Posted on Jun 6, 2015
In requiem for more than 16 United States Navy Seals. Should 16 US Navy Seals be awarded the medal of Honor Posthumously?
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In requiem for more than 16 United States Navy Seals. Controversial.
The Medal of Honor is the nation's highest award for valor in combat. It
is the only military medal that is worn around the neck. Its recipients
are the only individuals whom the President salutes as a matter of custom.
It is awarded by the President, in the name of Congress, to a member of
the armed forces who “distinguishes himself conspicuously by gallantry and
intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty”
"ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY"
When compared to the exploits of WWI medal of honor recipient Alvin York
and the exploits of 16 Navy Seals that successfully apprehended and killed
Osama Bin La din and did not receive medals of honor, there are controversial
issues surrounding award of the Medal of Honor to current U.S. Army and U.S.
Marine Corps MOH recipients. It is argued that current MOH awardees actions
in combat operations were all within the call of duty. i.e. in a combat situation,
service members are expected to save the lives of their comrades, resuscitate
and transport the wounded, engage the enemy, call for fire support, and to
react to enemy strategy and tactics with doctrinal battle drills and
or immediate action drills. It is argued that current U.S. Army and Marine Corps
Medal of Honor awardees performed within the call of duty only. It is further
argued that current U.S. Army and Marine Corps Medal of Honor awardees failed
to accomplish their missions. With that said,
Is it prudent to award the nations highest award when the actions of the
recipient were within the call of duty? Is it prudent to award the nations
highest award when the recipients mission was not accomplished? Is it prudent
to award the Medal of Honor when the recipient disobeyed lawful orders resulting
in severe injury to himself and others? Is it prudent to award the Medal of Honor
when the recipient failed to adhere to current U.S. Army doctrinal immediate
action battle drills resulting in severe injury to himself and the death and
severe injury of others?
Further, shouldn't 16 United States Navy Seals receive the Medal of Honor for
mission success in neutralizing the most wanted international terrorist in
United States history in lieu current United States Army and Marine Corps Medal
of Honor awardees who failed to accomplish their units planned mission, failed to
adhere to lawful orders, failed to preposition appropriately according to approved
tactical doctrine, failed to pre-plan fire support, failed to implement current U.S.
Army approved doctrinal battle drills appropriate for reacting to enemy grenade
attacks, near and far ambushes, and last but least became casualties and a burden
upon the unit due to incompetence. Current Medal of Honor awardees
claims to fame are that the lives of comrades were saved. Within the Law of
Land Warfare, U.S. soldiers are required to protect each other, to perform
first aide, to transport and protect life. It is a requirement within the call of duty.
Controversial and hot!!! Your views?
The Medal of Honor is the nation's highest award for valor in combat. It
is the only military medal that is worn around the neck. Its recipients
are the only individuals whom the President salutes as a matter of custom.
It is awarded by the President, in the name of Congress, to a member of
the armed forces who “distinguishes himself conspicuously by gallantry and
intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty”
"ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY"
When compared to the exploits of WWI medal of honor recipient Alvin York
and the exploits of 16 Navy Seals that successfully apprehended and killed
Osama Bin La din and did not receive medals of honor, there are controversial
issues surrounding award of the Medal of Honor to current U.S. Army and U.S.
Marine Corps MOH recipients. It is argued that current MOH awardees actions
in combat operations were all within the call of duty. i.e. in a combat situation,
service members are expected to save the lives of their comrades, resuscitate
and transport the wounded, engage the enemy, call for fire support, and to
react to enemy strategy and tactics with doctrinal battle drills and
or immediate action drills. It is argued that current U.S. Army and Marine Corps
Medal of Honor awardees performed within the call of duty only. It is further
argued that current U.S. Army and Marine Corps Medal of Honor awardees failed
to accomplish their missions. With that said,
Is it prudent to award the nations highest award when the actions of the
recipient were within the call of duty? Is it prudent to award the nations
highest award when the recipients mission was not accomplished? Is it prudent
to award the Medal of Honor when the recipient disobeyed lawful orders resulting
in severe injury to himself and others? Is it prudent to award the Medal of Honor
when the recipient failed to adhere to current U.S. Army doctrinal immediate
action battle drills resulting in severe injury to himself and the death and
severe injury of others?
