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New Medal Designed To Honor Cyber Soldiers
bios10h writes "The Boston Globe writes that the Pentagon is creating a new medal to honor cyber soldiers. '[The] troops who launch the drone strikes and direct the cyber-attacks that can kill or disable an enemy may never set foot in the combat zone. Now their battlefield contributions may be recognized with the first new combat-related medal to be created in decades. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced Wednesday that the Pentagon is creating a medal that can be awarded to troops who have a direct impact on combat operations, but do it well away from any combat zone.'"
Does it start out bronze, silver, and then gold? And do you get a platinum one if you collect all of the other medals?
Isn't the whole point of medals to reward someone for putting their life on the line to protect their country?
I'm sure these drone pilots are doing a good job and all but I wonder how their life could possibly be on the line in a nice cushy bunker somewhere.
I suspect this medal may well end up being called a Clayton's medal, the medal you get when you're not getting a medal.
Captcha: evasion: something drone pilots don't have to worry about too much :-)
"... for those too chicken shit to face combat."
Like you?
If you want to give out a medal for flying a drone, fine, I don't have a huge problem with it as long as you're great at it. What really irritates me and a lot of other service members is it's ranking in the 'order of precedence'. What I've read is it ranks above some combat medals, specifically the Bronze Star, which is really pissing off the 'boots on the ground' troops and I don't blame them for being mad.
Roger Waters - The bravery of being out of range
The Christian Science Monitor had an interesting piece a while back on the stress of remotely participating in combat:
At the end of the day, these pilots get in their cars and drive home to their families, mow the lawn and make dinner, or take their children to soccer practice.
The result is an "existential conflict" in some UAV pilots, says Col. Hernando Ortega, surgeon for the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Agency. It is "a guilt feeling, perhaps – or a 'Did I make the right decision?' " he explains." 'Was this a friendly fire incident? Was it a good outcome? Was it a bad outcome? Could I have done it better?'"
It's obviously not comparable to driving a LAV in convoy wondering when the next IED is going to detonate. But it appears to be a much tougher job than many of us would think.
Isn't the whole point of medals to reward someone for putting their life on the line to protect their country?
That, sir, is un-American thinking. Those brave young men and women put their carpal tunnels on the line for you every day and they haven't even been granted a Purple Mouse in recognition.
Coming soon: the Unquestioning Obedience Citation, awarded for not caring about legalities like declaring war.
-jcr
The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
I served 6 years in the Air Force - no heroics, didn't dodge any bullets, but I did my job to the best of my ability. I left with a box full of of medals and citations that promptly went into the dumpster. Why? Because they were awarded every time I sneezed into a hanky and not into someone's face, for showing up to work on time sober...things that I was duty-bound to do anyway.
The military has joined the rest of American society in giving out awards for everything, for everyone, because we are all special.
If someone did a really good job, great - give them a pay bump or something. If someone did something truly exceptional, honor them by not giving the least competent slob in the unit the same award just because he bothered to show up two days in a row.
Left MS Windows for Linux Mint and never looked back!
Vote for Bernie in 2016!
When in the field, a soldier gets stressed out - sure, however they get to use much of the innate stress mechanisms humans and animals have of fight or flight.
When sitting behind a computer screen in an air conditioned office - much of the stress is still there however there is no mechanism for management.
Just ask an air traffic controller if they think their job is easy - now compound that by actually having to kill people.
Personally - I think these guys probably don't need medals, they probably need lots of counselling.
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anyone who kills or risks being killed for the US Constitution should have our respect.
I do not think the people who will do that are the people you think they are.
As it stands, soldiers do what they're told. Their orders come from Congress (theoretically) and the president (currently), neither of which give a flying fuck about the Constitution.
Today's soldier is no less the gullible young testosterone-laden hellion than any soldier of the last umpteen-thousand years of history, and no less prone to penis-waving and patriotic bullshit. The only rule of history that never changes... is that we never learn from it.
That I'm right, and you don't like it, doesn't mean I'm a troll.
Having been an army volunteer I can assure, soldiers will look upon those who wear that badge with total and utter contempt. After hours in the boozer those known for that badge will likely have to face off against those that volunteered for front line combat units.
Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen