A bit of colored ribbon: the history of medals -- Buy a medal -- be a hero -- There ought to be a law -- The stolen valor act -- It'll take an Act of Congress -- It's not like I killed somebody or something -- Going back to where I've never been -- Mother me, smother me, I've suffered much -- Putting the con on Congress -- Putting the con in Congress -- The monster in the closet -- What else are you lying about? -- A lie too far (Xavier Alvarez) -- Rick Strandlof -- a man for all reasons -- The constitutional right to lie -- Stolen valor act 2.0 -- The other side of stolen valor: improperly denied heroism -- The final indignity -- Appendix 1: How to spot a phony -- Appendix 2: FOIA & understanding military records -- Appendix 3: resources -- Appendix 4: The case for a valor database.