[Skip to content]

Legion
British Legion
Search our Site
.

How do you solve a problem like 'Walting'

Legion magazine editorial

Published: 6 October 2009

For those who have put their lives on the line for their country, there’s nothing more annoying than a Walter Mitty – those civvy-street fantasists who claim to be highly-decorated service men, when in most cases, they’ve never even been in uniform.

Some of these ‘Walts’ – named after the fantasist character in James Thurber’s short story The Secret Life of Walter Mitty – have gone so far as to wearing medals they’ve bought on eBay, and walked side by side with real veterans in remembrance parades. Others have even created their own Wikipedia profiles to boast about the heroic acts they (haven’t actually) carried out.

Occasionally, these fraudsters are brought to justice through a ‘name and shame’ article in a national paper, but in Britain, that’s usually as far as their punishment goes.

In the US, they take a much sterner approach to dealing with Walts. In 2006, they passed the Stolen Valour Act, which made it an offence for any person to claim –even verbally – that they hold military medals that they are not actually entitled to. Previously they were only committing a crime if they were caught wearing the medal.

The law is currently being used to prosecute former psychiatric patient Richard Strandlof, who falsely claimed to be a recipient of the Purple Heart, among other decorations. To his credit, he was using his fake identity to help homeless veterans, but he upset the entire ex-service community when it was discovered he had lied about surviving the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon, and had been wounded at the battle of Fallujah during the Iraq War.

If found guilty, Mr Strandlof could be sent to prison for up to a year and fined the hefty sum of $250,000 (£157,000). Is this harsh punishment for a poor, misguided Walt, or just treatment of an abhorrent fraudster? Perhaps some readers may think we could do with a stolen valour law?

We’d love to hear your views

 

comment

1. At 16.54 on 6 October 2009, Retired Army veteran wrote:

Named in national newspapers as the phoneys they are and made to carry out community service as a punishment. The wearing of any ex military clothing should also be banned, specially camouflage by scruffs, building site workers and ramblers. Let's have some standards and respect for the men and women in uniform.

2. At 18.15 on 6 October 2009, Sweeny wrote:

In Britain I think you are more likely ‘not’ to have been awarded a medal, you ‘have’ earned. My sister who is 86 and who served in the RAF during WW2 only got her medal last year, when she saw the land girls being awarded their medals, and I told her to apply for hers. She also applied for her husband’s medal (posthumous) he also served in the RAF in Burma, and never received his medal. I worked for the MOD, at a training camp in Devon, from the age of 60 to 65, when they made me retire, I served in Cyprus from the end of 1955 until the beginning of 1957.  I never received that medal either, when one of the colonels at the camp said I should apply for it I said no, if they couldn't give it to me I wasn't going to beg for it, however he tried to apply for it for me. His intention was to surprise me with it at my retirement do, he got all my details from my discharge card, that he got from my wife unbeknown to me, however the MOD would not let him have it without my signature on the forms. The day I was retiring he told me I had to see the admin officer, to sign some papers to do with my pension, but in amongst the papers I was signing was the application form for my medal already filled out just waiting for my signature, so I got my medal, 46 years late. If that colonel hadn't filled in the forms, I don’t think I would ever have applied for it, I also served in Germany in 1957, and often wonder if I should have had one for that, however, I know where I served, and what I done, I don’t really need a medal to remind me.

Although, for all those who never received medals they where due, it speaks volumes what the country thinks of your efforts, and when you do get them. They are that stingy, they don’t even give you a pin to pin it on with.

3. At 19.56 on 8 October 2009, Trooper wrote:

You should tell the Parade Marshall if you suspect a 'Phoney' and have the offender dismissed from the parade.

4. At 18.23 on 14 October 2009, David N Campbell wrote:

Name and shame by all means, however I doubt that the individual will notice as they are obviously seriously deluded and do not live in the 'real' world.

5. At 18.27 on 14 October 2009, Ex RCT wrote:

In the U.S there is a website devoted to 'Walts' outing them for all to see. I think a similar thing here would deter people from doing this kind of thing. Maybe the Veterans Agency could issue a Veterans ID Card. This could be displayed along with any medals and decorations, the ID card could show what medals the owner was entitled to wear.

