Posted on 05/31/2011 7:22:13 PM PDT by Pan_Yan
WASHINGTON — An Army sergeant who lost his right hand throwing an armed grenade away from other wounded soldiers will become only the second living service member from the Afghanistan and Iraq wars to be awarded the Medal of Honor.
The White House said Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry will receive the nation's highest military decoration from President Barack Obama in a ceremony July 12.
...
The Army News Service said Petry and another soldier came under fire as they searched a courtyard. Petry was shot through both legs and the other soldier also was wounded, the news service said. When another sergeant arrived to assess their wounds, insurgents threw a grenade that exploded and wounded that sergeant and the other soldier again.
As two more Rangers tried to reach them, another grenade landed beside the three wounded men, the news service said. Petry grabbed it and tried to throw it away from the others, but it exploded as he released it, blowing off his right hand. He placed a tourniquet around the injury and radioed for help.
The two unhurt Rangers engaged the enemy, but one was killed in the firefight. The two wounded men with Petry then opened fire and killed the last attacker, the Army News Service said.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
In before somebody finds a way to tie this with DADT being repealed.
In today's military, does a severe wound (like the loss of a hand) mean an automatic medical discharge?
Or do they try to find a suitable rear-area position for a person with such a wound?
He is a liason officer at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Depends. I have a friend in that situation and he’s trying to figure out whether to stay in or get out.
Yes, and I was quite happy to read that. But is that a common practice?
Not necessarily...the Army has allowed several amputees to remain in service, provided they can still meet service standards. One of the “trail blazers” in that area is General Fred Franks, best known as commander of VII Corps during Operation Desert Storm, was severely wounded during the invasion of Cambodia in 1970 and eventually lost his left leg. He fought to stay in the service and was allowed to remain on active duty. His execution of the “left hook” against Saddam’s forces remains one of the outstanding feats in modern military history.
Shouldn’t it be a liason NCO from Ft. Benning?
RANGER, UP!
Nice to see he is still active duty.
My experience, far from the tip of the spear.
/johnny
Sure, in the military. But this is an AP article posted on MSNBC, so they call him a liason officer instead of a liason NCO. (With a wry smile) The point is rather moot since in a few weeks everyone from private to 5 star general will salute him first.
“The point is rather moot since in a few weeks everyone from private to 5 star general will salute him first. “
From me the clueless civilian, is that standard etiquette for a MOH winner still on active duty, or just your phrasing to describe the honor we should all show him. (Have goose bumps as I type this thinking about what he did.)
That, FRiend, is standard practice in the military, no matter the branch. You get the MOH, YOU get the salute, no matter the rank of the one doing the saluting.
How appropriate to do that! Wish there was a civilian version of a salute for these heroes. Thanks for your explanation.
The wearer of this medal is held in the highest regard and it is customary for all ranks to salute a recipient, regardless of the recipient’s rank. Additionally, wearers of the Medal of Honor are always saluted before others.
Some of the special privileges and courtesies afforded Medal of Honor recipients:
•Enlisted personnel who are awarded the Medal of Honor are authorized one automatic promotion if not already serving in the highest enlisted grade.
•Each recipient receives a monthly pension from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
•A special travel ID card entitles recipients who are not active duty or retirees to space-available military air transportation.
•Unlike other military personnel, Medal of Honor recipients may wear their uniforms at any time or place they choose.
•All Medal of Honor recipients receive invitations to attend Presidential inaugurations and accompanying festivities.
Since 1861, when the decoration was created, 3,467 medals have been awarded, 620 of those having been awarded posthumously.
You’re welcome!, While we’re on the subject, I found out some things about the priveledges MOH awardees recieve:
The Medal of Honor confers special privileges on its recipients. By law, recipients have several benefits:
Each Medal of Honor recipient may have his or her name entered on the Medal of Honor Roll (38 U.S.C. § 1560). Each person whose name is placed on the Medal of Honor Roll is certified to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as being entitled to receive a monthly pension above and beyond any military pensions or other benefits for which they may be eligible. The pension is subject to cost-of-living increases; as of 2011, it is more than $1,100 a month.
Enlisted recipients of the Medal of Honor are entitled to a supplemental uniform allowance.
Recipients receive special entitlements to air transportation under the provisions of DOD Regulation 4515.13-R.
Special identification cards and commissary and exchange privileges are provided for Medal of Honor recipients and their eligible dependents.
Eligibility for interment at Arlington National Cemetery if not otherwise eligible.
Fully qualified children of recipients are eligible for admission to the United States military academies without regard to the nomination and quota requirements.
Recipients receive a 10 percent increase in retired pay under 10 U.S.C. § 3991.
Those awarded the medal after October 23, 2002, receive a Medal of Honor Flag. The law also specified that all 103 living prior recipients as of that date would also receive a flag. (14 U.S.C. § 505).
Recipients receive an invitation to all future presidential inaugurations and inaugural balls.[35]
As with all medals, retired personnel may wear the Medal of Honor on “appropriate” civilian clothing. Regulations also specify that recipients of the Medal of Honor are allowed to wear the uniform “at their pleasure” with standard restrictions on political, commercial, or extremist purposes; other former members of the armed forces may do so only at certain ceremonial occasions.
Many states offer distinctive Medal of Honor vehicle license plates to recipients without additional charges or fees
Thank God for American heroes like these.
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