Cheapening real bravery

[draco664]

Link

My grandfathers both fought in WWII. One flew a pair of missions as a rear gunner on a plane. I feel this was quite brave -- given he was in the army as a cook and volunteered to jump on the plane with no training to ensure a full complement of men for the missions.

But now there are moves afoot to award medals for bravery to the most cowardly method of fighting there is.

Remote drone pilots.

I get they are doing a difficult job. I get that they need a lot of training. I get that recognition of these facts is important.

Sitting in an air-conditioned room thousands of miles away from the bullets being fired at your plane is not, however you spin it, brave.

Good economic sense? Yep. Drones are cheap - a considerable portion of the cost of a fighter plane is in the safety equipment for the pilot.

Good return on training investment? Absolutely. Pilots are expensive to train, and keeping them safe even when they lose their plane is good sense.

Sound strategic thinking? Hell yes. Unmanned vehicles are always better to send in first.

Brave? No. And this proposal makes the medals given to people who charged machinegun fire to save a squadmate little more than a mass-produced, plastic trophy.

[mikoyan29]

As long as they don't start awarding Purple Hearts or some of the existing medals for this, I don't see the problem. There are a ton of medals awarded for things other than bravery. My dad got a National Defense Medal because he happened to be serving in the Navy at the same time there was a war going on in Vietnam. There are also Good Conduct medals and other medals of that type. So I would see this medal in those ranks rather than the ranks of Congressional Medal of Honor, Air Medal, Silver and Bronze Stars, etc.

[bara]

I have no trouble recognizing those who have served well and faithfully regardless of their MOS. But its not like they will be getting Bronze Stars and stuff for it.
Truthfully, Id rather never see or hear about anyone earning the more prestigious medals but only thats because they were going through some major shit when they did so.

[Andara Bledin]

I have no problem with this medal, because it's not about bravery.

From a quote within the article:

The proposed medal would rank between the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Soldier’s Medal for exceptional conduct outside a combat zone.

So, basically, if you don't like this medal, then you think the current medal for exceptional conduct outside a combat zone is already "cheapening real bravery."

Honestly, the whole "bravery award for drone pilots" theme that a lot of the news outlets have going on is an example of rage porn headlines. They're not accurate and they only exist to get people mad before they even read the first line of the article.

For those who hate the idea, I have to ask: Do you think that someone who operates a drone and is instrumental in saving the lives of soldiers actually in the combat zone is undeserving of any sort of award merely because they're a remote pilot? How is that fair to them?

^-.-^

[Nekojin]

Considering that the military routinely hands out "attendance" medals - medals that are earned for nothing more than not going AWOL or getting tossed in the brig - I can't see the issue with this medal. The purpose for it doesn't mention "bravery" anywhere in its description or criteria for awarding it. The HWFO over "bravery" is purely fabricated (not sure whether it's Salon doing that, or their source for the article).

Here is an interesting article about the relative value of medals (hint: The writer, a decorated Vietnam vet, considers most medals to be bullshit).

Also consider that upper brass routinely make a point of visiting our overseas encampments for the sole purpose of picking up some "hazard pay" (although that loophole has been mostly closed, now) and a Tour medal that they don't really deserve. It's a Pokémon-esque "gotta get 'em all" mentality for some people.

[Tanasi]

I have no problem with meritorious medals being awarded because their job isn't an easy one. I do have a problem with valor medals being awarded. If you don't put your life on the line then much much less was risked.
Generals, Admirals and politicians love to hand out medals, they say they're good for the morale of the troops and the folks back home. Most if not all current and former service folks know which awards are legit and which are BS. Most medals are BS, all but three of my medals are BS. I'd rather have not had them, how much pride can you show for the good-cookie award??? Valorous medals are usually earned at great expense and the expense is not always born by the awarded, but the memories you have to live with can be mighty heavy and near impossible to live with
Sorry about preaching I hadn't intended to on.

[Andara Bledin]

Except that the proposed medal is not a valor medal. It's a "Distinguished Warfare Medal." And, having done a bunch of reading about medals, I expect that it's being proposed specifically because those who fly the drones are excluded from eligibility for medals that others in the exact same situation can receive purely based on them being in the wrong division.

^-.-^