Stolen Valor Act of 2005

Stolen Valor Act of 2005

The Stolen Valor Act of 2005 (the Act), signed into law by President George W. Bush on December 20, 2006, [cite news
title=Rep. Salazar's bill on falsely claiming medals now a law
author=Anne C. Mulkern
work=Denver Post
date=December 20, 2006
url=http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_4876210 |accessdate=2006-12-22
] is a U.S. law that broadens the provisions of previous U.S. law addressing the unauthorized wear, manufacture, sale or claim (either written or verbal) of any military decorations and medals. It is a federal misdemeanor offense, which carries a punishment of imprisonment for not more than 1 year and/or a fine; the scope previously covered only the Medal of Honor.

The Act was first introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on July 19, 2005 by Representative John Salazar, a Democrat from Colorado, as H.R. 3352.cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url = http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h109-3352 | title = H.R. 3352: Stolen Valor Act of 2005 | format = | work = 109th U.S. Congress (2005-2006) | publisher = GovTrak.us | accessdate = 2006-12-10] cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url = http://www.govtrack.us/data/us/bills.text/109/h/h3352.pdf | title = H.R. 3352 | format = PDF | work = 109th U.S. Congress (2005-2006) | publisher = GovTrak.us | accessdate = 2006-12-10] It was introduced into the Senate by Senator Kent Conrad, a Democrat from North Dakota, on November 10, 2005 as S. 1998.cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url = http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s109-1998 | title = S. 1998: Stolen Valor Act of 2005 | format = | work = 109th U.S. Congress (2005-2006) | publisher = GovTrak.us | accessdate = 2006-12-10] cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url = http://www.govtrack.us/data/us/bills.text/109/s/s1998.pdf | title = S. 1998 | format = PDF | work = 109th U.S. Congress (2005-2006) | publisher = GovTrak.us | accessdate = 2006-12-10] The Senate version was passed unanimously on September 7 2006.cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = Sep 8, 2006 | url = http://www.theorator.com/bills109/s1998.html | title = S. 1998 In The House Of Representatives | format = | work = 109th U.S. Congress (2005-2006) | publisher = TheOrator.com | accessdate = 2006-12-10] The Senate version then went to the same House Judiciary Committee that held the House version. The Act briefly stalled, but the House subsequently passed the Senate version, S. 1998, on December 6 2006.cite web | last = Sterner | first = C. Douglas | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = Dec 7, 2006 | url = http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/stolen_valor_media_information_sheet.htm | title = The Stolen Valor Act of 2005 | format = | work = | publisher = POWnet.org | accessdate = 2006-12-10]

The purpose of the Act is to strengthen the provisions of UnitedStatesCode|18|704 by broadening its scope and strengthening penalties. Specific new provisions in the Act include: granting more authority to Federal law enforcement officers, extending scope beyond the Medal of Honor, broadening the law to cover false claims whereas previously an overt act had to be committed, covering mailing and shipping of medals, and protecting the reputation and meaning of military heroism medals. The law Under the act, it is illegal to wear, buy, sell, barter, trade or manufacture "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." In the 18 months after act was enacted, the "Chicago Tribune" estimates 20 prosecutions and the number is increasing as awareness about the law spreads. [cite journal | first = John | last = Crewdson | year = 2008 | month = May | title = Fake claims of war heroics a federal offense | url = http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-valormay28,0,4768252.story?page=1 |journal=Chicago Tribune]

