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Originally Posted by Trig
I'd like to give a firm Parris Island handshake to the managing editor that approved the smear efforts of these journalists. I believe that someone should choke this dude out and be taught a lesson otherwise digging up alleged dirt on MOH recipients will become the journalistic norm going forward.
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We often see on this site, the pleading of members for true reporting. Reporting which involves serious research and the willingness to report what may be outside of the common party line. When someone does this the answer is to slam them?
The MOH need not require superhuman efforts or deeds for it's being awarded. But it MUST meet
the stipulated requirements. Per that link; "There must be
no margin of doubt or possibility of error in awarding this honor." Emboldened wording is mine.
So is there now doubt? Was there error? I think the answer to both is yes. As painful and as saddening as that may be.
No one should fault Meyer -- he didn't put himself in for the MOH. If any fault should be determined, then it should lay clearly upon Marine Corps leadership, and possibly the Dept of the Navy and higher.
Taken in that context, no one discounts Meyer's bravery, willingness to do the job and more, or his proficiency in doing so. It becomes completely irrelevant to the conversation. What DOES become part of the discussion is the manner in which the awarding criteria was followed.
I believe that reading the article demos that there are numerous points worthy of investigation. From whether someone refused orders and took upon themselves to do something, to what was actually done, to how dangerous each and every one of those events were -- all worthy of a focused investigation -- but one that SHOULD have occurred long before the decision to award the MOH was ever reached. It isn't fair to Meyer to put him in a position such as the one today, for not doing this investigation properly back when it should have been done. It is also not fair to the country to see this situation unfold, when it appears as if it could have been avoided.
If it turns out that the Corps rammed this down someone's throat because they thought they deserved one -- then heads SHOULD roll.
No one questions Meyer's dedication or sacrifice. The questions are rather focused upon people who were not even likely in theater....