Melissa Campbell; The only casualty of US v. Alvarez
We wrote about her in August 2010 and again in March of this year but I think it’s worth it to remind some of our newer readers about Melissa Campbell, the only person to be punished in the case against Xavier Alvarez, the man who took the Stolen Valor Act to the Supreme Court.
Ms. Campbell, a former Marine herself, lost her job as a hostess when upon hearing Alvarez’ outlandish claims of invading Iran on his own and returning to the Tehran embassy to retrieve the US flag even though he was wounded, Campbell confronted Alvarez and was fired from her job soon after. But she continued to help the FBI investigate and finally arrest Alvarez.
Her employer had asked why she should care since she was out of the Marines. Obviously her employer had never been a Marine. The Supreme Court might not recognize Ms. Campbell’s sacrifice for the honor of veterans, but we, here at This Ain’t Hell will never forget.
July 12th, 2012 at 10:40 am
Wow! Being fired for being honorable surely counts as something tangible…
July 12th, 2012 at 10:40 am
Damn straight, Jonn!!
July 12th, 2012 at 10:43 am
What she did took a lot of intestinal fortitude… it shouldn’t have needed it, but I guess when you work for snivelling fecktards who know nothing of Honor it does!! Sorry she lost her job over it, but we need more of her!
July 12th, 2012 at 10:44 am
Roger that, Jonn!
July 12th, 2012 at 10:44 am
What’s even more respectable is that she’s declined the opportunity to pursue litigation against her employer in lieu of what happened. G-d bless, Marines are good people.
July 12th, 2012 at 10:50 am
I realize that it’s a bit too late for this year’s BMMSVT, but perhaps there could be a “special” award category, somewhat like a Grammy “Lifetime Non-Achievement Award”, for Southern California Edison?
SCE’s actions don’t fit into the usual Stolen Valor misdeed, in that they didn’t directly commit an SV act, but their douchebaggery treatment of her is SV-related and deserves some sort of recognition and permanent enshrinement.
July 12th, 2012 at 10:53 am
#6 Marine_7002 – Sounds good to me!
July 12th, 2012 at 10:53 am
Has an employer who actually wants employees with integrity hired her?
July 12th, 2012 at 10:54 am
I’ve said it before but she has my utmost respect and gratitude.
July 12th, 2012 at 10:59 am
According to Devil Dog’s Wifey, who claims to know Melissa, she does, in fact, have a new and better job.
July 12th, 2012 at 11:04 am
It would certainly be gratifying if, as Ann suggests, that a company that values integrity and intestinal fortitude among its employees would be looking for this young woman to fill a position.
Her employer’s response is not at all surprising to me though…very few of my colleagues care about this issue, they listen to me discuss it but it’s clear the topic has all the traction of an old lady in an icy parking lot…
Ms. Campbell is to be commended for her diligent work, God bless her, and I hope she finds a more suitable employer.
July 12th, 2012 at 11:19 am
I wish she was at Penn State in the early 90s!
July 12th, 2012 at 11:45 am
I too was an SCE employee back around the time she worked there. Wish I could say I was surprised, but I’m not.
July 12th, 2012 at 12:00 pm
Beretverde, I wish she was the head of Goldman Sachs in the early 2000s.
July 12th, 2012 at 12:33 pm
#14… Beautiful!
July 12th, 2012 at 1:47 pm
Yeah, there should be a special award for a company that fails to live up to the minimum standards of honor and integrity. It could be the “Southern California Edison Memorial Douchebag”.
July 12th, 2012 at 2:00 pm
I respect and honor what she did especially in light of what happened. But, there is no protection against the results of using your first amendment rights. Just as the SVA would not protect TSO against Dallas being a jagoff.
July 12th, 2012 at 2:21 pm
@17
Just because they can do it doesn’t mean they should…
July 12th, 2012 at 2:24 pm
@17 Thus the distinction between what is “right” and what is “legal”. Her employer had a legal right to terminate her employment, but the morality of siding with a known liar to curry favor with that liar and his cohorts leaves much in the way of a negative karmic balance….one can only hope that senior managers in that company reap a bountiful karmic harvest soon.
July 12th, 2012 at 3:15 pm
From what I see on ther internet there is only one public version of events, Ms. campbell’s. We don’t know how she confronted him or what happened to the other staff member who questioned him. We also don’t know what else may have happened that she didn’t tell the reporters about. Even so, what happened to her sucks and I am still glad she stood up for the service.
July 12th, 2012 at 3:30 pm
@20 Agreed…character like that is hard to find in an employee…
July 12th, 2012 at 3:56 pm
WOW !! — PRETTY LADY .
And, she was willing to PAY FOR, HER OWN standup action .
July 12th, 2012 at 4:01 pm
No. 16:
I know I am repeating myself, but I wanted to mention — for those who care — The AVERELL HARRIMAN MEMORIAL HIGHWAY (also known as — AKA — the ho-ho min., or hootchy-gootchy, inviltration trail through LAOS, to The Republic Of VIETNAM) .
July 12th, 2012 at 4:03 pm
*inFiltration*
July 12th, 2012 at 7:50 pm
Melissa Campbell is stand up honorable lady in my book. The Cav would love to have her any day! Thank you Melissa.
July 13th, 2012 at 12:56 am
A girl made him her bitch. He’s a sad douche.
July 13th, 2012 at 1:47 am
The beautiful lady’s uniform says it all. Cal Ed is lower than whale sh1t and that’s at the bottom of the ocean.
July 13th, 2012 at 9:30 pm
@27
Sorry, but Major Jill Metzger and her numerous AF General Officer “boyfriends/protectors” occupy an area below Moby Dick’s shite – recently “awarded” medal for “valor”. Sheesh -there really is no god or heaven. Ms. Campbell would wipe the floor with this POS Major.
July 16th, 2012 at 3:14 pm
well i think we find out which company fired her and get everybody we can to contact that company about how upset we are.
February 16th, 2013 at 1:01 pm
Thank you for your support, after Southern California Edison fired me I began to work with the American Legion to rewrite and advocate for a new Stolen Valor Act.
Veterans, we need your support on H.R. 258 http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr258
This website below allows you to advocate for H.R. 258, let your elected officials know how important this act is to the veteran population! https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/113/hr258
Thank you again,
Melissa Campbell, USMC Vet