Former Marine to receive Medal of Honor for controversial 2009 battle

Stars and Stripes ^ | 7/19/11 | LEO SHANE III

[Kartographer]

Dakota Meyer, who left the service last year, will be the third living recipient of the award for actions in Afghanistan and the tenth man recognized for exceptional bravery in the current wars. He’ll also be the first living Marine to receive the honor since the Vietnam War.

White House and defense officials have not released details of the award or the timing of its presentation.

The 22-year-old’s heroics came while serving with an embedded training team from the III Marine Expeditionary Force out of Okinawa, Japan. In September 2009, his team was ambushed in the controversial battle of Ganjgal, which claimed the lives of five Marines and nine Afghan allies.

[Kartographer]

Well done! Cpl. Dakota Meyer and

Thank You for your service.

[cll]

“Former” Marine? Once a Marine always a Marine.

[2banana]

But Corps officials said Meyer’s heroics went even further. He was wounded by shrapnel early in the battle, but when his unit lost contact with three Marines and a Navy corpsman pinned down by enemy fire, Meyer fought his way down a mountainside alone to their position.

When he found them all dead and in danger of being claimed as trophies by enemy fighters, he evacuated their bodies with the help of Afghan troops.

Just a few days after the attack, an angry Meyer told a reporter from McClatchy News Service that the off-site commanders’ decisions not to order artillery support “basically screwed our guys over. They expect us to bring stuff to the fight, and [the commanders] didn’t give it to us.”

WTF???

[albie]

I wish these numbskulls would get this right. Marine! Not “former”, not “ex”.

I’m a real estate agent and I just got a listing of a Marine Captain who’s retiring. I was talking with his wife and said “Marine” when referring to him. He walks in from the kitchen and says “you’re hired”. He said the other agent referred to him as “ex” and it “soured” him.

[Mr.Unique]

I wish these numbskulls would get this right. Marine! Not “former”, not “ex”.

Not so long ago it was wrong to say "ex" and acceptable to say "former". When did that change?

[Puckster]

Can it be said:

“Marine, serving time as a citizen.”?

[Mr.Unique]

It looks like former Marine is ok.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/645197208/Excuse-us-Marine-is-not-an-ex.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/ex-marine
http://www.answers.com/topic/former-marine
http://usmc.tribe.net/thread/ced5fab3-d3b0-4291-ae53-7019382f6f50

I wonder if any of the folks who spring on this on FR threads are, or ever were, associated with the Marine Corps.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"Just a few days after the attack, an angry Meyer told a reporter from McClatchy News Service that the off-site commanders’ decisions not to order artillery support “basically screwed our guys over."

Sounds like a major f-up. They had supporting arms available, requested them and did not get them. As for the "Marine" thing. When you graduate boot camp, you are a Marine for life, until you go to your grave. However, you are not always in the Marine Corps. A Marine is a Marine, period. You earned that title at Parris Island or San Diego or Quantico (in the officer's case).

[jacksonstate]

This young brave man is from my community and we are VERY proud of him!

http://www.columbiamagazine.com/photos/41196.jpg

[airborne]

Obama’s ROE are what was (and still is) what’s f***ed up.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"Obama’s ROE are what was (and still is) what’s f***ed up."

Afghanistan is not the first time ROE's have been f-d up. Our ROE in Beirut was such that you walked guard with a magazine inserted but not locked and loaded. The morning of the bombing that truck broke through a guard post where the Marines were under these ROE's. I don't know if those guys could have taken the driver out. They did get some shots off, but how much more time would they have had if all they had to do was bring their weapons up and click off the safety switch? Instead of chambering a round. Makes you wonder.

These things are written by staff officers who are more concerned with their careers (oh no accidental misfire!!) than with giving Marines and soldiers the tools to accomplish the mission. However, it does not sound to me like the situation here has anything to do with an ROE. It sounds like some idiot staff officer sitting in a command post not comprehending the situation unfolding before him. I hope his military career is over so he doesn't get anymore Marines or Soldiers killed.

[Elendur]

the off-site commanders’ decisions not to order artillery support “basically screwed our guys over. They expect us to bring stuff to the fight, and [the commanders] didn’t give it to us.”
///
sadly there are many more stories like that.
in one case, they refused to fire SMOKE rounds in support!

Obama’s R.O.E. has caused the death of many of our brave troops i believe. they are beyond ridiculous.

and McChrystal and our new CIA director Petraeus signed off on them.
(while Colonel West gave up his career to protect his men!)

[dervish]

Thank you for your heroic service Cpl. Meyer.

It is because of our screwed up ROE that I think we should be out of Afghanistan and Iraq ASAP. If we can’t fight to win there is no point to risking our blood and treasure.

[cll]

I don’t know. That’s what Marines always tell me.

[moshiach]

Cool post albie. : )

I now know how-to properly address a Marine, I will begin right now..

Cpl. Dakota Meyer, well done Marine. Thank you.

[cll]

“I wonder if any of the folks who spring on this on FR threads are, or ever were, associated with the Marine Corps”

In my case, I am a retired Army officer. In my civilian job I have an employee who served in the Marine Corps and he calls me “Sir” as long as I address him as “Marine”.

[NoDRodee]

Well done Cpl. Meyer, I and our great country thanks you.

You showed the world why the Marine slogan is Semper Fi!

Becoming a Marine is a transformation that cannot be undone, and Semper Fi reminds us of that. Once made, a Marine will forever live by the ethics and values of the Corps.
There is no such thing as an ex-Marine.

[albie]

Not so long ago it was wrong to say “ex” and acceptable to say “former”.

...to this Marine, there never was such a thing as “former”.

[USMCPOP]

Then there's Forever Marines ...

[PapaBear3625]

These things are written by staff officers who are more concerned with their careers (oh no accidental misfire!!) than with giving Marines and soldiers the tools to accomplish the mission.

The problem comes from the current military culture.

A good part of the problem is that a minor issue (one of your troops had an accidental discharge) can be just as career ending as a major issue (your whole unit is dead because the sentry could not fire in time).

Since the probability of minor issues is generally much higher than the probability of a major "oh s***", the issues that career-minded officers focus on are the minor issues. And these officers are the ones to make it to high rank.