View Full Version : Where Do We Get Such Men...?
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/national-news/15202-medal-of-honor-recipient-dakota-meyer-turns-down-special-treatment-for-fdny-job
I am only glad such men exist as an example to try and emulate the best we can.
LowSpeed_HighDrag
09-27-11, 19:47
The more he shows how humble he truly is, the more the media eats him up. I hope he gets the chance to bow out of the spotlight and go back to the life he desires. He's a ****ing stud, no other way to put it.
SeriousStudent
09-27-11, 19:57
It would be a great privilege to shake that young man's hand.
I would think he has a standing invite to chat with graduating classes at NCO school, School of Infantry and Combat Squad Leader's School.
Many moons ago, when I was issued a musket and cutlass, we had a Navy Cross recipient speak to us. His words echoed Sgt. Meyer's a great deal.
"Do your job, take care of your Marines, and you'll never fail to look any man in the eye."
The trick is, life makes that pretty challenging at times. Sgt. Meyer's recognition is proof of that.
The more he shows how humble he truly is, the more the media eats him up. I hope he gets the chance to bow out of the spotlight and go back to the life he desires. He's a ****ing stud, no other way to put it.
And while I'm sure he'd just as soon step out of that spotlight, I am somewhat grateful that the media, and by extension the public to a certain degree, finds him newsworthy.
I'd rather hear about guys like him on the nightly news than get the latest dipshit celebrity update.
DocHolliday01
09-27-11, 21:56
And while I'm sure he'd just as soon step out of that spotlight, I am somewhat grateful that the media, and by extension the public to a certain degree, finds him newsworthy.
I'd rather hear about guys like him on the nightly news than get the latest dipshit celebrity update.
Exactly how I see it.
Where Do We Get Such Men...?
Probably not from a university campus.
Few and far between.
Had the pleasure of growing up with one.
My grandfather was in Korea. That's all I knew for years, until he died. We found a purple heart and a silver star in his effects. My own father knew nothing of what lead to these awards. No one in our family to this day can tell us anything about them. When asked about his time in the service, he said this, which I remember in it's entirety without doubt....
"You did what you had to do, because that's what you were there for. Nothing else matters. Let's go back inside and eat."
His wife, my grandmother, was one of the best cooks you'd ever seen. Their whole existence was about family time. I was no more than 6 years old at the time, but I remember their words like it was yesterday. That man is and will be, next to my father, his son, the focal point of how I live my life. They are out there, but most people won't know they are simply because they never talked about it. I think the media has eliminated that in a sense by not allowing these type of folks to simply live their lives, uninhibited by social pressures.
I commend Sgt. Meyer's. God Bless him in his endeavor to do what he was there to do, and nothing more.
true solder like some of the older ones form WWII and Korea etc.. those few that really do put what they do on the whole not look at me kinda thing
reminds me of BOB movie when Dick Winters was saying he was not a hero but I served with many
or something close to that :)
I am not, in any way shape or form, trying to take away from Mr. Meyer or any other MoH recipient or claim they did not deserve it.
What I do want to say, is that there have been a great deal of people who have done things that were absolutely incredible, and I will even admit far more impressive (to me) than some of the MoH citations, who got lesser awards or nothing at all. The politics involved in giving men awards for valor, especially enlisted men, is simply disgusting.
JTACs who kill over a hundred insurgents in one fight, saving entire SOF teams or Ranger platoons, or more, sometimes with life threatening injuries like collapsed lungs, and get a pat on the back and maybe a Bronze Star. Soldiers who suffer severe burns all over there body as they drag their entire squad out of a burning vehicle while they themselves are on fire.
Maybe I just don't understand what quantifies or qualifies the step up from bsm to silver star to service cross to MoH. Save a soldier from capture, sacrifice yourself on a grenade, get the MoH. Kill 100 insurgents and prevent your entire team from being overrun and get a BSM-V.
Maybe there are too many "levels" and the only difference is how much paperwork the guy putting you in for the award is willing to do, because there are way too many absolute, unquestionable heroes who's stories will never be told, who will never be on TV, who will never, ever get the recognition they deserve and it's a goddamn shame.
CarlosDJackal
09-28-11, 10:47
The more he shows how humble he truly is, the more the media eats him up. I hope he gets the chance to bow out of the spotlight and go back to the life he desires. He's a ****ing stud, no other way to put it.
I hope not. We need more men like him to overshadow what has been the recent generations' heroes: overpaid athletes, coke-snorting hollyweird "celebrities", and someone who only got elected because his father's genes were stronger than his mom's (you know who I am talking about? The guy the left-wingers are giving full credit for the death of Bin Laden to). JM2CW.
