Charles "Chuck" Schantag, Man of Valor; November 22, 1947 - February 23, 3012
Patriot Charles “Chuck” Schantag, Jr., 64, Branson, MO, died from a massive heart attack on Thursday, February 23, during an outdoor shooting activity. A disabled Vietnam veteran/Marine/India Third Battalion, Fifth Company, and wounded during the Tet 68 Offensive, he was a recipient of the Military Medal of the Purple Heart
Chuck founded in 1989 the first comprehensive database online for POWs/MIAs www.pownetwork.org and was lauded by the Department of Defense for this work. He and wife Mary then expanded the website – before passage of the Stolen Valor Act – to include thousands of names of military phonies. (Such hoaxers often wear or brag about unearned medals of valor or heroism. Among those who’ve assisted the Schantags in listing, tracking and catching these liars: members of the Special Operations community, including, but limited to, Navy SEALs, FBI, military branches and their online communities, veterans’ organizations, law enforcement personnel and civilians.
What Chuck and Mary have done – always as unpaid volunteers – goes beyond their online database. They’ve long been known for major involvement in numerous activities during the annual November Veterans Week in Branson. This includes as co-hosts of the military gala/ball at which there’s a special remembrance of POWs/MIAs.
As for the Schantags’ drive to unmask, catch military imposters – and during the week immediately after Chuck’s death – two news stories broke. US Supreme Court justices heard arguments against and for the federally mandated 2006 Stolen Valor Act (SVA). (Awaiting the ruling). The crux of the case: Is speaking or writing about unearned medals, a misdemeanor under the SVA, protected under the First Amendment’s speech freedoms. Chuck and Mary were proponents of the SVA, wrote testimony which appeared before Congress in 2005 and in last month’s Supreme Court case.
The second Chuck Schantag-related news story in late February? In a meeting with the military establishment – veterans, representatives of related groups, some top-ranking Armed Force officers, and several Congressional representatives – urged: Expand military personnel records to contain medals and other decorations of valor, heroism. (Earlier, Chuck had provided documentation in support of this as a way to further expose military charlatans, including those who falsely claim to having been POWs.)
Those who pled their case, including veteran, Doug Sterner, whose Home of Heroes website lists bona fide medal recipients, said adding the names of those who've received, and will receive, medals to a digitalized/centralized database wouldn't be complicated, that it would take about six months. This information could be transferred from volunteers' already established and maintained databases. Among several reasons for the centralized database – IF it's funded: the government/taxpayers would save money that's illegally gained when applicants for military-related disabilities submit forged documents to the Veterans Administration. If such papers listed medals, the VA could check the database as another of its tool to uncover frauds.
To read (1) more about Chuck’s Vietnam and after history, (2) send sympathy messages and, (3) to donate to Mary – she’s in transition, her income having suddenly vanished, is struggling to pay funeral expenses – go to the website set up by SEAL veteran/Schantags' longtime friend, Don Shipley http://www.indiegogo.com/chuckschantagmemorialfund
Charles “Chuck” Schantag Honor. Courage. Commitment. Semper Fidelis.
