LOL! That about sums it up. What else do you expect from a society where every school student gets an "A" just for showing up for class, and every kid who plays in the game gets a trophy. Anything else would "impact their self-esteem"...
Posted on 07/22/2003 1:36:56 AM PDT by ex-Texan
Jessica Lynch Awarded Bronze Star
Lynch Gets Medals Ahead of Homecoming
ELIZABETH, W.Va. - Former POW Jessica Lynch was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart in Washington Monday as she prepares for her homecoming.
Lynch, who returns to the hills of West Virigina Tuesday, also received Prisoner of War medals at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington. The Bronze Star is given for meritorious combat service, a Purple Heart is most often awarded to those wounded in combat, and the POW for being held captive during wartime.
"The Purple Heart ... was not necessarily about being wounded or injured in action initially, but that's what it has come to symbolize," said Lt. Gen. James B. Peake, the Army Surgeon General, in presenting the medals. "It's a special award and not one you choose to get."
Four members of the West Virginia Army National Guard's aviation support unit in Parkersburg were chosen to staff the helicopter that she will ride home in.
"Minus all the hype, this mission is about being able to participate in the homecoming of one of our own," said Chief Warrant Officer Robert McClure, who will co-pilot the Black Hawk helicopter with Chief Warrant Officer Jim McPeak. "It's a real honor."
Lynch, still recuperating from multiple broken bones and other injuries, and her parents are scheduled to fly from the medical center to Elizabeth. The 210-mile trip should last two to three hours, depending on the weather.
Also on both legs of the flight will be Lynch's cousin, Dan Little, a first sergeant in the Parkersburg National Guard unit.
"Jessi trusts him and wanted him to be with her because he's been through most of it with her," said Wyonema Lynch, Lynch's grandmother, noting that Little traveled to Germany when Lynch was recuperating there.
Little, who has spoken twice with Lynch in the past week, said her spirits have been buoyed by her imminent trip home.
"She's a strong, disciplined young lady," Little said. "Her injuries are long healing, and that can be hard if you dwell on it. But she's not allowed that to happen."
With hundreds of news media and others descending on this Wirt County seat of about 1,000 for Lynch's first public comments about her ordeal, area residents have been painting, pruning and preening for weeks.
"We are excited just to see her, just to be able to give her hug. To Jessi, home is in the hills. She has been wanting to get here," her grandmother said.
Regina Ray of Elizabeth said she is glad Lynch is coming home "because there is no place like home to recover."
American flags and yellow bows line the route Lynch's military motorcade will take from Elizabeth to her home in Palestine, a community of about 300 residents some five miles away.
Lynch is scheduled to make a brief statement in Elizabeth before riding in a Ford Mustang convertible in the motorcade.
Lynch's convoy was ambushed near the Iraqi city of Nasiriyah after it made a wrong turn. Eleven soldiers from the convoy were killed and Lynch, a supply clerk, was severely injured.
U.S. forces recovered Lynch at a Nasiriyah hospital April 1. Five other 507th Maintenance Company soldiers who were captured and held apart from Lynch were freed April 13.
The influx of hundreds of visitors, including many journalists here to report Lynch's first public words since her March wounding, capture and rescue in Iraq, is bringing needed cash to Wirt County, which has West Virginia's highest unemployment rate - 15.1 percent.
The economic benefits dampen the annoyance many residents feel at the intense media interest in Lynch.
"They're anxious to see you come, and they'll be anxious to see you leave," said Keith Burdette, Gov. Bob Wise's legislative liaison and the county's former state senator.
Also on the flight will be the crew chief, Sgt. 1st Class Vernon Cosner of Washington, and flight medic, Sgt. Paula Tucker of Morgantown.
Nope.
UNLESS the award is noted FOR EXCEPTIONAL VALOR, a Bronze Star is NOT a valor award.
Both Army Commendation Medals, and Bronze Stars, can be awarded with the "V" device, signifying exceptional valor.
The Silver Star is the first level award given ONLY for exceptional valor.
Bronze Star Medals are generally awarded to SENIOR Officer / NCO personnel for successfully completing a tour in a combat zone.
If deserved, the "V" device can be added, which makes it AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT award.
