President Obama just signed the law. So from here on out you might want to keep your nose clean.
Jonn added: Read more about the law at The Syracuse Post-Standard written by our buddy, Mark Weiner with whom we worked on the James Ferris bust.
Attention Stolen Valor knuckleheads
AMERICA!!!! FARK YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
/THANKS BO!!!!
//I can’t believe I said that.
Does anyone *else* have any reservations about the Supreme Court trying to stick their nose into *this* one, (or anyone else challenging this in the courts Vis-à-vis (my concern) ” or other tangible benefit,” “??
😐
The house bill is a bit different than the senate version I thought, the senate version originally included representations about combat service, special forces service, where the house version discussing fraudulent claims about receiving medals/awards…
As Ferguson says it on his show:
It’s a good day for America everybody
VOV: the House version appears to be the one that was passed by the Senate on 24 May 2013 and signed into law today.
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr258/text
In the last 4 1/2 years I can count on one hand with fingers left over the number of times I would give Obama an attaboy/good job with no onditions. This is one of them.
DullASS, Phillip Dale Monkress (Google hit!), etc…stand the fuck by.
Oh, and don’t think for a fucking second anyone here’ll slack up on your lying asses, either.
It’s about damned time. I will say “Thank you, Mr. President.”
This is how 18 USC 704 read this morning;
(a) In General.— Whoever knowingly wears, purchases, attempts to purchase, solicits for purchase, mails, ships, imports, exports, produces blank certificates of receipt for, manufactures, sells, attempts to sell, advertises for sale, trades, barters, or exchanges for anything of value any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces of the United States, or any of the service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, or the ribbon, button, or rosette of any such badge, decoration or medal, or any colorable imitation thereof, except when authorized under regulations made pursuant to law, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.
(b) False Claims About Receipt of Military Decorations or Medals.— Whoever falsely represents himself or herself, verbally or in writing, to have been awarded any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the Armed Forces of the United States, any of the service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, the ribbon, button, or rosette of any such badge, decoration, or medal, or any colorable imitation of such item shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than six months, or both.
(c) Enhanced Penalty for Offenses Involving Congressional Medal of Honor.—
(1) In general.— If a decoration or medal involved in an offense under subsection (a) or (b) is a Congressional Medal of Honor, in lieu of the punishment provided in that subsection, the offender shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.
(2) Congressional medal of honor defined.— In this subsection, the term “Congressional Medal of Honor” means—
(A) a medal of honor awarded under section 3741, 6241, or 8741 of title 10 or section 491 of title 14;
(B) a duplicate medal of honor issued under section 3754, 6256, or 8754 of title 10 or section 504 of title 14; or
(C) a replacement of a medal of honor provided under section 3747, 6253, or 8747 of title 10 or section 501 of title 14.
(d) Enhanced Penalty for Offenses Involving Certain Other Medals.— If a decoration or medal involved in an offense described in subsection (a) or (b) is a distinguished-service cross awarded under section 3742 of title 10, a Navy cross awarded under section 6242 of title 10, an Air Force cross awarded under section 8742 of section 10, a silver star awarded under section 3746, 6244, or 8746 of title 10, a Purple Heart awarded under section 1129 of title 10, or any replacement or duplicate medal for such medal as authorized by law, in lieu of the punishment provided in the applicable subsection, the offender shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.
So here is how 18 USC 704 reads now;
(a) In General.— Whoever knowingly purchases, attempts to purchase, solicits for purchase, mails, ships, imports, exports, produces blank certificates of receipt for, manufactures, sells, attempts to sell, advertises for sale, trades, barters, or exchanges for anything of value any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces of the United States, or any of the service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, or the ribbon, button, or rosette of any such badge, decoration or medal, or any colorable imitation thereof, except when authorized under regulations made pursuant to law, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.
(b) Fraudulent Representations About Receipt of Military Decorations or Medals- Whoever, with intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit, fraudulently holds oneself out to be a recipient of a decoration or medal described in subsection (c)(2) or (d) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
(c) Enhanced Penalty for Offenses Involving Congressional Medal of Honor.—
(1) In general.— If a decoration or medal involved in an offense under subsection (a) is a Congressional Medal of Honor, in lieu of the punishment provided in that subsection, the offender shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.
(2) Congressional medal of honor defined.— In this subsection, the term “Congressional Medal of Honor” means—
(A) a medal of honor awarded under section 3741, 6241, or 8741 of title 10 or section 491 of title 14;
(B) a duplicate medal of honor issued under section 3754, 6256, or 8754 of title 10 or section 504 of title 14; or
(C) a replacement of a medal of honor provided under section 3747, 6253, or 8747 of title 10 or section 501 of title 14.
