 President George W. Bush signed the Stolen Valor Act of 2005 , ( 18 U.S.C. § 704 ) , into law on December 20 , 2006 . The Act broadens previous provisions addressing the unauthorized wear , manufacture , or sale of any military decorations and medals by making it a misdemeanor to falsely represent oneself as having received any U.S. military decoration or medal . If convicted , defendants may be imprisoned for up to six months , unless the decoration lied about is the Medal of Honor , in which case imprisonment could be up to one year . Proponents in Congress argued that the law was passed to prevent impostors from " stealing the valor " of soldiers returning from engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan . 
