Strandlof spent nine months in county jail for possession of a stolen vehicle. Strandlof, 32, after he was charged under the stolen valor act, which makes it illegal to make false claims of having military. Claiming to have been at the pentagon on 911, he breaks down here at a commemoration on 11 september 2008 in colorado and is comforted by retired lieutenant colonel hal bidlack. Fighting for the right to tell lies the new york times. Medal of honor recipient who later tracked imposters. If you are reporting someone suspected of making false or embellished claims about their military service, we must have evidence of their claims before we can move forward. About 8 years ago, i was a personal care attendant in mesquite, nv for a disabled stepson about 45 years old and yes, he drives somehow of a deceased. The post criticizes the stolen valor act, saying free speech is more important than punishing someone for lying about their military. A threejudge panel of the united states court of appeals for the ninth circuit agreed with alvarez and reversed his conviction, declaring the stolen valor act unconstitutional in a vote of 2to1.
Defendant is charged with violating the stolen valor act of 2005, which amended 18 u. He purported to have been a war captive for 17 months and to have earned four purple hearts. Stolen valor is a term applied to the phenomenon of people falsely claiming military awards or badges they did not earn, service they did not perform, prisoner of war experiences that never. A former infantryman, ryan berk, from easy co 2506 101st sent us this video of him calling out a fake ranger at a local mall. This guy couldnt answer basic questions that he shouldve known, he. The stolen valor act, passed by congress in 2006, makes it a crime to falsely claim to have received a medal from the u. Appellant rick strandlof was charged under the stolen valor act 18 u. The stolen valor act is a 2006 law that makes it a federal crime to lie about being a military hero.
In 1998, he finally told a newspaper, i lied about serving in vietnam. Us senator jim webb praised stolen valor, calling it one the most courageous books of the decade. I think the act, which criminalizes certain knowingly false claims of having received a military honor, is constitutional, for reasons. Ford took part in a wreathlaying ceremony in pennsylvania. Strandlof had committed fraud or violated the federal stolen valor act. Celeste ng, ann patchett, min jin lee and others on the books that. See more ideas about veterans discounts, military benefits and women figure. Prosecutors asked the 10th circuit to uphold the law, which has also been challenged in california. Stolen valor is one book that every vietnam veteran should read. Rick glen strandlof claimed he was an exmarine who was wounded in iraq and received the purple heart and silver star, but the military had no record he ever served. Another stolen valor arrest the american legions burnpit. Unfortunately, standolf challenged the stolen valor legislation before the supreme court, arguing that the first amendment protected his lies. Story time just got better with prime book box, a subscription that delivers editorially handpicked childrens books every 1, 2, or 3 months at 40% off list price.
How the vietnam generation was robbed of its heroes and its history burkett, b. The law amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime for a person to claim they have served in the military, embellish their rank or fraudulently claim having received a valor award specified in the act, with the intention of obtaining money. Man who wore fake military medals challenges stolen valor law abc news feb. It reveals that numerous people claiming to have been mentally injured by serving in the vietnam war never served there. The 75yearold wore his marine dress uniform and played a bugle, according to the patriotnews. How the vietnam generation was robbed of its heroes and its history. Stolen valor act on trial proceedings november 2010. Man unmasked as fake military hero in springs reappears as. District court documents show he was required to take medication and read a book on bipolar disorder as part of his.
Okay, so he wrote a book that exposes the total lack of integrity of hollywood and the media toward the way they treated treat vietnam veterans and exposed. I understand that the federal government no longer has any laws on the books for stolen valor crimes. She also ordered him to take his medications and read a book on bipolar. They are, of course, fake warriors, and fake warriors 2 by henry mark holzer and his wife, erika. In fact, it was a stolen rental car that strandlof told officers he had used on. Burkett, a vietnam veteran, and glenna whitley, an investigative journalist. A federal judge ruled the law violated the first amendment. True stories of liars in violation of the stolen valor act. A graduate of the naval academy, rick had been in the pentagon when the plane hit on september 11, 2001. Burkett and glenna whitley chronicling phony vietnam veterans. Pretenders, liars and frauds claiming military honors they didnt earn. Why its criminal to lie about military honors as the supreme court decides whether to uphold the stolen valor act, the public should note the damage that. The 2005 stolen valor act, which doug sterners wife, pam, helped draft, made it a crime to falsely claim military decorations, but the supreme court overturned the law in 2012.
In addition, it reveals persons who were mistakenly given military awards. Please dont post videos of homeless people or the mentally ill, this subreddit will not tolerate bullying. Man who wore fake military medals challenges stolen valor law. Ptsd exists, but the author claims it doesnt and anyone who suffers from war trauma is likely to be faking.
Usmc stolen valor points out fraudulent citizens that claim they have earned the title of marine. He was charged with violating the stolen valor act, which makes it a crime punishable by up to a year in jail to falsely claim to have won a military medal. The law made it a federal misdemeanor to falsely represent oneself as having received any u. On july 16, 2010 a federal judge in denver has ruled the stolen valor act is facially unconstitutional because it violates free speech and dismissed the criminal case against rick strandlof, a man who lied about being an iraq war veteran. Others have used their lies to publicize books, get vip tickets to rock. Stolen valor is the act of pretending to be a service member or veteran with the intended effect of personal benefit. On friday, the fbi arrested him on the rare charge of stolen valor. In fact, he never served, but a stolen valor case against him was dismissed in july under the first amendment. The government appealed the case to the supreme court of the united states, which agreed to hear it.
