Stolen Valor Act violations: 2 men pose as medal bedecked Marines in separate events

My ten year reunion is coming up. I think there's supposed to be some kind of formal dinner thing that is suit and tie-ish. If we can all make it, I have a pair of buddies that are Air Force and Army aviators, and we were thinking of going in uniform so we have the entire set sitting at a table.

I wore mine. We had a formal type event and chokers fit in well. If it isn't a formal/dress up event I would recommend civvies. Keep in mind that for every douche that tries to make fun of you there will be 5 other people that like it. I had a few "hey waiter" and "ice cream man" and Maverick/Goose comments from the same D-bags I steered clear of 10 years before. Don't sink to their level other than maybe a "you haven't changed a bit" comment. It will be obvious you have your shit together so just let the conversation come to you vice advertising what you are doing. If you show true interest in other's lives you won't come across as a braggart no matter what you are wearing.

I'd wear my uniform, but everyone knows I'm a self-important prick. I'd wear it, if only I'd actually GO to my 10 year reunion....

Master Guns to LtCol! Wow! What a career path! Lock him up... I should go visit my parents in Palm Springs and just go look at this douche.

Those will be the guys that never left their hometown and are STILL working at Red Robin. (It was cool getting free fries, in high school...)

What's the equivalent going to be in Beverly Hills? I mean there were dunces and shitbags there, too... but I doubt any of them are working at red robin these days.

Doing coke and living in an apt in westwood on daddy's dime? If I do decide to go, I'll start tailoring my jokes and comments...

That's what all my old mates are doing, livin' the good life in La Jolla.

Cool! Post pictures.

Lookit guys, when I was in we were pretty much required to wear our uniforms. Besides, we (I) couldn't always afford proper civilian dress.

As far as I'm concerned being in the military is a 24/7 way of life, not a job. (Doctor, policeman, fireman? )

Steve

Because it is Department of Justice jurisdiction to handle the Stolen Valor Act.

I would have worn mine to the 10 year just to show all the teachers that wrote me off...

Haha, it doesn't matter WHO you are, I guarantee you almost EVERY successful person has had detractors along the way.

I had a math teacher tell me I wasn't good at math... then I got a degree in Aerospace Engineering in 3 years. Yeah, she sure called that one....

A POG? He's not a POG or a grunt; he's a 39 year-old bank employee from California.....

Yeah, I know. I saw that too. I guess the article gave me the impression he wore Master Gunny sleeve and Lt. Col. pins...?

I interpreted it as he wore MGySgt rank one year and LtCol a different year. Either way, that's a fuggin short time to be promoted 5 paygrades.

Douche and idiot are too close in my mind...it never crossed my mind he'd actually get it right. Just thought he had the whole uniform completely wrong.

The crazy thing is that he didn't. And I'm no expert on USMC uniforms, but nothing stood out as being glaringly wrong. This guy is obviously nuts and spent considerable time and money on this alternate universe. The Presidential Service Badge alone goes for $100+ on eBay. God knows how much coin the guy sunk into those costumes (that's all they were to him).

Aside from the Stolen Valor Act, isn't it a crime to impersonate a military officer? How common is that charge?

POW Network says there are no active duty or reserve Master Guns in the Corps. They just lost some serious credibility.

In fact, they claim only 2 Master Sergeants and one 1st Sergeant.... Seriously? Who are these guys???

I really enjoy seeing a douche like this get caught.
As far as wearing your uniform to the reunion, if there is a function at the reunion that calls for business dress or better, it wouldn't be out of place at all to wear an equivalent uniform. Even if it's business casual, you might get by with plain summer white. And who ever thought "Hey, look at me!" wasn't part of being a Navy pilot anyhow?

Probably referring to the last name Burton. That would make sense...

Yes! I remember that. It was a while back, though.

He can read the uniform regs and use ribbon checker to put together a stack...but no matter how much you try, you just can't get the "lingo" right:

From his letter to that newsletter:

Sarge?

Class A's?

Never seen 1st Marine Division called simply 1st Divison before

I have talked to a couple old-timers who gave me pause to wonder about their "authenticity" and I chalked a lot of it up to times changing.

If you talk to someone who isn't real though, you usually know it within just a few minutes. The real question of course is: Is it worth it to call them out on it?

(Edit: Gun shows are always good for a laugh on this topic. Last time I had some guy tell me that black helicopters came and picked him and his buddy up and flew them to the Stan to do sniper missions or something...the guy was legit though, he had a USMC license plate frame displayed.)