“I find the man to be disgusting but so long as he is not profiting from his lie I don’t think its any of the government’s business.”
Stolen non-monetary benefits can harm the people they are stolen from just as much or more than non-monetary benefits.
“Whats to stop them from deciding to step in and punish people based on their opinions about other things?”
But, in fact, punishing someone who is lying is NOT punishing people based on their opinions. Someone who lies about his military service has the opinion/belief/knowledge that he did NOT serve in the military and IS putting forth something that is the OPPOSITE of his opinion.
The government already punishes several types of lying, including perjury and fraud. Why not stealing valor also?
This is NOT policing thought. Lying is not 100% protected speech (I refer you again to perjury and fraud). Nor should it be. This is policing an evil act which harms other people and society.
Isn’t claiming to be a police officer or a government official illegal too?