I just discovered a story that pissed me off more than a little bit. It turns out that Marine Sgt. Maj. Charlie Clawson was reduced in rank to Sergeant after a court-martial found him guilty of wearing military decorations he was not authorized to wear. These unauthorized items included highly regarded awards such as the Purple Heart and the Combat Action Ribbon, along with others like the NATO service medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, and various deployment and commendation ribbons. Ultimately, he was found guilty of wearing nine unauthorized awards or devices, including the Iraqi Campaign Medal and Parachutist Badge.

Clawson’s unauthorized use of these awards misrepresented his combat experience and service achievements, which is a serious offense within the military’s standards of conduct. It’s also a generally shitty thing to do ESPECIALLY if you are a Sergeant Major. And for all of that they only busted him down from E-9 to E-5. It’s not like he was put out of the service with a dishonorable discharge or something.

The charge sheet against Clawson included nine specifications under Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), encompassing false representation and conduct unbecoming of his high-ranking position. He was not charged under the official Stolen Valor Act of 2013.

The infraction period spanned from January 2019 to October 2023, during which time Clawson held several senior roles, including as the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Air Facility and the Manpower Management Division at Quantico, Virginia.

He was court-martialed on September 13, 2024 for his offenses. In addition to stolen valor, Clawson was also charged with making a false official statement when he submitted a doctoral degree and transcript from Liberty University in 2019 with “intent to deceive.” He faced nine specifications of “conduct that is prejudicial to good order and discipline” for each unearned device or award he wore.

This case has drawn public attention as one of the most significant instances of unauthorized award display, sometimes termed “stolen valor,” involving an active-duty service member.

Anthony Anderson, an Army veteran and founder of Guardian of Valor, described this case as “probably one of the biggest cases of stolen valor on active duty, especially coming from someone at the highest enlisted rank in the Marine Corps.”