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You may want to define the word valor (and honor too) as neither word seems to be in the lib/Dem vocabulary.Kathianne said:
CSM said:You may want to define the word valor (and honor too) as neither word seems to be in the lib/Dem vocabulary.
After the Battle of Iwo Jima, Adm. Chester Nimitz declared that "uncommon valor was a common virtue."
Sixty years later, many American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are showing that same bravery in a different sort of war one in which, unlike World War II, there are shadowy enemies and no front lines.
Day after day, they move among the chaos in Afghanistan or Iraq, trying to build bridges, to deliver supplies, to do as they have been asked to help build a stable society where there was none.
They move among the people, wanting to trust but knowing they cannot. They endure dust storms and boredom punctuated by moments of fury, and months of long, sleepless nights away from their loved ones.
Many have died or become maimed. And many, living and dead, have met the test of fear and violence with the uncommon valor of which Nimitz spoke.
In this special section, Stars and Stripes, the independent newspaper authorized by the Department of Defense, examines the nature of heroism and, specifically, the deeds that have earned medals of valor for the dozens of servicemembers profiled in these stories. Those included stand as surrogates for the thousands of others so recognized.
Stripes focused on the highest honors given for valor in a war zone, irrespective of rank. This section pays tribute to the warfighter.
These vignettes aim to delve below the surface of press releases and welcome-home parades to describe what earning a medal for valor is really like, and to honor the living and dead who earned them.
The stories of individuals follow via links...
The Stolen Valor Act, sponsored by Nevada Republican Joe Heck, is a second attempt by the House to revive a law on fraudulent claims to medals that was struck down by the Supreme Court in June last year. The legislation is identical to a measure that passed the House overwhelmingly last September but saw no Senate action before the last session of Congress ended. The vote Monday was 390-3.
The Supreme Court, in invalidating the Stolen Valor Act of 2006, ruled that while making false statements about receiving a military medal might be contemptible, such lies were protected by First Amendment free speech rights. The case involved a former California politician who lied about being a decorated military veteran. It has long been a crime to wear, manufacture or sell military declarations or medals without proper authorization.
As rewritten, the bill more narrowly focuses on those who lie about receiving medals "with intent to obtain money, property or other tangible benefit." That could include those who claim medals in order to receive veterans benefits, land a government contract or get a job reserved for veterans. Offenders face fines and up to a year in prison. The bill, said Heck, "resolves these constitutional issues by clearly defining that the objective of the law is to target and punish those who represent their service with the intent of profiting personally or financially."
After the Supreme Court ruling, the Pentagon announced it would establish a database of military valor awards and medals, making it easier to validate claims. The site, U.S. Military Awards for Valor - Top 3 , lists individuals who were awarded the Medal of Honor or a Service Cross prior to or after Sept 11, 2001. It also lists Silver Star recipients for actions since Sept. 11. Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., has similar legislation pending in the Senate.
House passes bill on lying about military medals - U.S. - Stripes
The policy was published in January 2011 in an IRS manual chapter dealing with tax-exempt veterans groups, but it seems to have just received attention from the groups it affects, according to an Army Times article. The guidelines require the organizations keep proof of each members eligibility. Without it, the groups could face a $1,000 fine each day they arent in compliance, and they could lose their nonprofit status. A fine of $1,000 a day would bankrupt any post really quickly, said Dewey Moss, commander of American Legion Post 112 in Dalton. He also said he hadnt heard of the policy until recently when the media began reporting on it.
In order to become a member of the American Legion, veterans must prove they were in military service during wartime by showing a copy of their discharge papers, DD Form 214. To be a member you have to have served during a wartime period, Moss said. The government specifies what dates those are. To prove eligibility you have to have DD Form 214. What the IRS is saying is that if we dont have a copy of that on file then basically theres no proof that member is eligible to join, and our nonprofit status is dependent on it being an all-veteran organization. It could very well affect us.
The American Legion in Dalton doesnt currently keep copies of the documents on file because they contain so much personal information, including a veterans Social Security number, he said. Several members of the Dalton post have been involved for at least 40 years and dont even have their copy of the document, Moss said. The American Legions National Convention was last week in Houston, and Moss said hes sure the policy would be discussed. The Daily Caller reported that Legion members would decide on resolutions recommending action by the Legion allowing them to lobby for a change.
Larry Morrison, commander of American Legion Post 167 in Chatsworth, said his post keeps many of the required forms on file with the Social Security number blacked out to prevent violating a persons privacy. But the post doesnt have the document for each member. It wont affect us in any way, he said of the policy. Weve never been approached by the IRS to provide documentation to them physically. We have never been approached by anyone with the IRS requesting documentation for us to keep on file. ... We havent had any instructions by state, local or federal government to change our policy. Morrison said the post makes sure they stay in compliance. We dont want any IRS people coming in there sniffing around, he said. I think its a non-issue myself.
IRS rule could cause problems for veterans - Veterans - Stripes
Just for kicks read Kerry's self recommended citation for the Silver Star. While you are at it you might review the shortest Medal of Honor citation in the book awarded to MacArthur. Don't try to tell me that Medal citations are written in stone and they should never be questioned. It happens all the time. Marine General Victor Krulak's awards during WW2 were questioned and reviewed by Army brass.
CSM said:You may want to define the word valor (and honor too) as neither word seems to be in the lib/Dem vocabulary.
I think I like the introduction, then the examples that do more to define it than any dictionary could do, I'm going to edit the URL above, as it seems to be on again, off again. It's the cached version, but seems easier to access:
http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache...lor&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1&client=firefox-a
After the Battle of Iwo Jima, Adm. Chester Nimitz declared that "uncommon valor was a common virtue."
Sixty years later, many American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are showing that same bravery in a different sort of war one in which, unlike World War II, there are shadowy enemies and no front lines.
Day after day, they move among the chaos in Afghanistan or Iraq, trying to build bridges, to deliver supplies, to do as they have been asked to help build a stable society where there was none.
They move among the people, wanting to trust but knowing they cannot. They endure dust storms and boredom punctuated by moments of fury, and months of long, sleepless nights away from their loved ones.
Many have died or become maimed. And many, living and dead, have met the test of fear and violence with the uncommon valor of which Nimitz spoke.
In this special section, Stars and Stripes, the independent newspaper authorized by the Department of Defense, examines the nature of heroism and, specifically, the deeds that have earned medals of valor for the dozens of servicemembers profiled in these stories. Those included stand as surrogates for the thousands of others so recognized.
Stripes focused on the highest honors given for valor in a war zone, irrespective of rank. This section pays tribute to the warfighter.
These vignettes aim to delve below the surface of press releases and welcome-home parades to describe what earning a medal for valor is really like, and to honor the living and dead who earned them.
The stories of individuals follow via links...
