MEDAL of HONOR for Everyone

In the news this week there was a story about a senator who was querying as to why only 6 Medal of Honor recipients have been named (all posthumously) since the war in Afghanistan and Iraq began. This senator, Republican Duncan Hunter (R-Calif) who evidently served as a Marine in Iraq and Afghanistan and seems a bit miffed that so few medal of honor have been awarded.

Well, just because you were a soldier doesn't mean that you know anything. Ok Senator Hunter, let me do a little 'splainin' to y'all. The Medal of Honor is the highest award that our country can bestow upon a soldier, salior, or member of the air force. It is NOT distributed like a good conduct medal, an expeditionary forces medal or a unit citation. It is earned through Herculean effort in the face of overwhelming odds with total disregard for one's own safety to the benefit of one's comrades under fire. You can't get it for cutting your finger on a pop top in a combat zone, you can't get it because you fought bravely with your unit, you can't get it because it'll look good on your resume when you get out of the service. It is a RARE HONOR that is bestowed upon the bravest and most self sacrificing members of the service who have performed their duty to the highest manner of dedication.

I know that this flies in the face of our "NEW" culture where everyone is supposed to get whatever they want from the beneficence of the government. I know that the Obama administration loves our troops so much that they want EVERYONE to have a Medal of Honor, but sorry, it just doesn't work that way.

Senator Hunter seems to think that the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are such major events that there should be far more MEDAL of HONOR awards to troops who fought there. Perhaps there would be if we had allowed our troops to fight the conflict as if it WERE a war and not some Public Relations event to make sure that we didn't offend the Islamic Fighters who were trying to kill our troops to begin with. This isn't completely on the shoulders of Obama and his administration by any stretch. Our good former president G.W. Bush was fully involved in the "Don't fight TOO hard" war model. Yes, there is plenty of blame to go around on that side. Returning to the dearth of MEDAL of HONOR awards, I say Halelluja! Perhaps the use of Predator drones, satellite intelligence, Stand off fire and forget systems, Helicopter gunships, Air strikes, smart weapons and laser designators, we've managed to conduct combat operations more efficiently with less loss of life and less situations where our soldiers find themselves having to extend into that horriffic MEDAL of HONOR area.

But this is just another political football that is going to be bandied about in order to garner favor from a despicable segment of society known as Congress. All the glad handing that will go on and 'attaboy's" for bringing this to the fore. Now I'll sit back and start my stopwatch to see how long this takes before we hear about the "imbalance" of race when it comes to the award. How less 'people of color' received it than not.

Just so that you can understand a bit about this, I include the citations of those who have been awarded the MEDAL of HONOR in the above mentioned conflicts (all posthumously) Apologies in advance should this list be in any way incomplete. If so, please send corrections. Take the time to read the short paragraphs that sum up a man's life. In those short few sentences, an entire history is told. History that the fakers and the posers in Washington will NEVER be able to fathom. A cost that is so high that no amount of money can ever mitigate it.

From Iraq;

*DUNHAM, JASON L.

Rank and Organization: Corporal, United States Marine Corps
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Rifle Squad Leader, 4th Platoon, Company K, Third Battalion, Seventh Marines (Reinforced), Regimental Combat Team 7, First Marine Division (Reinforced), on 14 April 2004. Corporal Dunham's squad was conducting a reconnaissance mission in the town of Karabilah, Iraq, when they heard rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire erupt approximately two kilometers to the west. Corporal Dunham led his Combined Anti-Armor Team towards the engagement to provide fire support to their Battalion Commander's convoy, which had been ambushed as it was traveling to Camp Husaybah. As Corporal Dunham and his Marines advanced, they quickly began to receive enemy fire. Corporal Dunham ordered his squad to dismount their vehicles and led one of his fire teams on foot several blocks south of the ambushed convoy. Discovering seven Iraqi vehicles in a column attempting to depart, Corporal Dunham and his team stopped the vehicles to search them for weapons. As they approached the vehicles, an insurgent leaped out and attacked Corporal Dunham. Corporal Dunham wrestled the insurgent to the ground and in the ensuing struggle saw the insurgent release a grenade. Corporal Dunham immediately alerted his fellow Marines to the threat. Aware of the imminent danger and without hesitation, Corporal Dunham covered the grenade with his helmet and body, bearing the brunt of the explosion and shielding his Marines from the blast. In an ultimate and selfless act of bravery in which he was mortally wounded, he saved the lives of at least two fellow Marines. By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty, Corporal Dunham gallantly gave his life for his country, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and upholding the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

*McGINNIS, ROSS A.

Rank and Organization: Private First Class, United States Army
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:
Private First Class Ross A. McGinnis distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an M2 .50-caliber Machine Gunner, 1st Platoon, C Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, in connection with combat operations against an armed enemy in Adhamiyah, Northeast Baghdad, Iraq, on 4 December 2006.

That afternoon his platoon was conducting combat control operations in an effort to reduce and control sectarian violence in the area. While Private McGinnis was manning the M2 .50-caliber Machine Gun, a fragmentation grenade thrown by an insurgent fell through the gunner's hatch into the vehicle. Reacting quickly, he yelled "grenade," allowing all four members of his crew to prepare for the grenade's blast. Then, rather than leaping from the gunner's hatch to safety, Private McGinnis made the courageous decision to protect his crew. In a selfless act of bravery, in which he was mortally wounded, Private McGinnis covered the live grenade, pinning it between his body and the vehicle and absorbing most of the explosion.

