                 TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
 
                             PART I--CRIMES
 
                 CHAPTER 25--COUNTERFEITING AND FORGERY
 
Sec. 498. Military or naval discharge certificates

    Whoever forges, counterfeits, or falsely alters any certificate of 
discharge from the military or naval service of the United States, or 
uses, unlawfully possesses or exhibits any such certificate, knowing the 
same to be forged, counterfeited, or falsely altered, shall be fined 
under this title \1\ or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
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    \1\ See 1994 Amendment note below.
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(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 712; Pub. L. 103-322, title XXXIII, 
Sec. 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)


                      Historical and Revision Notes

    Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940, ed., Sec. 136 (Mar. 4, 1917, ch. 
180, 39 Stat. 1182).
    Reference to any person causing, procuring, aiding or assisting was 
omitted as unnecessary as such persons are made principals by section 2 
of this title.
    At the end of this section words ``in the discretion of the court'' 
were omitted as unnecessary, as the punishment provisions, being framed 
in the alternative by the use of the disjunctive ``or,'' vest in the 
court the power to impose a fine or prison sentence in its discretion.
    Changes in phraseology were made.


                               Amendments

    1994--Pub. L. 103-322, which directed the amendment of this section 
by substituting ``fined under this title'' for ``fined not more than 
$5,000'', was executed by making the substitution for ``fined not more 
than $1,000'', to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 14 of this title.