Further, shouldn't 16 United States Navy Seals receive the Medal of Honor for
mission success in neutralizing the most wanted international terrorist in
United States history in lieu current United States Army and Marine Corps Medal
of Honor awardees who failed to accomplish their units planned mission, failed to
adhere to lawful orders, failed to preposition appropriately according to approved
tactical doctrine, failed to pre-plan fire support, failed to implement current U.S.
Army approved doctrinal battle drills appropriate for reacting to enemy grenade
attacks, near and far ambushes, and last but least became casualties and a burden
upon the unit due to incompetence. Current Medal of Honor awardees
claims to fame are that the lives of comrades were saved. Within the Law of
Land Warfare, U.S. soldiers are required to protect each other, to perform
first aide, to transport and protect life. It is a requirement within the call of duty.
Controversial and hot!!! Your views?
Medal of Honor
Awards
Edited 9 y ago
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 20
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I don't feel that they rate the MOH, in my opinion. Did they do an amazing job? Absolutely. Do they deserve credit? Undoubtedly. But it is the same thing as those who feel that CPO Chris Kyle deserves the MOH. What they did was their job. They trained for it, they executed it and it was successful. I don't feel that any of those men should be standing alongside the likes of MSG Roy Benavidez and the others like him. They didn't go above and beyond, as bad as that may sound. They did what they were trained to do.
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PFC (Join to see)
MSG Roy Benavidez is a personal hero of mine. His story is so legendary that even foreign military officers know his name.
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SGT Anthony Bussing
I agree about Kyle...good man...saved lives....but not CMH worthy...hell, as a medic Ive saved lives...I did a cricothyroidotomy while being shot at and saved the dudes life...I was cutting the guys throat open when bullets were zipping past my head...but I sure as hell dont deserve a medal...I was just doing my job...my medal for that mission...my patient got to go home and see him wife and kids again...that was all I needed
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CPT Harbourcay .
16 Navy Seals, hmm I thought it was Obama who killed Bin Laden==at least he took credit.
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Absolutely not. The historical precedence for missions like this have already been set. The Son Tay Raid is a classic example of this. Both instances have strategic effects. With the Son Tay Raid, Silver Stars were issued to the bulk of the raiders. Nothing higher is deserved for just being there.
There is also an expectation that the valor displayed in a SOF unit must be higher than that displayed in a conventional unit by virtue of the being surrounding by more competent individuals and a more robust support infrastructure on call (a fact well documented).
Also you cannot compare the actions of 16 SEALs from a Tier 1 unit to a lone farm boy, especially since the lone farm boy acted alone, knocked 32 machine gun nests, killed at least 20 Germans and captured 132 Germans.
Also, this is not controversial or hot.
There is also an expectation that the valor displayed in a SOF unit must be higher than that displayed in a conventional unit by virtue of the being surrounding by more competent individuals and a more robust support infrastructure on call (a fact well documented).
Also you cannot compare the actions of 16 SEALs from a Tier 1 unit to a lone farm boy, especially since the lone farm boy acted alone, knocked 32 machine gun nests, killed at least 20 Germans and captured 132 Germans.
Also, this is not controversial or hot.
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1LT William Clardy
PFC (Join to see) and SFC Rollie Hubbard, not to diminish his courage that day, but Corporal York didn't act alone that day.
There were 16 other men in Sergeant Early's section that morning, 6 of whom were killed by machine-gun fire and 3 (including Sergeant Early and Corporal Cutting) of whom were seriously wounded. Of the remaining 7, several were busy guarding the German prisoners already captured, but at least 3 also returned fire at the machine guns and were officially cited in a regimental order. York even mentioned to his battalion commander that he saw another American soldier returning fire. Corporal York had the misfortune to be the only surviving American who had no cover to huddle behind whenever the German machine gunners raked the ground near him.
There were 16 other men in Sergeant Early's section that morning, 6 of whom were killed by machine-gun fire and 3 (including Sergeant Early and Corporal Cutting) of whom were seriously wounded. Of the remaining 7, several were busy guarding the German prisoners already captured, but at least 3 also returned fire at the machine guns and were officially cited in a regimental order. York even mentioned to his battalion commander that he saw another American soldier returning fire. Corporal York had the misfortune to be the only surviving American who had no cover to huddle behind whenever the German machine gunners raked the ground near him.
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1LT William Clardy
Dead on with the Doolittle raiders, PFC (Join to see). The SEALs went out with a much higher expectation of returning alive than Doolittle's men.
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I hope this is your question, and not something DOD or the Administration is considering? @MAJ James Hill? Of course they don't warrant the MOH. That would cheapen the award to say the least.
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