The American Legion to DoD: Nonaction Medal is ‘Nonstarter’

The American Legion to DoD: Nonaction Medal is ‘Nonstarter’

PR Newswire — May 14, 2010

INDIANAPOLIS, May 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Calling a proposal to award U.S.
troops medals for holding fire in a war zone “misguided,” the head of the
nation’s largest veterans organization voiced concern that overly restrictive
rules of engagement would ultimately cost lives.

“Nobody likes to see innocent civilians killed in a war zone but the blame for
these tragedies lies with the terrorists who caused the war in the first place,”
American Legion National Commander Clarence E. Hill said. “The proposal to award
medals for holding fire is troubling because it is symptomatic of a growing
culture in the military that will punish troops for making split-second
decisions while they are expected to defend themselves and their comrades. This
proposal is an insult to our men and women in combat who already do an
extraordinary job of exercising restraint. Too much restraint will get our own
people killed.”

Hill also worried that rewarding those who don’t use force sends the wrong
message to those that do. “Vietnam veterans were outrageously slandered as
‘babykillers,’” he said. “This was tragic because the overwhelming majority of
those who served there tried to prevent innocent casualties. Now, by awarding
those who supposedly practice restraint, we would be implying that our heroes
who have to fire their weapons are somehow failing in their mission or coming up
short. It’s a bad idea and the Pentagon should kill it.”

With a current membership of 2.5 million wartime veterans, The American Legion
was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans
affairs, Americanism, and youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment
of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.

SOURCE The American Legion

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