New
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is standing by the Pentagon’s decision to rank
the new Distinguished Warfare Medal higher than the Bronze Star and Purple
Heart.
The medal is
intended to recognize the actions of drone operators who might be thousands of
miles from a given conflict.
In a posting on
his website Monday, Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., said he was disappointed by the
decision.
“While I fully
support appropriate recognition of all military personnel whose extraordinary
actions make a difference in combat operations,” Toomey wrote, “I am concerned
about this decision and the new medal’s ranking in DOD’s order of precedence.
Pennsylvania’s veterans and others have told me of their concerns with ranking
the new medal above some combat valor medals, such as the Bronze Star Medal with
valor device.”
Toomey had
written a letter asking for clarification from Leon Panetta, who was secretary
of defense at the time. The response came from Panetta’s successor in a letter
dated Thursday, Hagel’s eighth day on the job.
Hagel’s office
sent the same letter to the commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart,
the commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Rep. Joe Wilson,
R-S.C.
Hagel wrote that
he had discussed the medal with the service chiefs and accepted their opinion
that the award is at the appropriate level.
“Since Sept. 11,
2001, technological advancements have, in some cases dramatically changed how we
conduct and support combat and other military operations. Accordingly the
[Distinguished Warfare Medal] award criteria intentionally does not include a
geographic limitation on the award, as it is intended for use as a means to
recognize all servicemembers who meet the criteria, regardless of the domain
used or the member’s physical location,” Hagel wrote.
The award is
meant to reward a single extraordinary act that affects combat, Hagel
wrote.
“It recognizes a
specific type of contribution that is vital to the defense of our nation. It in
no way degrades or minimizes our nation’s other important awards or the
tremendous sacrifices of our men and women who earn these prestigious
recognitions,” he wrote.
Other noncombat
medals already rank higher than the Bronze Star, which usually recognizes valor,
he pointed out. The Medal of Honor, Service Crosses and Silver Star, which are
awarded solely for heroism in combat, remain higher in prestige than the new
warfare medal, Hagel noted.
The decision
created a firestorm among veterans groups and on the
Internet.
American Legion
National Commander James Koutz told his membership after its introduction that a
new award for those waging war safely from afar “should not outrank awards for
troops serving in harm’s way.”
Officials from
the VFW broached the issue in their meeting with President Barack Obama this
week, eliciting a promise from the commander-in-chief that he would review the
issue.
Organizers at
VoteVets.org have collected more than 5,000 responses to the medal - most
complaining about its position above the Bronze Star - and that they intended to
petition Hagel, a former enlisted soldier and a Purple Heart recipient, for a
change. Stars and Stripes
ARA/HJ
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