Distinguished Warfare Medal Honoring Drone Pilots Faces Bipartisan Backlash
WASHINGTON -- A new medal that would honor drone pilots and cyber warriors and outrank battlefield combat medals such as the Purple Heart and Bronze Star is facing backlash from veterans organizations and members of Congress, with a bipartisan group of 22 senators pressing the Pentagon to change the designation.
The newly created Distinguished Warfare Medal, approved last month by then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, will honor members of the military for achievements beyond the battlefield since Sept. 11, 2001.
The backlash to the medal centers around the fact that it will take precedence over traditional several combat awards, which require that the recipient risk his or her life in order to receive them.
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VoteVets.org Co-Founder Jon Soltz recently argued that Hagel may better understand the importance of keeping the Purple Heart and Bronze Star above the Distinguished Warfare Medal because of his experience in Vietnam.
"This isn't a knock on Leon Panetta, but unlike Chuck Hagel, Panetta was never a grunt, an enlisted man," wrote Soltz. "In Hagel, we have someone who brings that unique experience to the table. In fact, he'd be the first enlisted man ever to serve as Secretary of Defense. Of course, in addition to that, Senator Hagel was awarded two Purple Hearts, so he knows full well the kind of sacrifice it takes to be awarded that medal."
Some guy sipping coffee in a air conditioned room thousands of miles from a war zone doesn't deserve a medal. The most they might face is some regret at collateral damage.
Thomas Sowell: There are no solutions, just trade-offs.
"approved last month by then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta".. The president doesn't have to approve it, and since the president doesn't approve or award Purple Hearts either, that's a pretty snarky and uninformed statement to make...
But I'm pretty sure the hangnails are definitely his fault...
But you feel free to continue your snark-fest by yourself...
"approved last month by then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta".. The president doesn't have to approve it, and since the president doesn't approve or award Purple Hearts either, that's a pretty snarky and uninformed statement to make...
But I'm pretty sure the hangnails are definitely his fault...
But you feel free to continue your snark-fest by yourself...
He probably approved it when they thought it was OK to kill Americans on US soil with drones.
I agree though this should go away. This really makes drone warfare much to much like a video game. What after so many kills they get to "rank up" and get better weapons?
You really think Barack even knows about this medal? He has more important things to do, like skeet shooting at Camp David, Pull!!!
