Stolen Valor.

Make no mistake--this phenomenon exists everywhere, including Russia. But in the US it reaches some gargantuan proportions--starting from actual stealing valor from Soviet Union and the Red Army in WW II on the official level, to a huge number of US politicians presenting themselves as "veterans" or "combat veterans". For starters, no US servicemen ever defended his country. US military is an imperial force designed to fight backward countries. But J.D.Vance DOES have a point: 

Politician in Russia cannot do this that easily, because of a different military culture which is much more profound and simply much larger in cultural sense, in the US it is different due to American public's ignorance of war. In the US--it is a pattern of embellishing one's ties to military to enhance chances of being elected. A disgusting practice which is reserved for losers brought up on Hollywood propaganda.