Let the punishment fit the crime

Posted By Thomas E. Ricks Friday, April 23, 2010 - 10:38 AM Share

A Maryland man was sentenced to 10 days in jail for posing as a wounded Navy SEAL.

This made me think about a sign I saw in a latrine at the Marine training base at Parris Island about how the heroes of Iwo Jima had at one point cleaned this latrine, and so can you. How about sentencing fakers to taking out the garbage and cleaning latrines at military bases? Or even better, serving as a runner in a hospital ward for badly burned soldiers and Marines?

FERENC ISZA/AFP/Getty Images

EXPLORE:MILITARY

(6)

HIDE COMMENTS LOGIN OR REGISTER REPORT ABUSE

ACG1189

3:02 PM ET

April 23, 2010

punishment

Haven't a lot of these guys been sentenced to community service in veterans hospitals? Seems about as appropriate as you can get.

This is the first I've heard of jail time though.

INTEL GEEK

3:31 PM ET

April 23, 2010

Sorry, but no.

They don't deserve to be around these great wounded warriors, and they don't deserve to clean the same latrines as John Basilone.

6OGUREZ

3:33 PM ET

April 24, 2010

read the article?

taking out garbage from military bases means access to them.

that is exactly what he did, he got access to the naval hospital. he volunteered at the hospital so he could have access to the px and ordered himself the commendations.

jail is the only thing appropriate for the "nolifes"

ADMIRAL

4:28 PM ET

April 24, 2010

There are no latrines On PI

There are no latrines on PI.

LAVBO0321

8:58 PM ET

April 24, 2010

Sad Times

The number of posers seems to grow daily. Especially those claiming to be SF.

Depending on their claims and if they added awards to their lies, they do get jail time.

The Stolen Valor Act was long over due.

It is one thing to exaggerate your military career and exploit's with your service buddies at the local VFW post while putting a few beers behind you, but to lie about being in the service when in fact you were never in, and then to add that you were some kind of ubber commando earning awards. All this to sometimes gain financial advantage. Disgusting.

I for one wouldn't want them around me in the least.

DEADBONE1961

10:47 PM ET

April 25, 2010

deadbone1961

Make them serve jail time here? How about a year's deployment instead...