Distinguished Warfare Medal

I’m coming to this issue a little bit late but I’ve actually been discussing this matter with some friends since the medal was first announced two weeks ago. I just haven’t had a chance to sit down and write about it until till now.

For those of you who may not have heard about this, the Distinguished Warfare Medal is a newly proposed United States military decoration. It was first announced by outgoing U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta on February 13, 2013. It would be the first American combat related award to be created since the Bronze Star Medal in 1944.

The only problem, the combat it is designed to recognize is related to Drone and Cyber Warfare.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I think there is certainly a place for this type of recognition, but the part that has got me and many others riled up is the fact that when they were dreaming up this new medal, someone thought it would be a great idea to elevate its status above both the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.

Think about that for a moment. Imagine you’re a young Gung-Ho Marine or Army Infantry Grunt deployed over in the sandbox and you come under enemy fire. Your unit is taking rounds and you’re actively engaged in a hostile firefight with the enemy.  Not only do you display tenacity in bringing the battle to the enemy, but you also receive wounds as a result of the engagement.

For your heroism, and wounds received in action, you are awarded the Bronze Star with Valor Device and the Purple Heart.

In another country, a drone operator sits in an air conditioned operations room and flies a drone into another country that delivers a strike against insurgents in some remote mountain range. You are awarded the Distinguished Warfare Medal.

In order of precedence, that Distinguished Warfare Medal places higher than the Bronze Star or the Purple Heart……HUH ????

What world am I living in?

My friends, this is the madness of the “everyone’s a winner” and “everyone gets a medal” mentality that is currently eating away at this country like a cancer.

Again, I don’t have any problem with recognizing the efforts of drone or cyber warfare operators. But who in their right mind actually believes that sitting behind a terminal screen is more dangerous than getting friggen shot at?

I’ll tell you who. People who have never been shot at or served in harms way!!

One has to look no further then the current parade of Generals who strut the halls of the Pentagon looking like peacocks. The sad thing is we used to laugh at the Russian, Chinese and North Korean generals who had so many medals they needed assistants to help get them into a standing position. Now ours look exactly the same. Unfortunately, the majority of the medals they wear have zero to do with actual warfare.

It’s the latest rage, run up a rack of medals to make yourself seem important. Look at what we give medals away for: Training, Professional Development, Graduate Ribbon, Security Guard, Instructor, Long Tour, Short Tour, Volunteer……….

I’m sorry if this is coming across as a little angry, but it hits home to me. My uncle, Major General Martin Foery was decorated for heroism in World War II. He was a recipient of the Silver Star for action on Saipan and the Bronze Star on Makin. He was also awarded the Combat Infantry Badge. Like many of the countless others who have gone into harms way, he was a true warrior.

It is bad enough that the Bronze Star has been watered down since its inception in 1941. I have no problem with recognizing people, who do “other” things, but when it comes to warriors, who have earned their medals through blood, sweat and tears, don’t try to justify how someone who grew up playing “Gears of War” earns a medal higher than a person who has actually fought the war.

Can you see the difference between the General from the "Greatest Generation" and the "Look at Me Generation"

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