Hagel proposes change to medal for drone pilots

[amy31416]

WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced Monday that a proposed medal for drone pilots and cyber operators will not be a separate commendation but an attachment to an existing honor.

Veterans groups and some members of Congress objected to the Distinguished Warfare Medal when it was proposed in February by former Defense secretary Leon Panetta. They contended that it would have surpassed honors such as the Purple Heart.

"The service men and women who operate and support our remotely piloted aircraft, operate in cyber, and others are critical to our military's mission of safeguarding the nation," Hagel said.

Hagel took the advice from the joint chiefs. They will now have 90 days to establish criteria for new honor.

Last month, Hagel ordered a review of the Distinguished Warfare Medal, which was designed to honor "extraordinary actions."

Rep. Duncan Hunter, a California Republican and member of the House Armed Services Committee, and a critic of the medal, said he was withholding judgment on the new honor.

"We'll have to see what they come up with, but I'm not sure there's a real change in intent," Hunter said. "The concern with the DWM was its precedence, not necessarily the medal itself. Right now, I can't say this addresses my concerns about preserving the integrity and tradition of the awards process."

"Distinguished warfare," eh?

[sailingaway]

RiPPa ‏@RippDemUp now
Hagel Cancels Creation Of New Medal For Drone, Cyber Warfare

so that is what they mean by 'cancel'? Call it something else?

[amy31416]

That was one of the first headlines I read too. I wondered the same thing.

Gotta love the press.

[Kotin]

uhhhh...


alright.

[WhistlinDave]

I can just hear it now when they present one of these:

"For sitting in a comfortable chair inside an air conditioned trailer; for risking your foot falling asleep while you carried out your mission in near-complete safety many miles from the battlefield; for utilizing your considerable skills honed during your youth playing video games; for limiting the collateral damage in your surgical strikes to only 49 innocent civilian fatalities including women and children who were simply unlucky for living in the same residential neighborhood near the house you blew up with your hellfire missiles--great job on killing so few innocents!--and for not getting the orange dust from your Cheetos smeared all over your uniform while performing these heroic deeds against overwhelming odds, I hereby bestow upon you this medal for your honor, bravery, and sacrifice."

[amy31416]

Can you imagine if we ever get into a drone war with some Asian country? All those kids who've been doing nothing but playing video games for 40+ hours a week will be the soldiers. They even have arenas dedicated to gaming, and they kick our ass at it.

Kludge was telling me about how pretty much nobody but Asians can make it into a Starcraft tournament.

[amy31416]

Can you imagine if we ever get into a drone war with some Asian country? All those kids who've been doing nothing but playing video games for 40+ hours a week will be the soldiers. They even have arenas dedicated to gaming, and they kick our ass at it.

Kludge was telling me about how pretty much nobody but Asians can make it into a Starcraft tournament.

[jkr]

cowardice rewarded

[Barrex]

How did you get your medal?
I pressed F12.

[Christian Liberty]

Metal? Would a rope, fastened into a noose, do?

As much as I realize what they do is useless, I at least have a modicum of respect for an ignorant man who is willing to risk his own life "For his country" or some such, in the military. I cannot say the same for people who hide in an office and play with computers to kill people. No respect, no mercy...