GovernmentExecutive.com

Return to Article: Medals for military valor rarely in the spotlight

• 85337
  

  I am not a veteran, but ran across this site doing research on an Iraq War bronze Star w/V recipient, CDR (then LCDR) Richard Jadick, USN. All of you who have sacrificed on behalf of our nation, decorated or not, please accept this citizen's thanks. I think the world of all of you. I am in the medical community and wanted very badly to be a navy corpsman during the current conflict, but could not d/t being over the age cutoff.

  The system seems broken to me, if it favors officers and senior NCOs for higher awards simply by virtue of rank. WWII-era General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was famous for awarding medals that way, but that doesn't make it right. The enlisted people, who work for a living, ought to be recognized for their efforts before any officer or NCO is; take of your men, then yourself - isn't that what younger officers are taught?

  Pete Farmer Posted August 24, 2009 1:07 AM
• 65214
  

  Good article, so when do we actually do something to get this broken system fixed? I see many articles and can also present 17 soldiers who have been waiting for 5 years to get their awards processed, all of which are for Valor and all soldiers are below the rank of 1LT. Awards from the DSC to the BSM/V. Still sitting on a desk at Ft Mcpherson,Ga waiting for one more signature, these awards have already been through 3 chains of command and have been approved all the way up to the first MG in the COC and yet they still wait.

  Captain James Posted December 18, 2008 12:23 AM
• 65213
  

  Good article, so when do we actually do something to get this broken system fixed? I see many articles and can also present 17 soldiers who have been waiting for 5 years to get their awards processed, all of which are for Valor and all soldiers are below the rank of 1LT. Awards from the DSC to the BSM/V. Still sitting on a desk at Ft Mcpherson,Ga waiting for one more signature, these awards have already been through 3 chains of command and have been approved all the way up to the first MG in the COC and yet they still wait.

  Captain James Posted December 18, 2008 12:23 AM
• 21591
  

  I also thank you for your article. It helped clear up some of the questions I had regarding the Bronze Star Medal and "V".

  You see, my son Staff Sgt. David F. Day was there Feb. 21, 2005. Although recounts of that day passed on to me by soldiers that were also there do vary from Staff Sgt. Stone's. It is my understanding there are many versions of who did what and what happened. The facts are that one of the Humvee's in the convoy lost control and rolled. After setting his Humvee crew up on perimeter, Dave went back to the rolled vehicle where two soldiers injured. One of Dave's soldiers in that vehicle was seriously hurt and he needed to be evacuated. When the chopper arrived the soldier was put on a stretcher and 6 soldiers were carrying him to the chopper when an IED went off. Three soldiers died aiding one of their own.

  My son, Staff Sgt. David F Day was one of those soldiers that died that day. He received a Purple Heart and the Bronze Star Medal, but no "V".

  I thank God every day that the soldier on the stretcher, one of Dave's men, lived and eventually we were able to tell him face to face what he meant to us.

  Thank you, Father of a fallen Eagle

  David E Day Posted March 6, 2007 11:13 PM
• 20707
  

  I read this article with both interest and dismay. Interest because the word has to get out about the incredible actions our service members perform. Dismay because the stories are so rarely told. Why don't YOU, Govexec.com, collect the citations of the Bronze Star with V device medal recipients and publish them on your Web site? It would be a great service to both our service members and the public.

  Thomas Bozada Posted January 19, 2007 7:18 PM
• 20704
  

  Great article except that LTC (Retired) Steve Russell's comment regarding company commanders in Vietnam all receiving Silver Stars is not true.Wwe used to joke about the Battalion Commanders all having an awards package which included the Silver Star, most received them flying around in helicopters, (however, I know several that earned them)but that didn't include company commanders. Bronze Star's for Meritorious Service are just that; for meritorious service, not valor. After three tours in Vietnam I have eight of them, and they don't mean a thing other than "I was there". Remember the old saying; "all my awards and quarter will buy me a cup of coffee"? Well now it's a dollar; but I am proud of those I do have.

  GovExec.com reader Posted January 19, 2007 11:21 AM
• 20686
  

  As a "decorated" combat veteran of the Vietnam War, I want to echo and reemphasize the argument made in this article that front line combat units often have no time to even submit the paperwork to initiate the award process. There are literally countless individual acts of extreme heroism that are never officially recognized in any way and many more that are substantially under recognized. There is probably no way to remedy this situation. I must say that as one gets older, medals awarded in youth tend to mean more to us personally. But I am in complete agreement with the sentiment expressed that those of us who do have medals see them more as symbols representing what other brave people in our units did than for what we ourselves did.

  Jamie Thompson Posted January 18, 2007 1:45 PM
• 20679
  

  During the Vietnam conflict, my stateside Army headquarters unit would often receive notices describing the award of medals for valor. I remember -- at various times -- three of these citing Medals of Honor for soldiers who had lost their lives by throwing themselves onto hand grenades and saving their comrades. Another notice mentioned a soldier who threw himself onto an enemy grenade to save his brothers in uniform, but the explosive failed to go off and he lived. This hero was given a Bronze Star.

  Richard Barr Posted January 18, 2007 9:20 AM
• 20663
  

  I'm glad people write this type of article. I'm indebted to soldiers, and teachers who gave me the ability to read this story.

  James R Kester Posted January 17, 2007 7:07 PM