The need for the Act came about because of large numbers of fake military heroes in the United States. For example, as of June 2, 2006 there were only 120 living Medal of Honor recipients, but there were far more known imposters.cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = Jun 2006 | url = http://www.cmohs.org/recipients/living_recips.htm | title = Living Recipients | format = | work = | publisher = Congressional Medal of Honor Society | accessdate = 2006-12-10] cite web | last = Taylor | first = Michael | authorlink = | coauthors = | month = May | year = 1999 | url = http://www.mishalov.com/False_MoH_Recipients.html | title = Tracking Down False Heroes - Medal of Honor recipients go after impostors | format = | work = | publisher = Mishalov.com | accessdate = 2006-12-10] cite web | last = Mishalov | first = Neil | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 1999 | url = http://www.mishalov.com/FBI_False_Medal_of_Honor.html | title = Men Who Falsely Claim to have Received the Medal of Honor | format = | work = | publisher = Mishalov.com | accessdate = 2006-12-10] There are also large numbers of fake Navy SEALScite web | last = Waterman | first = Steve | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url = http://www.stevenlwaterman.com/steve/ | title = Fake SEALs | format = | work = | publisher = stevenlwaterman.com | accessdate = 2006-12-10] cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url = http://www.nightscribe.com/Military/SEALs/wannabe_seals.htm | title = Wannebes Beware! | format = | work = | publisher = nightscribe.com | accessdate = 2006-12-10] and Army Special Forces,cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url = http://www.specialoperations.com/Phonies/ | title = Hunting the Phonies | format = | work = | publisher = specialoperations.com | accessdate = 2006-12-10] among others.

The Orders and Medals Society of America (OMSA), an organization of collectors, had opposed the bill in its current form. OMSA is of the opinion that the changes to 18 U.S.C. § 704 included wording that implied that any movement or exchange of medals would be illegal. [cite web |url=http://omsa.org/forums/showthread.php?t=446 |title=OMSA President's Message on the Stolen Valor Act to all OMSA members and friends |accessdate=2006-12-13 |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |format= |work= |publisher=Orders and Medals Society of America |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] [cite web |url=http://omsa.org/forums/showthread.php?t=447 |title=Sample Letter to Congressman |accessdate=2006-12-13 |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |format= |work= |publisher=Orders and Medals Society of America |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

ee also

*Mitchell Paige, Medal of Honor recipient who later tracked imposters

References

External links

*cite web|url=http://www.homeofheroes.com/herobill/index.html
title=Colorado Congressman John Salazar Introduces Stolen Valor Act of 2005
date=July 22, 2005
publisher=HomeofHeroes.com
accessdate=2006-12-10

*cite web|url=http://www.want2be.info
title=Text of the Stolen Valor Act of 2005 S. 1998
date=December 22, 2006
publisher=Wannabe Slayers
accessdate=2006-12-22

*cite web|url=http://www.homeofheroes.com/herobill/hr3352.html
title=H. R. 3352 The Stolen Valor Act of 2005
accessdate=2006-12-10

*cite web|url=http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/995859122?ltl=1165765627
title=Legislation to Protect the Integrity of Military Awards — Petition
publisher=HomeofHeroes.com
accessdate=2006-12-10

*cite web|url=http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/phonies90.htm
title=Stolen Valor Act of 2005
publisher=POW Network
accessdate=2006-12-10

*cite news|url=http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-2419015.php
title=Blowhards, beware: Congress passes Stolen Valor Act, targets false military award claims
date=December 12, 2006
author=John Hoellwarth
work=Marine Corps Times
accessdate=2006-12-13

* [http://www.house.gov/salazar/docs/Pam%20Sterner%20Policy%20Analysis.pdf The Stolen Valor Act of 2005]
* [http://www.cmohs.org/medal.htm Congressional Medal of Honor Society]
* [http://www.stolenvalor.com Stolen Valor web site, the book the Stolen Valor Act was named after]

;False Heroes:
* [http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/phonies.htm The PoW Network WANNABE'S A NATIONWIDE EPIDEMIC]
* [http://veriseal.org VeriSEAL - SEAL Wannabes]
* [http://www.specsec.org Jaimie - SpecSec Wannabe Investigations]
* [http://www.want2be.info Wannabe Slayers - Is S/HE REAL?]
* [http://members.aol.com/viperash50/wannabe/wannabe.html Viper's Vietnam Veterans Pages, Wannabe's]
* [http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/phonies5.htm Fake Veterans]
* [http://www.hackworth.com/sw_archive.html David Hackworth's site]


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