“This isn’t a case of some imposter donning an obviously fraudulent uniform in efforts to receive a military discount inside of a shopping mall.”
A 68-year-old man from Wisconsin has been sentenced to four years in prison for theft and faking paperwork in an elaborate case of stolen valor. Kenneth E. Jozwiak had apparently produced fake discharge paperwork in 2014 in order to receive VA pension and benefits intended for low-income wartime veterans. Part of Jozwiak’s worst mistake was to go straight to the elite and attempt to pass himself off as a Navy SEAL. Given the nature of work that the special forces conduct, naturally the community is going to be small and close-knit. In this day and age, it’s almost impossible to steal valor undetected.
This man wasn’t so smart, though. He submitted a discharge certificate that claimed he served as a Navy SEAL from 1965 to 1968. He didn’t stop there, though. Jozwiak even claimed he was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for combat wounds he sustained in Vietnam. Upon investigation, it was discovered that every single award was false. The extent of his actual military service was revealed. He had only served one year of a four-year enlistment (from 1967 to 1968), and he was never stationed overseas.
I cannot fathom how a person would be able to live with themselves making such false claims. He went to great lengths while performing his charade, even going as far as attending a child’s elementary school where he passed himself off as a Navy SEAL veteran during an event geared toward honoring veterans. This man is clearly without a conscience.
Jozwiak also collected nearly $2,300 from the VA when he was briefly granted benefits before it was discovered that his paperwork was fraudulent. He actually has an extensive criminal record spanning decades with over 100 arrests in multiple states—to include theft-related convictions. In keeping with his character, Jozwiak also made an attempt at getting his wife to lie and say that federal agents had used an improper search warrant and stolen lingerie from her bedroom during their search. The incredibly brazen acts taken by this man possibly caused delays getting assistance to an actual combat veteran.
The queue for the VA is very long, and the disability compensation process can be especially painstaking. So many veterans who actually need help have many reservations about dealing with the VA because the agency is notoriously slow in handling matters related to benefits. While going to school with my Post 9/11 GI Bill, I once had to contact the VA to speak with an actual person and was left on hold for almost an hour before I got through to someone!
Criminals like Kenneth Jozwiak see an opportunity for some free cash, whether or not they earned it. This isn’t a case of some imposter donning an obviously fraudulent uniform in efforts to receive a military discount inside of a shopping mall. This is someone with complete disregard to actual Navy SEAL veterans, including those who have fallen. Hopefully he uses the four years behind bars to reflect on his mistakes.
