Bill mandates soldiers get more than a '$30 medal'

Los Angeles Times ^ | JOHANNA NEUMAN

[Dubya]

WASHINGTON — One day after President Bush awarded the coveted Medal of Honor to a Marine who died after throwing his helmet and his body on a grenade in Iraq, a California congressman introduced a bill to require the Pentagon to put more real gold in the medal.

"For those very few soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines deemed worthy of our nation's highest military honor, surely we can afford more than a $30 medal," said Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif.

A conservative Hispanic who opposed the Iraq war, Baca instructed his staff to find out how much gold was in the Medal of Honor, which has been awarded to only two soldiers in Iraq: Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith and Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham.

Baca's staff discovered that the medals, which vary in design, size and composition, were made of brass and covered in gold. The Army's version cost $29.98, while the Air Force's design tallied $75.

[RS]

You have not addressed the many problems created when you give the medal intrinsic value.
You seem to be assigning some kind of honor to the metal itself, making it a "ward" of Congress who will repossess it should it be badly treated or orphaned.

With your concept, the Congressional collection should grow rapidly, as new recipients, returning home to their young families, will correctly choose the down payment for a home rather then an object that needs to be locked away for protection.

[Desron13]

"With your concept, the Congressional collection should grow rapidly, as new recipients, returning home to their young families, will correctly choose the down payment for a home rather then an object that needs to be locked away for protection."

Don't know about you, but if I was still actually drawing breath to wear that medal after earning it, you would have to pry it from my proverbial "Cold Dead Fingers".

[RS]

"Don't know about you, but if I was still actually drawing breath to wear that medal after earning it, you would have to pry it from my proverbial "Cold Dead Fingers"."

The medal is won when a soldier puts others needs ahead of his own.
I have no doubt that these same soldiers would put their families well-being and security above their need for self-congradulations.