6. At 18.54 on 14 October 2009, Keith Drewett wrote:

I think one has to feel sorry for them, they are quite pathetic.
We had one in our Branch who claimed to have been a Warrant Officer in Korea. He had actually done National Service and never been out of the country.

7. At 17.34 on 14 October 2009, Pete Morgan wrote:

I have never served or therefore been awarded a medal of any kind.
I proudly display my father/grandfathers medals on my right breast when parading with the Legion or when attending Wootton Bassett. I get more than enough satisfaction from being able to remember them.

8. At 21.38 on 14 October 2009, Gunner wrote:

They should be pitied rather than scorned. If they want their jollies so be it. To you and I they may be a lesser life form than an amoeba but is there much difference between them and the current luvvies who receive OBE's etc for insulting us on a regular basis in the name of entertainment.

9. At 00.37 on 15 October 2009, forces family member wrote:

Yes, not only should they be named and shamed but put in prison for fraud, which this is, as community service is nothing at all.  Half the time those getting it either do not do it or mess about and stretching it out for as long as possible.  I do not see community service as a punishment as I have overheard youngsters who have been given it laughing about it . They say it is a good laugh and you don't have to do much. They also say that they take time off, by pretending to have a bad back or just letting on to be unwell.  This stretches it out for them. I have also heard them say, if they are talking about going to court again for another offence, that they will probably only get another order and there is nothing to worry about, as it keeps them out of mum and dad's nagging!  They actually brag about who has had the most orders/hours on this.

Perhaps a spell in Iraq or Afghanistan would do these Walts a power of good.  Then they would soon see that it is NO picnic and that the real military people are living on the edge ALL the time NOT in their heads but risking life and limb for real. 

I expect Walts do not have the guts it takes to do this job for real and can only cope by pretending to others that they have had.  Maybe it is the only way they feel they can get the respect they want from others.  They should be told that you have to earn respect, it is not yours as a God given right!  They must have a very low self esteem or are very sick people.

Do they realise how some of these guys doing it for real have been left or the effects on their families.  I take my hat off to all the true military people. I think you will find anyone who has been brave does not need to brag about it and very few heroes do!

I think the Walts are absolutely despicable and should be treated with the contempt they deserve.

10. At 02.55 on 15 October 2009, Varangkol wrote:

If they are making any personal, or financial gain (and they usually are) then they should be named and shamed.  Living off the backs of true 'heroes', taking the praises and accolades from those that deserve it, is despicable and should be punishable.  Bring back the stocks!

11. At 11.02 on 15 October 2009, Tom Cochrane wrote:

Name and shame, definitely and publicly. This should be a crime. These people are despicable.

12. At 12.02 on 15 October 2009, Brian Duffy wrote:

It seems to me that there are 2 distinct types of 'Walts' - the BAD and the SAD. Each require a different approach, but that said a good generic starting point is to make it an offence in law to wear or claim to hold any military or civil title, medal  or decoration illegitimately. The courts shold be allowed some latitude in the scale of punishments handed down; from psychological treatment to Prison. The Govt might make available an online searchable database of all lists of awards whereby anyone could easily check for Walts. This would be a distinct disincentive to the boasters and scammers making illegitimate claims to military service.

13. At 21.42 on 15 October 2009, Roger wrote:

Surely, for someone to want to 'Walt' about military service, shows that military service is a source of pride. Let us pity these 'poor, deprived, underprivileged' people for the wimps they are. If they wish to imply military service, let them go and earn respect by doing it.

14. At 13.31 on 18 October 2009, Terry Boden wrote:

I agree they should be named and shamed.

We had a Walt at our rememberance parade a few years ago he had more medals than you could shake a stick at. He must have fought in every battle in the second world war with the army RAF and the navy and he was far to young. When asked about this he vanished never to be seen again. Like the gentalman above I know what I did and I  dont need to brag about it.

I also agree with Mr Duffy about the data base.

15. At 02.11 on 29 October 2009, Ind-Del wrote:

There is a data base for medals. The London gazette

16. At 11.30 on 30 October 2009, ExCav wrote:

In the U.S there is a website devoted to 'Walts' outing them for all to see. I think a similar thing here would deter people from doing this kind of thing.

www.arrse.co.uk

» Indicates required fields

Make a comment
Display your name? »