For the second time, I will direct interested thread participants to the book Stolen Valor by retired Army Ranger B.G. Burkett.
The book gives Burkett's painstakingly documented research on people who live off of fake claims to veteran status.
Burkett also assists law enforcement in cracking down on such scam artists:
I call BS.
As usual, you are wrong.
Burkett’s book does NOT hint that there is an entire subculture of (primarily) Vietnam veteran wannabees. What he DOES point out is that there are a number of people, a goodly portion of whom are/were “conservative republicans,” who found it advantageous to assume the mantle of war veterans for one or another reason... These fakes got phony medals and awards and pumped themselves up real good. They “were” SEALS, Marine Force Recon, Green Beanies, all elite troops. Their stories fall apart quickly when they run across someone who really WAS there. But they, mostly, are NOT of the LEFT. Only a notable few were, including J. F’n Kerry and that jackass who came back from Afghanistan or Iraq (allegedly) and told of his participation in atrocities... when in fact he never got out of boot camp. But those are the strong exception and you are (charitably) factually challenged when you say otherwise.