Dave Eberhart, NewsMax.com
Sunday, July 24, 2005

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  The Congressman took the action after a college student's research paper was brought to his attention.

Pamla Sterner, a senior at the Colorado State University-Pueblo, discovered that while a mere 120 Medal of Honor recepients are alive today, the number of imposters claiming the nation's highest award for military valor outnumbers the true recipients of the award.

Joined at the press conference by B.G. Burkett, co-author with Glenna Whitley of the original tome on the subject of phony Vietnam war heroes, "Stolen Valor, How the Vietnam Generation Was Robbed of Its Heroes and Its History," Army veteran Salazar emphasized that The Medal of Honor was awarded for acts of valor and gallantry above and beyond the call of duty.

"In its 140-plus-year history, only 3,441 individuals have been awarded this distinguished medal; 121 of those individuals are still alive today."

Salazar noted that the Nation's highest award is facing a serious challenge to its meaning and symbol.

"I am outraged by the impostors who claim they have received this and other honors the military awards for deeds and actions of soldiers. These criminals not only dishonor themselves, but they dishonor the sacrifice that true recipients have made.

"This piece of legislation will make it easier for Federal law enforcement officials to prosecute phonies and impostors and restore the true meaning of these illustrious awards.

"I hope my colleagues can join me in this effort to reclaim the meaning of honor and bravery and sacrifice in these United States."

Under the present provisions of U.S. Title 18, there are many Medal of Honor imposters that are able to avoid prosecution due to loopholes in Title 18, Section 704. That legislation makes it a crime to wear the Medal of Honor if a person hasn't been awarded it, but does not make it a crime to fraudulently claim to be a Medal of Honor Recipient.

The new law would close the loophole requiring the actual wearing of the Medal.

This would put at risk for criminal prosecution imposters who, for instance, put on their resumes that they are Medal of Honor recipients or others who might hang a Medal of Honor or bogus citation on their wall to give the impression that they are recipients.

The Stolen Valor Act would make it a criminal offense for any individual to falsely claim to be a recipient not only of the Medal of Honor but other high decorations, including the Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Air Force Cross, or Purple Heart.

Currently only the Medal of Honor is protected by federal law, but under the proposed changes, "Whoever knowingly and fraudulently wears and/or represents him or herself as having received a Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross or Air Force Cross, except when authorized under regulations made pursuant to law, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both."

The abuse that the new act aims at is apparently not a rare phenomenon.

Since 1996, Tom Cottone, a special agent for the FBI, has prosecuted over one hundred Medal of Honor imposters, including a district judge who fraudulently displayed two MOHs in his chambers.

The new bill may have gotten an unforeseen boost from an unusual source - the newly released "Wedding Crashers."

In the film, actors Vince Vaughn's and Owen Wilson's characters reportedly carry around a few fake Purple Hearts while crashing a wedding - a tactic to help impress and thus win over the ladies.

New Line Cinema's Web site even offers fans a "Crasher Kit" complete with a "make your own" Purple Heart.

"Carrying a Purple Heart in your jacket guarantees you attention, admiration and plenty of free booze," the site says. "To get one of these babies, some dudes have to prove their physical, mental and spiritual strength with great feats of bravery on the battlefield. All you need to do is press the button below."

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B.G. Burkett - Stolen Valor