Posted on Feb 5, 2015
Should this Green Beret officer's Silver Star have been revoked? Was the right thing done in this case?
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Not enough information?
Sounds Sketchy?
http://www.stripes.com/news/army/green-beret-officer-s-silver-star-revoked-as-army-cites-investigation-1.327766
Sounds Sketchy?
http://www.stripes.com/news/army/green-beret-officer-s-silver-star-revoked-as-army-cites-investigation-1.327766
Awards
Special Forces
Rules of Engagement (ROE)
Investigation
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 11
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On June 2, 2009, pResident Obama nominated John McHugh to the position of United States Secretary of the Army. He's just another stooge of the current administration.
Golsteyn is alleged to have made critical remarks detailed in the book, The Wrong War, about the American strategy in Afghanistan. His alleged remarks brought on the investigation for an undisclosed violation of the military’s ROE for which he was never charged that ended with revocation of his Silver Star.
The potus and his appointees are as vindictive as a scorned lover. They do not have the best interests of those that serve in their hearts or minds.
Golsteyn is alleged to have made critical remarks detailed in the book, The Wrong War, about the American strategy in Afghanistan. His alleged remarks brought on the investigation for an undisclosed violation of the military’s ROE for which he was never charged that ended with revocation of his Silver Star.
The potus and his appointees are as vindictive as a scorned lover. They do not have the best interests of those that serve in their hearts or minds.
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SSG (Join to see)
Thank You for some insight as to what most likely caused the unusual investigation Cpl (Join to see).
The article was very vague.
The article was very vague.
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Cpl (Join to see)
Thanks SSG (Join to see) I had lost the link where I sourced the information, but here it is, written by a Marine Veteran who says he knew the major well.
http://freebeacon.com/national-security/afghanistan-war-hero-stripped-of-silver-star/
http://freebeacon.com/national-security/afghanistan-war-hero-stripped-of-silver-star/
Afghanistan War Hero Stripped of Silver Star
By February 20th, 2010, the Battle of Marjah had been underway for a week. In order to seize the Afghan district—an IED-infested, Taliban-dominated collection of villages and crisscrossing canals an
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1. I know the author of the Washington Free Beacon article Aaron MacLean, I graduated from IOC with him and served with him in the same area of Afghanistan for a brief period. We both lost friends in the same corner of dirt south of Marjah. I'd tie my integrity to his any day.
2. I met (then Capt) Matt Golsteyn. I did read the book The Wrong War by Bing West and am inspired by the reporting on what he and his men did.
3. I was not present in the same location as Maj Golsteyn during the time he was cited for the award in question or the action that was reportedly investigated, nor am I privy to any of the bureaucratic or investigative action that has followed.
All this said, this situation smells really bad for the institution.
2. I met (then Capt) Matt Golsteyn. I did read the book The Wrong War by Bing West and am inspired by the reporting on what he and his men did.
3. I was not present in the same location as Maj Golsteyn during the time he was cited for the award in question or the action that was reportedly investigated, nor am I privy to any of the bureaucratic or investigative action that has followed.
All this said, this situation smells really bad for the institution.
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Capt Lance Gallardo
All of Bing's work occupy an honored place on my bookshelves. But The Wrong War is tough reading, precisely because you cannot read it for long without growing very angry about the way we have prosecuted that war, and reflect on the many good men who have given everything there, and for what? For dumb ass policies and restrictive ROEs that have let the enemy escape to fight another day, while our guys die due to the micromanagement of fire support requests from the field, from the Warriors actually doing the (mostly) killing, and (sometimes) dying? either you fight the war in such a way that you can credibly say you won at the end of the day, or you get out. The half-assed way we have fought that war and continue to fight that war are an ongoing disservice to everyone who went to Afghanistan like yourself. What the hell did we really learn from Vietnam after all these years? "The Village" by Bing West documents how to fight a low intensity conflict and actually win. We have had a tendency to reinforce failure (while we bring it on ourselves with self inflicted failures like our restrictive ROEs), instead of success. But I really blame the senior leadership, the Generals and Admirals, who do not have the moral or political courage to tell the civilian leadership the unvarnished truth about what is happening, what will happen with lousy policies, and how we are not setting the table to win Afghanistan. Best book to read about this level of betrayal of the troops is Lt. Gen McMasters withering indictment of the Generals and the senior political leadership (SecDef & Pres. Johnson) who failed to tell the truth to themselves or the troops or the American Public, while telling lies to themselves and their subordinates in Vietnam-"Dereliction of Duty: Johnson, McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff," by H. R. McMaster (Author) http://www.amazon.com/Dereliction-Duty-Johnson-McNamara-Vietnam/dp/ [login to see] /ref=tmm_pap_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid= [login to see] &sr=1-10
Dereliction of Duty: Johnson, McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies That Led to...
