Stolen Valor Act ruled unconstitutional

[Guest mrmac1903]

As a dealer and collector I feel the Stolen Valor Act should be struck down. What's next, you can't own any military insignia. This law was passed to please a few holders of the MOH and went far beyond any reason. You can't even own a MOH in the US right now. I can see a law that when someone claims to have a MOH and for personal gain it can be a violation of fraud. That is how the law should have been written. It also could have been written that no one can manufacture a MOH without the government approval to stop fake ones being made. But to say you can't even buy, sell or own one is crazy. The US Surpreme Court now has this case and for those of you outside the US most decisions are reached by June in the year they are heard.

[JPL]

The verdict is finally in: Supreme Court Strikes Down Stolen Valor Act.

Here is a link to a large number of news articles on this topic. A wide variety of opinions from both supporters of the act and those opposed can be found here.

Makes for some interesting reading.

http://news.google.ca/news/story?ncl=http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/veterans-respond-to-court-overturning-lying-law-1.3817434&hl=en&geo=ca

Jean-Paul

[Paul R]

I have mixed feelings about this...

I guess that we can still publically shame those who lie about their service time, as libel/slander laws can only be prosecuted if what is said is not true.

[dmiller8]

The verdict is finally in: Supreme Court Strikes Down Stolen Valor Act.

Here is a link to a large number of news articles on this topic. A wide variety of opinions from both supporters of the act and those opposed can be found here.

Makes for some interesting reading.

http://news.google.c...34&hl=en&geo=ca

Jean-Paul

Veterans who have been properly awarded decorations and medals are invited to send their citations to http://militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/about.php . Eventually this may become a resource for people to be vetted as having earned these awards. I remember that the Army simplified the forms needed to make awards, as the same form (DA form 638) serves as the recommendation as well as the order needed to approve the medal and authorize its presentation. Send those folks a copy of the order and be listed as having been awarded an important decoration.

[Paul R]

That is a great idea. He is going to be busy if he lists EVERY decoration and award on that database, as he said.

[dmiller8]

This article here at http://www.armytimes.com/news/2012/07/military-pentagon-considering-stolen-valor-medals-database-071012w/ reports that the Pentagon will also build a database of persons who hold military awards for valor. It might be a nit-noid sort of activity. but since some people are willing to lie about serving in the armed services so as to gain an advantage over those who have not, this database might make them think several times about claiming something higher than the "chicken ribbon".

[Ulsterman]

I saw that the Pentagon is going to take over the Military Times database in 2013 and it plans to have ALL citations added within 10 years. It's on the AP wire as a statement by George Little .

[Paul R]

When you say ALL, do you mean non valor related medals and decorations as well?

[Chris Boonzaier]

This article here at http://www.armytimes...tabase-071012w/ reports that the Pentagon will also build a database of persons who hold military awards for valor. It might be a nit-noid sort of activity. but since some people are willing to lie about serving in the armed services so as to gain an advantage over those who have not, this database might make them think several times about claiming something higher than the "chicken ribbon".

Here is the down side IMHO.....

Can you trust the military not to screw it up?

Or is some guy who was awarded a medal going to have grief because someone googles him and doesnt find his name... because some guy messed up in data entry.

If you are going to have a system like this, you have to have it 100% "Right".... otherwise, for every 1 fraud that gets caught out 10 real vets are going to have people sniggering behind their backs thinking they are frauds, because of a data bank error...

And the real frauds will just kick it up a notch.. "Umm... I am not on the database as I was attached to the CIA... black ops and all... you know...." ;-)

[Paul R]

Great point Chris... The government cannot even run a post office, so this project is a cl*ster-f*ck waiting to happen; however, the research potential will awesome!.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Great point Chris... The government cannot even run a post office, so this project is a cl*ster-f*ck waiting to happen; however, the research potential will awesome!.

Or it will lead to legit groups being pulled apart when the collector says "Hey.. he did not get a silver star according to the database... have to seperate THAT from the group...."

[Paul R]

Or it will lead to legit groups being pulled apart when the collector says "Hey.. he did not get a silver star according to the database... have to seperate THAT from the group...."

Wow... way to piss in my Cheerios!

:P

[Paul R]

Or it will lead to legit groups being pulled apart when the collector says "Hey.. he did not get a silver star according to the database... have to seperate THAT from the group...."

Wow... way to piss in my Cheerios!

:P

[dmiller8]

Or it will lead to legit groups being pulled apart when the collector says "Hey.. he did not get a silver star according to the database... have to seperate THAT from the group...."

Can't say if 100 years from now, the paper copies of the orders authorizing my medals will still be around, but I have them now

And if some wino wants to claim a free drink with a story of a Bronze Star with "V" device at the American Legion, I'll spring for it myself.

But if some clown running for elected office says he has a combat decoration and the database says he doesn't, he BETTER be able to produce the orders, and if need be, the guy who signed those orders. Frauds and liars will undoubtedly be exposed, even if they have the Constitutional Right to lie.