Friday, February 15, 2013

New Medal for Drone Pilots Outranks Bronze Star

The slippery slope is now a very twisted slippery slope.

The Pentagon is creating a new high-level military medal that will recognize drone pilots and giving it added clout by placing it above some traditional combat valor medals in the military's "order of precedence," reports USA Today.


Thus, this is likely the very first medal that could be given out to someone for killing an American who has never faced trial.


The Distinguished Warfare Medal will be awarded to pilots of unmanned aircraft, offensive cyber war experts or others who are directly involved in operations but who are not physically in theater and facing the physical risks that warfare historically entails.

"This award recognizes the reality of the kind of technological warfare we are engaged in the 21st century," Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told reporters.


"Our military reserves its highest decorations obviously for those who display gallantry and valor in actions when their lives are on the line, and we will continue to do so," Panetta said. "But we should also have the ability to honor the extraordinary actions that make a true difference in combat operations."

The new medal will be awarded for specific acts, such as the successful targeting of a particular individual at a critical time.

11 comments:

  1. The heroism is just incredible. I was able to get the text of a commendation:

    "With total disregard of personal safety, fearlessly placed his coffee cup right next to the keyboard, risking a spill that could render it inoperable. With just one hand on the controls and the other balancing a cherry danish, showed extreme digital dexterity, the hand with the danish also being used to press keys on the keyboard while the other hand guided the drone with the joystick. When his cellphone rang displayed incredible multi-tasking skills and then checked his email and Twitter account.

    "While maneuvering the drone, experienced a sharp pain in his left hand running from his fingertips all the way up his forearm but refused medical treatment and continued the mission with no thought for his own welfare until his next break, enduring almost 15 minutes of cramps and almost certain eventual development of carpal tunnel syndrome, which is covered only in part by his medical insurance. The pain continued until that evening when he went home and was not completely gone by the next day, but bravely returned to his duty the next morning in spite of heavy traffic and congestion which added at least 30 minutes to his already difficult commute. For this dedication to duty and exemplary performance under really really tough circumstances is hereby awarded the Silver Drone with Starbucks cluster, and will also receive a discount on his next purchase."

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    1. Excellent comment, we need to laugh at the idiocy and decline to maintain some sanity.

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    2. You forgot - "For inconspicuous gallantry and total regard for personal safety while murdering women and children by remote control on the other side of the planet, while acting with complete disregard of all moral, ethical, and humanitarian principles in the best tradition Hitler's SS. The Distinguished Warfare Metal is hereby awarded to the shame and embarrassment of those envolved and the horror and disgust of all mankind."

      The first non-combat award you can stand tall and be proud to turn down.

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    3. This 'thing' should be no higher ranked then a typical 'campaign ribbon'

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  2. There's more honor in my Distinguished Service Medal. At least I had to face the Colonel face to face over the weekly schedule.

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  3. The medal for cowards in a society that is increasingly populated by cowards and cheats.

    When one makes a stand, do it face to face.

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  4. Is the medal shaped like bugsplat

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  5. Nerds rejoice. All those hours behind a PS3 controller improving your hand eye coordination can pay off. How silly is this....shit. Since when does it require guts to push a damn button by remote? Why do I get the feeling this is just another level of payola to bolster a guilty conscience in that brief moment before following the engage command on American citizens? Absolutely sickening.

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  6. Rejoice America we have hit bottom. "Land of the Fee, Home of the Knave." God bless us one an all...

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  7. Medal for a Crime
    by michael hall



    Your spun a lie as a patriotic shield so that you'll kill more easily without guilt or remorse
    and it doesn't matter if your team is russian,german or american
    serve to eradicate any at the order of others who own you...for a flag, for a buck, for 'legal' robbery
    consequently for if you do your killing well your ceremonially given a medal for committing a crime

    So then they ship you to a land you've never heard of
    to terrorize families who've never done harm to you or yours
    but they tell you must 'fight for your country or your country will die'
    they tell you God is on your side...

    But what God sends his own children to slaughter his own children
    when we are commanded not to kill?
    what God sanctions torture to be cruel
    when, we are demanded of to follow the golden rule?

    Where is the God who would strafe a village
    when collaterally or otherwise children are killed by your own violence
    what God i dare you to stain who would profane his name by such nefarious action?
    What religion tells any of us to kill for greed and selfishness?

    You join a gang of killers who are dogmatically worshiped beyond reproach
    your brainwashed into longing to murder with mob-lust by whoever gives you a command
    your absolved of conscience and guilt by whatever you do in your countries name, what gall
    then when your tour is over having cashed in for your services, you might even get a shiny medal

    But they never told you about when you go home
    horror folded with military precision within your duffel bag
    they bequeathed you a soldiers heart that never misses a beat
    the moral injury that eats at your soul every night and day
    at the VA they tell you be a good soldier and just go away


    You stare at the medal they pompously gave you for hours and hours days upon days
    yet once again, you take it to the bathroom traumatized & obsessed, you scrub to wipe away
    to wash the innocent blood off your radiant medal but it never washes away...
    and your red hands are just one pair of many many misplaced

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for that - I lived it...

      I, am Spartacus

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