The Stolen Valor Act

[CountDeMoney]

Columbia man jailed for wearing military uniforms, medals
Civilian violated 'Stolen Valor Act;' mental treatment ordered

A 39-year-old Columbia man has been sentenced to 10 days in jail for violating the "Stolen Valor Act," by purchasing and wearing military uniforms and medals to which he was not entitled, prosecutors said.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas M. DiGirolamo sentenced Chad Chan Dieu Wednesday to 10 days in prison, one year probation with mental health treatment and 100 hours of community service to be served within six months.

Dieu was prosecuted under the "Stolen Valor Act," which makes it a federal offense to knowingly purchase or wear military medals, badges, or decorations without authority, prosecutors said.

Dieu pretended to volunteer to help wounded soldiers at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, prosecutors said. Instead, from July 15 through Aug. 3, Dieu accessed the base exchange at the center, posing as a member of the Navy, and purchased medals and insignia at the Navy Exchange Uniform Shop.

A service member in the shop reported Dieu to base police as being suspicious, because the ribbons he was wearing appeared incongruous, according to prosecutors. At the time, it was reported that Dieu was wearing a Navy SEAL badge, Defense Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf cluster, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Purple Heart, and other ribbons, prosecutors said.

On July 23, an officer approached Dieu, who was wearing a Navy uniform, and escorted him to the police station to verify his identity. Dieu told base police he was a Navy SEAL and Dieu was released, but further investigation revealed that Dieu was not a Navy SEAL and has never been a member of the military, prosecutors said.

Dieu was arrested on Aug. 3, as he left the Uniform Shop after an investigator saw him pick up previously ordered medals and purchase two Silver Star ribbons, two Unit Combat Action ribbons, a Navy Good Conduct ribbon, and three stars.  A subsequent search of Dieu's car recovered other decorations and medals, according to prosecutors.

Naturally it was grumbler who busted him, for using the word "Congressional" with "Medal of Honor".

[Martinus]

Good to see prosecutors focusing their resources on real criminals.

[CountDeMoney]

Good to see prosecutors focusing their resources on real criminals.

Says the expert on the Stolen Socks Act.

[The Larch]

Was it Sir Hockey?

[Alatriste]

'Stolen Valor Act' is a lousy name IMHO, but wearing decorations and medals you did nothing to win is low indeed...

[Grey Fox]

So you have to purchase your ribbons? That's one way of cutting the deficit.

[grumbler]

So you have to purchase your ribbons? That's one way of cutting the deficit.

If you don't get a medal, just a ribbon, you have to buy the ribbon.  One ribbon comes free with the medal, but you have to buy the second one (pretty much everybody has a separate set of full-dress ribbons as well as the regular dress ribbons) and, of course, replacements for lost or soiled ribbons.

[The Brain]

Cal can't go to prison! He's way too pretty.

[Barrister]

We have a similar law:

419. Every one who without lawful authority, the proof of which lies on him,
(a) wears a uniform of the Canadian Forces or any other naval, army or air force or a uniform that is so similar to the uniform of any of those forces that it is likely to be mistaken therefor,
(b) wears a distinctive mark relating to wounds received or service performed in war, or a military medal, ribbon, badge, chevron or any decoration or order that is awarded for war services, or any imitation thereof, or any mark or device or thing that is likely to be mistaken for any such mark, medal, ribbon, badge, chevron, decoration or order,
(c) has in his possession a certificate of discharge, certificate of release, statement of service or identity card from the Canadian Forces or any other naval, army or air force that has not been issued to and does not belong to him, or
(d) has in his possession a commission or warrant or a certificate of discharge, certificate of release, statement of service or identity card, issued to an officer or a person in or who has been in the Canadian Forces or any other naval, army or air force, that contains any alteration that is not verified by the initials of the officer who issued it, or by the initials of an officer thereto lawfully authorized,
is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.

[Lettow77]

Good to see prosecutors focusing their resources on real criminals.

This -is- a real crime. Bravery in battle means something, and when you claim a veteran's accomplishments for yourself, you are stealing from him as surely as if you were a common thief, without even the defense that you needed to steal to feed your family, or what have you.

Mocking this as the prosecution of a victimless crime I think is a telling sign of how decadent and soft Europe has become.

[Agelastus]

This -is- a real crime. Bravery in battle means something, and when you claim a veteran's accomplishments for yourself, you are stealing him as surely as if you were a common thief, without even the defense that you needed to steal to feed your family, or what have you.

I agree.

[grumbler]

Naturally it was grumbler who busted him, for using the word "Congressional" with "Medal of Honor".

I'd love to see the look on the clerk's face when some moron like this (or like half of Languish, probably) walks into the Uniform Shop and orders a "Congressional Medal of Honor." 

[Grey Fox]

We have a similar law:

419. Every one who without lawful authority, the proof of which lies on him,
(a) wears a uniform of the Canadian Forces or any other naval, army or air force or a uniform that is so similar to the uniform of any of those forces that it is likely to be mistaken therefor,
(b) wears a distinctive mark relating to wounds received or service performed in war, or a military medal, ribbon, badge, chevron or any decoration or order that is awarded for war services, or any imitation thereof, or any mark or device or thing that is likely to be mistaken for any such mark, medal, ribbon, badge, chevron, decoration or order,
(c) has in his possession a certificate of discharge, certificate of release, statement of service or identity card from the Canadian Forces or any other naval, army or air force that has not been issued to and does not belong to him, or
(d) has in his possession a commission or warrant or a certificate of discharge, certificate of release, statement of service or identity card, issued to an officer or a person in or who has been in the Canadian Forces or any other naval, army or air force, that contains any alteration that is not verified by the initials of the officer who issued it, or by the initials of an officer thereto lawfully authorized,
is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.

I infringe that law part a) on a, mostly, weekly basis.

[dps]

We have a similar law:

419. Every one who without lawful authority, the proof of which lies on him,
(a) wears a uniform of the Canadian Forces or any other naval, army or air force or a uniform that is so similar to the uniform of any of those forces that it is likely to be mistaken therefor,
(b) wears a distinctive mark relating to wounds received or service performed in war, or a military medal, ribbon, badge, chevron or any decoration or order that is awarded for war services, or any imitation thereof, or any mark or device or thing that is likely to be mistaken for any such mark, medal, ribbon, badge, chevron, decoration or order,
(c) has in his possession a certificate of discharge, certificate of release, statement of service or identity card from the Canadian Forces or any other naval, army or air force that has not been issued to and does not belong to him, or
(d) has in his possession a commission or warrant or a certificate of discharge, certificate of release, statement of service or identity card, issued to an officer or a person in or who has been in the Canadian Forces or any other naval, army or air force, that contains any alteration that is not verified by the initials of the officer who issued it, or by the initials of an officer thereto lawfully authorized,
is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.

I infringe that law part a) on a, mostly, weekly basis.

What, do you dress up like a sailor to cruise gay bars or something?

[Admiral Yi]

My guess was "paratrooper and Somali prisoner" with his girlfriend.