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In 2003, I was talking to a military recruiter at a local event. He was there looking to enlist young adults. We started talking bout the Jessica Lynch rescue. The subject came up about her medals and awards. She was awarded a Bronze Star.
I told him that among my medals, I received an Army Commendation Medal after serving one year as an infantryman in Vietnam.
He replied in today's army they give you an Army Commendation Medal when you transfer from one post to another
Jessica Lynch was a supply clerk who was captured and became a POW. Upon her release from captivity, she was awarded the Bronze Star. To her credit she stated that she didn't deserve it because her rifle jammed and she never fired it.
Bronze Stars are given out like candy in today's military. Every Junior Officer who serves in Iraq/Afghanistan is expected to get one as an end of tour award as long as no egregious offenses were committed.
Yes, as CIC he has the right, but holy crap, this is unprecedented! I'm not going to argue the pros and cons of the Gallagher trial, as that just muddies the waters, but what are the views of those serving? How would you feel if one of your earned medals was taken away? Especially if done so this publically, shaming you?
My brother and my fiance both served in combat zone, and they both said that it is ridiculous to try this SEAL with war crime.
The lead prosecutor was removed from the case after being caught attaching tracking software to email messages sent to defense lawyers. Then another SEAL who was given immunity surprised prosecutors by testifying from the stand that he was the one who had killed the captive.
I don't think said prosecutor deserves any medals. Yikes! But I don't think president Trump should interfere, he only appears petty.
So two officers who I presume had orders from above to prosecute a Navy Seal had medals rescinded simply because they performed their duties in a highly controversial court martial. CIC apparently has the authority to take this action. Very poor judgement.
So two officers who I presume had orders from above to prosecute a Navy Seal had medals rescinded simply because they performed their duties in a highly controversial court martial. CIC apparently has the authority to take this action. Very poor judgement.
Beyond poor judgement. There's no reason for the CIC to be blasting JAG Officers on twitter who were doing their jobs and had no say in being given a medal. At the very least, it could have been done through private channels.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lilyflower3191981
My brother and my fiance both served in combat zone, and they both said that it is ridiculous to try this SEAL with war crime.
The lead prosecutor was removed from the case after being caught attaching tracking software to email messages sent to defense lawyers. Then another SEAL who was given immunity surprised prosecutors by testifying from the stand that he was the one who had killed the captive.
I don't think said prosecutor deserves any medals. Yikes! But I don't think president Trump should interfere, he only appears petty.
The basis for this case was two other SEALS turned the Chief in for his actions. Being in combat is not a free pass to do as one feels.
Second, the people receiving the medals had absolutely zero say in it. There is zero chance they wrote themselves up for it. It is likely their senior Officer did it. A NAM for their work on this case is no more ridiculous than the hundred of other ridiculous things medals have been given for.
Last edited by Pyramidsurf; 08-01-2019 at 11:08 AM..
The basis for this case was two other SEALS turned the Chief in for his actions. Being in combat is not a free pass to do as one feels.
Second, the people receiving the medals had absolutely zero say in it. There is zero chance they wrote themselves up for it. It is likely their senior Officer did it. A NAM for their work on this case is no more ridiculous than the hundred of other ridiculous things medals have been given for.
I completely understand this.
But, Once the prosecution’s star medical witness went south on them, it was going to be very hard to get a conviction.
Plus, with all the conflicting testimony of who killed the insurgent. There was never a case for beyond a reasonable doubt.
In term of the "medals", I think if military believes they should get them, then who am I to say no? It looks like one of the main prosecutor has been removed from this case because he handled case poorly.
All these being said, maybe President Trump should stay out of it.
Since when do prosecutors get medals, just for being prosecutors? What is the true story?
I don't right off hand know what "rock star" looks like among military lawyers. I expect no military lawyer doing his job could possibly earn the respect of a SEAL that was doing his job.
However, I did have the honor of serving on a couple of Navy ranking boards where part of the job was understanding that when the choice is between recommending promotion to PO1 for a ****-hot yeoman or a mediocre SEAL, you recommend the ****-hot yeoman.
An Achievement Medal is the least individual decoration of merit. A SEAL may get an Achievement Medal for one thing; a yeoman gets an Achievement medal for another thing, a lawyer gets an Achievement Medal for yet another thing...all are compared to others in their fields and the kinds of things they do in their fields. Like the commercial says, "You have your rock stars, we have our rock stars."
And as anyone who has been in the military should know, you can be awarded a medal for your own merit even if the operation is a failure.
I expect going in to this trial, the chances of a conviction looked pretty dim. The prosecutors were basically served a green weenie and told to look sharp choking it down. "Delivered the best possible legal case, blah, blah, blah..." Yeah, troops do get Achievement Medals for looking sharp while choking down green wienies, and something like this is probably what lawyers get Achievement Medals for.
I think it was a bad thing for the president to rescind Achievement Medals awarded to men who were served green weenies and told to look sharp while choking them down, and performed that duty. Just because he didn't like their mission doesn't mean they didn't do the job to the measure of earning an Achievement Medal.
I would think as a businessman Trump would know that you do NOT micro-manage...……..especially the military...…...look what Johnson/mcNamara did to muck up vietnam
And yes even a trial can render the wrong verdict.
It's treason to utter or disagree while an active member in service to speak ill of the C I C. So I don't buy folks chiming in that their active relative member digressed on allegiance.
I've heard that it wasn't just the officers involved in the court martial but enlisted people just doing routine paperwork behind the scenes who had their medals rescinded. Perhaps Trump should have taken his ire out with someone higher up in the command structure.
It's treason to utter or disagree while an active member in service to speak ill of the C I C. So I don't buy folks chiming in that their active relative member digressed on allegiance.
It would not be treason, but a service member is prohibited from speaking "contemptuous words" against elected officials, including the president. Courts-martial have been very specific about the crime being the "contemptuous words" themselves, not the message of the speech.
A troop can say, "The president's statement was untrue." A troop cannot say "The president is a liar."
A troop can say, "The president's action was not conducive to good military morale." A troop cannot say, "The president is a son of a b*****."
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But I don't think president Trump should interfere, he only appears petty.
