Improper Wear Of Us Marine Corp Uniform Posted In A Web

[Kratos0428]

My jurisdiction is: CALIFORNIA

We are a group of airsoft teams in California . We created a website for airsoft team to use as forums and activities to post. Some of those posting have pictures of my friends individually wearing marine uniform with no ranks or insignia. Which makes them look like they were really in a military.
There are also some pictures where in they went to a restaurant and wearing those uniforms. The picture is descent and worn as best as they can. However they havent serve the arm forces yet.

One person came to our site and harass some of my friends that they are in violations of STOLEN VALOR ACT . (He introduced himself and stated that he is in a marine corp and still in the active duty). Stating they are wearing those uniforms in public areas they havent even earned and impersonation of a military personnel. My friends did not tell anyone that they are in military...They did not ask for a discount or anything. They just wore the uniform which is by the way accesible to surplus shop.He wants us to take all of the pictures wearing military uniforms and all pictures in our site where my friends wear marine uniform in public.

The website is for airsoft members only. Do we really violate something? Do we need to take down ALL of our Pictures from our website wearing military uniform?

Thanks

 

[tpajet]

You don't need to take anything down. I don't believe the guy who contacted you is really (or ever was really) in the Marines. The Stolen Valor act ONLY applies to medal (Purple Heart, Medal of Honor, etc) If you frineds were wearing any medals on the uniforms then you would be in violation. And that's the reason I don't believe this guy was ever in the Marines, because if he had been he would have known better. Either that or he's banking on the fact that you don't know that.

Regardless, your frineds have not broken any laws, and there is no need to remove the pictures.

That said, it sounds like this guy might continue to cause problems. You need to keep copies of anything he sends to you. Also, you need to send an emal back to him explaining that the Stolen Valor act does not apply to uniforms, only medals, and that any further emails on the subject will be considered harrasment, and will result in legal action.

That's the legal side of this. The other is the moral/ethical side. I'm not sure you or the web posters have broken any rules there either, but really, I'm not sure that's right what they did either. Not everyone would look that closely, and as such some people might be apt to believe they were in fact military. True, they weren't asking for discounts or the like, but it's really kind of in bad taste.

 

[Kratos0428]

thank you very much for all the information youve given me

 

[UserXVI]

Hope this dousnt sound odd from a new guy.
I did hear a friend telling me that it was illegal to wear a mil uniform in public if you are not enlisted (he is Ex Marine)
Im also pretty sure you cant wear a Russian Mil parade uniform on the soil of USA

I think its best you call any Marine recruiter office and ask them if its legal to wear the uniforms in public for uhm people of any race creed or color. (be creative in making sure he knows your not talking about yourself.)

I also know that when a marine is recruited, they are repeatedly told on how much better their uniform looks then other services etc etc, so they have pride in their uniform?.

Just thought you should know.

EDIT:
P.S (My 5 cents) if they guy really wanted to go after you, he would have already done it and not just talk about it.

 

[Michael Wechsler]

LOL.... no question that members of the military are very proud of their areas of service. It's also good advice about rules and regulations.

 

[Mestopholes]

Seems to be a lot of rumors from friends of friends that know Marines and what not.. I figured I'd register up today and reply with a real Marine's take on the subject matter.

Yes the Stolen Valor Act applies to falsely wearing medals that were not earned. Also a lot of the uniforms we wear are most definitely available at your local surplus store. (Heck, they're available at Japanese surplus stores here in Japan. I mean how weird is it to see Japanese people walk the streets with our digital camoflauge cut off into cargo shorts or something? lol)

But I ask for you to keep a few things in mind. All military servicemembers keep tradition and orders in high regards, but Marines are usually more outspoken about it. In the Marine Corps, we are not authorized to wear certain uniforms outside of a military installation/base, i.e. our camoflauge utilities & certain dress uniforms. But those that we are allowed to wear, we always need to wear them perfectly, there are written orders on exactly how to wear every single piece of the uniform. Also as Marines we are charged with correcting those that wear them improperly without hesitation. I just suggest that you make sure you understand the Stolen Valor Act completely, since I'm sure that's the only thing they can try to use against you. There are a lot of people in this world with bad intentions once obtaining a Marine uniform. There are E-Mails going out across the Marine Corps with pictures of "Phony Marines" and it's a pretty big thing right now. But as long as you keep rank insignia off, and not claim to be a servicemember, there should be no problem at all.

:no: I'm not even going to get into morality/ethics on it, just the fact that unknowing or ignorant people could look at someone in uniform and think they're in the military when they're really not.. Kind of grinds my gears in a way, whether or not they're trying the best they can to inform people that they are not in the service.

But to wrap it up, the only people I forsee you having problems with in these pictures are Marines. You can wear just about all uniforms from any other service off base/out in town.

-Corporal Martin, USMC

 

[jharris352]

I know it isn't illegal, but it is disrespectful to wear a marine uniform without having earned it. Find something else to wear. There are some Marines who will take a great deal of offense and they aren't really the people to piss off.

 

[Mitchel]

I'm curious as to which uniform you are talking about. Is it the Marine Dress Uniform or just a set of BDU's (camouflaged uniform) that you can but almost anywhere?