Jo, interesting idea but it would depend on the focus. Pretty much the only time I raise my status as a vet is when confronting some brave member of the 101st Keyboardists who learned everything he knew about the military from Stratego.
But really I am here to hijack your thread. The Tillman story is suddenly back in play and I would love to see some long-term and/or recent vets comment on the Silver Star award.
Lots of people don't get awards for Gallantry in Action that deserved them. Commanding Officers get killed, maybe nobody even survives the engagement. But the granting of a Silver Star takes a series of affirmative statements by a whole series of people up the chain of command. I am not sure at what level final approval comes but it is clear from this dKos diary that the entirety of the Ranger brass knew the truth before, during and after the award of the Medal posthumously to Tillman. They allowed the Army and the Pentagon to hide their incompetence behind the Silver Star and in so doing demeaned every hero that ever earned it.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/9/25/121725/537
I admired Pat Tillman tremendously. If his parents were not trying so hard to get the truth I would have just shined this one on rather than seem to be piling on to their pain. But as the situation is, it is time to drag this stinking mess out into the bright sunlight. The Army simply cannot get away with awarding high medals for Valor to cover up clusterfucks.
Non-vets probably won't get it. But vets understand that the Silver Star is a big deal. I was outraged at the time because the story just didn't make sense, but there was no way to highlight it without seeming to make an attack on Tillman. Now may be the time to expose the Pentagon's blatant disregard for the very concepts of Honor and Valor.
But vets understand that the Silver Star is a big deal... Now may be the time to expose the Pentagon's blatant disregard for the very concepts of Honor and Valor.
Indeed, but this administration gives out medals like South American dictatorships. Tillman's circumstances (in my opinion) do not warrant the Star and his reciept of it cheapens it for all those who were awarded it previously. Nothing against Tillman or hos service to the nation.
I don't blog, for several reasons, among them time allowances, but I'd be happy to try to become a (more) regular contributor. Even though I do an offline private journal, I haven't gone to blogging because of a poor understanding of the HTML process. Maybe it's time I grew up a bit and learned something useful.
posted by: Lurch on 09.25.05 at 09:37 PM [permalink]
Fixer, agreed totally.
But the original narrative would have justified the medal. Somebody somewhere just made up an Audie Murphy story and used it as a coverup. We all understand the fog of war: some people get medals who never deserved them, others perform acts of heroism that never get recognized. That is just the way it is.
But here we have a case where the truth was known at all levels of the Army from day one and they facilitated a lie. Who wrote the recommendation for the Star? Who approved it? And how many people came in between? Each and every one should resign their commission - yesterday.
I think you're wrong, Bruce and Fixer. This was another Jessica Lynch fable concocted by the political dancers and prancers in the Pentagon. Tillman was a recognized American name because of his fame as a civilian. His death was a made to order lucky break for the corrupt Flag Officers who lick Rumsfeld's and Bush's boots on a daily basis.
It was more important to invent a blood-stirring tale of American heroism than to respect the honor and integrity of American Arms.
The clowns who invented the legend have no respect for battle heroism. In fact, I'm confident that many of them have "service" awards rather than "action" awards.
Their actions discredit every uniformed American for the last 230 years.
posted by: Lurch on 09.26.05 at 02:23 PM [permalink]
I'm willing, but I'm in the same boat as Lurch.
posted by: Phil on 09.26.05 at 03:27 PM [permalink]
It's Jessica Lynch redux, although she didn't 'support the troops' by staying alive. Remember they had to change that tune as well. Imagine the tale they would have told had she died?
I too am willing to serve in the United World Internet Corps in the interest of informing my fellow humans.
Pat Tillman was admirable for his willingness to give up personal comfort when he believed his nation and his neighbors needed his skills elsewhere. That however, simply isn't enough to justify a Silver Star. I hate what happened to him but, the Army had other routes they could have taken. Routes that would have preserved and illuminated the honor in Tillmans service.. Instead, they have chosen to associate his name with their fraud. mores the pity
Bruce, after just coming back from Afghanistan, I'm here to tell you that they've already made the Bronze Star meaningless. Every staff officer in every JOC and TOC was getting one just for not fucking up. In my unit, every officer and the acting first sergeant received one.
Jo, you can't count me in, if you'll have me. I am a jarhead after all. But enough messing around. Let me know if I can join in with your band of not-so-merry men.
Jo,
While I have an aversion to identifying myself as a veteran, observing the blank, glazed, expressions from the vast majority of my fellow citizens. I did volunteer in Dec'67 for a four year cruise in the USMC.
All my hope for excitement were fulfilled, a tour of that toilet Vietnam..then flying as a spook communicator with VQ-1 out of Atsugi NAS, Japan. I now have an Armed Forces ID that never expires..Thank you for your strong, coherent voice these last few years.
You truly have a gift for "langwidges".
JPS sends
posted by: John Sullivan on 09.28.05 at 01:59 PM [permalink]
