Why are Airmen overlooked for the Medal of Honor?

Sgt Spencer Sikder — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 10:58:56 -0400

http://www.fayobserver.com/military/drew-brooks-airmen-overdue-for-medal-of-honor/article_77fe40fe-753f-524d-967c-9d6297d93d01.html

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 13 at 2015 12:12 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 12:12:13 -0400

Sgt Spencer Sikder: if one has been in combat, much less read AARs about different battles, one can easily determine that hundreds of good men have been overlooked for any number of decorations, including the CMOH. These airmen are good examples. I have known my own from the Vietnam War. Oftentimes the only reason these acts of incredible bravery are overlooked is the bureaucracy that results in overflowing in-boxes, or the fact that everyone is, unfortunately, dead.

Response by SrA Matthew Knight made Sep 14 at 2015 2:26 AM

SrA Matthew Knight — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 02:26:20 -0400

I think the sad but true reality is the Air Force leadership as a whole has had their minds on other things like SAPR problems and draw downs. With all of that going on it's difficult to focus on putting airmen up for awards.

Hopefully Big Blue will start to realize just how many heroes they do have that should be put up for things like the MoH, then maybe those who deserve it will receive their proper recognition.

Response by CW3 Susan Burkholder made Jul 5 at 2016 8:54 AM

CW3 Susan Burkholder — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 08:54:38 -0400

Researching MOH should give you most of your answers. The Army and Navy have been around about 150 years longer than the Air Force. Ground combat lends itself to many opportunities to display the personal valor required to achieve such a medal. Air support by nature does not offer as many opportunities. It's not a medal that is handed out frequently, they're probably not being overlooked.

Response by SPC Robert Elliott made Jul 5 at 2016 9:35 AM

SPC Robert Elliott — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 09:35:09 -0400

I know of one AF Captain awarded the MOH because of where I moved. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilliard_A._Wilbanks

Hilliard A. Wilbanks - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hilliard Almond Wilbanks (July 26, 1933 – February 24, 1967) was a career officer and pilot in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for sacrificing his life on February 24, 1967, while supporting a unit of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) at Di Linh, near Da Lat, South Vietnam.

Response by Capt Vickie Adams made Jul 5 at 2016 11:03 AM

Capt Vickie Adams — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 11:03:06 -0400

Is John Levitow the only Airman to ever receive MOH?

Response by Sgt William Straub Jr. made Jul 5 at 2016 11:24 AM

Sgt William Straub Jr. — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 11:24:25 -0400

I think that by the very nature of the USAF, the possibilities for an action worthy of the MoH are limited. Back during the Viet Nam war, particularly on airbase defense, there were many airmen who's actions most likely merited consideration. Especially during the Tet Offensive in 1968. I have heard of and read of exploits of Security Policemen who went "above and beyond" in defense of their bases. Now the USAF Spec/Ops airmen may be involved in activities that would merit the highest award for valor.

Response by LTC Zachary Hubbard made Jul 5 at 2016 11:25 AM

LTC Zachary Hubbard — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 11:25:01 -0400

Good question. I've seen some gutsy A-10 drivers that I would give the MOH to.

Response by CW3 Stephen Mills made Jul 5 at 2016 11:27 AM

CW3 Stephen Mills — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 11:27:15 -0400

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.

Response by A1C Cesar Baquerizo made Jul 5 at 2016 11:42 AM

A1C Cesar Baquerizo — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 11:42:34 -0400

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.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Jul 5 at 2016 11:49 AM

LTC Paul Labrador — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 11:49:59 -0400

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.

Response by Cpl George Crab made Jul 5 at 2016 12:33 PM

Cpl George Crab — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 12:33:54 -0400

Marines tend to be the most bereft of medals. And they accept that. They believe that getting in harms way and getting shot at, or shot up, while doing their missions is just part of the job.

Of course, being hit doesn't mean that they like getting dinged. Saving their squad mate is part of the job. To get the CMOH takes something that most probably will take their lives. Not always, but yeah.

Going up close and personal is what the A10s were made to do. The pilots that saved lives did that, because that was their job to do.

I admire the pilots, but were they supposed to say, "I don't get paid to do that," and fly away?

