There is some good news emanating from Washington, D. C. and the Pentagon, which highlights the importance of expressing one’s views and involving oneself in the public discourse process. I am referring to a decision by our newly appointed Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, to suspend the establishment of a new medal called the Distinguished Warfare Medal. Last month, just prior to his resignation as Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta announced the establishment of this medal. In making his announcement, Secretary Panetta indicated that the medal would, “Recognize unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) pilots, as well as others who directly impact combat operations, but that do not involve acts of valor or physical risk that combat entails.”
Opposition to this announcement was immediate and highly vocal. The primary issue involving the Distinguished Warfare Medal was its placement in the order of precedence among military medals. The newly created medal, which would have been the first combat related award to be created since the Bronze Star in 1944, would outrank the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Many veterans’ groups including the National VFW expressed vehement opposition, feeling that the new medal was both an injustice and insult to those who served in combat, risked their lives, and displayed valor.
Secretary Hagel “heard” the protests, stopped production of the medal, and ordered the Joint Chiefs of Staff to review the issue and submit appropriate recommendations. While the final decision regarding the Distinguished Warfare Medal is yet to be made, we can be pleased that the views of so many veterans and lawmakers had a positive impact on the decision-making process.
One of the lessons we can take from this situation is that we should always remain involved in the “political” process regarding matters that affect us either locally or at the national level. As responsible citizens, we should make the effort to express our views and opinions to those whom we have elected to serve us.
The views expressed in this column are solely those of the Commander and do not represent those of VFW Post #8870, its membership, or VFW.