Dying to be a hero: Fewer medals for courageous warriors

The Washington Times ^ | August 3, 2009 | Editorial

[Abakumov]

Five Medals of Honor have been awarded for actions during the war on terrorism. In each case, the recipient took extraordinary action to save the lives of his fellow warriors, and in each case, he was killed or mortally wounded in the process. Most Medals of Honor are awarded posthumously: 55 percent in Word War II, two-thirds in Vietnam and 75 percent in the Korean conflict. Not a single Medal of Honor has been awarded to a living recipient for an ongoing conflict since 1973.

[sinanju]

This must be a reaction to the insane “medal inflation” of Vietnam and which reached it’s apotheosis in the eighties when medals were chucked about like crazy after Grenada and Panama.

Now it’s at the other extreme. Wiser heads have observed this but the Medal of Honor should not be a de facto posthumous award. There should be living heroes as well.

[Future Snake Eater]

There has been some medal inflation on a unit-by-unit basis, and other units have clamped down hard on it.

In my BDE, Platoon Sergeant and up would be put in for a Bronze Star for our tour, but it was NOT a guarantee we’d get it. We could also put in for one Squad Leader (I put in for two of mine and they both got it).

Other units have had EVERYONE, down to the lowest Private, awarded the Bronze Star for a deployment. Most units now, unless you do some GREAT things, will award you an Army Commendation Medal for a full tour.

Silver Star and higher are extremely rare as well.

[Sola Veritas]

I have always jokingly said that should I actually do a valourious act in combat worthy of recognition...that I want the DSC because I’m more likely to be alive to receive it. Seems like the real distinction is did the recipient live or not.

[Sola Veritas]

:In my BDE, Platoon Sergeant and up would be put in for a Bronze Star for our tour, but it was NOT a guarantee we’d get it. We could also put in for one Squad Leader (I put in for two of mine and they both got it).”

Personnally, if the bronze star doesn’t have a “V” on it, then it shouldn’t be awarded - I would not want one. Also, when I hear of a junior enlisted getting an ARCOM with a “V” it makes me really mad at their chain of command. If what they did way valourious, then they should get a Bronze Star....regardless of rank.

[staytrue]

“a reaction to the insane “medal inflation” of Vietnam “

Are you talking to me ?—from John Kerry.

[Red Dog #1]

With the great increase in jointly manned units, it's also becoming imperative that all four services have a common decoration standard. The service's different polices can make it difficult for a promotion board to sort out who did well and who didn't measure up during a joint assignment.