I nominate Jessica Lynch for a Congressional Medal of Honor
- Thread starter OPTIONAL777
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We are glorifying the effort that our soldiers put forth. This has absolutely nothing to do with the military's objectives. Usually these medals are given out when a soldier put aside worries for their life and fought to protect or save a fellow soldier. That kind of act deserves recognition.
http://ngeorgia.com/people/walker.html
and check out these medal of honor winners:
http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/mohciv.htm
Magna
Administrator
Heroes to me are more along the lines of Senator John McCain. Not a couple of days in a hospital like Jessica but five long years as a P.O.W. being continually brutalized. And no Congressional Medal of Honor went to that incredibly brave and honorable man, or the other brave men who were there with him. While we always want heroes during wartime, I guess what I'm saying is let's try and keep this thing in perspective.
Perspective is that women can be soldiers too, and should be, shouldn't they?
This was a supply line private, she was not supposed to see battle, wasn't really trained or prepared for it.
Should we not give a gold medal to a woman high jumper, sprinter, boxer, etc. because her best wouldn't even qualify for the gold medal competition among men?
It is the relative bravery under fire, above and beyond the call of duty, just what is the duty and expectation of a 19 year old girl?
Magna
Administrator
This was not a discussion of whether women can be soldiers. They obviously can, as there are 250,000 of them. I think Federal or various Military statues don't permit them to actively engage in battle, fly combat missions, etc. but maybe that will change in time.
So what. Many support people aren't supposed to see battle, and because of twists of fate they do. She is not unique in that regard.
Totally irrelevant to the discussion. I'm not against Jessica receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor because she's female, I'm against it because, quite frankly, she doesn't deserve it. And by awarding it to her it would be a total disservice to any other man (or woman) who did.
Girl? So she's suddenly not referred to as a woman? Anyway, I guess the duty and expectation of her is the same as the duty and expectation of the thousands upon thousands of 19 year old men fighting on the front lines.
Again, if it proves out that she deserved a medal I'm not against that. But in these very emotional times I still want to maintain a semblance of perspective, and that means reserving the Congressional Medal of Honor, our nation's highest award, to those few who actually deserve it.
Would you take the medal away from those in the Civil War who were not even wounded, but simply captured a flag?
The fact that she is a girl/young woman is indeed a factor to be taken into account. The fact that she was not supposed to see battle, was not prepared for it, or trained for it should be taken into account as well.
We have to hold her to the standards that are relative to HER merit, not the merit of others. How many men, if not 19 year old girls would have shown enough courage to keep firing once wounded?
Just what the hell is bravery above and beyond the call of duty of a female, 19 year old PFC, supply line personnel if not what was reported?
well said. don't always agree with Sen. McCain's politics, but there's no doubt he's an exceptional individual.
OT - I recently learned that the missle that started the fire on the deck of the USS Forrestal actually hit McCain's plane while he was in it getting ready for flight:
http://www.naval-air.org/education/know_supercarrier_vietnam.asp