ABC News "Foreign Correspondent" on Stolen Valor

Apparently not limited to the US, phony veterans are being brought down by our brothers in Australia as well.... Mark Corcoran of ABC out of Australia has been doing outstanding work tracking phony veterans, both here and abroad.

A secretive group of online investigators says it has identified more than 100 impostors who are blatantly posing as Australian war veterans, despite severe penalties for such activities. The ex-military vigilante group ANZMI (Australian and New Zealand Military Impostors) has launched a "name and shame" campaign because it claims Australian authorities refuse to prosecute fakes who are defying the law. Under the Federal Defence Act, persons falsely representing themselves as returned soldiers, sailors or airmen, or wearing decorations that were not earned, can face up to six months' jail and a $3,300 fine.

Here's the tag line for a youtube video that Mark has up about a show coming up:

Sneak preview of Foreign Correspondent's investigation into the booming post 9/11 phenomenon of Stolen Valor. Here reporter Mark Corcoran examines the explosive case of Rick Duncan who first appeared (in a previous FC program on the 2008 Presidential campaign trail) in his guise as a as a triple tour Iraq vet turned veterans' activist and in demand military pin-up. Then it all came undone. Don't miss "Heroes, Frauds and Imposters" screening on ABCTV (Australia) Tuesday September 21 and then streaming in full globally at: www/abc.net.au/foreign

Ah yes, our old friend Duncan. Here's the preview: The Court has said that no one is harmed by these phonies, but my experience the past week has proved otherwise. Just this morning I went to the funeral for Brian Downard, the Marine who I wrote about extensively last week. Brian went to his eternal rest in his Marine Dress uniform, with his brothers in arms paying tribute. As I raised money for Brian's son Jesse, more than one person wanted me to verify that Brian had in-fact been a US Marine. No one was difficult about it, and I provided the neccessary documentation to appease them, but still, before phonies like Duncan, none of that would be neccessary. You simply don't lie about such a thing. And now, because our courts think it is just dandy to do so....I get to jump through additional hoops.