Why are Airmen overlooked for the Medal of Honor?

I'm not sure I understand the intent of the question. As the article states, "Only the best are considered", but that "best" should be referring to a specific action and response by an individual during that specific action. As another poster states, this is not affirmative action, and it should not be awarded nor suggested to be awarded based on service branch. That devalues both the medal and those who have previously earned it. As far as the why? It's simple math. very few Airmen are involved in combat operations (as compared to the other services, and numbers in general), so statistically, the odds are not in an Airman's favor; That said, of course anyone who merits the medal should be recommended and reviewed.

It's not because they are being "overlooked" it's because current operations do not lend themselves for the majority of USAF personnel to be put into situations where a MOH worthy action is likely to take place (outside of maybe CSAR and PJs). Same reason why Navy folks have a low probability of earning a MOH outside of the SEAL community.

I'm curious when people got this idea that the MOH, or any other award or medal for that matter, should be, or was intended to be awarded with an affirmative action type merit system. Here is the simple answer. Because they haven't done anything their Air Force Commanders have thought merited the MOH.

I have a huge issue on how most medals in the military are issued anyway. Medals are a very inexpensive way to award service members, but military brass seems to think they are paying for them themselves. The regulation says the highest medal that can be awarded for an action should be awarded, so how come the ask how many other medals the member has received, etc. on the recommendation form? It should be immaterial!. Rank shouldn't be an issue either. To many times I have attended a redeployment ceremony where you could see the level of the medal being awarded lined up by rank. It's kind of disgusting if you ask me.

There are also asinine ways to look at the regulation. A perfect example is a medal I was put in for twice by two different people after responding to the Ft Hood Shooting. Everybody else got medals, but mine was denied based upon being flagged as I was being medically retired for an injury I received in Iraq, after 22 years of service. The real kicker for me was that a medical retirement is supposed to take 90 days and mine had already taken over a year as my command sent a letter asking for it to be delayed a year as they needed me. I wouldn't have even been there if they hadn't requested my medical retirement be delayed. Yes, I have some sour grapes over that. For the entire year it was delayed I was flagged.

Another problem with the recommendation process is how recommendations are routinely sent back for corrections. Young NCO's and officers trying to do the right thing for their soldiers are nit picked on the recommendation until they just give up on getting it approved. If the approving authority can read the recommendation and understand what its for they either need to approve it or deny it based upon the action and nothing else.