Washington Times: Army’s withdrawal of officer’s Silver Star sparks ire of Congress
Green Beret saved soldiers under fire
A group of House lawmakers is moving to strip the armed services’ civilian leaders of the power to revoke combat valor awards in response to Army Secretary John McHugh unilaterally canceling the Silver Star, one of the military’s highest honors, for a former Green Beret officer.
Mr. McHugh took the action against Maj. Mathew Golsteyn, who braved repeated enemy fire in Afghanistan, even though he has not been charged with any offenses. The Army now is seeking to release him with a less-than-honorable discharge. The officer plans to fight the move, his attorney says.
The secretary acted after the CIA informed the Army that Maj. Golsteyn, during a polygraph exam for a job application, told of killing a terrorist who was making improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the weapon that has killed more Americans in Afghanistan than any other. The Army also removed Maj. Golsteyn from the elite ranks of the Green Berets.
WNU Editor: I understand on the need for rules of engagement in a war zone .... but U.S. rules of engagement in both Afghanistan and Iraq have reached a level that has made it very difficult for U.S. soldiers to do their job .... and in the case of Maj. Mathew Golsteyn .... has come back to haunt him. Still .... the idea that Army Secretary John McHugh could unilaterally cancel Maj. Mathew Golsteyn's Silver Star .... a medal that he justly earned in Afghanistan .... I find that to be very strange. In the above video Bing West explains the case quite eloquently .... and be prepared to get angry.
2 comments:
Surely someone in the Major's past will come forward with comments on his behalf. I think that he's getting a raw deal.
When will politics ever be removed from wars? Let's send our brave men and women into harms way with loaded M4's but you can't soon back if fired upon until Washington thousands of miles away says you can. Really, this happened in Vietnam as well. The enemy doesn't fight by our (American) rules. A soldier being fired upon can't return fire unless he thinks the enemy is trying to kill him/her. Again, really! Anyone watching the tv documentary "The Fighting Season?" It clearly shows the restrictions soldiers had out in the field especially when taking enemy fire. If that is the case then we better take a serious look at the Drone missions and casualties from their strikes. Washington as usual you are out of touch with what is going on in the world especially America.
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