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"Search-and-rescue operations are not conducted on the basis of someone's race or sexual orientation"

In reality, search & rescue is done BY RANK first, Occupational Specialty second, and I would venture to guess, by sex.

Now to get slammed for stating the obvious.

I was involved in "search & rescue" ops and I can state we went after Officers, Pilots, and Nurses (female). NEVER were we tasked to go after some poor enlisted grunt.

We did stay around and risk our lives to RECOVER the bodies of our brothers-in-arms - we NEVER left one behind - we even brought back small pieces, if that's all there was.

As much as no one on here likes that reporter, he was on target when he said the rescue effort was a publicity ploy - which I am in favor of. There is NOTHING wrong with that for a reason.

Do you know that most MOH the past 50-60 years were awarded according to publicity needs? I'm NOT saying the Soldiers/Sailors/Marines didn't earn them, just that the medal was actually awarded when politics dictated one was needed (By Service, Rank, Home Town, etc...) It's a fact of life in the service.

There probably has been many search and rescue operations in IRAQ the past several weeks - you won't hear of them. They are simply carried out. If the politics requires the publicity, there will be another "dramatic" rendition of what what usually occurs when "Uncommon Valor is a Common Virtue".

Semper Fidelis