President Obama to Award Medal of Honor

[Tx4obama]

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
September 07, 2011
President Obama to Award Medal of Honor

WASHINGTON – On Thursday, September 15th at 2:30 PM Eastern, President Barack Obama will award Dakota Meyer, a former active duty Marine Corps Corporal, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. He will receive the Medal of Honor for his courageous actions while serving as a member of Marine Embedded Training Team 2-8, Regional Corps Advisory Command 3-7, in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, on September 8, 2009 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He will be the third living recipient - and first Marine - to be awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan. He and his family will join the President at the White House to commemorate his example of selfless service.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

Dakota Meyer was born in Columbia, Kentucky on June 26, 1988, attended local public schools, and graduated from Green County high school. In 2006, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at a recruiting station in Louisville, Kentucky, and completed his basic training at Parris Island Recruit Training Depot later that year.

In 2010, he completed his active duty commitment and currently serves in the Inactive Ready Reserve of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve as a Sergeant. He is a highly skilled Marine infantryman and Scout Sniper who is also trained as a Combat Lifesaver. At the time of his deployment to combat duty in Afghanistan he was serving as a Turret Gunner and Driver.

While on active duty, he deployed twice to the combat theater, serving in both Iraq and Afghanistan. During 2007, he deployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom with Third Battalion, Third Marines, and during 2009-10, he deployed to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom.

His military decorations include: a Purple Heart Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with “V” device for valor, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and Good Conduct Medal. His other awards and decorations include the Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one bronze campaign star, Iraq Campaign Medal with one bronze campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, NATO ISAF Afghanistan Medal, and a Rifle Expert Badge (3rd Award) and Pistol Expert Badge (2nd Award).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

THE MEDAL OF HONOR:

The Medal of Honor is awarded to members of the Armed Forces who distinguish themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while:

engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;
engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or
serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

The meritorious conduct must involve great personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his or her comrades and must have involved risk of life. There must be incontestable proof of the performance of the meritorious conduct, and each recommendation for the award must be considered on the standard of extraordinary merit.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/09/07/president-obama-award-medal-honor

[tblue]

1. The greatest honor would be to bring them all home.

And get the contractors out of there too.

I don't mean to rain on your thoughtful post. I feel sorry for our troops and I have a hard time glorifying war.

[boppers]

3. Nobody wants to earn this Medal.

War is shit, and being honored for actions in it has no glory.

[CakeGrrl]

7. So, are you saying he should have refused it?

[boppers]

8. No. I'm saying it's hallow tin.

I'm not sure how to explain it.

Since the TV (CNN) is talking about rape, it's like getting an award... for surviving a rape.

[msanthrope]

9. You are unintentionally correct. It is 'hallow'ed tin. nt

[boppers]

11. No decent google hits.

Suggestions?

[boppers]

2. From wikipedia:

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the repeated risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a member of Marine Embedded Training Team 2-8, Regional Corps Advisory Command 3-7, in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, on 8 September 2009. When the forward element of his combat team began to be hit by intense fire from roughly 50 Taliban insurgents dug-in and concealed on the slopes above Ganjgal village, Corporal Meyer mounted a gun-truck, enlisted a fellow Marine to drive, and raced to attack the ambushers and aid the trapped Marines and Afghan soldiers. During a six hour fire fight, Corporal Meyer single-handedly turned the tide of the battle, saved 36 Marines and soldiers and recovered the bodies of his fallen brothers. Four separate times he fought the kilometer up into the heart of a deadly U-shaped ambush. During the fight he killed at least eight Taliban, personally evacuated 12 friendly wounded, and provided cover for another 24 Marines and soldiers to escape likely death at the hands of a numerically superior and determined foe. On his first foray his lone vehicle drew machine gun, mortar, rocket grenade and small arms fire while he rescued five wounded soldiers. His second attack disrupted the enemy’s ambush and he evacuated four more wounded Marines. Switching to another gun-truck because his was too damaged they again sped in for a third time, and as turret gunner killed several Taliban attackers at point blank range and suppressed enemy fire so 24 Marines and soldiers could break-out. Despite being wounded, he made a fourth attack with three others to search for missing team members. Nearly surrounded and under heavy fire he dismounted the vehicle and searched house to house to recover the bodies of his fallen team members. By his extraordinary heroism, presence of mind amidst chaos and death, and unselfish devotion to his comrades in the face of great danger, Corporal Meyer reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_Meyer

[Tx4obama]

4. Thank you for posting the additional information. n/t

[boppers]

6. np, I find the descriptions to be interesting historical documents.

Reading between the lines, one man took on 50. 4 times. Destroyed a vehicle doing so.... so he went in with another vehicle. And kept going, even while wounded, as others bailed on what was an obvious "suicide mission".

I weep for his loss, as his "recoveries" are likely to haunt him for the rest of his life, as he second-guesses every single second, and every decision, he made in those horribly, totally, fucked, six hours.

[Rhiannon12866]

5. Wow! K&R!

:wow: :patriot:

[rasputin1952]

10. The MOH has a high bar...

While I am against war, I also understand that soldiers are pushed into it by politicians and other individuals that don't have to actually fight, (but find ways to profit from others fighting).

The role of servicemembers is to go into harms way, Cpl Meyer did indeed go above and beyond the call of duty and rightfully earned this award. Deriding him or other servicemembers doing their duty is not the way to go about getting our brothers and sisters home.

This young man saved lives by his quick action. He's a Corporal, an E-4, for someone to do what he did shows me an individual of courage and dedication to his fellow servicemembers far beyond what most of us could fathom or even come close to doing ourselves. Cpl Meyer was in an ill advised conflict that has and will continue to have terrible consequences. It is a war we should never have entered, but what he did in that conflict is beyond reproach in my book.

We should not glorify war, but we should not overlook those that are willing to take the risk when forced into a situation beyond their control.

To Cpl Meyer, from an old soldier...:patriot: