Medal Collectors and Militaria Collectors...we have a fight on our hands.

[willysmb44]

Blacksmith, I can't argue with anything you wrote.

As for getting awardees of these medals on board, I am not sure you'll get the reaction you hope for. I know a few awardees of medals from 'Nam and more recent, and many aren't happy that people buy and sell anything like that.

Just saying that there are plenty of vets who'd back this law.

[tarbridge]

Let's be honest, as a community, we've earned some of that scorn.

 

Everytime somebody rips off a family member, peddles a fake, plays the obits to score a footlocker, etc, we collectively look bad.

 

A friend, and long time collector, passed a few years ago. People were asking his wife about his stuff at his calling hours.

 

As the saying goes, we are represented by our worst, and HAVE to start exacting some level of accountability. If somebody's selling humped up helmets, building medal groups around old newspaper clippings, etc, it has to be addressed. Silence is equivalent to complicity as I see it.

 

I'm proud to say this forum is a relative safe harbor, amidst largely dangerous seas.

 

But, if you know somebody that does shady crap, say something. Character is largely what defines us. Do I think we can completely clean up the guild? No. Where there's markets, there are thieves, but we don't have to make it easy.

 

 

 

 

 

People are People...they work or collect in different fields... Militaria...Car sales...real estate...insurance...bottle collectors...vintage items...naming a few. I don't think we have any more monsters in our community of collectors or working class than any others. That is a problem of a individual lacking in integrity.

[jguy1986]

Well, I spent a good chunk of yesterday helping to reunite a very complete posthumous Purple Heart group with the vet's grandson, so I guess we're not all greedy con artists like PHR wants the public to believe.

[tarbridge]

Well, I spent a good chunk of yesterday helping to reunite a very complete posthumous Purple Heart group with the vet's grandson, so I guess we're not all greedy con artists like PHR wants the public to believe.

Good work...

[Blacksmith]

I agree with you Robert, to the extent that there are scumbags everywhere.

 

The difference, in my opinion, is that somebody didn't die to earn the antique bottle.

 

Much ado about nothing really, as we're along for the ride at this point. Whatever is going to happen will do so, and we'll go from there.

 

People are People...they work or collect in different fields... Militaria...Car sales...real estate...insurance...bottle collectors...vintage items...naming a few. I don't think we have any more monsters in our community of collectors or working class than any others. That is a problem of a individual lacking in integrity.

[tarbridge]

I agree with you Robert, to the extent that there are scumbags everywhere.

 

The difference, in my opinion, is that somebody didn't die to earn the antique bottle.

 

Much ado about nothing really, as we're along for the ride at this point. Whatever is going to happen will do so, and we'll go from there.

 

 

The difference, in my opinion, is that somebody didn't die to earn the antique bottle.

I wouldn't argue that for a second..but now that is a different matter .

 

I'm working hard everyday on this for many reasons. We are in a no man's land until whatever happens...if it passes we will go to work even harder.

[walt323]

Here is an interesting post from Paul Cook's facebook page where he talks about HR 6234.

Congressman, I served 32 years in the Air Force, and with a law and graduate degree from a flagship history can only say that your bill to protect the Purple Heart is one of the most moronic and self-serving things I have seen a Republican and veteran put forth as of late. As a military medal collector, I received my first collectable Purple Heart from my uncle Jim, a Marine who received it for wounds in Korea with 1st MARD. Therefore the idea that collectors like myself are obtaining PHs through underhanded and nefarious means is complete and utter BS and divorced from fact. Many PHs are given away by recipients or NOK, or even sold at arm's length to those who research and honor the memory of veterans. So I don't need some lying shyster politician like yourself propagating bald-faced lies for little more than shallow political means. The bottom line is that PHs are legal chattel and nothing that you do will stop such revered objects from entering and migrating in the marketplace; moreover your attempts to malign and impugn the integrity of collectors is beneath the ethical standards one would expect of a retired Marine officer.

[TLeo]

I think he just expressed what a lot of people are thinking about this politician but haven't said. I wish more veterans/groups would look at the long term results instead of the narrow "feel good" emotions about this proposed law as well as not buy into the generalization this politician and Fike's group is pushing.

[tarbridge]

Any of you folks that are members of Military Collectibles Associations...contact them...let them know about this law...I contacted two last week and the one had no knowledge...got them to email blast the membership and I believe they will include in their next newsletter. The other I believe we will hear from soon.If you know folks in the Congressional District's of the co-sponsors...reach out and have them contact their representatives...

[cutiger83]

Here is an interesting post from Paul Cook's facebook page where he talks about HR 6234.

Congressman, I served 32 years in the Air Force, and with a law and graduate degree from a flagship history can only say that your bill to protect the Purple Heart is one of the most moronic and self-serving things I have seen a Republican and veteran put forth as of late. As a military medal collector, I received my first collectable Purple Heart from my uncle Jim, a Marine who received it for wounds in Korea with 1st MARD. Therefore the idea that collectors like myself are obtaining PHs through underhanded and nefarious means is complete and utter BS and divorced from fact. Many PHs are given away by recipients or NOK, or even sold at arm's length to those who research and honor the memory of veterans. So I don't need some lying shyster politician like yourself propagating bald-faced lies for little more than shallow political means. The bottom line is that PHs are legal chattel and nothing that you do will stop such revered objects from entering and migrating in the marketplace; moreover your attempts to malign and impugn the integrity of collectors is beneath the ethical standards one would expect of a retired Marine officer.

 

 

Calling someone a "lying shyster politician" on their facebook page is not the way to get someone to listen to your point of view. While this may be what someone is thinking, there is a tactful way of getting your point across. If this man truly has a law and graduate degree, he would know this.