(d) Enhanced Penalty for Offenses Involving Certain Other Medals.—(1) IN GENERAL- If a decoration or medal involved in an offense described in subsection (a) is a distinguished-service cross awarded under section 3742 of title 10, a Navy cross awarded under section 6242 of title 10, an Air Force cross awarded under section 8742 of section 10, a silver star awarded under section 3746, 6244, or 8746 of title 10, a Purple Heart awarded under section 1129 of title 10, a combat badge, or any replacement or duplicate medal for such medal as authorized by law, in lieu of the punishment provided in the applicable subsection, the offender shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.
(2) COMBAT BADGE DEFINED – In this subsection, the term ‘combat badge’ means a Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Combat Action Badge, Combat Medical Badge, Combat Action Ribbon, or Combat Action Medal.
I just inserted the new language cuz it’s kinda my day job.
I am so happy it is law now! But…mark my word, “tangible benefits” will get tested in the Supreme Court before too long. I am sorry to say but I believe it is coming.
So, if I read that right Jonn, if you wear a BSM-V, you can get away with that? And the other ‘valor’ device eligible medals?
Also, does “obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit” include the dude standing on the corner with CIB and 3 stars asking for handouts?
Nothing chaps my ass like seeing those guys, who claim to be ‘vets’ just using it for sympathy to get more money. But I have a very hard time believing a DA would go after some, even presented with hard evidence.
I’ve always believed that the ‘homeless vet’ was a myth, for the most part, and that most of those homeless claiming to be vets were not, and that those doing the studies never checked backgrounds of those claiming vet status. I hope I’m wrong…
Allow me to play you the song of my people……
You say you received a Purple Heart but didn’t? You say you received a CIB but didn’t? I say that you have a right to an attorney and that if you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to represent you.
I really hope they do go after the ones that sell the medals. I want the ones that buy and wear them really bad, but I think going after the ones who sell them is a good thing also.
So… wearing them is still okay, so long as you don’t buy, sell or manufacture them “except when authorized under regulations made pursuant to law” or hold yourself out as having earned them in order to obtain tangible benefit? At least this should make it more difficult for them to buy them on E-bay.
Ok now I’m curious…
When awarded a medal or ribbon (or both in conclusion) how many versions (the amount of physical bling) do you get? I’m not that familiar with USAR Regulations. But I personally own at least 5 A Class’ (3 dark blue / 2 white), 2 Dinner Jackets (Smokings) and one as I call it representive BDUs for when members of parliament visit and orders state to wear representive uniform. I know from some buddies of mine in the USN and USAR that clothwise it’ similiar.
I would be fed up to always have to transfer all the stuff on to the other jackets. So do you get multiple copies or are you commiting a crime now by purchasing additional awards that you actually earned?
@14. Well, I suppose wearing them without getting anything in return is okay–until someone asks how you acquired it and begins poking around. If it turns out you were not authorized to wear it, and you bought it, you are in violation of the law. And if that medal or ribbon was one of the specially designated ones (including MOH, Purple Heart, CIB), you are in violation of another of the law’s provisions and in line for enhanced punsihment.
@ Air Cav,
Well, I hope it makes a difference. Too bad they can’t just be dragged out into the street, tarred, feathered and driven around in an open cart where they can be pelted with rotten vegetables and small stones. That would make me smile, but I suppose they get the modern day equivalent by being posted here! 🙂
The widow of my bud of 40+ years asked me last week to do his Blues blouse for the viewing. All of his awards were legit from personal knowledge and his 214. She wanted to use the miniatures AND the ribbons. Ouch. But it was a viewing for only the family so I agreed. Just hope no one from TAH was there to bust my balls.
@Mr. Wolf, yes, there actually are real homeless vets.
Hines VA Center, on the south side of Chicago, has a homeless vets program: http://www.hines.va.gov/features/Help_for_Homeless_Veterans.asp
as do other VA federal health care centers like McGuire VAMC in Richmond, VA: http://www.richmond.va.gov/Homeless_Veterans_Program_at_McGuire_VAMC.asp
and James Lovell FHCC in Lake Bluff, IL: http://www.lovell.fhcc.va.gov/
You should look into that.
How can shitbags like this get into the white house? Is the secret service just on vacation or some shit?
Curious … does this mean Hollywood will have to start generating fake ribbon racks for movie productions?
For my 0.02 (and again, this comes from one who never wore the uniform), I think buying, selling, etc. shouldn’t have been prohibited per se. I’m thinking of the militaria collectors and historical reenactors, not the posers – IMVHO, those are legit reasons for one not authorized to wear them, to own them. Wearing it like MSG Soup Sandwich, MAJ/SFC Coombs, etc., is of course a whole nuther story – no one’s going to mistake a reenactor in a D-Day paratrooper rig or a dressed-out Ike jacket for a current servicemember. I suspect there’ll be some sorting out to allow legit exemptions.
Tarring and feathering posers is fine by me, but I’m all in favor of bringing back the pillory and horsewhipping for Military posers!
I think I will have to send a copy of the new law to various FBI and US Attorney offices.