A Bucks County, PA, man to pay at least $7,500 in fines for faking his military career

[left-of-center2012]

A Bucks County, PA, man will pay at least $7,500 in civil penalties for misrepresenting his military career, Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced on Thursday. Tapan Patel, age not given, was accused of misrepresenting his military service in order to gain employment, Shapiro said in the release.

While Patel was a junior enlisted service member, he never served in combat, Shapiro said. Patel is accused of listing his status as an officer while applying for jobs, lying about combat service and saying he received awards like the Medal of Honor, Purple Heart and a “Navy War Medal” which doesn’t actually exist within the Navy, Shapiro said.

“This man’s decision to lie about military service and awards for person gain is disgraceful,” Shapiro said. “His actions not only violate the Stolen Valor Act, they dishonor the heroic women and men who have sacrificed to serve our contry and who have been awarded the military’s highest awards.”

Shapiro said by holding Patel accountable, his office was protecting “the honors our veterans have earned.”

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/11/man-to-pay-minimum-of-7500-in-penalties-for-stolen-valor-violations-attorney-general.html

[wasupaloopa]

1. What is a junior enlisted service member? I was in the Army. We never had those.

[ret5hd]

2. Maybe they get to go on "ride-alongs"...

and get a special plastic badge.

[left-of-center2012]

3. Junior enlisted personnel

Junior enlisted personnel:
This refers to service members at the entry pay-grades. Each service branch has a different name for their junior enlisted personnel.

The level at which service members are no longer considered junior enlisted personnel also varies.

For instance, an E-1 in the Army and Marine Corps is called a private, in the Air Force an airman basic, and in the Navy an E-1 is called a seaman recruit.

http://public.militaryonesource.mil/deployment-and-transition/new-to-the-military?content_id=282897

[wasupaloopa]

5. So he was an E-1 that's all? I think I made E-2 right out of Basic Training.

[GWC58]

4. A fine? Well, yeah. But

this disgrace of a “man” should shown the door. The door to a state prison! Agree, disagree?

[wasupaloopa]

6. I don't think it is a prison offence. I was a radar repairman in Vietnam and was in combat during

Tet but I could not say I was a combat veteran. If I did I don't think I should go to prison.

[3Hotdogs]

7. I think you can say you are a combat veteran.

All of Vietnam was theater of combat.