CarlosDJackal
09-28-11, 10:59
...Maybe I just don't understand what quantifies or qualifies the step up from bsm to silver star to service cross to MoH...
Basically it depends entirely on who witnessed it and who bothered to submit a recommendation for it. Just look at GySGT Carlos Hathcock. He received burns while saving his fellow Marines from a burning AMTRAK and did not receive any award until the early 1990s (which was downgraded to a Silver Star).
In Gunny Hathcock's case the blame goes to those who chose not to write him up for an award right after it happened. JM2CW.
What I do want to say, is that there have been a great deal of people who have done things that were absolutely incredible, and I will even admit far more impressive (to me) than some of the MoH citations, who got lesser awards or nothing at all. The politics involved in giving men awards for valor, especially enlisted men, is simply disgusting.
Of course.
I often wonder about men who were at D Day and did incredible things that might have made the actual difference but they were so far out in the wind nobody saw what they did so nobody knows what they did. And the same is true for many other battles in many other places. This is possibly why many MOH recipients honestly don't feel they did anything more exceptional than the men around them.
And when compared to guys like MacArthur who got their MOH for "leadership" it kinda makes me sick. But in this case I think we clearly have a deserving recipient and it's nice to see him keep earning it.
Belmont31R
09-28-11, 13:09
I think for most knowing what you did would be enough, and if you saved someones life being able to sit down for a beer with them when you both got back would be more rewarding than any medal.
Most awards are based on rank not actions or merit. When it comes to valor type awards its based on your COC, witnesses, and what side of the bed someone woke up on some random day. Not taking anything away from anyone just saying what they did is more important than what type of medal someone says they should get.
SeriousStudent
09-28-11, 21:21
I think for most knowing what you did would be enough, and if you saved someones life being able to sit down for a beer with them when you both got back would be more rewarding than any medal.
(snip)
.......
I really do get what you are saying. There are many valid observations in this thread. And I am not belittling in any way, those who were decorated. I am thankful for their valor, and appreciate their heroism.
But when someone looked me in the eye, squeezed my shoulder and said "Thank you", that meant more to me than any piece of cloth or ribbon I could ever have. Because I know they meant it. And I remember their look, and will feel that hand until I die.
I am nothing special at all. Others can say the same, and much more often.
Again, Sgt. Meyer is a very fine man. I have contributed to the scholarship fund he is supporting, and encourage others to do the same.
War is a horrible business, rife with failure and pain. It should surprise none, that recognition of people in it would also be such a challenge.
But when someone looked me in the eye, squeezed my shoulder and said "Thank you", that meant more to me than any piece of cloth or ribbon I could ever have. Because I know they meant it. And I remember their look, and will feel that hand until I die.
It is almost a certainty that nearly everyone who has been decorated for similar acts feels exactly the same way. Nobody goes running out into that shit because they might get some kind of ribbon. The decoration is nothing more than a symbol of how they feel about the people they risked it all for. If they cared more about ribbons than their fellow men, they wouldn't have what it takes to get the ribbon in the first place.
Along the same lines, we respect MOH winners for what the decoration represents, not because the ribbon is a pretty blue and the star is cool. Same goes for Navy tridents, green berets and things like that.
Probably not from a university campus.
ya know all those idiots out on the quad with their liberal protest signs? for every one of them there's 5 of us studying our asses off to help get this country back on track.
I know what you're saying, but given the shit sandwich my generation has been handed, well, let's just let it play out.
ya know all those idiots out on the quad with their liberal protest signs? for every one of them there's 5 of us studying our asses off to help get this country back on track.
I know what you're saying, but given the shit sandwich my generation has been handed, well, let's just let it play out.
And the worst part is college isn't FOR protesting and crap like that. They have no business even being there if they aren't there to study their ass off and make something of themselves. They are simply wasting valuable space that a person who wants to be something could use.
And the worst part is college isn't FOR protesting and crap like that. They have no business even being there if they aren't there to study their ass off and make something of themselves. They are simply wasting valuable space that a person who wants to be something could use.
Yeah i am really not into this whole occupy wall street deal for that reason. Yes, the country is ****ed up, but we still have so many more powerful tools for improving our lives and our country than going to a month long riot/party. "we want someone else to fix this for us!"
Honestly how long do these people think "the rich's" money is going to last them?
sorry to necro post this i keep forgetting about this thread... I don't mind giving props to the marine in the original post all over again though. :cool:
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