Posted on 11/14/2006 8:45:59 AM PST by PeteePie
Retired senior military officers have rallied behind an effort to block a high-level award for an outgoing Minnesota Air National Guard general, citing an investigation that substantiated several findings of misconduct. The National Guard Bureau in Virginia notified Minnesota last week that it would not approve a Legion of Merit award for Brig. Gen. Terry Heggemeier, but gave no reason for the decision.
Heggemeier is scheduled to retire on Nov. 20, closing a career that began in 1970 and included 129 combat missions over Vietnam as a weapons officer.
In recognition of his service, Adjutant General Larry Shellito nominated Heggemeier for the award, the military's highest noncombat honor.
That nomination came despite an investigation by the Air Force...
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
Sound like he shouldn't receive the honors. Flight regulations apply to generals too. Honoring him after these incidents would undermine discipline.
Interesting article. The Guard has had problems like this since it was first formed in the early 1600's -- Governors often appoint political supporters to high positions, and then they exercise way too little supervision. That leaves to door open for abuses. (Of course, our Guard organizations have advantages as well as disadvantages.)
Another egregious error on the part of the lame stream media. There are two non combat military awards that are higher: Defense Distinguished Service Medal, and the Air Force (or Army or Navy) Distinguished Service Medal. Try to get it right next time fool.
Yeah, that description of the Legion of Merit didn't sound right to me either -- that's typical of the MSM.
These deals typically get solved "under the radar". The system is self-correcting, but unfortunately very slow.
Not surprisingly, the soldier-hating, far-left, "no one in our family has ever served" goons from the Star Tribune don't get their facts right.
The Legion of Merit is not an extremely high award. It is a suitable end of tour award or end of career award for a field grade officer or sergeant major who has distinguihed him or herself, and in exceptional circumstances may be awarded to a Captain (Navy Lieutenant) or master sergeant (navy master chief) who has accomplished major tasks. I know many awardees.
A general is more likely to receive a Distinguished Service Medal at the end of a successful tour. The higher combat valor awards (DSC/NC/AFC and Silver Star), and of course the Medal of Honor, also outrank the Legion of Merit, but are only given for bravery in combat. Two awards which may be given for valor or service, the Bronze Star and the Commendation Medal, are lower ranking than the LoM. So is the Purple Heart, which is given for combat wounds.
There are also Defense DSM and a Defense Superior Service medal which outrank the LoM, for service in a joint assignment (a state Guard AG commands the state's Air and Army Guard, both, so he's joint).
Here is the US Army's awards page with most awards in order of precedence:
http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Awards/Ribbons/OrderofPrecedence.htm
Here is a third party page purporting to show all current USAF ribbons. I couldn't find an official Air Force page, maybe some FREeper zoomie can help (I am Army and only do Air Force when I'm... joint!):
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/airforcemedals/l/blafmedals.htm
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
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