Lying About Military Service Should be Criminal

Ruby I can see your point but I can also see how that law might be abused. Say there is a war you disagree with–could be the Iraq war, could be some other war–and you are part of a protest where to make your point you need people to dress up as members of the military. Say for example (I am not saying this happened but what if, OK?) a member of the military ordered a massacre of some village. This did happen in Vietnam. So your protest is re-enacting the massacre to make a point and you have some guy dress up like the general, medals and everything.

Well, under that law the guy (and any other protesters who are dressed up in military uniforms) would be breaking the law. IMO that violates our freedom of speech.

And I haven’t even touched Halloween….

Regards,

Inna

That’s right Ruby. Well, it must be some kind of fad to keep a record track just like John Rambo.

The greatest punishment these people receive is the fact that they are a liar, to themselfs as well as to others.This punishment will go to their graves. For a true brother and sisiter needs no medals to be accepted, medals dont make the hero.Real heros sometimes never make it home. Our freedom of speach and any other law is exactly what gives the chance for a hero to become. Nuff said. Great write Ruby. Friend, fan, smile

In the sixties we wore medals on uniform overcoats as a fashion statement. Deliberately lying about having been in the Service is mostly down to a lack of self esteem. Being ousted as a liar in public and through the media is probably punishment enough.

I think it\’s stupid and absurd to pretend to be something you are not but I don\’t think that people should be put in jail or anything for it unless they are scamming people out money and things like that.

After all, that\’s something that goes on a persons record and has the potential to really mess things up for them and I think that is even more stupid and absurd than a person making a fool out of themselves.

Something quite interesting. Lying like kids.

Community service is all they should get. Our jails are full already.

Lying about ANY past job should be criminal. Personally I would not want to hire a military person, I find they are often arrogaunt and think they are better than others just because they were in the military.

Great Work…well written…

Lying about military service should e a crime. It does not matter how you feel about the military either. My son just joined the Navy. Something I am not estatic about. It is his choice and I support him in it. Many of my family have served in the military. Not something I could do. I know myself too well for that. I respect those who do serve though. I may not respect the leadership of countries who send me off to war, but I respect those men and women. who felt they must join or that it was their best option in life. Two of my cousins served and Viet Nam and felt the effects of Agent Orange. My Cousin Larry Irons died recently because of those effects. One of my first memories was attending the funeral of Gary Kreh who died in Viet Nam when it was still a police action, a medic he saved 10 lives during an attack before losing his own. I remember a story that before Gary went into the Viet Nam he pushed my Stroller around Greenfield Village at a church outing. I have kept the photos my family had of Gary in his Marine uniform even now and I plan on keeping them. What he did at Greenfield Village for me as a baby and in Viet Nam saving lives of men put their by bad decisions of others, means that much to me even now. Feigning involvement in a job that is as risky as the military is wrong in the worse way, because of all the emotions of those people who loved people who lost their lives during military service. Public Caning might be a good punishment for them. This is coming from a very counter culture person mind you, who is not a big fan of the whole military system, just those who serve in ernest. I am literally crying right now from the emotions this has brought up,

Few years ago the Toronto Blue Jays hired someone to manage their team and it turned out he had been lying to everyone about being in Vietnam. The promptly fired him.

Lying about military service is complete disrespect to those who do serve our society in the armed services. I would not make such liars a burden on our society by putting them in jail but would make them pay exceedingly heavy monetary fines and make sure the lies go on their public records through probation.

Very interesting topic Ruby!

That is just unethical to take credit and honor that does not belong to you! Punishment is just! Good awareness Ruby.

an interesting article.

there was a guy over here in england who claimed he was ex SAS. complete BS and he basically got a slap on the wrist.

I think instead of being locked up they should have to do what they say they\’ve been doing i.e. national service

As a the wife of a retired Navy man, I think anyone who lies about their military service should be prosecuted. Good article.

I couldn’t agree with you more, Ruby. Well done!

As you know Ruby reading some of my articles over time, I am a Vietnam War veteran. My opinion on people wearing military medals when they did not earn them, or pretending to have served in the military is, if the act gained them some economic advantage, including gaining employment or a political post, they should be punished by the harmed group. However, I do not think this is such a grievous act that we should continue to load up our courts over it. We already have way too much litigation going on. This is America, and everybody’s freedom of speech was fought for by veterans. If there are doubts about someone, ask them to provide details about the medal, such as the process on how it was given, the documentation, if any, that came with it and so on. If doubt is about serving, ask what they had to vow to when entering, ask about a “DD214,” what it is and when does it come into play, ask what a gun is called by the military and so on. If they have problems answering these questions you may be able to expose them If you need information on these issues, Google them or ask a known veteran.
I would suggest that most military war veterans generally keep quiet about what they did when in battle. Most had a dose of reality that they continue trying to swallow the rest of their lives, and generally keep this to them selves. In fact, many bottle it up and lock it away. This was a problem for me for many years. I have just started writing about some of my experiences because so much time has passed and I have been encouraged to write for the benefit of those who cannot. To suggest that veterans are arrogant, as one of the comments suggest above, I think is rude. Perhaps some understanding is required here. Some who have not seen battle yet and just getting used to the uniform act this way, but they are not different than anybody else in our society. Most are young kids and proud. How are they any different than police officers with swelled heads when they first put on the uniform?
There are many veterans with mental problems that continue to have problems with their time and experiences in battle. Many are constantly embellishing their experiences, perhaps because they didn’t get the recognition afterwards. Offering up your life and killing and maiming others need recognition; at least acknowledgment.) Many make very abnormal comments about our society, country, laws and political leaders. What are we going to do here, arrest them? Paul Roberts comment above says it well:
“For a true brother and sister need no medals to be accepted, medals don’t make the hero. Real heroes sometime never make it home. Our freedom of speech and any other law is exactly what gives the chance for a hero to become.”

nice work!