New military medal awarded for holding-fire

[rambone]

Obama's Medal Of Courageous Restraint....

Would love to see what you guys have to say. lol.

Hold fire, earn a medal

U.S. troops in Afghanistan could soon be awarded a medal for not doing something, a precedent-setting award that would be given for “courageous restraint” for holding fire to save civilian lives.

The proposal is now circulating in the Kabul headquarters of the International Security Assistance Force, a command spokesman confirmed Tuesday.

“The idea is consistent with our approach,” explained Air Force Lt. Col. Tadd Sholtis. “Our young men and women display remarkable courage every day, including situations where they refrain from using lethal force, even at risk to themselves, in order to prevent possible harm to civilians. In some situations our forces face in Afghanistan, that restraint is an act of discipline and courage not much different than those seen in combat actions.”

Soldiers are often recognized for non-combat achievement with decorations such as their service’s commendation medal. But most of the highest U.S. military decorations are for valor in combat. A medal to recognize a conscious effort to avoid a combat action would be unique.

Consideration of such an award, first reported by an Associated Press reporter in Afghanistan, doesn’t mean that, if approved, troops would be pressured to prevent such casualties at risk to themselves, Sholtis said.

“We absolutely support the right of our forces to defend themselves,” Sholtis said. “Valuing restraint in a potentially dangerous situation is not the same thing as denying troops the right to employ lethal force when they determine that it is necessary.”

A spokesman for the 2.2 million-member Veterans of Foreign Wars, the nation’s largest group of combat veterans, thinks the award would cause confusion among the ranks and send a bad signal.

“The self-protections built into the rules of engagement are clear, and the decision to return fire must be made instantly based on training and the threat,” said Joe Davis, a spokesman for the Veterans of Foreign Wars. “The enemy already hides among noncombatants, and targets them, too. The creation of such an award will only embolden their actions and put more American and noncombatant lives in jeopardy. Let’s not rush to create something that no one wants to present posthumously.”

Giving a medal for restraint was proposed by British Maj. Gen. Nick Carter, ISAF’s Regional Command South commander, during a recent visit to Kandahar by Army Command Sgt. Maj. Mike Hall, the top U.S. enlisted member in Afghanistan, Sholtis said.

U.S. Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the ISAF commander, has placed a premium on preventing civilian deaths, having last year tightened the rules of engagement for air strikes and other combat operations in an effort to prevent fatalities. Such deaths build resentment among a populace the U.S. is trying to win over as part of its counterinsurgency strategy to simultaneously drive out the Taliban and strengthen Afghan government.

According to the United Nations, more than 2,400 civilians were killed last year, although estimates vary widely. From March 21 to April 21, 173 civilians were killed in Afghanistan — a 33 percent increase over the same period the previous year — according to the Associated Press, citing Afghan Interior Ministry figures.

 

[kedie]

 

[Blue Tile Spook]

Bad ju-ju, me thinks.

 

[PatriotPride]

Well this could get interesting. So they're proposing giving a piece of shiny metal to a soldier who puts himself and his fellow soldiers at GREATER risk by potentially not defending themselves. Am I missing something here?

 

[E5RANGER375]

i think it was an idea thought up by a desk pusher to get another medal. guys on the front dont give a flying bUCK about no damn medal! all they want is to keep each other alive and kill as many of the enemy as possible before he gets them.

screw politics in war!

 

[Panama]

Just amazing!

Sadly, the majority of these medals will likely be given out posthumously.

They should be called, "The Obama Medal of Fear of Court Martial"

 

[Que]

i think it was an idea thought up by a desk pusher to get another medal. guys on the front dont give a flying bUCK about no damn medal! all they want is to keep each other alive and kill as many of the enemy as possible before he gets them.

screw politics in war!

I definitely agree!

As for the OP, I don't see where Obama or any other civilian is behind this.

 

[Jay]

 

[DocBoCook]

I thought they already had those for officers, Called N/MCAM and N/MCCM. Requiring only listing the achievements of your subordinates on your Recommendation write up?

 

[JetGirl]

Well this could get interesting. So they're proposing giving a piece of shiny metal to a soldier who puts himself and his fellow soldiers at GREATER risk by potentially not defending themselves. Am I missing something here?

Wow.

Every time I think things can't get any more eff'd up than they already are...BAM. New effing.

 

[ihateiraq]

are they going to look back in peoples jackets and award this retroactively? i know a couple people that deserve this. it should be renamed the "Im a ***** and I froze up and risked everyones life medal" though.

 

[stilllearning09]

 

[Tryin']

"Hey, check out my new bling!"

"Oh, you got one of those p***y medals; a guy in our unit died trying to get one of those. . . "

 

[smoking357]

Great idea. We are killing unconscionable numbers of Afghanis and Iraqis. We further need to change the Rules of Engagement to permit a soldier to interposition himself between other of our troops or contractors who may be menacing civilians, and we need to allow the interpositioned troops to employ force to defend civilian life.

In My Lai, U.S. troops were ordered to fire on U.S. troops if further attempts to massacre occurred.

Every crime we commit there creates a vendetta that their children will take pains to inflict on our children.

America will never live down the shame of Nisour Square.

 

[96firephoenix]

Sadly, the majority of these medals will likely be given out posthumously.

so true...

I think this tells you what Obama's real plans are for American soldiers.

 

[ihateiraq]

Great idea. We are killing unconscionable numbers of Afghanis and Iraqis. We further need to change the Rules of Engagement to permit a soldier to interposition himself between other of our troops or contractors who may be menacing civilians, and we need to allow the interpositioned troops to employ force to defend civilian life.

i have two questions.

how many wars have you fought in? and if the answer to that question isnt 0-

how many civilians have you seen the us military kill unnecessarily?

 

[smoking357]

i have two questions.

how many wars have you fought in? and if the answer to that question isnt 0-

how many civilians have you seen the us military kill unnecessarily?

Have you ever killed a civilian?

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

Have you ever killed a civilian?

I wish I could neg rep you for this one, but it's hasn't been long enough since my last neg rep hit you. Maybe someone else can take the shot for me.

 

[ihateiraq]

Have you ever killed a civilian?

your lack of an answer is an answer in and of itself. your question doesnt deserve an answer, and you wont get one from me. ill leave this thread alone before i turn into that guy that loves glocks and 1911s.

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

I wonder how exactly the sea story goes with this thing.

"Yeah, I was in Nam. Specials Force March Green Beret Seal Team 44. Shot 450 VC in one day, didn't even leave my tent. I slept on the front line you know."

"Yeah, well I got a medal for not shooting over three million Afgan civilians in one day. 3 million is a lot more than 450."

"Wow, I guess you're right. I recommend you for Ranger Cavalry Sniper Commanding Officer and the Marine Corps Medal of Honor."