The military-wide review of more than 1,300 valor decorations awarded since 9/11, which began in early 2016, continues to pay dividends by recognizing the nation’s heroes for their incredible courage on the battlefield.
A case in point: On Dec. 15, Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Michael West had his Bronze Star upgraded to a Silver Star, the nation’s third highest award for valor.
West, a joint terminal attack controller attached to a team of Army Green Berets during a September 2006 battle in Afghanistan, controlled more than 88 attack aircraft and called in airstrikes that killed 500 Taliban fighters, all while exposing himself to direct enemy fire.
Astonishingly, his original Bronze Star didn’t even have a “V” device for valor.
The medals review was intended to address criticism that the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps failed to appropriately recognize valorous acts throughout the war on terrorism.
It is now clear that criticism was justified. It is time, however, for the military services to complete these upgrades and provide a complete accounting of the review’s results.
The crew of the Research Vessel Petrel, led by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, is on a roll.
The Defense Department on March 8 announced that troops deployed to Niger, Mali and northern Cameroon qualify to receive imminent danger pay/hostile fire pay, retroactive to June 7, 2017.
The other services should pay attention.
The daggers flew this weekend when a disparaging military rant by a California high school teacher went viral.
A technical sergeant from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada came under fire recently after she shared a racially-charged, expletive-laced rant to Facebook.
"Our head is above water, but I'm not sure for how long," one soldier said of his family.
The notable military figures were included among 17 individuals being granted the nation's highest civilian honor.
Some 6,000 people, including Navy, Army and Air Force families, suffered nausea, headaches, rashes and other symptoms.
Some schools have reported significant problems in navigating recent changes to veterans education benefits.
Some of the highest concentrations of PFAS chemicals in the country have been found at and around military bases.
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