Posted on 07/02/2006 9:19:26 AM PDT by smoothsailing
Law targets those with unearned military medals
By Jason Cato
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, July 2, 2006
Marine majors have accomplished plenty in the Corps' 230-year history, but tales from "The Terminator" just didn't add up.
He'd been a SEAL, a sniper and a pilot. His stories were larger than life, and no one at the Soldiers & Sailors National Military Museum and Memorial in Oakland believed him. But it was the Navy Cross pinned to his dress blues that proved too much to stomach.
"He had more battle activity than eight guys together," Ron Gancas, museum president, said about John Eastman, who faces federal charges of impersonating a military officer. "Why he picked this place to B.S. I don't know. Everybody was in the military here."
Eastman, 58, of New Galilee, Beaver County, is accused of falsely wearing a major's insignia at a Veteran's Day function in 2004. He was indicted this year and, if convicted, would face a maximum penalty of six months in prison and a $5,000 fine.
If his outcome is anything like that of another imposter prosecuted this year in Pittsburgh, jail time is unlikely. Albert McKelvey, 68, of Richland, faked being a Marine colonel, presenting neatly folded flags to widows at funerals and delivering inspirational speeches to veterans groups. He paid for his transgressions with a $2,500 fine and probation.
A bill -- the Stolen Valor Act -- making its way through Congress would increase the penalties for imposters and help prosecutors go after phonies....
(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburghlive.com ...
Two words -- John Kerry
“Usually, a few minutes of conversation and a few pointed specific questions and the poseurs are quickly unmasked..”
Man, have you got that right. I remember when I first reported aboard, a (future) buddy telling me that after awhile you could immediately spot somebody that had never been on a ship before. Just by watching for a few minutes.
That statement stuck to me, finding it an applicable BS indicator through other circumstances in my life.
”I ran into so many "Rambos" and "Terminators" at those type venues -- I stopped going...”
I never even bothered to join – after I got back I just wanted to forget he whole d*mn thang and get on with my life.
Some simple guidelines:
Never use any word you couldn't say to your mother's face.
If you know someone by their real name, never say it.
Use their screen name, in my case, smoothsailing, although some of my friends here just call me smooth, or ss.
Never give out info that you don't want the enemy to see.
LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS
And last but never least,
WELCOME ABOARD!!!!!
.
The Words:
http://www.Freerepublic.com/~ALOHARONNIE
The Pictures:
http://www.Freerepublic.com/~JLO
I'm pinging this to USN SIGNL MAN, he's our new brother on board, and a PROUD VIETNAM VET, just like you and me.
(USN SIGNL MAN, check post #46, he's one of the good guys, I would trust him with my life)
Welcome Bump.
Welcome aboard, and welcome home!
.
Thank you for your outstanding JLO Freeper Home Page Pictures that help bring our 'Liberty and Justice for All' message out there.
ARMY SIGNL MAN Ronnie Guyer
HHC, 1/7th Cavalry 1965-66
related
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1560750/posts
Stolen Valor Act of 2005
Welcome!
…and the Good Conduct (which everyone received who didn't kill the general).
Thanks for the kind words.
My lack of coffee is often expressed via errors with the keyboard.
The thoughts are there. I have to work to get them out.
I have been watching and monitoring liberals for 16 more years than you have, and that should give me a little advantage re predicting what they will do in certain situations.
Don't tell me it's because it targets fraud. Fraud is deliberate falsehood for the purpose of persuading an innocent person to give their money of other property to the defrauder. However dishonest and vile it is to hold oneself out as having earned a military medal or decoration that one did not in fact earn, it is not fraud unless it is done for the purpose of obtaining money or property. Then it is already unlawful; the phony medal or other honor was just the mechanism for carrying out the fraud.
Don't get me wrong. I'm pleased this law is on the books. I also think a flag desecration amendment would be perfectly fine. In both cases, the offender is dishonoring the honorable by their actions.
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