Awards Rant, Part I

[unhappycamper]

Awards Rant, Part I
Thursday, January 3, 2008

Once upon a time in the Green Zone (IZ), there was stationed a Lieutenant who worked at a desk. This LTs sole purpose in life (at least, his life for the 6 months he was in the IZ) was to determine the equipment needs of the Iraqi Army and procure the necessary supplies. This was a vitally important function to the establishment of a new Iraqi Army, but it rarely required him to leave his desk, in his cubby hole, in the heavily fortified Green Zone. When LT did have to leave his desk, it was usually to do the normal things people must do - eat, sleep, go to meetings, and smoke cigars. It is upon the latter thing that our story takes place today.

One day the LT was outside his office, smoking a cigar with a few other people. They were having their normal discussion, minding their own business, when some pesky insurgents lobbed a 60mm mortar from an unknown location far, far away. Unfortunately, this mortar happened to land close to the LT and his cigar buddies. Not close enough to hurt any of them, but close enough so that their table shook and they heard a big portion of the loud explosions that mortars make. As anyone who lives in the IZ knows, mortars are an unfortunate part of life. So they scrambled for cover, waited for the "All Clear" signal, and went about life.

Nothing came of this, but a week or so later, the LT decided he was having some hearing problems. He also decided that it was a result of the mortar attack that he narrowly escaped. Now, I've been pretty damn close to many a mortar and rocket, and when they land, they tend to shake you up, and they are loud. However, like most Soldiers, I shake them off and go back to business as usual. Occasionally I hear air being hissed from a truck and get goosebumps, but nothing major. Not our LT, though. He was permanently damaged (actually, the doctor diagnosed temporary hearing loss).

With medical diagnoses in hand, our brave LT went about the cumbersome task of writing himself up for not one, but two combat awards - the Purple Heart and the Combat Action Badge. On the first pass up his chain of command, poor LTs awards were denied. However, he seized opportunity when it became available int he form of a change in his command structure; he presented his packet to the new commander and up his award went.

A few weeks went by and LT re-deployed to the US, his insufferably long 6 month deployment finally over. Nothing was said of this award until a close informant confirmed the impossible - LT received not one, but both highly honored combat awards. And he deserved them - after all, the long patrols he went on, and the nights he spent trying to stay awake guarding his remote combat outpost .. . oh, wait, he didn't do any of those things. No, but he is a decorated combat warrior, a recipient of two awards that represent our bravest and finest warriors, people who sacrificed themselves physically for our country.


Rest of article and comments at: http://jasonirrdeployment.blogspot.com/2008/01/awards-rant-part-i.html

[Lasher]

1. This can't be subjective.

A physical lesion is not required to qualify for the Purple Heart. However, the wound for which the award is made must have required treatment by a medical officer and records of medical treatment for wounds or injuries received in action must have been made a matter of official record. If a mortar round lands next to you, you're in combat. Temporary hearing loss doesn't seem like much of a wound but he gets the Purple Heart unless he was lying about that.

The Combat Action Badge may be awarded to any soldier performing duties in an area where hostile fire pay or imminent danger pay is authorized, who is personally present and actively engaging or being engaged by the enemy, and performing satisfactorily in accordance with the prescribed rules of engagement. Having a mortar round land close to you is being engaged by the enemy. He gets the Combat Action Badge.

If we start being subjective about criteria that is not contained in the guidelines (How much is 'wounded enough?') we could end up wrongly demeaning our combat veterans. The 2004 Republican convention comes quickly to mind.

[atreides1]

2. Why was it denied initially?

Besides, I remember Grenada, they gave out awards and medals like barbers use to give out lollipops to little boys when they got their first haircut.

Maybe his first command realized it was bogus, it generally is when you write yourself up for an award, and maybe the new command just didn't really care!

[unhappycamper]

3. Unknown.

Like my comment his blog sez: I have no clue how I ended up with two Bronze Stars. The Army was giving out all kinds of shiny baubles in 68 & 70.

The first night of Tet '68 I slashed my toe on a tent stake as we were running towards the wire. I had it looked at & the medic asked me if I wanted a Purple Heart. I declined.

[rakeeb]

6. His first command may have judged it bogus based on

how far away the impact was from his cigar smoking position. The commander may have assessed it as this LT not being "engaged by the enemy" but merely being in the same part of town as that impact. (Take a look at a map to see how huge the Green Zone is).

As for writing yourself up for an award, officers are generally expected to write their own awards. My team leader was reminded to write his own after he submitted ours.

[wulax2525]

4. It isnt subjective, which is why he should NOT have gotten either

Lasher – We’re probably going to have to agree to disagree here. A mortar round landing close by is part of being in a combat zone. The awards mentioned are reserved for those warriors in a combat zone that are subjected above and beyond the every day dangers of war (every day dangers being mortars and rockets). The CAB was designed for the 88M truck driver running convoys up and down Rt Tampa who gets shot at and subjected to IEDs everyday, or the commo specialist attached to a n infantry company doing daily combat patrols. If we start handing out CABs for every Joe who was near a mortar or rocket, we might as well just make the CAB a standard award for everyone deployed. The Purple Heart was designed for those wounded warriors who were truly afflicted by the horrors of war – not this LT who sought 5 different opinions to get a diagnosed, documented injury. The final blow IMO was the fact that he submitted himself for both awards, and after it was turned down sought to re-submit it through a different commander. Again, IMHO, this LT has tarnished the integrity of these awards, and it pisses me off. Sorry if you don’t agree.

[Lasher]

5. I agree the LT's conduct seems questionable.

But I cited the criteria for award of these medals, which is easy to find. In the case of the CAB it seems the only point open to interpretation is if getting a mortar round lobbed at you is being 'engaged by the enemy'. I say it is.

I don't know if the CAB award could be challenged because the LT seems to have recommended himself. But in the case of the Purple Heart it has no bearing because an individual is not "recommended" for the decoration; rather he or she is entitled to it upon meeting specific criteria. Doctor shopping is not prohibited in the criteria.

But to me the criteria is clear; the LT gets both awards. If that was wrong the guidelines need to be changed. Don't let your emotions guide you in this. If you are allowed to impose conditions that are not in the criteria, then someone else could also. And that could end up being someone like this:

[wulax2525]

7. emotions

My emotions are not getting in the way, especially because I worked with said LT. He was a decent guy who is trying to get more out of his "war effort" than he deserves. If you've been here, you know mortars and rockets are part of everyday life. As I said, if we gave out CABs for everyone near a rocket or mortar, we might as well just make them a standard award for everyone. However, they were intended as a special recognition award, similar to Combat Infantryman Badge or Combat Medical Badge. The job of our leaders is to ensure the integrity of these awards, and that wasn't done here. As for the purple heart? Please. Entitled to the award? I don't think anyone who truly earns the purple heart feels that they are entitled to it, rather that they were unfortunate enough to get it. The LTs aggressive pursuit of the award, and the questionable "injury" in which made him eligible, just demeans all those injured warriors who have been unlucky recipients of said award. Seriously, my hearing is bad? What? No, I cant hear you. It's all because if this mortar. Think about it . . .

[unhappycamper]

8. Welcome to DU wulax2525!

:hi:

Are you back in CONUS or still overseas?

[wulax2525]

9. unfortunately

I am still overseas.

[unhappycamper]

10. That sucks.

Keep your head down & stay safe (I know about mortars and rockets from personal experience.) We're working hard to bring you home.