Hagel Cancels Creation Of New Drone, Cyber Medal; Military to add device to existing medals

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON — In the face of withering criticism, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has canceled the creation of a new military medal for drone and cyber warriors, instead ordering military leaders to develop a special pin or device that would be attached to already existing medals or ribbons.

Hagel’s predecessor, Leon Panetta, created the Distinguished Warfare Medal to be awarded to troops such as drone operators and cyber warriors who have a major effect on a military operation but never actually set foot in the combat zone. That decision triggered broad complaints from veterans and lawmakers who said it should not be ranked higher than traditional combat medals such as the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

On Monday Hagel said that while the department should recognize the extraordinary achievements of those troops, the award should not be a stand-alone medal.

When Panetta announced the medal would be created in mid-February, defense officials said it would be considered a bit higher in ranking than the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart, but lower than the Silver Star. But the Veterans of Foreign Wars and other groups sent a letter to President Barack Obama in March, asking him to keep the medal ranked below the Purple Heart, which is awarded for combat injuries. Critics said the ranking was an injustice to those troops who risked their lives in battle.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/hagel-cancels-creation-of-new-drone-cyber-medal/2013/04/15/31486b30-a5fc-11e2-9e1c-bb0fb0c2edd9_story.html

[Spitfire of ATJ]

1. "In the face of withering criticism"...

[actslikeacarrot]

2. Everytime I see this picture...

...I laugh my ass off. It makes me think of all the "war heroes" on Xbox Live that have claimed to have had sexual intercourse with my mother haha.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

3. I call them the "101st Fighting Keyboardists".

[sakabatou]

4. Awesome name for a pianist group

[Spitfire of ATJ]

5. These guys are on organs.

[MindPilot]

11. the 86th Chairborne Squadron

[GiveMeFreedom]

7. Was that you? I am sorry.

For real this time, I am just kidding and could not resist. I do see in my minds eye, all the key board basement warriors typing capital letters in your monitor. So, the long way of saying I apologize to your mother and you for a very tired rhetorical response. Peace.

[blkmusclmachine]

6. Cold Blooded Murder

Mavericky

[hunter]

8. One of my grandfathers "fought" in World War II.

He wanted to fly airplanes but they put him in an office supervising mad scientists, engineers, sketchy smugglers, actors, and other misfits who were somehow deemed essential to the war effort. If he ever left the USA on secret business he never spoke about it. Occasionally he had to bail his people out of Washington D.C. area jails. As a handsome young officer in a fancy uniform with a big black government car and driver he could do that.

"Sign here, Sir..."

It was a very dangerous business. Somebody could have puked on him or waved their dick at him and said, "Suck this!"

Certainly it was necessary work during a World War but his greatest pride was the work he did as an engineer for the Apollo project. Metal parts he designed, touched, and inspected went to the moon and back. Some are in the Smithsonian.

During the war my other grandfather refused to touch any weapons but quickly decided it was better to build Liberty and Victory ships than sit uselessly in jail for his pacifist faith. He got beat up by the cops once for protesting as they rounded up his Japanese neighbors and took them away. My mom, a little kid, was with him.

I don't think either of my grandfathers would have appreciated any special medals for their contributions to the war. Even decorated veterans I've met who've experienced horrors I cannot imagine tell me little more than they did what they had to do.

I once worked for a contractor who is a Viet Nam war veteran. He had some medals. I never heard exactly what for, beyond a bit of shrapnel he carried with him, but I did hear quite a bit about his brothers on the Wall.

Drone and Cyberwarfare medals seem sort of sad in comparison.

[joshcryer]

9. I'd bet that's because civilians do this, too.

[Nihil]

10. Suggested wording:

"Coward"

"Murderer"

"X-Box Hero"