Posted on 06/04/2015 7:55:33 PM PDT by Dallas59
An Army soldier attending Artsfest on Memorial Day thought something was fishy with the Marine uniform worn by 75-year-old Robert Ford, who was strolling along Front Street.
Ford's hat bore some wrinkles, according to the soldier's assessment, and his belt buckle looked too ornate for his rank.
The soldier enlisted the help of a Harrisburg police officer working at the event, who was a Marine, and together, they accused Ford of being a fraud.
"He's not a real Marine!" the officer shouted to the crowd gathered for the PennLive/Patriot-News Artsfest of Greater Harrisburg. "Stolen valor!"
"I was humiliated," said Ford, of Marysville.
(Excerpt) Read more at pennlive.com ...
“They really handled the situation wrongly in just about every possible way. Poor old fellow. God bless him for his military service and his ongoing work on behalf of his fellow vets.
That said, military regulations state that a veteran or even a fully retired military member may only wear their uniforms during certain prescribed situations and . . . it must be worn in exactly in accordance with regulation — just as if they were still serving themselves. Clean, pressed, perfectly aligned, every ribbon, badge and patch in its proper place. When the uniform isn’t worn correctly, it invites the skepticism of others, especially from currently serving members and also generates OTT responses from self-proclaimed vigilantes like these.”
So how about if the one giving the oldtimer an inquisition, doesn’t even know the uniforms, ranks, insignia etc?
If I went to the trouble of making the entire uniform perfect, it would show SP5 rank patch, which is several years obsolete. You know, like Tech Sergeants from WWII, etc.
I wouldn’t take very kindly getting interrogated by some stranger, when he is wrong, as it appears these were in this case.
The old vet should have had gone through an inspection drill before leaving home.
You are tight. He was publicly slandered and assaulted by a horse’s @$$ who is not fit to carry a weapon and police the public.
Do we know the name of the ignorant, busybody “army soldier”?
If I were the old Marine’s family, I’d find that son of a bitch and throw him in a tank of fermenting chicken shit. Same goes for the cops and the mayor.
I met a guy at the SS office who claimed he flew F-14 close air support for Marines as a 2n Lt in the Navy....
When I informed him there were no 2nd Lts In the Navy he told that yes there were..... his son had followed his steps in the Navy and flew f-16s off carrier decks.....
Fat affirmative action cop looking for any reason to take down a vet?
A NAVY full Colonel huh? You might have asked him if the F-16s landed regularly on the carrier without a tail hook. 😱
Well said, friend!
I remember reading of a town or city in CT that screened police applicants for IQ—and turned them down if they were too smart.
The thinking was smart cops would get bored and leave the job, so the expense of training them would be wasted.
Typical doggy...
I met a guy once who told me he was a "Marine Ranger" and claimed to have made "Gunny" in two years.
Agreed—stolen valor should be a social faux pas that people would avoid being exposed on.
But wearing old military clothes, etc., shouldn’t be illegal in a free country. We have way too many laws and too much law enforcement as it is.
That's a trip. I was a USAF senior NCO, but it took me about 15 years to make it.
I wish the whole notion of ‘Stolen Valor’ would go away.
It’s a free country. If some schnook who didn’t even serve his country in uniform at McDonalds wants to dress up in a U.S. Military uniform with more decorations than Audie Murphy, he’s just wearing a costume. What, is someone afraid he might get laid or something? Free Veterans Day cake at Chilis? A 10% discount at the movie theatre? Come on. There isn’t one thing in the U.S. Constitution against dressing up in a uniform and pretending to be something you’re not. If you use it to try to get entry to a military base, that’s a different story, which is why base security doesn’t give a flip about what uniform you have on but your identity card.
What, there’s an exception we make when Tom Cruise dresses up like a Naval officer for a movie, but some twit named Marty can’t dress up in Marine Dress blues from a surplus store -— which is where many dress blues end up anyway.
I got rid of a lot of my old uniforms at a garage sale. Probably some punk rocker is wearing them now. I could care less.
I doubt those two will do so, which makes me wonder how competent and honorable they both were as Marines and how competent and honorable they are as cops.
Well said. I appreciate the sacrifices our military personnel make, and I scorn anyone who tries to borrow their experiences without the cost. But let’s not set up yet another cult of celebrity for everyone in uniform. A simple nod in their direction and a glance can convey all the gratitude a true hero needs.
“Marine Ranger”
Isn’t that special?
ex-Army soldier is an expert on USMC uniforms? Like the half breed is an expert on Constitutional law.
BTW, big tip off that he is the real thing - Serial Number. A fake veteran would have used SSN as they do since ~1964. His is in the right range, as mine started with 1858; his 1854.
“Officers acted appropriately.”
I hope the Marine veteran sues. What the hell would an Army guy know about a Marine uniform?
Note tag.
I believe the ‘Stolen Valor’ thing does not apply to the wearing of a uniform or non-combat medals/awards, but applies specifically to the wearing of combat medals:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/258
Public Law No: 113-12 (06/03/2013)
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
Stolen Valor Act of 2013 - Amends the federal criminal code to rewrite provisions relating to fraudulent claims about military service to subject to a fine, imprisonment for not more than one year, or both an individual who, with intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit, fraudulently holds himself or herself out to be a recipient of:
a Congressional Medal of Honor,
a distinguished-service cross,
a Navy cross,
an Air Force cross,
a silver star,
a Purple Heart,
a Combat Infantryman’s Badge,
a Combat Action Badge,
a Combat Medical Badge,
a Combat Action Ribbon,
a Combat Action Medal, or any replacement or duplicate medal for such medal as authorized by law.
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