Posted on Jul 26, 2025
Do you believe our politicians should be pushing for upgrades to awards?
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Sen. Charles E. Schumer, a Democratic Senator from New York, is renewing his push in suggesting U.S. Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis, a Staten Island hero, receive the Medal of Honor.
Do you feel it appropriate for politicians to get involved in military awards? Seems like it puts the awards system into one involving politicians rather than merit... His initial award has already been reviewed and upgraded (in 2019) to the Distinguished Service Cross.
Do you feel it appropriate for politicians to get involved in military awards? Seems like it puts the awards system into one involving politicians rather than merit... His initial award has already been reviewed and upgraded (in 2019) to the Distinguished Service Cross.
Posted in these groups: 
Awards
Medal of Honor
Awards Medal of Honor
Edited 5 mo ago
Posted 5 mo ago
Responses: 12
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I don't have a problem with it, but my asking for a review of an award better be held with just as much weight.
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
LTC Trent Klug -
And If She had To Qualify For That Position,
When The Result Were In, We'd Qualify Her Under The Clause Of Insanity.
And If She had To Qualify For That Position,
When The Result Were In, We'd Qualify Her Under The Clause Of Insanity.
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SFC Robert Walton
A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney - Yes i agree however if i were the one to choose said qualification's we would have problems Getting representatives.
They would be American Born, have a complete education in Constitutional Law, And have Served In the United States Military Active Status for 10 Years or more, and last but not least Never had an Income of more the $35,000 a year in there whole life No investments in Stocks and bonds.
They would be American Born, have a complete education in Constitutional Law, And have Served In the United States Military Active Status for 10 Years or more, and last but not least Never had an Income of more the $35,000 a year in there whole life No investments in Stocks and bonds.
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
LTC Trent Klug -
CORONEL -- I Had To Look-Up The Senator As I Wasn't At All Familiar With Her Name And I Was Rather Surprised To Prove My Own Case: -- "Having A College Degree Doesn't Necessarily Mean "They're Actually Educated"---
--- --en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazie_Hirono-----
She graduated from Kaimuki High School, which had a predominantly Japanese American student body at the time. Hirono then enrolled at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, graduating Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology in 1970. [8] .
~~ And A "BATCHELORS" Of Arts In Psychology? -- That's Almost Impossible To Fail. ~~
CORONEL -- I Had To Look-Up The Senator As I Wasn't At All Familiar With Her Name And I Was Rather Surprised To Prove My Own Case: -- "Having A College Degree Doesn't Necessarily Mean "They're Actually Educated"---
--- --en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazie_Hirono-----
She graduated from Kaimuki High School, which had a predominantly Japanese American student body at the time. Hirono then enrolled at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, graduating Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology in 1970. [8] .
~~ And A "BATCHELORS" Of Arts In Psychology? -- That's Almost Impossible To Fail. ~~
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
SFC Robert Walton -
WHOA - Even The Pope Would Have A Tough Time Becoming Our President - Even If He Were A Natural Born US Citizen.-- LMBO - And Mother Theresa Would have To Stand In Line & Pick A Number- - I Wish Colin Powell Had Run - "L" I'd Vote For HIM - 3 - 5 Times
WHOA - Even The Pope Would Have A Tough Time Becoming Our President - Even If He Were A Natural Born US Citizen.-- LMBO - And Mother Theresa Would have To Stand In Line & Pick A Number- - I Wish Colin Powell Had Run - "L" I'd Vote For HIM - 3 - 5 Times
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SGT Mark Stone
1SG(P) Dean Mcbride (MPER) (SPHR) - Uhh...helping your constituents' for whatever reasonable request they make is what any elected representative is *supposed* to do. (Note that I said constituents, not voters. An elected official at any level is supposed to serve everyone in his or her constituency, not just the ones who voted for him or her.)
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SGT Mark Stone
1SG(P) Dean Mcbride (MPER) (SPHR) - " I doubt that Sen, Schunmer would be fighting to get an award upgrade for a cowboy in Montana!"
1) I don't know anything about the person in question. Is Schumer really fighting for the upgrade--ie, really putting the weight of his office behind it, or is he just asking them to take another look? And if he is putting the weight of his office behind it, is there some argument that the award was unreasonably denied?
2) I'm sure he wouldn't be fighting for someone in another state, except in an extraordinary situation where a whole bunch of Senators thought the award was unreasonably denied. His job description is to serve as a representative of the people in his state, not the people from other states.
1) I don't know anything about the person in question. Is Schumer really fighting for the upgrade--ie, really putting the weight of his office behind it, or is he just asking them to take another look? And if he is putting the weight of his office behind it, is there some argument that the award was unreasonably denied?
2) I'm sure he wouldn't be fighting for someone in another state, except in an extraordinary situation where a whole bunch of Senators thought the award was unreasonably denied. His job description is to serve as a representative of the people in his state, not the people from other states.
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SFC Robert Walton
Maj Kim Patterson I agree but with exceptions. No politician (with The exception) Of the President of the United States, (COC) Should have influences On Military awards and Benefit's.
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Politicians Have Been Pushing For Awards For Their Constituents, Since The Founding Of The Military.
Some Were Justified Some Not, During The Civil War There Were So Many Medals Of Honor That Were Awarded For Political Reasons , That Year’s Later A lot Of Them Were Down Graded Or Taken Away .
The Subject Of Awards Has Been Beaten To Death On This Forum So Many Times.
