Bottom line up front: In our breathless, non-stop, absurdly-profitable, stomach-churning, short-attention-span media culture, a U.S. Marine earned a Medal of Honor, took on a defense contract giant and has had his Medal of Honor accomplishment called in to question in less than 90 days. I don't know WTF happened here, but we need to talk about it. Read more after leftist heathen swirl of orange goodness if you want.
Let me get the personal stuff out of the way first. I don't know this Marine. I don't know anyone at BAE Systems. As a somewhat-recent Army retiree, I've developed an opinion that when a man or a woman becomes labeled a hero, often due to a combination of circumstance and sheer will to live, it can be very painful for them to deal with. I don't think most military folk really want to be a hero, and what has happend to U.S. Marine Sgt. Dakota Meyer has to be painful.
First
The Medal of Honor is a big deal. With few exceptions, people who earn it die or are severely injured in the process. For an idea of how important it is in the U.S. military, when the medal is worn, everyone, regardless of rank, salutes the person wearing it.
More about the medal from the all-knowing Wikipedia
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States."[1] Due to the nature of its criteria, it is often awarded posthumously (more than half have been since 1941).[4]
Second
Then Cpl. Meyer, according to the citation, pretty much left it all on the battlefield while attempting to save his buddies. The whole citation is online, but here's the general idea:
Moving into the village, the patrol was ambushed by more than 50 enemy fighters firing rocket propelled grenades, mortars, and machine guns from houses and fortified positions on the slopes above. Hearing over the radio that four U.S. team members were cut off, Corporal Meyer seized the initiative. With a fellow Marine driving, Corporal Meyer took the exposed gunner’s position in a gun-truck as they drove down the steeply terraced terrain in a daring attempt to disrupt the enemy attack and locate the trapped U.S. team.
Third, and here's where it gets odd.
Two months ago, Dakota Meyer was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama for his service in Afghanistan, the military's most prestigious award. On Monday, Sgt. Meyer alleged that a defense contractor has called him mentally unstable and a problem drinker, ruining his chances for a job in the defense industry.
In legal papers filed Monday, the Marine claims that BAE Systems, where he worked earlier this year, retaliated against him after he raised objections about BAE's alleged decision to sell high-tech sniper scopes to the Pakistani military. He says his supervisor at BAE effectively blocked his hiring by another defense contractor by making the claims about drinking and his mental condition
Source: Wall Street Journal
Decorated Marine Sues Contractor
By Julian E. Barnes
Nov. 29
Now it gets interesting.
BAE Systems is the #17 (or so) U.S. defense contractor. According to this site and that looks like 2009 numbers -- $1,381,184,000 USD.
According to this site they are all in for Defense, but as of 2011 projections, it looks like they're branching out a little -- $605,799,000 in "civilian" business (that scares me though).
So they go to sell thermal imaging systems for snipers to Pakistan, the Marine objects, BAE says he's got drinking / mental problems. Meyer sues 'em for it.
Now I won't get into the geopolitical shit-storm of U.S. military sales. There's volumes of things that could be written about it -- at least a few of those volumes may provide empirical evidence that evil exists.
Let's get back to our Medal of Honor winner:
I have an opinion that one of the problems we have as a culture is reading only the headline in a world of really bad headline writers who are farming attention. See what these headlines tell us:
Obama stands by Medal of Honor award to Marine - San Francisco Chronicle
White House defends vetting of Medal of Honor story-Los Angeles Times
Medal of Honor holder fights for his reputation-Houston Chronicle
Why is the Administration defending a Medal of Honor Award? Isn't this like the most vetted thing in the recent history of ever?
As he presented the medal at a Sept. 15 ceremony, Obama recounted the official record of events of a Sept. 8, 2009, ambush in the Gangal Valley in eastern Afghanistan, in which Meyer is credited with saving the lives of 13 U.S. service members, killing insurgents at close range and repeatedly leaving his gun turret to rescue Afghan soldiers.
McClatchy Newspapers reported Wednesday that Obama was relying on an “inflated version of events,” that was constructed by the Marine Corps Public Affairs office.
There is no evidence that the White House knew the narrative had been altered. The changes were made after Obama approved the medal nomination, and the embellishment “probably was unnecessary” to justify the honor, according to the McClatchy report.
Source:
Los Angeles Times
White House defends vetting of Medal of Honor story
by By Kim Geiger
Dec. 16, 2011
McClatchy has a whole "Honor Tarnished" section complete with scary graphic and god damn vanity URL:http://www.mcclatchydc.com/.../
"But there's a problem with this account: Crucial parts that the Marine Corps publicized and Obama described are untrue, unsubstantiated or exaggerated, according to dozens of military documents McClatchy examined."
Source: McClatchy
Marines promoted inflated story for Medal of Honor recipient
By Jonathan S. Landay
Dec. 14, 2011
If you're still reading:
What do you think is going on here?
If you follow DoD news like I do, as these events unfolded, only three letters apply, WTF? I mean first we have a hero. Then we have a hero vs. a defense contractor. Then we have McClatchy throwing a black eye at the USMC, Mr. Obama and by default, Sgt. Meyer.
Sure, they backed of Meyer by throwing in the fact he deserved it and it was the Corps' fault.
I don't know what's going on here, but it sure as hell looks like the minute a Medal of Honor winner stood up to the defense industrial complex he got smacked back into line. I want to be wrong. Decide for yourself. Peace for all.
Medal of Honor winner Dakota Meyer drops BAE lawsuit
Highly-decorated US Marine Dakota Meyer has settled a lawsuit with BAE Systems over allegations that a manager called him "mentally unstable".
Sgt Meyer said in a statement that he dropped the suit after he and BAE resolved the dispute "amicably".
Read the whole thing.
I should have been more clear (thanks to Sandy on Signal in the comments) that I am not bashing the reporter's account of the day of Meyer's actions. Jonathan Landay's story: "We're pinned down." Landay appears to have done solid work.
This whole thing ( fight with BAE over weapons sales, lawsuit, accusations of embellishment by the USMC in the Medal) is a mess.