years ago 0. It is a backhand to the service and sacrifice of the veteran community and is deserving of its anger. On page 338 of the book stolen valor, there is a photo of frank dux wearing a mixture of army and marine corps medals. If the claims by leroy foley were used to leverage work, military or civilian promotions, or anything else of value, he may have been in violation of stolen valor laws. These incidents keep happening for a few reasons, sterner said. Lovell iii march 19, 2015 posted by chris mark in uncategorized. The claim of both the silver star and the purple heart may put foley in direct conflict with the federal stolen valor act of 20. I just immediately knew, it didnt take long to know he was a fake and it wouldnt take any marine longer than five seconds to know that was a fake, skaggs told abc. The law made it a federal misdemeanor to falsely represent oneself as having received any u.
Fake sgm called out at funeral by marines part1 by guardian of valor stolen valor. He recalled the camaraderie under fire, as when fellow marines built a cake out of snow to. In 2009, i covered a story for marine corps times that falls squarely in the truthisstrangerthanfiction category. Remembering a marine hero, stolenvalor bulldog and veterans advocate. May 2012 for valor on june 18, 2010, a day in which he beat an enemy fighter.
With the stolen valor act under scrutiny by the supreme court today, it seemed like a good time to bring a story out of the mothballs. War against stolen valor still raging in colorado, where it got its. District judge virginia phillips in riverside, authorities said. Pinned on his the wannabes chest was a silver star along with other fruit salad. Real veterans dont advertise their deeds and claim unbelievable acts of heroism. Calling out the guy in gym shorts and a multicam blouse isnt serious action, its crying wolf. I just immediately knew, it didnt take long to know he was a fake and it wouldnt take any marine longer than five seconds to know that was a. Allen wore a marine corps uniform, and told people that he had. Apparently he used to be friends with manuel ocasioreyes, one of the original stolen valor act busts. Native american activist nathan phillips faces questions about reports that hes a veteran of the vietnam war according to multiple news accounts, the activist is 64 years old, which means he.