Reid J. Epstein, The New York Times; Wes Moore and the Bronze Star He Claimed but Never Received
"Doug Sterner, a military historian and Vietnam veteran considered to be a leading researcher on military service claims, said that minor exaggerations about military service were common, but that imprecision about awards was more serious.
“Every veteran — I mean every veteran, even if they won’t admit it — has told a war story or embellished a little bit, but usually not about awards,” said Mr. Sterner, who helped draft the original version of the Stolen Valor Act, a law that criminalizes some false claims of military accomplishments, though not such assertions about a Bronze Star. “When you start embellishing about awards, then it becomes a problem.”"