Private McGinnis' gallant action directly saved four men from certain serious injury or death. Private First Class McGinnis' extraordinary heroism and selflessness at the cost of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

*MONSOOR, MICHAEL, A.

Rank and Organization: Master-At-Arms Second Class (Sea, Air And Land), United States Navy
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as automatic weapons gunner for Naval Special Warfare Task Group Arabian Peninsula, in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM on 29 September 2006. As a member of a combined SEAL and Iraqi Army Sniper Overwatch Element, tasked with providing early warning and stand-off protection from a rooftop in an insurgent held sector of Ar Ramadi, Iraq, Petty Officer Monsoor distinguished himself by his exceptional bravery in the face of grave danger. In the early morning, insurgents prepared to execute a coordinated attack by reconnoitering the area around the element's position. Element snipers thwarted the enemy's initial attempt by eliminating two insurgents. The enemy continued to assault the element, engaging them with a rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire. As enemy activity increased, Petty Officer Monsoor took position with his machine gun between two teammates on an outcropping of the roof. While the SEALs vigilantly watched for enemy activity, an insurgent threw a hand grenade from an unseen location, which bounced off Petty Officer Monsoor's chest and landed in front of him. Although only he could have escaped the blast, Petty Officer Monsoor chose instead to protect his teammates. Instantly and without regard for his own safety, he threw himself onto the grenade to absorb the force of the explosion with his body, saving the lives of his two teammates. By his undaunted courage, fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of certain death, Petty Officer Monsoor gallantly gave his life for his country, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and upholding the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

*SMITH, PAUL R.

Rank and Organization: Sergeant First Class, United States Army
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with an armed enemy near Baghdad International Airport, Baghdad, Iraq on 4 April 2003. On that day, Sergeant First Class Smith was engaged in the construction of a prisoner of war holding area when his Task Force was violently attacked by a company-sized enemy force. Realizing the vulnerability of over 100 fellow soldiers, Sergeant First Class Smith quickly organized a hasty defense consisting of two platoons of soldiers, one Bradley Fighting Vehicle and three armored personnel carriers. As the fight developed, Sergeant First Class Smith braved hostile enemy fire to personally engage the enemy with hand grenades and anti-tank weapons, and organized the evacuation of three wounded soldiers from an armored personnel carrier struck by a rocket propelled grenade and a 60mm mortar round. Fearing the enemy would overrun their defenses, Sergeant First Class Smith moved under withering enemy fire to man a .50 caliber machine gun mounted on a damaged armored personnel carrier. In total disregard for his own life, he maintained his exposed position in order to engage the attacking enemy force. During this action, he was mortally wounded. His courageous actions helped defeat the enemy attack, and resulted in as many as 50 enemy soldiers killed, while allowing the safe withdrawal of numerous wounded soldiers. Sergeant First Class Smith’s extraordinary heroism and uncommon valor are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Third Infantry Division “Rock of the Marne,” and the United States Army.

From Afghanistan:

*MURPHY, MICHAEL P.

Rank and Organization: Lieutenant, United States Navy
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as the leader of a special reconnaissance element with Naval Special Warfare Task Unit Afghanistan on 27 and 28 June 2005. While leading a mission to locate a high-level anti-coalition militia leader, Lieutenant Murphy demonstrated extraordinary heroism in the face of grave danger in the vicinity of Asadabad, Konar Province, Afghanistan. On 28 June 2005, operating in an extremely rugged enemy-controlled area, Lieutenant Murphy's team was discovered by anti-coalition militia sympathizers, who revealed their position to Taliban fighters. As a result, between 30 and 40 enemy fighters besieged his four-member team. Demonstrating exceptional resolve, Lieutenant Murphy valiantly led his men in engaging the large enemy force. The ensuing fierce firefight resulted in numerous enemy casualties, as well as the wounding of all four members of the team. Ignoring his own wounds and demonstrating exceptional composure, Lieutenant Murphy continued to lead and encourage his men. When the primary communicator fell mortally wounded, Lieutenant Murphy repeatedly attempted to call for assistance for his beleaguered teammates. Realizing the impossibility of communicating in the extreme terrain, and in the face of almost certain death, he fought his way into open terrain to gain a better position to transmit a call. This deliberate, heroic act deprived him of cover, exposing him to direct enemy fire. Finally achieving contact with his Headquarters, Lieutenant Murphy maintained his exposed position while he provided his location and requested immediate support for his team. In his final act of bravery, he continued to engage the enemy until he was mortally wounded, gallantly giving his life for his country and for the cause of freedom. By his selfless leadership, courageous actions, and extraordinary devotion to duty, Lieutenant Murphy reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Read their stories and understand that these are true HERO'S. Yes, ALL of our soldiers are hero's for believing in our country FAR MORE THAN THOSE WHO SEND THEM TO FIGHT! But among those hero's are GIANTS. I'll guarantee that none of those brave men wanted to be hero's. They just did what was in their heart for their countrymen, for their squad, for their brother.

God keep each and every one of you who made the choice to be who you were on the day you were born. This is a greatness and an honor to know that people like you exist. We can only bow our heads in a collective prayer and thank God that you walked among us if only for a brief time.

Diluting the MEDAL of HONOR by lowering the standard by which it is awarded is a blasphemy to all those who went before.

But it doesn't surprise me in the least.