Posted on 01/19/2011 5:13:07 PM PST by Dundee
THE second SAS soldier in two years will be awarded the nation's highest military honour, the Victoria Cross for Australia.
Governor-General Quentin Bryce and senior political leaders including Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Defence Minister Stephen Smith and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott will travel to Perth this Sunday for the investiture ceremony at Campbell Barracks...
Rumours have been circulating for some time that an un-named SAS corporal engaged in an intense battle in the Shah Wali Kot region of Northern Kandahar last October could be nominated. A special forces group came under withering fire and four Commandos were wounded, including one who was shot in the chest, during an operation to capture a Taliban commander.
(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.com.au ...
I'll post details of the action when they become public.
Are your rules on the VC like ours for the MOH?
No matter what the rank of the serviceman with it he rates a salute from everyone else in the service be they Privates or Generals.
I do not know if the British, or Australians, follow our custom of saluting receipients of the Victoria Cross. In the US military it is not “required” to salute a Medal of Honor winner, but I find it very hard to imagine any servicemember who would not render a salute.
Tradition holds that even the most senior officer will salute a Victoria Cross recipient as a mark of the utmost respect for their act of valour. Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston (the Air Force 4 star who is Chief of the Defence Force) saluted Trooper Mark Donaldson (a Private in the SAS) after he received his VC in 2009.
The VC is basically the same as the MoH. Australian servicemen will also salute VC holders from other countries and will usually salute holders of the MoH (if they recognise it or are informed of that person being a holder of the MoH).
As I would hope that ours would do the same for holders of the VC.
Video at Youtube - a news story including parts of the ceremony, including the salute at the end after ACM Houston explains the tradition.
Pinging you to a photo and video I just posted.
And this Yank Retired Soldier salutes Trooper Donaldson, VC, as well.
Thank you very much for the clarification. Personally, I feel that soldiers who earn this decoration deserve that level of respect. I have read that many Medal of Honor recipients are uncomfortable with the recognition but accept it not just for them but for their brothers who did not make it.
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