Stolen Valor Act

[jeffgaj]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? - California

Can anyone advise me as to how the Stolen Valor Act would (if at all) apply to a made-up or "fictional" person (i.e. someone posing or acting in the guise of a fictional character on various Internet blogs, chat rooms, etc., and making claims that this fictional character is the recipient of various military awards and/or medals)? Thanks.

 

[Some Random Guy]

Absolutely don't make claims to have received any medals unless your character is well known to even the most uninformed to be a fake or long since dead (e.g. General Custer, Robert E. Lee, Gen Patton, Forrest Gump).

And even then, you may be violating the letter of the law - but will merely be not worth prosecuting.

http://www.house.gov/salazar/docs/Pam Sterner Policy Analysis.pdf