An official of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs fabricated his colorful past as a decorated Vietnam War veteran and used faked war wounds to collect disability benefits, authorities have said.

Devereaux worked for the Camden County Office of Veterans Affairs for some time, then was appointed director of veterans programs for the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs by then-Gov. Jim McGreevey.

Devereaux claimed on federal military-benefits forms that he had been injured several times when he was a paratrooper and artilleryman in Vietnam. Devereaux also said he had received a Purple Heart, a Soldier’s Medal and the Bronze Star.

But authorities said Devereaux served as a payroll-distribution specialist in Vietnam for four months in 1968. According to the prosecutor’s office, Devereaux never received the accolades he claimed and there is no record of his being injured.

Devereaux, of Laurel Springs, was arrested Monday on charges of falsifying or tampering with records and theft by failure to make required disposition.

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