LOS ANGELES — A suburban water official who lied about being a Marine and receiving the Medal of Honor was sentenced Monday to more than 400 hours of community service at a Veterans Affairs hospital.
Xavier Alvarez, 50, was arrested following his comments at a Claremont water board meeting last July. The Pomona man also told a former Marine in private that he won the medal for rescuing an ambassador in Iran, according to court documents.
Alvarez pleaded guilty in May to violating the Stolen Valor Act of 2005, which makes it a misdemeanor to lie about receiving a military decoration.
Alvarez, who could have been sentenced to one year in federal prison, was placed on three years of probation and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine. He must also perform community service once a week for one year at the Loma Linda VA Hospital.
Brianna Fuller, Alvarez’s attorney, said her client is sorry for lying about the medal but intends to appeal the decision. Fuller said Alvarez’s statements are protected by the First Amendment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian said Alvarez’s refusal to resign from the board of the Three Valleys Municipal Water District shows “he has not taken the crime seriously and shown sufficient remorse.”
Thank you Military.com for covering this??? Got this from MarineCorpsTimes.com
i'd make him work in the spinal cord unit at the VA hospital. let him clean bedpans for true heroes.
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Why is it that now days there are so many people saying they were MoH winners? Don't they realize that there is a book of EVERYONE that recieved a MoH? I have it and it sits on my nightstand. Do they think that someone in the Military isn't gonna call BullS**t on them? I think there needs to be stiffer sentances for those that desicrate our top Medal!
Have any one of you meet a MOH winner. I met a Marine legend a few yars back while he was visiting my neighbor who was going to the War College at Ft Leavenworth. Wes Fox is his name and he won the MOH in Vietnam....A Marines Marine, at age 73 it looked like he could run a 300 PFT....
Originally posted by TomHansen: Have any one of you meet a MOH winner?
I've had the distinct pleasure of meeting quite a few of them throughout my 38-year association with the Corps.
All awesome Marine heroes, indeed.
Semper Fidelis, font
I also..... Had the pleasure of serving with this gent,
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KELLOGG, ALLAN JAY, JR.
Rank and organization: Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps (then S/Sgt.), Company G, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. place and date: Quang Nam province, Republic of Vietnam, 11 March 1970. Entered service at: Bridgeport, Conn. Born: 1 October 1943, Bethel, Conn. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a platoon sergeant with Company G, in connection with combat operations against the enemy on the night of 11 March 1970. Under the leadership of G/Sgt. Kellogg, a small unit from Company G was evacuating a fallen comrade when the unit came under a heavy volume of small arms and automatic weapons fire from a numerically superior enemy force occupying well-concealed emplacements in the surrounding jungle. During the ensuing fierce engagement, an enemy soldier managed to maneuver through the dense foliage to a position near the marines, and hurled a hand grenade into their midst which glanced off the chest of G/Sgt. Kellogg. Quick to act, he forced the grenade into the mud in which he was standing, threw himself over the lethal weapon and absorbed the full effects of its detonation with his body thereby preventing serious injury or possible death to several of his fellow marines. Although suffering multiple injuries to his chest and his right shoulder and arm, G/Sgt. Kellogg resolutely continued to direct the efforts of his men until all were able to maneuver to the relative safety of the company perimeter. By his heroic and decisive action in risking his life to save the lives of his comrades, G/Sgt. Kellogg reflected the highest credit upon himself and upheld the finest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service.
My Senior Drill Instructor was awarded the MOH. John McGinty...he was a S/Sgt at PI but was soon made an officer...Hell of a Marine...we didn't know about it until one of the other DIs told us right before graduation...I feel honored to have been choked and chewed out by him.
I met and worked with Colonel Modrzejewski (or Colonel Mo as we so lovingly called him) when I was stationed at MCRD San Diego what an awesome man. He was the same way looked like he could still run a 300 pft (and did) even though he no longer was required to run.
I'm sure over the years of working at the Pentagon and White House I met quite a few but don't remember them but Colonel Mo certainly stands out in my memory as an incredible man. He would tell you that he didn't deserve the honor that was bestowed upon him, but then most of the (real) recipients would tell you that as opposed to those that want to brag about the fact that they "won" one!
That is the difference, I believe, between the real recipients and the *****s that say they have one. Humility, they didn't do what they did for the recognition that it would bring them or what they could get out of it. They did it because of who they are and what they are made of.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: JHECKLER1,
I'm sure over the years of working at the Pentagon and White House I met quite a few but don't remember them but Colonel Mo certainly stands out in my memory as an incredible man. He would tell you that he didn't deserve the honor that was bestowed upon him, but then most of the (real) recipients would tell you that as opposed to those that want to brag about the fact that they "won" one!