The armed forces is full of brave people. If they all work together, the missions go off better.

Response by COL John Hudson made Jul 5 at 2016 12:34 PM

COL John Hudson — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 12:34:37 -0400

Spencer, please review history. Many 'airmen' (pilots and crew) have been recipients of the MOH (WWII - Korea, VietNam, etc). If there's an absence of this award - ie: % of Air Force recipients vs other services, it's more than likely due to the type of conflict and the position held rather than any other factor (one would not normally expect to be nominated for the MOH if seated in a support clerical position in the States while others are in full combat forward). BUT - be mindful - there is no race to award this or any other honor based on which service one is assigned to or percentages of haves vs havenots. All such accolades are nominated, not 'earned.' All awards are (or supposed to be) based on individual merit + action(s) taken (and for MOH or lesser similar awards - degree of personal danger encountered (usually in a severe life-threatening situation)) - regardless of conflict. The entire universe of military awards each have their own specific criteria. Also, be aware that awards such at the MOH require a significantly high level of approval all the way up to the President (so they're not handed out like lolipops) and the process itself can take as much as 18 months in both directions (up and down the full CoC).

Response by MAJ Seth Goldstein made Jul 5 at 2016 12:58 PM

MAJ Seth Goldstein — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 12:58:07 -0400

No MOH's but the pararescue guys have earned some crosses and silver stars.

Response by TSgt Jamie Boylan made Jul 6 at 2016 12:17 PM

TSgt Jamie Boylan — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 12:17:07 -0400

I would say the number of Battlefield Airmen verse the number of Soldiers and Marines on the ground have a lot to do with the reason. In the Air Force you 6 specialty codes comprising 4,099 positions: 13C special tactics officers, 13D combat rescue officers, 1C2XX combat controllers, 1C4XX tactical air control party (TACP) airmen, 1T2XX pararescuemen, and 1W0X2 special operations weather enlisted airmen. And when you look at those numbers, reality is that is what a third of those positions deployed at any one a time (this is a straight up guess). Reality is just the AF does not have the large number of Airmen put in those situations where a Medal of Honor is warranted. In a lot of these major battles where the MOH has been awarded since 9/11, there were one or two AF airmen there, and in other cases, there were none.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 6 at 2016 2:59 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 14:59:45 -0400

Because the Air Force personnel are seldom placed in a position to earn it due to having very few ground combat positions, unlike the Army and Marines. Most of the Navy personnel that win it are SEALS.

Response by SGT Michael Brown made Jul 6 at 2016 5:24 PM

SGT Michael Brown — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 17:24:21 -0400

Two recent MOH winners were a Soldier and a Marine who earned it in the same battle. not sure if they were recommended by their respective services or one or the other

Response by MSgt Mike P. made Oct 12 at 2016 12:26 AM

MSgt Mike P. — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 00:26:29 -0400

It may be my faulty memory, but I believe a para-rescue man received one in Viet Nam. That's part of the helicopter crew (Jolly Green Giants) that are sent to rescue downed aircraft, and other rescue efforts. I also recall a facility or street was named after him. Other than that, there are not many AFSCs where airmen were that near to the front lines, until the current uses of them with transporting supplies, forward observers, etc. Most of the USAF closer contact with the enemies were pilots.

Response by Sgt Dale Briggs made Aug 25 at 2017 4:09 PM

Sgt Dale Briggs — Fri, 25 Aug 2017 16:09:02 -0400

Most AF jobs are not direct combat mos, so it's going to be tilted to Army Marine Corps. but there are AF MOH winners.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 8 at 2018 11:02 PM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 08 May 2018 23:02:50 -0400

http://www.newsweek.com/navy-seals-seal-team-6-left-behind-die-operation-anaconda-slabinski-chapman-912343

The Navy SEALs allegedly left a man behind in Afghanistan. Did they also try to block his Medal...

What really happened during a deadly 2002 battle against Al-Qaeda has led to a bitter dispute among special operators in the Air Force, Navy SEALs and Army Rangers.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made May 9 at 2018 9:34 AM

SGM Bill Frazer — Wed, 09 May 2018 09:34:06 -0400

They aren't, several crewmen have been recipients, but I have never seen an entire crew get one- which is what it would normally take for airmen.