The undecorated
Nov 16th 2006 | WASHINGTON, DC
From The Economist print edition
Serving at high risk, and no medals to show for it

IN APRIL 2004, an Iraqi insurgent fighting hand-to-hand with American marines pulled a grenade. Corporal Jason Dunham covered the grenade with a helmet and the helmet with his body. He sustained severe injuries and died eight days later. “If it was not for him, none of us would be here,” said Kelly Miller, one of several marines who survived the blast.

On November 10th, George Bush announced that Corporal Dunham would receive the Medal of Honour, America's highest military award. It was the 231st birthday of the Marine Corps, and would have been Dunham's 25th. He is only the second combatant of the Iraq war to be recognised with the medal. Army sergeant Paul Ray Smith won one in 2005, also posthumously.

Though most people have little idea of the relative prestige of various medals, veterans take awards for valour seriously and have noticed that comparatively few of the top ones have been issued recently. Anyone on active duty since the September 11th 2001 attacks can get the National Defence Service medal. And in 2003, George Bush authorised the Global War on Terror Service Medal. Medals that specifically reward heroics are much harder to come by. More than 21,000 veterans won coveted Silver Stars in Vietnam. Only a few hundred servicemen have received the same in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The scarcity of medals has also been blamed for the current shortage of American heroes. Only two soldiers, Jessica Lynch and Pat Tillman, have become household names during the course of the war. Both served with honour but without much chance for heroics. Ms Lynch was injured and captured by Iraqi forces, and Tillman was killed by friendly fire. If the services gave more medals, the bravery of the troops might be more widely publicised.

Before the war on terror, no one complained that medals were too hard to come by. If anything, the military was accused of giving out too many. In 2003, army officials warned field commanders to save their top honours for soldiers “who truly distinguish themselves”. And just before the fifth anniversary of the September 11th attacks, the Pentagon announced that it would take a look at its awards process. The review will take several more months to complete. In the meantime, valour will have to remain its own reward.

I doubt id be looking for a medal for blowing my arm off saving my crew. Maybe thats just me, ill ask my brother next time i talk to him how he feels. Hes been over in Iraq 4 times.

I seem to recall not joining up for chest bling...

Oh and I NEVER wanted a CMH. Ever. Like 65% of them are presented to the winners next of kin.

Napoleon said something about a handful of ribbon and baubles motivating men. I never wanted to earn a Purple Heart, but short of that, recognition is nice. You dont' get raises or promotions the same way you do in the civilian world, so awards and decorations are the way you demonstrate your prowess. The Sandbox is a shitty place to be. I have no problems with the troops earning their share of medals.

If medals and awards are a measure of our prowess and whatnot, then I can be considered a do-nothing lazy REMF who never leaves his office. and the (only) female sergeant over in the command/operations center, who only leaves said building to goto chow and barracks, is a combat veteran, because in the 13 months we've been here she has gotten an Army Achievement medal, and Army Commendation Medal, and now a Bronze Star, as well as a CAB. Yet in my platoon, which goes out everyday on missions, sometimes for over 3 days, only 4 people have received medals/awards. One received a Bronze Star and Purple Heart posthumously, two received Purple Hearts for wounds sustained during mortar attacks, and one received a CIB from the same incident in which our friend died.
Of course the dickshit that got the CIB didn't even do shit, but hey, thats life.

the whole medals/awards thing is complete anbd utter bullshit for the most part, especially when "Fobbits" who never leave the base, are getting more *combat* awards then infantry soldiers who are actually getting shot at or blown up.

WF,

I'm not denying that decorations are often awarded to undeserving individuals. My Father recounted a situation in Viet Nam wherein a guy got a Bronze Star for basically falling out of his bunk quickly during a mortar attack. "Aclarity and speed of action" or some such nonsense. Pogues often get recognized, and the deserving are often overlooked.

I'd like to see every one of you with a chestfull just for serving.

Thanks bro. And yea, it really gets my goat every time I have to go sit in an auditorium for over an hour listening to some officer blather on about how hard we're working (I work twice as hard as him, guarantee it) and what a great job we are doing, and then watch a bunch of shiftless fat ass pogues get medals and awards for doing nothing, while the guys who get shot at are trying not to fall asleep because they were out all night hunting for IED emplacement teams.

I'mma shut up now cause I'm starting to rant. Ranting Wuffy is an angry Wuffy and no one likes that.

It's a damned thankless job, although we definitely appreciate everyone who shows their support, no matter how annoying it might become at times ^^ (love that whole cant walk 5 feet through an airport without being stopped and thanked or hugged thang goin' on)

I see people up here in Canada get medals for serving in country at some regional joint task force command building.

and as for our (canadian) valour medals? HA! they are REALLY hard to get, and never seem to awarded to anyone unless they are so over the top heroic that its insane, and even then, they get lower grades.

As in we have never awarded the Canadian Victoria Cross. (EQV to CMH) and the last time a Canadian got a British awarded VC was in wwII.

It angers me.


*sigh* I guess the only real soldiers are Cheif Warrant Officers (USA=Command Sergeant Major) and Flag grade officers. Or so it seems. As no Ptes/Cpls/Sgts or Lt/Cap/Maj have anything noteworthy on their chest.

The US military has warrant officers.

Posted by eoghan The US military has warrant officers.

They dont fill the same roll as the Canadian Warrant Officer does. Unlike USA, we dont have OVER 9000 grades of Sergeant, we only have one. After Sergeant you become Warrant Officer, then Master Warrant Officer, then Chief Warrant Officer.

Unlike the USA, you can not enroll directly as a warrant officer. (i.e. like US army helicopter pilots for example)

Its a different role/status. Its directly in the hierarchy of the Enlisted/NCO ranks, and is not really a separate or different role.