Posted on 12/02/2014 9:26:58 AM PST by jazusamo
A man accused of donning an Army uniform and posing as a decorated Ranger during a Black Friday shopping trip to a Philadelphia mall — and whose confrontation with a military official was recorded on a video that’s since gone viral — could possibly face criminal charges.
Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick, a lawmaker for the Middletown district in Pennsylvania, has sent a letter to U.S. Attorney Zane Memeger to see if the faker — who introduces himself as Shawn in the video and whose last name is ostensibly displayed on the patch on his uniform — could be charged with violations of the Stolen Valor Act of 2013, if it’s proven that he was faking his service, the Bucks County Courier-Times reported.
The law, co-sponsored by Mr. Fitzpatrick, criminalizes the act of portraying one self as the recipient of military medals if the intent of doing so is to obtain money, property or another “tangible benefit,” the text states. Stores sometimes give members of the military discounts for their service.
It’s not yet clear if the man in the mall was faking his military service.
But a video that’s been seen more than 1.5 million times since Black Friday shows him fielding several questions from Northampton resident Ryan Berk, 26. Mr. Berk recorded the encounter and said he’s actually served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2011.
Mr. Berk, who’s studying criminal justice at Temple University — and who earned a Purple Heart after he was injured by shrapnel during a fire-fight in Afghanistan — said he came across the man in Army fatigues while shopping in a shoe store, the Bucks County Courier-Times said.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
I knew a guy once that proudly told me he was interviewing for a position as a comptroller for a company. I knew this idiot had no experience or education in accounting whatsoever. I asked what a comptroller did, and he had no answer. He was interviewing for the job and he didn’t even know what comptroller meant! I always wondered how that interview went. People wonder why they have to jump through hoops to even get an interview these days.
This shouldn't be complicated, if you put a single unit patch on something personal then people are naturally going to think that you served in that unit, if it is part of a collage, or collection of various patches, then they would see it as such.
If you are the type that sews patches onto your gear, you should have an eye for that kind of thing already.
Sorry, I was thinking campaign ribbons
Oh, sorry - I was thinking of campaign ribbons and stuff only authorized for use by active duty people
You don't even have to look at his uniform to know this guy is a fake
His Potbelly gut is the dead give away.
“I was only a specialist”
Private Eagle Class.
I apologize if I wasn’t clear. The patches don’t distinguish unit information, citations, or anything other than, for instance “Scout” and “Tunnel Rat,” as my uncles were a scout and tunnel rat, respectively.
Same thing, you are the one who sews the patches on and who gets the inquiries, you would know better than me if you are confusing people or not.
I'm gonna go ahead and assume you never went.
I routinely wear surplus gear. It is well made and well designed for what I do.
However, I make sure it is striped of any patches, unit designations, rank insignia, name tags, national or branch affiliations.
If asked I freely state I did not serve in the Military, and ask people to reserve their praise or thanks for those who did, while thanking them for keeping our troops and veterans (among whom I count most of my friends) in mind.
I will claim no honor I do not deserve.
“...”just” graduated from Ranger school.
I’m gonna go ahead and assume you never went.”
No, of course I wasn’t a Ranger. I wasn’t demeaning officers that have Ranger tabs, I was only stating a fact. The vast majority of enlisted with Ranger tabs served in a Ranger battalion and the vast majority of officers with them did not.
They certainly earned the right to wear a Ranger tab.
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