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Posted on 10/05/2007 7:01:01 AM PDT by SJackson
(CNSNews.com) -The federal government is currently conducting more than 60 "stolen valor" investigations of individuals suspected of making false claims about their military records, according to the Department of Veteran's Affairs, and about 30 people nationwide have been arrested in the past year for crimes related to falsifying a military record.
Stolen valor typically occurs when someone falsifies documents or produces medals and awards from the military they didn't earn in order to qualify for veterans benefits.
Jeffrey Sullivan, the U.S. attorney in the Western District of Washington, prosecuted Jesse Macbeth of Tacoma, Wash., in the past year as well as five others who falsely claimed heroic military service.
Macbeth, who was sentenced to five months in prison last month, is the person Rush Limbaugh cited on his radio program as an example of a "phony soldier."
For some, federal officials said, the motive for stolen valor is psychological, as a former soldier yearns to be a hero. But for most, the motive is financial, a means of getting certain federal benefits and medical care that come with being a veteran.
"In the six cases we've done, it has resulted in an estimated $1.4 million loss for the Veterans Administration," Sullivan told Cybercast News Service. "There are a significant amount of scam artists and phonies. They take money that legitimate vets deserve."
Sullivan said this fraud "does truly hurt the men and women of the armed forces who legitimately put their lives on the line."
Macbeth, 23, gained the most attention of those Sullivan has prosecuted, in part because he became a hero of the anti-Iraq war movement. He claimed to have witnessed his fellow American soldiers commit atrocities in Iraq, when in fact he was never there.
He was in the U.S. Army for only 44 days in 2003, and was never stationed outside of Fort Benning, Ga. Macbeth also claimed that he held a Purple Heart, served for three years, and was discharged for having post traumatic stress syndrome - all false. He spoke at an anti-war rally and was the subject of an anti-war documentary.
Macbeth's name became the center of controversy this week after Limbaugh cited him as an example of a "phony soldier." Many Democrats in Congress quickly denounced Limbaugh, claiming he was using the phrase to label all American veterans opposed to the war in Iraq.
The length of sentencing for "stolen valor" can vary based on a number of factors, Sullivan told Cybercast News Service.
For example, Larry Lewis Porter, 52, of Seattle, cost the government $134,000, according to Sullivan's office. Porter was sentenced last April to 37 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining disability benefits from the Veterans Administration (VA) by fabricating post-traumatic stress syndrome from his experience in the U.S. Navy - an experience that never happened
However, Reggie Buddle, 60, of Puyallup, Wash., was sentenced to 500 hours of community service, because he falsely posed as a decorated U.S. Marine chaplain and presided over Marine weddings, funerals and baptisms.
Most offenders served in the U.S. military but embellished their tales, said Jim O'Neill, assistant inspector general for investigations at the VA.
"Most served, some served honorably, but just falsified their combat experience or something that never occurred to get benefits," he told Cybercast News Service. "They only make up 5 percent of our case load of investigations, but we take them very seriously."
Both O'Neill and Sullivan said that veterans groups, such as Veterans of Foreign Wars, have been a major help, as it's usually other veterans who notice that a war story doesn't add up, and they inform authorities.
"Some people do this to provide for something missing in their life," Sullivan said. "I don't know all the psychological aspects of it. But for some, they did good, but that wasn't enough. They want to be a hero."
Money and press attention. And has the MSM outed any of these guys?
Sigh. Denial ain't just a river in Egypt. Colmes, I expected better of you for some reason. My bad :(
Will they be adding (Democrat) Senator Harkin to the list:
According to the book “Stolen Valor: How the Vietnam Generation Was Robbed of Its Heroes and Its History”:
“During a 1992 bid for the presidency, Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa claimed that he had served as a pilot in Vietnam…Harkin finally admitted he had not seen combat…When pressed by reporters to explain how much time he really spent in Vietnam Harkin estimated that over a year he flew in and out of Vietnam a dozen or so times. But Harkin’s military record showed no Vietnam service decorations. He finally conceded he had not flown combat air patrols in Vietnam and began describing himself as a Vietnam era vet.”
There are none so blind, Mr. Colmes...
Jesse MacBeth was apparently used to be known as Jesse Al-Zaid.
It was on Rush’s site yesterday. That is some phony soldier!
Jesse Macbeth was a “for instance”. Still waiting for the public trial for his act of treason in slandering the US troops and making false claims of witnessing/participating in war crimes. His propaganda served the enemies of America well.
PHONIES and WANNABE’S
A NATIONWIDE EPIDEMIC
http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/phonies.htm
stories of THOUSANDS of them!......
Maybe Alan Colmes should take another look at Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s “list” of known Communists if he’s willing to give some leeway to words.
We have the answer key from the KGB files...
Is it just me, or does this sound like paying an insurance claim to someone who was never insured? It would never happen. Anytime I've called to even inquire about making a claim, the first thing that happens is that my policy gets verified. The next thing that happens is they make sure the loss is covered. Only then will they even begin to address the loss.
But I suppose in the minds of these "phony soldiers", what they are doing is no different than millions of illegal aliens collecting benefits intended fo citizens. If our skewed courts continue to rule people not even here legally have a "constitutional right" to these benefits, how long will it be before they extend said military benefits to people who never were in the military? After all, the twisted logic could be the enemy (terrorists) consider anyone living in America or carrying an American passport abroad as a legitimate target, so that makes us all the same.
For example, ...a senate seat in Massachusetts.
John Kerry and his band of 60 doing combat on the steps of the Capitol with patriotism!
On Fox, yesterday, an ad by another serviceman was placed denouncing Rush. He could be a true serviceman with proper credentials, but we must be aware that there are legitimate serviceman that are solid RATS threw and threw. He might have done his job with honor, but we cannot depend on all servicemen, some served honorably but hate the war. This is a war at home that can be bigger than the war in Iraq. It is a war to totally destroy our very Constitution by the left, who are dedicated Communist. Repeat lies enough times and the lie will seem as fact to the stupid uninformed mass of nuts in this Country.
More Republicans who truly believe must denounce, get off their a@@, and go public or all is in vain. Case you haven't noticed, I'm pi@@ed.
Say WA? Evergreen State ping
FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this ping list.
Ping sionnsar if you see a Washington state related thread.
Some great reading in those files. I mean, I’ve heard tall stories, but nothing like what’s in there!
not quite sure what you mean by “tall stories”......
but I’m sure you noticed how careful and diligent the Vets and others were to not declare any of them phonies or their stories false until they had been proven beyond doubt.....in fact, in many cases the fraudster admitted his lies immediately, once he learned these folks were on to them.
BTW, welcome home and thank you for your service and sacrifices.
We were taking the final test and I saw his DOB. He would have been 12 years old in ‘72. I kept quite because he had that Glock on.
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