Veterans regard false claims of service as demeaning to the uniform and the theft of millions in benefits from deserving former military members.
PHOENIX—Of all the schemes and scams that U.S. Air Force veteran Bob Dalpe is aware of, stolen valor stands out as one of the most reprehensible.
Stolen valor is defined as when a person falsely claims to have served in the military, pretends to have made sacrifices in combat, and may even wear a fake uniform adorned with counterfeit medals.
Dalpe said some veterans also misrepresent their rank and service to obtain additional benefits and recognition.
“It’s very frustrating to deal with them because you know their integrity is in question,” he said. “It hurts everybody around you. It devalues their service.”
Dalpe and other veterans attended a press conference in Phoenix recently for the official unveiling of a bill that would penalize anyone found guilty of stolen valor in Arizona.
The bill applies to anyone who uses stolen valor to gain benefits intended for veterans, falsifies related documents, or falsely claims to be a veteran when running for office or in business transactions.
Arizona’s proposed legislation builds on the federal Stolen Valor Act of 2013, making stealing valor a felony crime while implementing stricter enforcement and penalties, according to Arizona state Rep. Walter Blackman, the bill’s primary sponsor.
“It embodies the values that we hold dear as veterans. We need to send a strong message to people that want to steal our valor,” Blackman, a Republican, said during the conference.
Blackman said stolen valor isn’t a new phenomenon, but its impact runs deep and it diminishes the value of military service.
“We’ve had a number of stolen valor cases in this state that caused Arizona upwards to $40 million … through veterans benefits, contracts, job placement, and so on,” said Blackman.
“This is a push to hold those people accountable. If they have to go to jail because of it, they will go to jail,” he said.
Stolen valor is “essentially a lie,” according to the Armed Forces Benefit Association (AFBA).
While it is not technically illegal to make things up to impress friends at a party, the AFBA clarifies that “stolen valor is more complicated than that, which is why it is considered a crime.”
By Allan Stein