Originally posted by JHECKLER1: Got it JD. You'll have to let me know if Col. Mo is still with us.
Got yours also. According to MOL it shows the Col as retired.
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MAJOR ROBERT J. MODRZEJEWSKI UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Commanding Officer, Company K, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines, Third Marines, Third Marine Division, in the Republic of Vietnam from 15 to 18 July 1966. On 15 July, during Operation HASTINGS, Company K was landed in an enemy infested jungle area to establish a blocking position at a major enemy trail network. Shortly after landing, the company encountered a reinforced enemy platoon in a well organized, defensive position. Major (then Captain) Modrzejewski led his men in the successful seizure of the enemy redoubt, which contained large quantities of ammunition and supplies. That evening a numerically superior enemy force counterattacked in an effort to retake the vital supply area, thus setting the pattern of activity for the next two and one-half days. In the first series of attacks, the enemy assaulted repeatedly in overwhelming numbers but each time was repulsed by the gallant Marines. The second night the enemy struck in battalion strength, and Major Modrzejewski was wounded in this intensive action which was fought at close quarters. Although exposed to enemy fire, and despite his painful wounds, he crawled 200 meters to provide critically needed ammunition to an exposed element of his command and was constantly present wherever the fighting was heaviest. Despite numerous casualties, a dwindling supply of ammunition and the knowledge that they were surrounded, he skillfully directed artillery fire to within a few meters of his position and courageously inspired the efforts of his company in repelling the aggressive enemy attack. On 18 July, Company K was attacked by a regimental size enemy force. Although his unit was outnumbered and weakened by the previous fighting, Major Modrzejewski reorganized his men and calmly moved among them to encourage and direct their efforts to heroic limits as they fought to overcome the vicious enemy onslaught. Again he called in air and artillery strikes at close range with devastating effect on the enemy, which together with the bold and determined fighting of the men of Company K, repulsed the fanatical attack of the larger North Vietnamese force. His unparalleled personal heroism and indomitable leadership inspired his men to a significant victory over the enemy force and reflected great credit upon himself, the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.
Zaba Search He was born in 1934, so the one in San Diego is your best bet.
I could ask Col Fox if he has his the Col's e-mail address, and if he allowed to give out if you would like to contact him. These Marine's will know each other....
Yes Tom JD got the address for us. Hubby is writing him a note to drop in the mail to see how he is fairing. He had cancer last time we talked to him and was in remission, so are just gonna see what's up.
Originally posted by TomHansen: Have any one of you meet a MOH winner. I met a Marine legend a few yars back while he was visiting my neighbor who was going to the War College at Ft Leavenworth. Wes Fox is his name and he won the MOH in Vietnam....A Marines Marine, at age 73 it looked like he could run a 300 PFT....
When I was with the 2nd Pioneer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division (Combat Engineers) our Exec was one Major Douglas Jacobson. He earned the Medal of Honor while a Pfc on Iwo Jima.
During a Battalion inspection, he stopped in front of me and asked me some map reading questions (he actually had a map in his breast pocket). Got me an "atta-a-boy" for correctly answering his questions. One of his questions was to estimate the distance from where we were standing to a tree line to the right. I 'guesstimated' 400-yards. "Very good, Corporal," he said, "I just paced off the distance myself earlier, you are spot on."
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 263, Marine Aircraft Group 16, First Marine Aircraft Wing, during operations against enemy forces in the Republic of Vietnam on 31 January 1970. Participating in a helicopter rescue mission to extract elements of a platoon which had inadvertently entered a minefield while attacking enemy positions, Private First Class Clausen skillfully guided the helicopter pilot to a landing in an area cleared by one of several mine explosions. With eleven Marines wounded, one dead, and the remaining eight Marines holding their positions for fear of detonating other mines, Private First Class Clausen quickly leaped from the helicopter and, in the face of enemy fire, moved across the extremely hazardous, mine-laden area to assist in carrying casualties to the waiting helicopter and in placing them aboard. Despite the ever-present threat of further mine explosions, he continued his valiant efforts, leaving the comparatively safe area of the helicopter on six separate occasions to carry out his rescue efforts. On one occasion while he was carrying one of the wounded, another mine detonated, killing a corpsman and wounding three other men. Only when he was certain that all Marines were safely aboard did he signal the pilot to lift the helicopter. By his courageous, determined and inspiring efforts in the face of the utmost danger, Private First Class Clausen upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.
One of his questions was to estimate the distance from where we were standing to a tree line to the right. I 'guesstimated' 400-yards. "Very good, Corporal," he said, "I just paced off the distance myself earlier, you are spot on." 
