Delaware cracks down on those who impersonate military personnel

People seeking benefits by posing as veterans, active duty military or military personnel could now face a stiff fine under law signed Tuesday in Delaware by Gov. Jack Markell.

House Bill 80 expands the crime of criminal impersonation to include people who falsely claim to be current or past members of the U.S. military for the purpose of obtaining money, property or other benefits.        

The legislation also applies to veterans who try to benefit by deceptively claiming a higher rank then they achieved.

“The idea that there are people who would impersonate themselves to be veterans or be veterans of a higher rank runs against everything our country stands for,” said Markell. “We are hopeful that this will really bring attention to that issue and that we’ll see less of it because we’re so grateful to our veterans for all they do.”

Officials say the Class A misdemeanor carries a minimum fine of $1,000 that cannot be suspended by a judge.