From reports given by the hospital staff that she was brought in wearing only her t-shirt coupled with the common knowledge that unless you are needing daily medical care, the military will most likely give you a month or two of convalescence leave. By keeping her close to base, makes one believe that she was receiving large doses of counceling for the stress of what happened. If she wasn't raped, and was treated well, and was simply the victim of a vehicle accident, why the need for the conceling?
What does that say about the MEN that are now whining that it's hot, they don't like Iraq, they want to go home, whine whine whine.
Didn't notice any women soldiers among the whiners, did you?
Roger.
LOL! That about sums it up. What else do you expect from a society where every school student gets an "A" just for showing up for class, and every kid who plays in the game gets a trophy. Anything else would "impact their self-esteem"...
Well, I have since learned that the bronze star is given out to pretty much everybody, so that I really don't have a complaint that they are giving one to Lynch. Although, I have been supporting the troops from home, so perhaps they should give me one, too.
It is a little unusual for a PFC to get the BSM - normally it goes to folks in some leadership capacity.
PFC Lynch is a big star though, and somebody apparently thought her deserving of more than an AAM/ARCOM.
Now I know why I haven't seen any E-1/E-4 recepiants. So I wonder why she, as an E-3, was awarded it?
I am glad the young lady survived, and regret her injuries, but this is a slap in the face to those who really deserved the bronze star.
See #120 & 122
Its my belief PFC Lynch is well deserving of the meritorious award of the BSM, undoubtedly well deserving of both the PH anf POW awards.
Lets lighten up on this brave young soldier and not belittle her of awards that she is well deserving of.
10 soldiers from the 507th received medals for their actions during and after an ambush on March 23 near Nasiriyah, Iraq. Those soldiers are:
Spc. Shoshana Johnson, who was shot in the ankle when she and six other members of the 507th Maintenance Company were captured by Iraqis, wavered slightly as she balanced on a walking cast. General Ellis steadied her as she received her awards - the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the Prisoner of War Medal.
-Pfc. Patrick Miller, 23, of Wichita, Kan., received the Silver Star, the Purple Heart and the Prisoner of War Medal. Miller was in the rear of a convoy that received fire from both sides. He manually fed rounds into the chamber of his weapon to protect two of his comrades. He wrote radio frequencies inside his helmet and told his captors that they were prices for water pumps.
-Sgt. Matthew Rose, 37, of Salem, Ore., received the Bronze Star. He took charge of the wounded, treating people for gunshot wounds using two combat medic bags. While he worked, his position was receiving small-arms fire and mortar rounds.
-Sgt. James Riley, 31, of Pennsauken, N.J., received the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the Prisoner of War Medal. Riley was the highest ranking soldier on the convoy and made the difficult decision to surrender. He was physically and mentally abused by his captors.
-Sgt. Curtis Campbell, 27, of Brooklyn, N.Y., received the Bronze Star. Campbell assisted his team in fighting off the enemy.
-Spc. Joseph Hudson, 23, of Alamogordo, N.M., received the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the Prisoner of War Medal. Hudson fought until he exhausted his ammunition and was forced to surrender.
-Spc. Edgar Hernandez, 22, of Mission, received the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the Prisoner of War Medal. Hernandez fought until he ran out of ammunition and was forced to surrender.
-Spc. James Grubb, 21, of Manchester, Ky., received the Bronze Star. Grubb refused to stop fighting despite being injured.
-Cpl. Francis Carista, 21, of Rayway, N.J., received the Purple Heart. Carista was hit with shrapnel in the foot, but returned to duty.
-Cpl. Damien Luten, 24, of Indianapolis, Ind., received the Purple Heart. He was given the award previously by Gen. Eric Shinseki, chief of staff of the Army, for wounds received during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Johnson, 30, of El Paso, greeted soldiers and friends after the ceremony, smiling and joking. However, when family members joked about people asking her to autograph programs, Johnson responded: "I'm a soldier. That's all there is to it. I'm a soldier like so many others."
Her father, Claude, said he thought the awards were appropriate, but added: "I'm not just proud of Shoshana, I'm proud of everybody. Somehow, you feel that it is not fair that everybody's not getting the same thing. They're (soldiers still in Iraq) risking their lives as well."
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.