WASHINGTON – A video of a former Army sergeant confronting a man who
claimed to be a former Army Ranger has been viewed more than 2 million times
and has sparked a request for a criminal investigation.
According to the Bucks County
(Pennsylvania) Courier Times, 26-year-old Ryan Berk took the video with
his cellphone after overhearing the the so-called Ranger speak with customers
in a shoe store and noticing discrepancies in the Ranger’s patches and
insignias.
The unidentified man wore his flag patch too low and had three Combat
Infantryman Badges, an honor which is bestowed for each mission or campaign,
such as the War on Terror, not per tour of duty. A service member who served
in both Iraq and Afghanistan would only receive one such badge, for example.
Berk tells the paper that he served in Afghanistan from 2010 to 2011 with the
Army’s 101st Airborne Division. In the video, Berk peppered the other man with
questions about his service including his rank, where he went for basic
training and why he would be shopping with his sergeant major on Black Friday.
Guardian of Valor, an organization with a mission to expose those who lie
about or exaggerate their military service, posted the video on its YouTube
page.
“Stolen valor at its finest,” Berk tells the man in the video. “What you’re
doing right now is illegal….I’ve had friends get killed in Afghanistan
wearing that … uniform.”
Monday, U.S. Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick, who represents Bucks County, sent a letter
asking the U.S. attorney’s office in Philadelphia to investigate the
unidentified man for violating the Stolen Valor Act of 2013, which Fitzpatrick
sponsored. Under the law, it is illegal for anyone to use military decorations
or medals with the intent to obtain money, property other tangible benefits,
according to the Courier Times.
It is unclear from the video whether the man was trying to benefit from any
military discounts often offered to active duty military members and veterans.
Fox & Friends interviewed Berk about the confrontation:
Editor’s note: This video contains foul language and may be offensive to
some.
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