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Man lied about military medals, won trip to Las Vegas, feds say
The Baltimore Sun ^ | January 14, 2011 | Yeganeh June Torbati

Posted on 01/14/2011 7:56:27 PM PST by moonshinner_09

After being struck in the face and head by shrapnel while on patrol in Iraq in 2005, Aaron Joshua Lawless performed first aid on a fellow soldier and returned enemy fire with a damaged gun, before being struck by an explosive device — an ordeal that earned him a Purple Heart and Silver Star.

At least, that's how Lawless recounted his time in Iraq to his employer, a Maryland gun store, and the Glock gun-manufacturing company, which decided to honor Lawless as its 2008 "Glock Hero." The 25-year-old and his wife received a trip to Las Vegas, two Glock guns and a crystal glass trophy, a package worth $3,505.91.

But almost none of Lawless' claims of valor on the battlefield is true, according to agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, who filed a criminal complaint Thursday in federal court in Maryland.

Lawless did serve in the Marines, according to his military records — but only for 35 days. He was discharged in June 2003 for not disclosing an injury to his right knee before joining the corps, the affidavit said.And Lawless served in Iraq in 2006 as a soldier, but was sent home in July of that year for severe headaches, the affidavit said. His military record indicates that at no time did Lawless suffer from battle injuries or receive the high-level military honors he claimed, according to an ATF agent's interview with Lt. Col. Pat L. Kerbuski, at the time the deputy chief of staff for the 101st Airborne Division.

(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: Maryland
KEYWORDS: iraq; marines; military; militaryhonors; stolenvalor
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This guy sums it up very well.Tom Davis, the department adjutant for the Maryland branch of the American Legion, said lying about military honors is akin to "stealing from your buddy in the foxhole."
1 posted on 01/14/2011 7:56:32 PM PST by moonshinner_09
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To: moonshinner_09

...and the John Kerry jokes and references will begin in 3...2...1...


2 posted on 01/14/2011 8:02:29 PM PST by Immerito (Reading Through the Bible in 90 Days)
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To: moonshinner_09

Seriously, lies of that sort need to be prosecuted more often—when they are told by both the plebians and the patricians.


3 posted on 01/14/2011 8:03:12 PM PST by Immerito (Reading Through the Bible in 90 Days)
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To: Immerito

The Stolen Valor law was passed in 2005. Enforce it.

Read the 1998 book of the same title.


4 posted on 01/14/2011 8:08:13 PM PST by elcid1970
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To: moonshinner_09

I was wondering how the ATF became involved in this, and I see that’s covered farther on in the story. Possession of an unregistered machine gun with no serial numbers sounds pretty serious to me. I’m surprised the gun store owner would hire him if he knew that.

And how does he get membership in the American Legion without a copy of his DD 214 (or marines equivalent)?


5 posted on 01/14/2011 8:24:19 PM PST by smokingfrog (Do all the talking you want, but do what I tell you.)
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To: moonshinner_09

Aaron Lawless
6 posted on 01/14/2011 8:32:30 PM PST by smokingfrog (Do all the talking you want, but do what I tell you.)
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To: smokingfrog
Our society (what's left of it) is founded on trust and honesty.

That is to say, most honest and trustworthy folks would like to believe others are the same.

A it turns out, many are not

trustworthy or honest.

7 posted on 01/14/2011 8:32:40 PM PST by ASOC (What are you doing now that Mexico has become OUR Chechnya?)
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To: moonshinner_09
akin to "stealing from your buddy in the foxhole."

Yes, but since this loser was never in a foxhole, he wouldn't know what that means.

Can't we have this guy visited by a bunch of grumpy old vets with baseball bats to adjust his good knee?

8 posted on 01/14/2011 8:33:30 PM PST by USNBandit (sarcasm engaged at all times)
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To: USNBandit

Count me in!


9 posted on 01/14/2011 8:41:45 PM PST by IAmNotAnAnimal (1/509th Army Ranger Retiree - Go Swamp Dogs!)
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To: smokingfrog

Looks like his injuries were caused by birth.

Poor thing. /s


10 posted on 01/14/2011 9:33:13 PM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously..... You won't live through it anyway.)
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To: Vendome
I'm sitting here getting madder and madder just reading about this puke.

eg.

Anyone remember Aaron Lawless?

POS!

11 posted on 01/14/2011 10:21:01 PM PST by smokingfrog (Do all the talking you want, but do what I tell you.)
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To: smokingfrog

Won’t bother me one bit when he goes to jell.


12 posted on 01/14/2011 10:27:00 PM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously..... You won't live through it anyway.)
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To: moonshinner_09

I thought some goofyass federal “judge” decided a few months ago that posing as a military hero wasn’t a crime anymore.


13 posted on 01/14/2011 10:52:39 PM PST by FlingWingFlyer ("New laws are always a "good idea" until the first time you have to enforce them." - Unknown)
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To: moonshinner_09

It is very sad indeed when your life is built on a lie.


14 posted on 01/14/2011 10:53:17 PM PST by fortheDeclaration (When the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn (Pr.29:2))
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To: Immerito
3...2...1..

He's just getting ready for a political run in Massachusetts. Is he a stool stuffer two?

15 posted on 01/15/2011 12:42:21 AM PST by chuckles
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To: smokingfrog

From his looks, this boy deserves watching. Lawless, Laughner.


16 posted on 01/15/2011 4:33:42 AM PST by Lion Den Dan
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To: moonshinner_09
He's not all right in the head. I see how he got away with the shrapnel to the head story as he previously had a brain lesion removed which would leave scaring. One of the linked pieces says he's bipolar too.

I wonder what took so long for a Stolen Valor law to be passed. It seems so obvious...

17 posted on 01/15/2011 5:16:15 AM PST by newzjunkey
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To: FlingWingFlyer

You are right. The judge said this law violated free speech. Reference: http://www.tonysrants.com/military/activist-judges-overturn-stolen-valor-call-it-a-violation-of-free-speech/


18 posted on 01/15/2011 5:33:14 AM PST by New Jersey Realist (Congress doesn't care a damn about "we the people")
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To: elcid1970

I thought a judge overturned that law.


19 posted on 01/15/2011 5:36:36 AM PST by Nickname
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To: moonshinner_09; Abundy; Albion Wilde; AlwaysFree; AnnaSASsyFR; bayliving; BFM; ...

I wonder if he’ll eventually show up in one of those anti-war “soldier” groups.

Maryland “Freak State” PING!


20 posted on 01/15/2011 10:20:51 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (up)
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