The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: PegLeg45 on July 12, 2011, 02:30:06 PM
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Local soldier who lost hand receives Medal of Honor
An Army Ranger stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord has become the second living person to receive the Medal of Honor for action stemming from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry, 31, lost his right hand in 2008 after throwing a grenade away from fellow soldiers during combat in Afghanistan, the U.S. Army said.
President Obama presented Petry with the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest decoration, on Tuesday.
"Leroy, the Medal of Honor reflects the deepest gratitutde of our entire nation," Obama said at a presentation ceremony.
"Today, we honor a singular act of gallantry. Leroy Petry showed that true heroes still exist, and they're closer than you think."
Assigned to the 2nd Ranger Battalion, Company D, Petry had been taking part in a risky, daylight raid at a high-walled compound in Paktya, Afghanistan, on May 26, 2008. The building was said to contain a top Al Qaeda leader.
Petry and and fellow Ranger Pfc. Lucas Robinson quickly came under enemy fire. Petry was shot in both thighs. Robinson was hit in his ribs.
With the enemy continuing to shoot, Petry helped Robinson run for cover behind a nearby chicken coop. He threw a grenade at the enemy, giving cover so that Staff Sgt. Daniel Higgins could join the men and evaluate their wounds.
But an insurgent lobbed a grenade at the three Rangers. It landed about 30 feet away, exploded and wounded Higgins and Robinson.
A second grenade landed near the men, this time just a few feet away. Bleeding profusely and without hesitation, Petry grabbed the live explosive and threw it away from his squadmates.
"It was almost instinct - off training," Petry told the Army News Service.
"It was probably going to kill all three of us. I had time to visually see the hand grenade. And I figure it's got about a four-and-half second fuse, depending on how long it has been in the elements and the weather and everything and how long the pin has been pulled."
"I figure if you have time to see it, you have time to kick it, throw it, just get it out there."
As he released it, it detonated and severed his right hand. Petry, a seasoned Ranger who had already done seven deployments, wrapped a tourniquet around his arm and radioed for help.
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Local-soldier-who-lost-hand-receives-Medal-of-1461564.php
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Maybe I'm being a tight ass, or maybe I just have to find fault with everything BHO does, but he addresses Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry as "Leroy" when presenting him with the CMOH.
Is it just me, or does anyone else think even the President should address a CMOH holder in an official ceremony with his rank? Sgt. Petry, at least?
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Maybe I'm being a tight ass, or maybe I just have to find fault with everything BHO does, but he addresses Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry as "Leroy" when presenting him with the CMOH.
Is it just me, or does anyone else think even the President should address a CMOH holder in an official ceremony with his rank? Sgt. Petry, at least?
Same here....
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Sgt. Petry would be the proper form . After all, He worked hard to achieve that rank, I'm sure "Babbling Babs" Boxer would agree.
One needs to remember that while in power the dems may be sending troops to assist our foes in Libya, They in fact despise our protectors and during the Bush administration (most recently ) purposely worked to undermine them.
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Thank you Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry, would be the appropriate response. GOD BLESS YOU.
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Since Sgt. Petry received the Medal Of Honor, the President has to salute him!!! All military members have to salute him despite the rank.
Glad he survived his ordeal and he deserves the MOH wholeheartedly. Just wish that it did not take so long for those who have earned it to be recognized.
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Thank you Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry, would be the appropriate response. GOD BLESS YOU.
There are few problems with that in this particular case.
That POS wouldn't know a Sgt 1st Class from an Admiral.
There was no tele prompter, so he never would have got past "thank" with out stumbling.
He's not "into" God, he's cheering Allah.
A f*cking disgrace to the office.
If he remembered to salute the Medal this time he probably used the wrong hand.
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At least he didn't have the ceremony on the 14th green of his favorite course....did he?
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The Rose garden /putting green. >:(
Or is that a watermelon patch now ?
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One of my issues is voting for a President that has never served in the Armed Forces.
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My Dad used to say that you were not qualified to give orders until you had learned how to take them.
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Happen to be reading Starship Troopers by Heinlein again, and military service as a prerequisite to vote has never seemed more attractive to me....and necessary.
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As the Republic was originally intended you could not vote unless you owned property of a certain value or higher.
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As the Republic was originally intended you could not vote unless you owned property of a certain value or higher.
and being a politician was a "part-time position"....... :-\
Only 80 or so MOH recipients alive today....Amazing individuals.
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and being a politician was a "part-time position"....... :-\
Only 80 or so MOH recipients alive today....Amazing individuals.
TW, I don't mean this as a criticism of your post, but as a way to express my thoughts on the matter.
If they were as you say, "amazing individuals" it would lessen what they did.
Superman " leaps tall buildings" for his morning work out.
