Stolen Valor-
1) When a civilian who was never military, therefore never earned the rights and privileges associated with the honor of wearing the uniform, wear one due to any of the following reasons:

A.To get discounts or free services/drinks, etc at stores or cafes.
B. They are trying to attract the attention of the opposite sex, or they just want people's attention and thanks.

2) When a real soldier wears decorations and devices, and ranks that they never earned. For example, a real U.S. Army Private could easily give himself the Medal of Honor by looking it up online and buying one.

Most of the time, civilians have no idea how to properly wear the uniform. This includes stringent grooming and uniform standards not being followed (i.e. long beards, wearing covers indoors, tucking in blouses, wrong undershirts), putting patches in the wrong places, mixing different patches, ranks/rates (i.e. wearing PO3 ranks on an Army Uniform while claiming to be a PFC), not having an I.D. card or mixing information (i.e. saying they are Army but trained at Parris Island and Penelton,) or wearing the wrong uniforms or wearing it incorrectly(i.e. wearing the M.C.C.U.U off base or using the outdated Battle Dress Uniform) Oftentimes, these create hilariously inaccurate results, such as a person claiming to be a Marine Gunnery Sergeant wearing an ACU with M81 camo scheme, Airborne and Ranger tabs, a SEAL device, and ribbons on a Utility uniform.
Dude, your wearing a CIB on a MCCUU. You shouldnt even be WEARING your cammies off base. Thats Stolen Valor!

Ima call this guy out, Stolen Valor
by Riley Aldrin Shepherd December 31, 2016
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People who claim to be in the Military but are not truly in the Military. A lot of people like to do this by wearing armed forces uniforms with a lot of medals, which are usually incorrect and out-of-place. People who do this disrespectful activity are usually BCT drop outs or people that did not have the apitude and/or courage to join the Military. Sadly, this is not illegal, but is only illegal if they use the uniform to get some kind of reward.
The Stolen Valor coward with the ACU's on with Ranger, sniper, airborne and many other patches that he clearly did not earn was called out by the man who ACTUALLY served in the Army.
by 1-800-PAIN January 21, 2015
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In addition to the Stolen Valor Act of 2013 (Federal law), Stolen Valor (Urban Dictionary) also encompasses the flaunting of prior peacetime military service (by way of hat/cap or other military garb), in order to obtain undeserved social benefits and/or in order to seek admiration, act cool, or be macho. Example: When a prior peacetime service member contracts a serious, sometimes-fatal disease, caused by prior intravenous, illicit drug use and thereafter that service member deceitfully obtains disability benefits from the U.S. Government and later uses a "Disabled Vet" license plate in order to park in handicapped spaces, when that individual's physical limitations are not impaired whatsoever.
Just another case of a parking thief using #Stolen Valor when nothing is wrong with them. A simple case of #Stolen Valor, urban style. He/she is just using #Stolen Valor to get in front of the others. If it were not for his/her #Stolen Valor, he/she would have to wait like the rest of us.
by Unstoppable Karma September 21, 2019
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In addition to the Stolen Valor Act of 2013 (Federal law), Stolen Valor (Urban Dictionary) also encompasses the flaunting of prior peacetime military service (by way of hat/cap or other military garb), in order to obtain undeserved social benefits and/or in order to seek admiration, act cool, or be macho. Example: When a prior peacetime service member contracts a serious, sometimes-fatal disease, caused by prior intravenous, illicit drug use and thereafter that service member deceitfully obtains disability benefits from the U.S. Government and later uses a "Disabled Vet" license plate in order to park in handicapped spaces, when that individual's physical limitations are not impaired whatsoever.
Just another case of a parking thief using #Stolen Valor when nothing is wrong with them. A simple case of #Stolen Valor, urban style. He/she is just using #Stolen Valor to get in front of the others. If it were not for his/her #Stolen Valor, he/she would have to wait like the rest of us.
by Unstoppable Karma September 23, 2019
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False claims of military service or honor in any form.
This guy showed up to an event in a very inaccurately assembled military uniform which is clearly a sign of stolen valor.
by Bryan McMasters December 22, 2014
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a person who uses someone else's stories they know or a story they have heard about the military as their own and claims the story to be legitimatized due to their connection with said individual. The person does not dress or impersonate by using uniforms but claims veteran privilege by their association.

vets can also be part of soft stolen valor if they embellish their own accomplishments.
Soft stolen valor is claimed by my neighbor because his brother served in Iraq.
soft stolen valor was claimed by a military individual who served but never was deployed into action
by ancientalienrockdweller June 16, 2021
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When you're wearing college perch that's not yours. Like some kind of poser. You are practising stolen valor.
Hey, did you see that gremlin wearing the Harvard sweater with the Yale hat and Princeton shades? Buddy's also wearing a stanford belt. What a moron practising stolen valor.
by October 10, 2023
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