Veteran's disgust at fake war medals, sold readily on Temu and eBay
Replicas of medals awarded to those who served are widely available through online retailers, including Temu and eBay, and at numerous museums and dealers throughout the country.
The sale or purchase of military medals is legal in Australia, although it is illegal for a person to falsely represent themselves as a veteran by wearing medals in public.
Read more from The Senior
Greg Carter served 12 months in Vietnam with the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. He has the full bar of medals that were received by all Vietnam veterans, as well as a Vietnam Combat Badge.
He said he was disturbed by the knowledge that medals designed to honour those who served are available to the general public.
"I, with others, had to earn that [right to wear medals] by being in a war zone," he said.
'To see other people who have not even done any military service wearing it, to me, it just diminishes the worth of the badge or the medal to start with.
"Numerous veterans and [members of] the public I have talked with are disgusted this is happening."
Mr Carter, of Portland in Victoria, first became aware that replica medals were being sold after finding a range of medals in the gift shop of a museum in Western Australia.
"I said to the lady behind the counter, 'Can anybody buy these?' And she said, 'Yes, and I said, I don't think that's right'."
A spokesperson from RSL Australia said there is nothing that can be done to stop retailers selling the medals.
"Ideally, seeking proof of service or entitlement to medals would be sought," they said.
It is not illegal to buy or sell replica military medals in Australia, although they must not be represented as the genuine article or use the Commonwealth Coat of Arms or other Defence emblems without authorisation. The Department of Defence encourages the purchase of replica medals by veterans whose originals were lost or stolen, or who want to preserve their originals.
It is illegal for a person to wear military medals, or replicas of medals that were not conferred to them under the 1903 Defence Act.
Wearing medals to represent a deceased relative is allowed, but medals should be worn on the right-hand side, as opposed to veterans, who wear their medals on the left.
Mr Carter says he has contacted 22 different companies, all of whom were willing to sell him multiple medals without verifying who he was or why he wanted them.
"My issue is the fact that the people who buy them probably have got no idea about what the medals firstly mean, and secondly, there's a protocol for wearing them."
Mr Carter feels retailers should be forced to inform buyers of the laws and protocols surrounding the wearing of replica medals.
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
A Vietnam War veteran felt disgusted after discovering replica military medals, many of them almost identical to the originals, were being sold and were readily available to the public.
Replicas of medals awarded to those who served are widely available through online retailers, including Temu and eBay, and at numerous museums and dealers throughout the country.
The sale or purchase of military medals is legal in Australia, although it is illegal for a person to falsely represent themselves as a veteran by wearing medals in public.
Read more from The Senior
Greg Carter served 12 months in Vietnam with the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. He has the full bar of medals that were received by all Vietnam veterans, as well as a Vietnam Combat Badge.
He said he was disturbed by the knowledge that medals designed to honour those who served are available to the general public.
"I, with others, had to earn that [right to wear medals] by being in a war zone," he said.
'To see other people who have not even done any military service wearing it, to me, it just diminishes the worth of the badge or the medal to start with.
"Numerous veterans and [members of] the public I have talked with are disgusted this is happening."
Mr Carter, of Portland in Victoria, first became aware that replica medals were being sold after finding a range of medals in the gift shop of a museum in Western Australia.
"I said to the lady behind the counter, 'Can anybody buy these?' And she said, 'Yes, and I said, I don't think that's right'."
A spokesperson from RSL Australia said there is nothing that can be done to stop retailers selling the medals.
"Ideally, seeking proof of service or entitlement to medals would be sought," they said.
It is not illegal to buy or sell replica military medals in Australia, although they must not be represented as the genuine article or use the Commonwealth Coat of Arms or other Defence emblems without authorisation. The Department of Defence encourages the purchase of replica medals by veterans whose originals were lost or stolen, or who want to preserve their originals.
It is illegal for a person to wear military medals, or replicas of medals that were not conferred to them under the 1903 Defence Act.
Wearing medals to represent a deceased relative is allowed, but medals should be worn on the right-hand side, as opposed to veterans, who wear their medals on the left.
Mr Carter says he has contacted 22 different companies, all of whom were willing to sell him multiple medals without verifying who he was or why he wanted them.
"My issue is the fact that the people who buy them probably have got no idea about what the medals firstly mean, and secondly, there's a protocol for wearing them."
Mr Carter feels retailers should be forced to inform buyers of the laws and protocols surrounding the wearing of replica medals.