[tarbridge]

 

 

Calling someone a "lying shyster politician" on their facebook page is not the way to get someone to listen to your point of view. While this may be what someone is thinking, there is a tactful way of getting your point across. If this man truly has a law and graduate degree, he would know this.

While it is not my style and I wish he would have fueled back his enthusiasm , but he is entitled to his opinion ...in effect Cook himself...cast aspersions about the collectors community first...Cook's point of view won't change period.He is not the help and aid we enlist.

[cutiger83]

While it is not my style and I wish he would have fueled back his enthusiasm , but he is entitled to his opinion ...in effect Cook himself...cast aspersions about the collectors community first...Cook's point of view won't change period.He is not the help and aid we enlist.

 

Yes. He is entitled to his opinion as are collectors. However, stooping to calling him names does not make collectors look good. While that post was not done by a forum member, we need to remember that when the USMF is mentioned to politicians, they can look on here and see comments just as well as we can see theirs.

 

We need to behave accordingly. When they go low, we go high.

[tarbridge]

 

Yes. He is entitled to his opinion as are collectors. However, stooping to calling him names does not make collectors look good. While that post was not done by a forum member, we need to remember that when the USMF is mentioned to politicians, they can look on here and see comments just as well as we can see theirs.

 

We need to behave accordingly. When they go low, we go high.

We can't control the world nor the thoughts or opinions that people bring forward. If that were the case we would not be wrestling with HR 6234...

[TLeo]

I got a reply from my representative today about this. He basically thanked me for sharing my opinion and pointed out that it had been referred back to committee and if it did come up for a vote he would keep my opinion in mind. He didn't really give an indication of support or against the bill but maybe if we make enough noise we can make the listen to us for a change.

[tarbridge]

Thank you for your efforts Tom.

[willysmb44]

I'm curious, has anyone looked into whomever is backing this, other than the lawmakers?

These bills don't come out of the air, I bet there are some vets pushing for it, somewhere.

It'd make sense to find out which vets are backing it, finding out why, then addressing that root issue.

The idea came from somewhere, and it's be interesting (and probably helpful to us) to know where/who that was.

Simple, "know your enemy" stuff, right?

[tarbridge]

Purple Hearts Reunited...Military Order of the Purple Heart...etc

[Captainofthe7th]

Has anyone here written on Cook's facebook page? I did not see any posts...I am about to write...

 

Rob

[Captainofthe7th]

Okay, I'll share here first. I am always timid to press the 'send' button without some support from peers.

 

 

It is an honor and a privilege to care for medals, including the Purple Heart, that families have discarded, sold, or entrusted to collectors. That's right, entrusted - because they understand that their family is not always interested and other passionate citizens offer a caring home where they will display and educate others about a loved one's service and sacrifice. I'm afraid there are too many unintended consequences of this bill that are far worse than your fear of collectors owning medals. It is a basic liberty for someone to deal with their private property as they choose - why would you criminalize veterans and their families if they wish to sell medals? If they want to give them away? Why would you want to criminalize the preservation of history by those who care deeply for what the medals represent? Would you rather see Purple Hearts leave this country and in the hands of collectors overseas? That is what has happened with the Medal of Honor. If an elderly widow of a veteran decides to sell his Purple Heart because her family does not want it, are you going to fine her or imprison her as the text of the bill indicates? If a veteran wishes to sell or give to someone who cares more than his family, would you fine or imprison them? I urge you to reconsider this bill in its entirety. In general, collectors agree that the right place for these medals in the family, but that is not how the world works as shown by the millions of Purple Hearts in circulation. Perhaps if you were more considerate of collectors they would be some of your biggest allies for promoting the return research, and care of medals like the Purple Heart to the family...but now they must do these generous acts humbly, without media coverage, and out their own pocket. Regardless of their efforts, appreciation and support from veterans and their families, and enthusiasm to display and educate, they are still just 'profiteers' and unrightful owners to you. How is this appropriate when they are often the ones who care most?

[TLeo]

Very well stated.

[tarbridge]

Hit the button...

[emaier3]

Very nice letter.

 

The one suggestion I would make concerns a major issue that everyone seems to miss when they talk about the multi-generational care of the Purple Heart. No one seems to remember that families do not live forever. They die off or these servieman had no family to begin with. In many cases, it is not an issue with families not wanting to care for the medal, it is an issue of no family being left to care for the medal. This is where many of the Estate Sale purchases come from. I was told by an archivist at the National Archives, that there are many KIA Purple Hearts located in the IDPF files where no family was found to present the medal to at the time of the serviceman's death. Another research in the Pennsylvania State Archives has stated to me that about 30% of the PA WWI soldiers' files that he examined did not indicate any family. What is to happen to their medals and memories under this bill? They are just to be forgotten and tossed into the trash bin of history because they dared exist without immediate family? Its a sad thing.

[Garandomatic]

Excellent letter.

[willysmb44]

Good point on foreign ownership for PHs if this law is passed, I didn't even think of that!

[MottTheHoople]

Purple Hearts Reunited says it should be illegal to buy Purple Hearts but owns hundreds of them & wants thousands of dollars to buy more (in their own words see:https://www.gofundme.com/WWIPurpleHeart). This conflict of interest is disturbing since it shows that Fike is either raising money for something that he never intends to spend it on or he is deceptively raising money to buy hearts with money that people think will not be spent on purple hearts. It is for this reason that I will be writing the Vermont attorney general to express my concerns that I believe Fike is engaging in deceptive business practices. I will make it clear that Fike must decide whether he thinks buying / owning purple hearts should be illegal or not. If his charity maintains the stance that it is illegal to buy purple hearts then they must immediately stop buying them since people donate to him under the impression that he is trying to stop this.