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Old 07-10-2012, 17:58   #1
Dusty
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Pentagon to Make Database to Track Awardees

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012...edal-awardees/

The Pentagon plans to establish a searchable database of military valor awards and medals, hoping for a technological fix to the problem of people getting away with lying about earning military honors.

Pentagon press secretary George Little said details have yet to be worked out, but the intention is to have a digital repository of records on a range of valor awards and medals going back as far in history as possible.

The move is in response to a June 28 Supreme Court ruling that invalidated a law making it a crime to lie about receiving the Medal of Honor and other military decorations. An authoritative database would make it easier to check on award claims, and perhaps would deter some who would make false public claims.

The high court ruled that the 2006 Stolen Valor Act infringes upon speech protected by the First Amendment.

Veterans organizations and some in Congress have long argued that the Pentagon needs such a database. As recently as 2009 the Pentagon argued that it would be too costly and could pose Privacy Act problems. It also argued that any government database would be incomplete because a 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis destroyed millions of personnel records, including those citing medals and awards, and that even a complete database would do little to reduce the number of false award claims.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., which had expressed sharp disappointment in the Supreme Court ruling, believes that publicizing the false claims of military valor can be an effective deterrent to others.

VFW spokesman Joe Davis said Tuesday that his group welcomes the Pentagon's new approach.

"The cost is minimal compared to the verifiable proof it provides to honorable service members, veterans and all their families," Davis said.

Little said no final decisions have been made about the type of government database that would be created. He said the goal would to have it include information not only about recipients of the Medal of Honor, which is the nation's highest military award, but also those who hold other decorations for valor, such as the Silver Star and Bronze Star.

"There are some complexities involved in looking back into history," Little said. "We would obviously hope to be able to go as far back as possible, but we also want there to be integrity in the data. So these are factors that are being weighed, and we're in the process of exploring those options. So the door is open."

Members of Congress, meanwhile, are taking their own steps to address the problem of fraudulent claims.

Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., who served in Vietnam as a Marine officer, announced Tuesday that he will introduce legislation which could bring criminal penalties to any individual making a false claim to have served in the military or to have been awarded a military medal or decoration in order to "secure a tangible benefit or a personal gain."

"Profiting from the misrepresentation of military service or the award of a decoration or medal for personal gain undermines the value of service and is offensive to all who have stepped forward to serve our country in uniform," Webb said.

Snip
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Old 07-10-2012, 20:07   #2
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Not that I have a scheming mind, but I think the consummate poser will now claim either that his medals and missions were classified and couldn't be listed or a mistake was made and they were omitted by accident. They are always one step ahead of the good guys.

Last edited by Sohei; 07-10-2012 at 20:12.
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Old 07-10-2012, 20:39   #3
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Originally Posted by The Sheepdog View Post
Not that I have a scheming mind, but I think the consummate poser will now claim either that his medals and missions were classified and couldn't be listed or a mistake was made and they were omitted by accident. They are always one step ahead of the good guys.
Yeah, well, first of all, valor awards are rarely (if ever) classified. The closest I have seen to that had the locations changed.

Second, every individual is required to sign his / her DD214 upon separation, attesting that the information on it is true and correct.

As far as I am, concerned, if it ain't on the DD214, it probably didn't happen.

Most of the posers I have seen busted were never even in the military, or were support personnel. You will occasionally get a Soldier or Marine who has a verifiable combat record that they should be proud of, that they have embellished, and frankly, I don't get it. Be proud of what you have earned. If you want more, work more and earn more.

Besides, we are talking about a pretty small community, and it is not like you are going to show up after 30 years with a previously unnoticed MoH or an SF Tab. And the classified units (all the way back to VN) are not that big, it is very easy to bust someone claiming service there.

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Old 07-11-2012, 19:57   #4
Snaquebite
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Yeah, well, first of all, valor awards are rarely (if ever) classified. The closest I have seen to that had the locations changed.

Second, every individual is required to sign his / her DD214 upon separation, attesting that the information on it is true and correct.

As far as I am, concerned, if it ain't on the DD214, it probably didn't happen.

Most of the posers I have seen busted were never even in the military, or were support personnel. You will occasionally get a Soldier or Marine who has a verifiable combat record that they should be proud of, that they have embellished, and frankly, I don't get it. Be proud of what you have earned. If you want more, work more and earn more.

Besides, we are talking about a pretty small community, and it is not like you are going to show up after 30 years with a previously unnoticed MoH or an SF Tab. And the classified units (all the way back to VN) are not that big, it is very easy to bust someone claiming service there.

TR
I agree. I have NCOERS in my records which were classified along with one award that the write-up was classified. However the award is listed on my 214. I have the certificate but not the write-up.
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Old 07-11-2012, 21:00   #5
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Database is only as good as the person who writes it. Maybe they'll actually contract someone who has a clue.
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Old 07-11-2012, 21:51   #6
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Database is only as good as the person who writes it. Maybe they'll actually contract someone who has a clue.
yup...shit in...shit out
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Old 07-11-2012, 23:49   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dusty View Post
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012...edal-awardees/

The Pentagon plans to establish a searchable database of military valor awards and medals, hoping for a technological fix to the problem of people getting away with lying about earning military honors.

Pentagon press secretary George Little said details have yet to be worked out, but the intention is to have a digital repository of records on a range of valor awards and medals going back as far in history as possible.

The move is in response to a June 28 Supreme Court ruling that invalidated a law making it a crime to lie about receiving the Medal of Honor and other military decorations. An authoritative database would make it easier to check on award claims, and perhaps would deter some who would make false public claims.

The high court ruled that the 2006 Stolen Valor Act infringes upon speech protected by the First Amendment.

Veterans organizations and some in Congress have long argued that the Pentagon needs such a database. As recently as 2009 the Pentagon argued that it would be too costly and could pose Privacy Act problems. It also argued that any government database would be incomplete because a 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis destroyed millions of personnel records, including those citing medals and awards, and that even a complete database would do little to reduce the number of false award claims.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., which had expressed sharp disappointment in the Supreme Court ruling, believes that publicizing the false claims of military valor can be an effective deterrent to others.

VFW spokesman Joe Davis said Tuesday that his group welcomes the Pentagon's new approach.

"The cost is minimal compared to the verifiable proof it provides to honorable service members, veterans and all their families," Davis said.

Little said no final decisions have been made about the type of government database that would be created. He said the goal would to have it include information not only about recipients of the Medal of Honor, which is the nation's highest military award, but also those who hold other decorations for valor, such as the Silver Star and Bronze Star.

"There are some complexities involved in looking back into history," Little said. "We would obviously hope to be able to go as far back as possible, but we also want there to be integrity in the data. So these are factors that are being weighed, and we're in the process of exploring those options. So the door is open."

Members of Congress, meanwhile, are taking their own steps to address the problem of fraudulent claims.

Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., who served in Vietnam as a Marine officer, announced Tuesday that he will introduce legislation which could bring criminal penalties to any individual making a false claim to have served in the military or to have been awarded a military medal or decoration in order to "secure a tangible benefit or a personal gain."

"Profiting from the misrepresentation of military service or the award of a decoration or medal for personal gain undermines the value of service and is offensive to all who have stepped forward to serve our country in uniform," Webb said.

Snip
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Old 07-17-2012, 14:44   #8
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Originally Posted by The Reaper View Post

As far as I am, concerned, if it ain't on the DD214, it probably didn't happen.


TR
Don't forget about the DD215. My CIB isn't on my DD214 for that time frame but it is on a DD215 that posted to iPerms the same day the orders posted.
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