A world class loser in colorado is attempting to avoid punishment for the crime of being a poseur in the 1st degree. In their book fake warriors, henry and erika holzer estimate that 70 percent of these. Why its criminal to lie about military honors the atlantic. Court weighs stolen valor law military tradervehicles. As originally enacted, section 704 criminalized the wearing, manufacture, or sale of unauthorized military awards. Stolen valor act held unconstitutional the volokh conspiracy. The defense department will unveil a stopgap stolen valor website this wednesday designed to help citizens see if someone is lying about military medals. Attorneys for rick strandlof, who claimed to be a decorated combat veteran, had argued that the act was an unconstitutional violation of free. For his lies, strandlof was convicted of violating the stolen valor act. The fbi exposed strandlof, who had adopted the false alias rick duncan, and eventually charged with violating the 2006 stolen valor act. Rick duncan was a marine with a compelling story to tell, and tell it he did, to anyone who would listen. District court upholds stolen valor act against first.
Stolen valor pat putnam, who died in 2005, was a wellknown boxing writer and korean war hero. The stolen valor act is a 2006 law that makes it a federal crime to lie about. We have been following a number of stolen valor cases recently on this blog. Jonn lilyea at this aint hell has the scoop as usual. We provide expertise in all forms of stolen valor investigations that take place inside and outside the veteran community. The stolen valor act of 2005, signed into law by president george w. But some federal courts have said it violates the right to free speech. A judge last week issued an arrest warrant for the man, richard g. We value our service members, veterans, those who have given the ultimate sacrifice and their families. In a decision that cited his case, the supreme court overturned stolen valor, rejecting the law because it violated the first amendments. A trio of stolen valor phonies the american legions burnpit.
Stolen valor charlie troop 1st squadron 9th cavalry regiment. Stolen valor names names and backs up the uncovering of these honor thieves with facts. Real veterans who commit stolen valor are just the absolute worst posted on february 5, 2016 by jeff edwards as much as watching every humpty dumpty to ever play call of duty throw on a uniform and commit stolen valor might bother me, i honestly dont really get that worked up about it. Top 5 most outrageous stolen valor incidents the sitrep.
Burketts book stolen valor, for whom the act is named, dennehy was a marine from 1959 to 1963 but claimed he was in vietnam and wounded in combat. The post wrote that convicting him would violate his 1st amendment right to free speech. Working with ten plus years in this field, with several notable prosecutions. The absurd conservative obsession with stolen valor. The stolen valor act was the brainchild of a nontraditional college student. Updatedon 21 february 2015, kelsie hoover, used a fake persona by the name of michael cipriani and posed as commissioned officer of the united states army. The stolen valor community takes itself very, very seriously. In the war against stolen valor, the hunters can be just as dedicated as the phony military. The crime of falsely claiming medals and military service is all the rage. Challenges and solutions by defense and foreign relations, committee on oversight and government reform, house of representatives, subcommittee on national security, homeland may 27, 2012. Even journalists have been implicated as with darrow duke tully, publisher of arizona republic and close associate to sen. This subreddit was established as a community to discuss matters related to stolen valor. How the vietnam generation was robbed of its heroes and its history 1998 is a selfpublished book by b. At a time when returning soldiers are regarded as national heroes and the number of war dead continues to rise, lying about medals affixed to a military uniform is seen as a lie so foul, it is criminal.
The issue before the tenth circuit was whether the act is constitutional. Real veterans dont advertise their deeds and claim unbelievable acts of heroism. We read or hear much about the false heroes and veterans claiming honors that they never earned. A year in korea and a bronze star cause me to be very upset when i read about all the phonies out there. Stolen valor act held unconstitutional by eugene volokh on july 16, 2010 10. Pamla sterner at the age of 44, was a junior at colorado state universitypueblo majoring in political science, when she had to write a policy analysis paper. The majority of the last twenty or so years has involved me lying, deceiving, cheating or in general being a terrible human being. He spoke to children and the media as a survivor first of the attack on the pentagon on 911 and then survived a roadside bomb that killed four fellow marines. Congress, however, felt that this statute was inadequate to protect the reputation and meaning of military. War against stolen valor still raging in colorado, where it got its. Real veterans who commit stolen valor are just the. Strandlof, 32, was held for false claims about receipt of military decorations or medals, an fbi news release said. On his facebook page, the 35yearold puts up a funny and exceptionally intelligent front.
Despite never having served in the armed forces, appellant founded the colorado veterans alliance, and frequently told veterans he graduated from the. The book received the colby award for military writers in 2000. Many faces of fake vet rick strandlof exposed the denver post. The first of many lies that richard glen strandlof, 32, told was that he was. Dod will unveil website to combat stolen valor this week.
Kelsie hoover uses fake michael cipriani persona, poses as. Stolen valor is an excellent book using novel technique to keep the reader going, but it uses the same technique it argues against. Strandlofs previous military ruse, performed under the name rick duncan. Last month i wrote about the denver post going squishy on richard strandlof s impending trial for a violation of the stolen valor act. Over at the burn pit, the follow up on the rick duncan case is not very encouraging. Military lies are harmful to actual veterans the denver post.
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