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
A Vietnam War veteran felt disgusted after discovering replica military medals, many of them almost identical to the originals, were being sold and were readily available to the public.
Replicas of medals awarded to those who served are widely available through online retailers, including Temu and eBay, and at numerous museums and dealers throughout the country.
The sale or purchase of military medals is legal in Australia, although it is illegal for a person to falsely represent themselves as a veteran by wearing medals in public.
Read more from The Senior
Greg Carter served 12 months in Vietnam with the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. He has the full bar of medals that were received by all Vietnam veterans, as well as a Vietnam Combat Badge.
He said he was disturbed by the knowledge that medals designed to honour those who served are available to the general public.
"I, with others, had to earn that [right to wear medals] by being in a war zone," he said.
'To see other people who have not even done any military service wearing it, to me, it just diminishes the worth of the badge or the medal to start with.
"Numerous veterans and [members of] the public I have talked with are disgusted this is happening."
Mr Carter, of Portland in Victoria, first became aware that replica medals were being sold after finding a range of medals in the gift shop of a museum in Western Australia.
"I said to the lady behind the counter, 'Can anybody buy these?' And she said, 'Yes, and I said, I don't think that's right'."
A spokesperson from RSL Australia said there is nothing that can be done to stop retailers selling the medals.
"Ideally, seeking proof of service or entitlement to medals would be sought," they said.
It is not illegal to buy or sell replica military medals in Australia, although they must not be represented as the genuine article or use the Commonwealth Coat of Arms or other Defence emblems without authorisation. The Department of Defence encourages the purchase of replica medals by veterans whose originals were lost or stolen, or who want to preserve their originals.
It is illegal for a person to wear military medals, or replicas of medals that were not conferred to them under the 1903 Defence Act.
Wearing medals to represent a deceased relative is allowed, but medals should be worn on the right-hand side, as opposed to veterans, who wear their medals on the left.
Mr Carter says he has contacted 22 different companies, all of whom were willing to sell him multiple medals without verifying who he was or why he wanted them.
"My issue is the fact that the people who buy them probably have got no idea about what the medals firstly mean, and secondly, there's a protocol for wearing them."
Mr Carter feels retailers should be forced to inform buyers of the laws and protocols surrounding the wearing of replica medals.
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
A Vietnam War veteran felt disgusted after discovering replica military medals, many of them almost identical to the originals, were being sold and were readily available to the public.
Replicas of medals awarded to those who served are widely available through online retailers, including Temu and eBay, and at numerous museums and dealers throughout the country.
The sale or purchase of military medals is legal in Australia, although it is illegal for a person to falsely represent themselves as a veteran by wearing medals in public.
Read more from The Senior
Greg Carter served 12 months in Vietnam with the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. He has the full bar of medals that were received by all Vietnam veterans, as well as a Vietnam Combat Badge.
He said he was disturbed by the knowledge that medals designed to honour those who served are available to the general public.
"I, with others, had to earn that [right to wear medals] by being in a war zone," he said.
'To see other people who have not even done any military service wearing it, to me, it just diminishes the worth of the badge or the medal to start with.
"Numerous veterans and [members of] the public I have talked with are disgusted this is happening."
Mr Carter, of Portland in Victoria, first became aware that replica medals were being sold after finding a range of medals in the gift shop of a museum in Western Australia.
"I said to the lady behind the counter, 'Can anybody buy these?' And she said, 'Yes, and I said, I don't think that's right'."
A spokesperson from RSL Australia said there is nothing that can be done to stop retailers selling the medals.
"Ideally, seeking proof of service or entitlement to medals would be sought," they said.
It is not illegal to buy or sell replica military medals in Australia, although they must not be represented as the genuine article or use the Commonwealth Coat of Arms or other Defence emblems without authorisation. The Department of Defence encourages the purchase of replica medals by veterans whose originals were lost or stolen, or who want to preserve their originals.
It is illegal for a person to wear military medals, or replicas of medals that were not conferred to them under the 1903 Defence Act.
Wearing medals to represent a deceased relative is allowed, but medals should be worn on the right-hand side, as opposed to veterans, who wear their medals on the left.
Mr Carter says he has contacted 22 different companies, all of whom were willing to sell him multiple medals without verifying who he was or why he wanted them.
"My issue is the fact that the people who buy them probably have got no idea about what the medals firstly mean, and secondly, there's a protocol for wearing them."
Mr Carter feels retailers should be forced to inform buyers of the laws and protocols surrounding the wearing of replica medals.
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
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