Opinion: War medals for cyber soldiers?

OPINION -- The United States Department ofDefense has introduced quite a controversial, new war honor: theDistinguished Warfare Medal (DMW) for drone operators. Recognizing dronewarfare combatants as worthy of praise while men and women of the United StatesArmy’s ground forces risk their lives, oftentimes without recognition, isdownright infuriating. To add further insult to injury (or toss salt in an openwound), Department of Defense officials are looking to rank the honor higherthan the prestigious Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

Ranking combat medals by prestigeseems logical in theory, but when you make a mockery of such a system byincorporating success via cyber warfare and unmanned drone operation as amilitary feat, you have dishonored the men and women of the Armed Forcesrisking life and limb for their country on the front lines every day. Surelythese “desk jockeys” will receive these honors with open arms, knowing littleabout the landscape of the theatre in which they are fighting, while providingassault from what they see as little more than a mere video game. Without theimmanent feelings of war and the emotion behind taking another man’s lifepresent, decision-making and rationale behind actions may be distorted andconfused.

Though much can be said for theuseful nature of drones and unmanned military aircraft, the recognition of suchas honor-worthy factions of war is disrespectful at best. Tell the wife andchild of an Army ground forces operative that the service of theirhusband/father is less important/respected than that of a drone operator.

Fortunately, an increase in PurpleHearts and Bronze Stars appears to be rapidly approaching as President Obamahas noted the disparity between the Department of Defense’s definition ofheroism and that of reality.

Moral: Human lives will alwaysmean more than a hunk-of-junk death machine levitating a mile high. After all, ourforefathers poured their heart and soul into this country’s security, spillingblood along the way. No act of “virtual heroism” will ever live up to that.

Suggestions for further reading:

• http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2282610/The-Rise-Drones-From-secretive-surveillance-weapon-controversial-killers.html
• http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/03/06/veterans-drones-defense-column/1965909/