Man arrested for wearing military attire released on $10,000 bond

[Earth_First]

Man arrested for wearing military attire released on $10,000 bond
BY DON SINGLETON

New York Daily News

NEW YORK - (KRT) - Wearing a full-dress Marine uniform festooned with two dozen medals is proper attire for a military funeral - unless you never served in the military.

A New Jersey bus driver who hasn't spent a day in the armed services but loved to dress up as a Marine hero - even at a funeral Mass for an Iraq war vet - was released after a Newark court hearing Friday on $10,000 bond.

Walter Carlson, 58, of Summit, N.J., was arrested Wednesday at services for Marine Lt. John Wroblewski, 25, of Jefferson Township, N.J.

Wroblewski, who died after an April 7 shootout, was buried Friday at Arlington National Cemetery.

At the services for him in New Jersey, Carlson attended wearing a spiffy Marine captain's uniform. By coincidence, FBI agent Thomas Cottone, the bureau's specialist in illegal wearing of military awards, happened to be at the Washington Township church.

Carlson caught Cottone's eye right away because of the number and importance of the medals and ribbons, including the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism against an enemy, two Silver Stars for gallantry in action, two Bronze Stars for heroism and three purple hearts for being wounded in action.

When a band played the Marine Corps Hymn, Cottone was convinced.

"Anyone who's been a Marine more than two seconds would have snapped to attention, and he didn't," he said.

Afterward, he asked Carlson where he'd earned the medals, but the stories came apart. Carlson confessed he was a wanna-be who borrowed ID to buy the Marine clothes and medals at a military store.

"People who wear these medals falsely do a disservice to those who earned them," Cottone said. "If you want to be in the military, visit your nearest recruiter."

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© 2004, New York Daily News.

[Misinformed01]

1. And Bush wasn't even ridiculed in the press

even though he wore that fake flight suit, and admitted flying that expensive plane.

Whatthehellever.

[IronLionZion]

5. Let's arrest him immediately!

and Michael Dukakis too!

[Bluzmann57]

2. What a piece of work this guy is

Who does he think he is, G.W. Bush? Come to think of it, maybe bush should be put in jail on the same charges as this guy. Think flight suit.

[Bozita]

3. "Dress-Up" is the President's favorite activity

Now, here's an interesting job specialty:

"By coincidence, FBI agent Thomas Cottone, the bureau's specialist in illegal wearing of military awards, happened to be at the Washington Township church."

[IronLionZion]

4. Why sell medals?

so anyone with a military ID can buy whatever awards he wants? :wtf:

[Earth_First]

6. At Clothing & Sales on post...

you can buy anything under the sun concerning medals & ribbons

[Hav]

7. .

10 silver stars and 50 Purple Hearts for Dubah...

[Toucano]

8. The FBI has a specialist?

Thank god they're investing in intelligence to protect us from bogus medal wearers!

Oh, mighty bureau! Protect us from the posers!

[0007]

9. This is just a reflection of how phony our society has become,

If the prez can do why can't this nut?

[Love Bug]

10. Do you have a link?

I need to send this to a few people I know. Thanks.