[js1138]

I could be wrong about this, but I think you can buy medals. In fact I have never seen medals issued, only ribbons.

Wearing them or displaying them, however, is a crime unless they were awarded to you.

[Bob]

I could be wrong about this, but I think you can buy medals. In fact I have never seen medals issued, only ribbons.

Unless things have changed along the way, the ribbon and its associated medal are awarded at the same time. Replacements for either are the individual's responsibility to buy.

[wingman1]

It's easy to buy medals. I know Silver Stars are available, but am not sure about DSC or MOH.

They busted a guy here for impersonating an officer - he was supposed to be an Army Chaplain (rank of Captain) out of Ft. Campbell, and Special Forces. Somebody smarter than him noticed something not quite right about certain medals he was wearing.

A friend of mine told me this guy used to give motivational speeches to large audiences. "I was holding little Jimmy in my arms, as he was dying, and he asked me to tell his wife he loves her..." My friend said that he was brought to tears by this faker during one of his speeches.

Anyway, he had to appear in Federal Court and got a good deal of press for his apology. To top it off he HAD served in RVN as an engineer, and should have been proud of that in itself.