It kind of cuts both ways. It's true that technically anyone in the service can be deployed to do anything I guess. Some guy working admin in HQ stateside could have a gun shoved in his hands and put on the front. Probably not this day in age, but it probably did happen in WW2 and prior. Even service academy cadets are considered active duty and get a ribbon for being active during "wartime" (National Defense Service Ribbon). And without everyone doing their job, nothing gets done. So the admin clerk, the aircraft maintenance guy, and even the general's assitant, all have a role to play. Bronze or Silver Stars and Valor enhancements maybe separate the groups. And maybe it'd be more offensive if the stolen valor guy was fronting some CMoH or actual valor medals or PH or whatever. It is offensive, and as others said I think it's a crime if they even get a discount from the intentional misrepresentation.
What's irritating, though, is how gushing people are to say "thank you for your service" and especially the politicians, when the perception (and sometimes as elicited by the veteran) make it seem like they're on the front line. The recruiting commercials rarely show some balding guy with glasses sitting at a desk with a stack of personnel papers on his desk and a few stripes on his sleeve or a guy fetching coffee for some brass and laying out his uniform or whatever. The perception of the public is that everyone was taking fire like Hillary. Sure, all the jobs are needed. But there is clearly a difference between someone taking fire and putting their life in jeopardy every day versus the guy stationed CONUS that gets to go home to his family everyday at 5:30. And some of the veterans play up to that. They'll get all the freebies they can and front as if that limp wasn't from tripping over a dog's toy or some Legos but rather from that embedded shrapnel from 'Nam (despite being 40 yrs old). I'm sure everyone on here is familiar with the Navy SEAL stolen valor vids where the actual SEAL (forgive me for forgetting his name off the top of my head) outs these guys. Frequently the fake SEAL is a veteran, but was a cook or dropped out of basic.
I don't really want to argue about theatre deployments or being in CONUS during a conflict or war......however, any vet who did time during a period of conflict had the possibility of being deployed to theatre and receiving fire. Just because that may not have happened.....it does not diminish the service of an honorably discharged vet. They signed up and served.