How to Spot Fake Armed Forces Uniforms

It is a federal offense to wear a fake military uniform or unearned medals because of the 2005 Stolen Valor Act. May people still wear fake uniforms in order to get benefits and attention. Civilians can have great difficulty spotting an imposter which can make it difficult to not be taken advantage of.

• Make sure that the insignias worn on the uniform all match. If you see an Army insignia as well as an insignia for the Marines, you can be sure that the uniform is a fake. 


• Pay attention to where any ribbons or medals are placed on the uniform. Each branch has a specific placement and you can go online to find out where each medal or ribbon should be placed. 


• Look at the placement of the patches for qualifications and names. Name patches are always on the right side while qualification patches are over the left breast pocket. These patches could also be on the pocket. These are the patches that say what courses a soldier has passed such as Diver. 


• Check for current uniforms. Every so often the military changes the way their uniforms look. If someone's uniform does not match the current ones, then it is most likely fake. 


• Compare the medals that are on the uniform to a database like the Home of Heroes database. These databases have the names of all military personnel who have received a medal and what each stands for. If the person's name doesn't match the database, they have not earned their medals. Also check the dates of the medals. If a young person has a Korean war medal, most likely the medal and uniform are fake.


• Pay attention to how the uniform looks. The military requres that all uniforms be clean, pressed and crisp with shoes polished and hats on straight. A uniform that includes scuffed shoes or that is wrinkled is fake. 


• Ask questions if you are unsure whether or not someone is wearing a fake uniform. You could ask what unit someone is in and if they tell you it is a secret, then you know they and their uniform are fake. Even those who are in specialized units do not say that their unit is a secret; they simply make up a name.