Anyone Who Deserves An Award For An Outstanding Achievement Or An Act Of Valor Should Be Awarded The Highest Award Possible
If A Politician Choses To Advocate For A Constituent To Be Awarded Any Medal , They Have To Do An Investigation Into The Actions Of The Individual During The Incident.
Some Were Justified Some Not, During The Civil War There Were So Many Medals Of Honor That Were Awarded For Political Reasons , That Year’s Later A lot Of Them Were Down Graded Or Taken Away .
The Subject Of Awards Has Been Beaten To Death On This Forum So Many Times.
Anyone Who Deserves An Award For An Outstanding Achievement Or An Act Of Valor Should Be Awarded The Highest Award Possible
If A Politician Choses To Advocate For A Constituent To Be Awarded Any Medal , They Have To Do An Investigation Into The Actions Of The Individual During The Incident.
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SPC James Neidig
A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
It’s Very True,
The Few Jobs That Are Available Are Very Low Paying With Little Chance Of Advancement And Recreation Activities Are Not Existent .
When You Have No Opportunities For Success And Live On The Government Money And Food Stamps You Receive Every Month,Drug And Alcohol Addiction Is A Usual Outcome.
It’s Very True,
The Few Jobs That Are Available Are Very Low Paying With Little Chance Of Advancement And Recreation Activities Are Not Existent .
When You Have No Opportunities For Success And Live On The Government Money And Food Stamps You Receive Every Month,Drug And Alcohol Addiction Is A Usual Outcome.
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
SPC James Neidig -
LMBO - You're Talking To A Self-Educated -While In The USAF - Mid-9th Grade Drop Out!!
When One Is In The Position I Was, We Have To Take Every Opportunity Which We Can Get- And With It, Make Our Own Successes. But I DO Completely Understand What You're Referring To, And IT Happens More Often Than NOT. Even Those With An Excellent Education Can Have Difficulty In Finding Employment. But Truth Be Known, Most Of Us Create Our Own Situations, Both The Good And Bad. And There Are Also Those Situations Where NO Mater How HARD We Try - Nothing Seems To Work Out-- And That IS Sad
LMBO - You're Talking To A Self-Educated -While In The USAF - Mid-9th Grade Drop Out!!
When One Is In The Position I Was, We Have To Take Every Opportunity Which We Can Get- And With It, Make Our Own Successes. But I DO Completely Understand What You're Referring To, And IT Happens More Often Than NOT. Even Those With An Excellent Education Can Have Difficulty In Finding Employment. But Truth Be Known, Most Of Us Create Our Own Situations, Both The Good And Bad. And There Are Also Those Situations Where NO Mater How HARD We Try - Nothing Seems To Work Out-- And That IS Sad
(1)
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SPC James Neidig
A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
I Dropped Out Of High School With Two Months Till Graduation,To Join The Marines.
I Got My GED After I Got To My First Permanent Duty Station, And Then Started Taking College Courses At Night ,It Took Me Six Years To Achieve A Bachelor’s Degree In History.
Paid For By Me, No Student Loans Or Grants.
I Received An Associate Degree In Culinary Arts That Was Paid For By Military Sealift Command.
I Have Been Homeless Living In A Van And Now Live On A Farm That Is Valued At About Half A Million Dollars And I Only Owe One Hundred And Nine Thousand Dollars.
So I No What It’s Like To Be Poor And Then Comfortable, Not Rich But I Am Happy.
I Have Worked Sometimes Two Jobs At A Time To Get Where I Am Now, I Have Never Been On Welfare Or Received Food Stamps.
I Am One Fourth Seneca Nation And Have Very Close Relationships With My Native American Relatives And Many Others From Other Native Tribes
If A Person Lives In An Area Where There Is No Opportunity To Improve Yourself And You Can Not Move To Improve Yourself,Then They Suffer The Consequences.
It’s Sad But It’s Happening Not Only On The Reservations But Also In The Big Cities.
I Dropped Out Of High School With Two Months Till Graduation,To Join The Marines.
I Got My GED After I Got To My First Permanent Duty Station, And Then Started Taking College Courses At Night ,It Took Me Six Years To Achieve A Bachelor’s Degree In History.
Paid For By Me, No Student Loans Or Grants.
I Received An Associate Degree In Culinary Arts That Was Paid For By Military Sealift Command.
I Have Been Homeless Living In A Van And Now Live On A Farm That Is Valued At About Half A Million Dollars And I Only Owe One Hundred And Nine Thousand Dollars.
So I No What It’s Like To Be Poor And Then Comfortable, Not Rich But I Am Happy.
I Have Worked Sometimes Two Jobs At A Time To Get Where I Am Now, I Have Never Been On Welfare Or Received Food Stamps.
I Am One Fourth Seneca Nation And Have Very Close Relationships With My Native American Relatives And Many Others From Other Native Tribes
If A Person Lives In An Area Where There Is No Opportunity To Improve Yourself And You Can Not Move To Improve Yourself,Then They Suffer The Consequences.
It’s Sad But It’s Happening Not Only On The Reservations But Also In The Big Cities.
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
SPC James Neidig -
B I N G O -- I LOVE To Hear Such Success Stories. If We Want Something To Happen,
It's Up To Each One Of Us To Make It Happen. My Congrats - You Did It And You Did It Perfectly!!
B I N G O -- I LOVE To Hear Such Success Stories. If We Want Something To Happen,
It's Up To Each One Of Us To Make It Happen. My Congrats - You Did It And You Did It Perfectly!!
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