Dereliction of Duty: Johnson, McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies That Led to Vietnam [H. R. McMaster] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The war in Vietnam was not lost in the field, nor was it lost on the front pages of the New York Times or the college campuses. It was lost in Washington
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My question on the case is simple. Why didn't they just go back to the approval authority and ask if it would have changed his opinion? Article mentions him by name. There's a lot of conjecture about "he would likely would not have."
Just end the debate. If in doubt, go to the General who approved the Silver Star, show him the "evidence" that was brought up during the investigation, and get a thumbs up/down.
At that point it isn't "DoD" revoked the award, it's "Original Granting Authority Reviewed the case, and Cancelled the award."
Any time you end up with a second set of people reviewing a second set of information, of course things are going to change dramatically. However if you have ONE PERSON review "amended" data, then the process is merely a case of "no/yes this would not have changed the outcome, at that point."
Just end the debate. If in doubt, go to the General who approved the Silver Star, show him the "evidence" that was brought up during the investigation, and get a thumbs up/down.
At that point it isn't "DoD" revoked the award, it's "Original Granting Authority Reviewed the case, and Cancelled the award."
Any time you end up with a second set of people reviewing a second set of information, of course things are going to change dramatically. However if you have ONE PERSON review "amended" data, then the process is merely a case of "no/yes this would not have changed the outcome, at that point."
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SSG (Join to see)
Excellent response Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS!
Of course that would mean that whomever brought the investigation might have to eat some crow.
I totally agree with your response. I sure hope it works out to the better for this fine Soldier.
Of course that would mean that whomever brought the investigation might have to eat some crow.
I totally agree with your response. I sure hope it works out to the better for this fine Soldier.
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Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
SSG (Join to see) I work under the assumption that there is nothing inherently wrong with investigating anything. We investigate things all the time. Probably 90% of the time there is nothing wrong.
I remember one time I was walking by the Geo Bachelors' barracks and I thought I smelled gas. I went to the Duty NCO immediately and told him. We went back and investigated. Couldn't find anything on a second pass. But, better to bring it up and be wrong than not bring it up and be right.
I have no opinion one way or another on the case itself.. but cancellation/revocation of awards seems counter to their purpose.
I remember one time I was walking by the Geo Bachelors' barracks and I thought I smelled gas. I went to the Duty NCO immediately and told him. We went back and investigated. Couldn't find anything on a second pass. But, better to bring it up and be wrong than not bring it up and be right.
I have no opinion one way or another on the case itself.. but cancellation/revocation of awards seems counter to their purpose.
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Pure politics, he did what he had to do when duty called...PERIOD
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SSG (Join to see)
I know you are down there near 20TH GRP HQ's Sir. LTC (Join to see)
It truly is unfortunate what happens to our good Soldiers and then they wonder why they leave.
It just sounds like a skeptical investigation b/c they do not care for this individual for some reason.
It truly is unfortunate what happens to our good Soldiers and then they wonder why they leave.
It just sounds like a skeptical investigation b/c they do not care for this individual for some reason.
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It's concerning because it puts all Soldiers on edge. The higher ups are concerned about the morale and then they push out info on how to take away decorations and awards. Now we see this story in the headlines. I understand there's a drawdown, but what is this threat on accolades accomplishing?
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https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/should-this-green-beret-officer-s-silver-star-have-been-revoked-was-the-right-thing-done-in-this-case
This is the link to what I posted a few days ago.
This is the link to what I posted a few days ago.
Should this Green Beret officer's Silver Star have been revoked? Was the right thing done in this...
Not enough information? Sounds Sketchy? http://www.stripes.com/news/army/green-beret-officer-s-silver-star-revoked-as-army-cites-investigation-1.327766
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Not knowing all the facts and as the saying goes there are multiple sides to every story. Well this is a classic example of that. Yes he was awarded the Silver Star then came under investigation but was that investigation ongoing while the Silver Star was being worked or after. Personally Congress as a whole has better things to worry about in my honest opinion.
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This is an old conversation, so maybe nobody is interested anymore, but my concern, other than Maj. Golsteyn getting screwed, is the effect this type of FUBAR will have on other service members. As SGT Michael Everett put so well,
"It's concerning because it puts all Soldiers (and all service members) on edge". Will this type of bureaucratic CYA action cause warriors know and follow the ROE more strictly, which can be a good thing, or to hesitate to do the right thing in combat, out of fear of retribution, which is a bad thing. I fear it is the later, just ask Marcus Luttrell.
"It's concerning because it puts all Soldiers (and all service members) on edge". Will this type of bureaucratic CYA action cause warriors know and follow the ROE more strictly, which can be a good thing, or to hesitate to do the right thing in combat, out of fear of retribution, which is a bad thing. I fear it is the later, just ask Marcus Luttrell.
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CPO Bill Towart; this is a duplicate in nature post. I already posted ab out this particular subject. :)
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SSG (Join to see)
No Worries Chief, I know sometimes things get buried on this site.
I think an injustice was done to this Hero CPO Bill Towart
I think an injustice was done to this Hero CPO Bill Towart
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