Actually no Cat, if you look at the other reg I listed above it covers selling such medals. You have to be approved by the US Government to sell military medals. It isn't really followed closely though, as evidenced by the sale of medals on E-bay. But if the US Government wanted to crack down they could.

You gotta remember RDDR that most people who play this game are civilians with little or no background in the military, or at least the US military. Yeah, a bronze star with the V device is much different than a regular bronze star (both can only be awarded in wartime, one for direct combat action, the other for service during a time frame during a combat operation) but most people just know 'bronze star'. Don't be too hard on them, at least they acknowlege there is a medal.

OK..Understood.

Good find. I will see what may come of this, though I'll be outta town for about 3 weeks starting tomorrow.

Take a laptop so you don't have to stop patching. Just kidding, have a safe trip.

Fortunately I don't own a laptop :D. Besides, I think I'll take that "Post captain" book with me... and am looking forward to reading it.

SECNAVINST 1650.1H

121. PROTECTION OF AWARDS. 18 U.S.C. S704 prohibits, and
imposes a suitable penalty for the unauthorized wear,
manufacture, or sale of any decoration, medal, or ribbon which
has been or may be authorized by the Armed Forces of the United
States, except under regulations made under law.

Title 18 Section 704 in United States Code:

(a) In General.— Whoever knowingly wears, manufactures, or sells any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces of the United States, or any of the service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, or the ribbon, button, or rosette of any such badge, decoration or medal, or any colorable imitation thereof, except when authorized under regulations made pursuant to law, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.
(b) Congressional Medal of Honor.—
(1) In general.— If a decoration or medal involved in an offense under subsection (a) is a Congressional Medal of Honor, in lieu of the punishment provided in that subsection, the offender shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.
(2) Definitions.—
(A) As used in subsection (a) with respect to a Congressional Medal of Honor, “sells” includes trades, barters, or exchanges for anything of value.
(B) As used in this subsection, “Congressional Medal of Honor” means—
(i) a medal of honor awarded under section 3741, 6241, or 8741 of title 10 or section 491 of title 14;
(ii) a duplicate medal of honor issued under section 3754, 6256, or 8754 of title 10 or section 504 of title 14; or
(iii) a replacement of a medal of honor provided under section 3747, 6253, or 8747 of title 10 or section 501 of title 14.

Too bad there is no definition for "colorable imitation." That is the only one that comes close to including computer games. I'd want to know if that means a "tangible" imitation or does it include a "virtual" imitation. The reason it may make a difference is that these laws were written before computer games. However, they weren't written before cinema, and as far as I know, medals have been displayed on actors . . . so that is a precedent for "virtual" imitation.

The only thing I could find - but in the copyright part of the code:

The term “colorable imitation” includes any mark which so resembles a registered mark as to be likely to cause confusion or mistake or to deceive.

Maybe with the post processing filters, the Department of Heraldry thought they were looking at real medals.