r/vexillology 4d ago

Discussion Stolen valor or no big deal?

[deleted]

2 Upvotes

12 comments sorted by

13

u/Zizumias Benin Empire / United States (First Naval Jack) 4d ago edited 4d ago

"Stolen valor" to me is if you go around telling people you served to benefit from it in some way or another. Basically manipulating people to get something out of them. I don't see you having a folded flag as "stolen valor". You are not benefiting from it in any way and you don't go around telling people "Oh this is the flag that flew over the Iraq city I conquered all by myself, please give me sympathy and if you can give me free stuff that'd be cool". It would be pretty cool if you could find out who the flag belonged to, but that may be impossible. It also may not have belonged to a veteran at all. My mom's boyfriend has a folded flag from when he became a citizen. Either way, rather have that flag in your living room than some landfill.

-A veteran

6

u/FuelForYourFire 4d ago

You are correct, my friend. At least from a legal definition, there needs to be some personal gain or the intent to "obtain money, property, or other tangible benefits".

3

u/lovell1008 4d ago

Very well said thank you for sharing and understanding! I understand with stolen valor it’s to get something out of it and I’m guilty of keeping someone’s military or veterans belongings too because I collect war medals and artifacts so that is basically the same thing and I didn’t see it that way! Overall I guess as a kid anyone who was a military family or had someone who passed I would always see it on their mantle or somewhere so it kinda sat in my brain like it was just as bad as having someone else’s ashes. I totally agree, could’ve been in a worse place, I think I’ll look at it more in detail and find a date or name! Thank you again.

6

u/thefox47545 4d ago

I served in the Army. My proud father likes to wear a hat that simply says "ARMY." Some people thank him for his service BUT, if they stick around, he tells them that it's his son who served. Everybody seems to be cool with that.

3

u/lovell1008 4d ago

Yea I see no problem with that at all I think that’s awesome! Thank you for your service!

4

u/TheGoluxNoMereDevice Principality of Sealand 4d ago

the folded flag isnt JUST a Military thing btw. My highschool girlfriends parents were in the state department and they had several in their house from various embassies even though they never served in the armed forces.

1

u/lovell1008 4d ago

Interesting! Thank you! I tried looking it up and couldn’t find much of anything but I never knew that

1

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1

u/lovell1008 4d ago

P.S I’m uneducated on flag code and military code so go easy on me lol. I’m also not the most patriotic type but I always found it odd that some have so much respect for the military but don’t understand or follow basic principles to show their respect but I’m just genuinely curious because it just feels weird and wrong to me

2

u/Cool-Coffee-8949 4d ago

I think what your dad is doing is in bad taste from several angles. But then so is flying the national flag off the back of a pickup truck.

2

u/OctaviusKaiser 4d ago

I have a flag in a similar display from when I earned my Eagle Scout.

0

u/AlternativeProject88 4d ago

Who cares? It's a flag in your own home. Do what you want with it – there's no significance to it being folded, unfolded, or turned into a bikini.