Author Topic: Combat Medals For Drone Pilots?  (Read 1324 times)

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famousdayandyear

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Combat Medals For Drone Pilots?
« on: February 18, 2013, 10:37:01 pm »
http://sofrep.com/17261/the-distinguished-warfare-medal/


Combat Medals For Drone Pilots?
by Nicholas Irving · February 15, 2013

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is expected to announce that the Pentagon is creating a medal for the men and women who operate and conduct drone and cyber attacks against enemy combatants in combat operations today. This medal will be the first combat-related award to be created since the Bronze Star in 1944.

The new medal will be called the Distinguished Warfare Medal. The medal will be a brass pendant, nearly two inches tall, with a laurel wreath that circles a globe with an eagle at the center, and has red, white, and blue ribbons around it.
What makes this interesting?

Not only is this a combat medal, but this medal will have a higher ranking than the Bronze Star medal and a lower ranking than the Silver Star, a defense official reported. As we know, the Bronze Star medal is the fourth highest combat decoration, while the Silver Star medal is the third highest combat medal, given for bravery in combat. Unlike the Bronze Star and Silver Star, the Distinguished Warfare Medal does not require that the recipient be in harm’s way or risk his or her life to get the combat medal. The operators of drones that conduct operations in combat areas fly them from as far as 7,000 miles away from any immediate danger in a secluded air-conditioned room.

The medal gives the military a way to recognize drone operators actions that “directly affect a combat operation, doesn’t involve an act of valor, and warrants an award higher than the Bronze Star” according to the Pentagon criteria.
The Question

Pilots who operate drone strikes, surveillance, and cyber operations in areas such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Mali, etc., absolutely play a key and direct role in combating terrorism, but should their actions be awarded a “combat medal” higher than the Bronze Star if they are not in direct “combat?”

Offline Ford289HiPo

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Re: Combat Medals For Drone Pilots?
« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2013, 09:08:42 pm »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dlg8AW_RfPI

CAUTION! This video is not safe for work(but it is related to the topic at hand)!
I wonder when the lies will stop and truth begin, even as grim as the truth may be. And then I remember that for 70 years, the reign of terror in Russia called itself "the people's government." We have so far to fall, yet we are falling fast and Hell yawns to receive us.

Offline xfreeper

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Re: Combat Medals For Drone Pilots?
« Reply #2 on: February 27, 2013, 01:46:01 am »
next will be medals for congress and public employees for heroic public service

Online 240B

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Re: Combat Medals For Drone Pilots?
« Reply #3 on: February 27, 2013, 02:32:56 am »
next will be medals for congress and public employees for heroic public service

Exactly. That is what this is leading to. In typical fashion of Kim Jong-il, or all the South American clown dictators, it is common to see 'leaders' including civilians covered with every medal known to man from head to toe.
 
It has always been clear to me that Obama would do this if he could. I see jealously in his actions and hear it in his voice when he pins a medal of honor on a real hero. It hurts hims that mere peon could acheive something he "the greatest person on Earth ever" can never be awarded. It eats him up. He desperately wants some kind of a big gaudy gold South American medal for killing Osama Ben Laden (after all we know he is the one who did it). I can just see it and feel it from the guy. lol
 
I once met a sailor with a Navy Achievment Medal, a fairly significant thing. I asked him, what did you do to get that? He said, I don't know. He said, As far as I can tell I got it for showing up to work everyday.
 
The point is, that if a CO wants a medal for himself, he could recommend the medal for the whole unit regardless of what each person has actually done, uuuh, and he is part of the unit, right? So, he gets a medal too?
 
I have been in situations where medals were flying around like freakin' confetti. Like a drunk sailor in a bar, it was 'medals for my friends'! Medals all around!! Catch 22 is an excellent movie. And it is very close to the reality of military service.
 
I know that I tend to kind of drift when I post, and I tend to talk about the military as it really is instead of all the drama, but now back to the point.
 
The statement, 'next will be medals for congress and public employees for heroic public service' is where this will lead. And once Congressmen and Politicians start awarding themselves 'extremely high value service medals' (which they will) then the already somewhat 'watered down' value of military medals is rendered all but meaningless.
« Last Edit: February 27, 2013, 02:33:47 am by 240B »
You cannot "COEXIST" with people who want to kill you.
If they kill their own with no conscience, there is nothing to stop them from killing you.
Rational fear and anger at vicious murderous Islamic terrorists is the same as irrational antisemitism, according to the Leftists.

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Re: Combat Medals For Drone Pilots?
« Reply #4 on: February 27, 2013, 10:20:44 am »
I get the concept.....a 'soldier' in an antiseptic room....sitting in an overstuffed chair...working a joy-stick on a console...KILLING PEOPLE AND BLOWING UP THINGS....should be awarded the same as and dirty, grimy grunt advancing on an enemy pill box behind enemy lines with lead buzzing all around.

Uh-huh...........
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