Veteran gets surprising response after selling his Army medal on eBay

When Bill Shephard, 43, from Woodbury, New Jersey, came home from Iraq in 2009, he returned to his previous job at Best Buy -- that is, until his department shut down. After his unemployment ran out, Shephard worked odd jobs to provide for his wife and kids, but he couldn't make ends meet. That's when he turned to his last resort. Hoping to raise enough money to buy a lawnmower and start a landscaping business, he made a painful decision: He would sell the Achievement Medal he had earned in the Army. Shephard put the medal on eBay, along with a message explaining his intentions. Word spread quickly, and eBay users were so touched by the veteran's resourcefulness, the bidding price soared. It topped out at a whopping $5,200. Offers of clothes, jobs, and other donations also came in. Said Shephard, "It was beyond anything I would have ever expected."

news.yahoo.com...link

I thought I would share this story with the ATS community. I found it interesting and I really do not know what to think on the matter.

There is a video in the link.

What is your take on the matter of the guy selling his medal?

reply to post by liejunkie01


I think he did what he had to do to survive. In today's world, things are getting so bad that people are literally having to think of doing whatever they can to have some hope and survive. His path was an honorable one, and this a great story for ATS.

Wow I have 6 medals, I could sell them on ebay and then go buy them again for less than $20 a piece.

I wonder how many times I could get away with it...

reply to post by ANOK


With six medals and a good story, you could probably do pretty well.

Can you really get them for $20? Is that a replacement fee or something?

I think he did what a lot of us have done before. Only he used Ebay instead of a pawn shop. He probably hated selling it, but he earned it and he can sell it if need be.

I love how we can come together in times like this simply because I hate hearing bad news all day every day. We need to have our faith restored on occasion.

It would be really nice if the guy wound up being able to keep the medal in the end though.

reply to post by liejunkie01


You can buy them online genuine medals, not replicas.

www.usamilitarymedals.com...

reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe


He wouldn't get anything for it at a pawn shop, they know what they cost lol.

reply to post by liejunkie01


Don't get me wrong but doesn't anyone find it sad that a vet has to sell his medals, let alone work at Best Buy?

I thought that serving in the military would guarantee you a cushy job of sorts? Best Buy?

Not only our vets, but other unemployed people deserve better than a dinky retail job.

As for the medals? It's true that you do what you need to do to survive. I sold some of my DVDs/CDs/video games the last time I was unemployed to get by.

A war vet selling his accomplishments he earned serving with his life at stake, struggles. Meanwhile the government is going full steam ahead getting these illegals better situated in life. America doesn't care about the troops anymore, just immigrants coming in to fill the cheap labor tptb demand.

I hope he does really well and is able to employ other vets, good for him.

Originally posted by ANOK
reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe

 

He wouldn't get anything for it at a pawn shop, they know what they cost lol.

Also, hock shops do not have a heart or a conscience. They take your beloved items and give you a pittance in return, and if you opt to redeem your properly at a later date, they charge you interest through the roof.

Never go to a hock shop with a sob story. It just gives them a hard on.

What this story says to me is that despite the non-stop whining about the us military, there are still people with morals and can tell when a man is down. Not every one who serves is a murderer. Not everyone who serves is that guy. They are brothers, sisters, fathers, uncles, mothers, sons and daughters. To someone.

It's sad he had to resort to this, but look at what happened.

I just hope there are no shonky charlatans out there buying $20 medals and selling sob stories because all that will happen is the jaded sword of distrust will sever the heart from the soul...

reply to post by The Sword


Serving doesn't secure anything except disgruntled left wing sooks that ensure they rally around you in contempt at your sacrifice, given their formative years and having had so much life experience by age 15.

You need to be a politician that sends troops in to kill and die, then you are secured a fancy benefit packet after serving your time sitting on your bum telling society how great you are as you pilfer taxes into your luxury jaunts and holidays.

I swear most people get into politics so that at the end, if they have not entirely fumbled the game, they still reap an award that is so disgustingly exorbitant it makes people who slug their hearts out every day wither in pointlessness.

Politicians, they get how it's played. And they willingly play by the rules. the rules having been laid out by themselves.

reply to post by mainidh


Left wing sooks?

Excuse me?

I am one of those "sooks" (WTF is that anyway?).

Originally posted by The Sword
reply to post by liejunkie01

 

Don't get me wrong but doesn't anyone find it sad that a vet has to sell his medals, let alone work at Best Buy?

I thought that serving in the military would guarantee you a cushy job of sorts? Best Buy?

Not only our vets, but other unemployed people deserve better than a dinky retail job.

As for the medals? It's true that you do what you need to do to survive. I sold some of my DVDs/CDs/video games the last time I was unemployed to get by.

Usually it does my brother in law was given a job as a mail man right after he went home. He makes bank and it is a pretty easy job.

The Medal of Honor has protections making it illegal to sell.

In 2005 Congress passed the "Stolen Valor Act" which protected all other military medals.

9th Circuit Court ruled the Stolen Valor Act was "Unconstitutional".....but the case went to the Supreme Court and they say it IS Constitutional.

This guy might end up spending 6 months in jail:

www.law.cornell.edu...

Supreme Court saying it is Constitutional:

www.supremecourt.gov...

Good for him! Im glad the hearts of some people still see and act in a giving selfless manner.

We can only save us. I wish him all success in his venture.