These are just ordinary guys, the only difference between them and everyone else is that when things were REALLY going down the crapper, people around them being killed and maimed, everyone half out of their minds with fear, stress and adrenalin, disoriented by concussion, noise, flash, and dust, these guys saw things that had to be done.
They didn't wait for the person assigned that duty, they didn't think about their own safety, they saw what had to be done and did it with out hesitation, often over an extended period.
Ordinary guys, doing what has to be done, with no regard for themselves.
No wonder the Medal is so often awarded posthumously.
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Happen to be reading Starship Troopers by Heinlein again, and military service as a prerequisite to vote has never seemed more attractive to me....and necessary.
I completely agree with you!!! However, that requirement would disqualify me. I tried to enlist 3 times in my life and was turned down every time. The reason: I was born with a congenital birth defect requiring 3 open heart surgeries by the age of 10 to correct. And the bean counters felt that my medical history made me too high risk. I think that most everyone would agree that I am 100% on the side of our military, and through my own research I am pretty knowledgeable in it's workings. I'm no sheep, and I will stand shoulder to shoulder with anyone when it comes down to taking back our country from the socialists. So my question Solus, is, how do you deal with someone like me, who was not allowed to serve, not for lack of trying, but still through no fault of my own?
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I completely agree with you!!! However, that requirement would disqualify me. I tried to enlist 3 times in my life and was turned down every time. The reason: I was born with a congenital birth defect requiring 3 open heart surgeries by the age of 10 to correct. And the bean counters felt that my medical history made me too high risk. I think that most everyone would agree that I am 100% on the side of our military, and through my own research I am pretty knowledgeable in it's workings. I'm no sheep, and I will stand shoulder to shoulder with anyone when it comes down to taking back our country from the socialists. So my question Solus, is, how do you deal with someone like me, who was not allowed to serve, not for lack of trying, but still through no fault of my own?
If you get a chance, read the book.
The system described therein was not just for military service. You were tested, physically, intellectually, psychologically, and anything they could get a handle upon.
If you met the requirements for the military, you would then be placed in a branch based upon your desires as far as they met the testing and staffing requirements of that branch.
If you were not qualified for the military, you would be placed in some function which you were qualified. The only complete disqualification might come from being totally psychologically unfit to serve your country in any way....good disqualification for voting too.
That system made it cumbersome to volunteer with discouragement along the way and very difficult to stay in. It was extremely easy to get out before you were assigned to a military unit, and then it was only forbidden under fire. Just state your intent. The only penalty was that you could never vote and thus never hold office.
Even the non-military assignments were difficult and took commitment to wanting to become a voting citizen.
So, basically, the only way you would not become a voting citizen is if you gave up on it (or died on the job) or were psychologically unfit,....not a bad test.
Don't know how good of a job "real world" testing would do, but it would be a damn sight better than the system we are losing with today.
Sounds like you have the determination needed in that system, JC.
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JC, that is why the idea will not work.
While all of us here respect our troops and the job they do, the truth is that they are no different than the society that produced them.
Yes, there are hero's, but there are also bean counters, ticket punchers, ass kissers, and general scumbags as well.
jimmah carter and John Murtha were veterans, pretty much every day veterans and active duty personnel are arrested on charges from littering and speeding to rape and murder.
Granting the vote only to Veterans would not make any difference, there are just as many "good citizens" like yourself who, for whatever reason, could not serve, as there are lousy citizens in uniform.
I think the property requirement, or at least employment requirement, is the way to go.
That way the only ones with a say in how our taxes are spent would be the people footing the bill.
If you deprived the Dem/socialists of their bought welfare constituency they would be all done.
No one is going to vote for handouts if they know they are coming out of their own pocket.
( I've read "Starship Troopers" at least 3 times, as well as seeing the movie, once was enough. )
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I am all for a system that bans you from voting if you do not have a tax burden. I realize that this would eliminate many that maybe should vote, but if you don't have a horse in the race, you shouldn't be able to swing the results for those that do. A system like this would also set up a much better argument for a fair tax, and massively simplify our tax code, and virtually eliminate fraud, not to mention the need for the IRS.
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We would still need the IRS, they will never go away.
Simply because, no matter how you raise the money, there has to be an organization to actually handle receiving, collecting and enforcing .
The way it's supposed to work, the Internal Revenue Service collects taxes, and other money owed inside the country (internally ), while duties, tariffs, and import taxes and fees from outside the country coming through the ports, (external revenue ) was collected by Customs.
That's why they are separate branches of the Treasury Dept.
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We would still need the IRS, they will never go away.
Simply because, no matter how you raise the money, there has to be an organization to actually handle receiving, collecting and enforcing .
The way it's supposed to work, the Internal Revenue Service collects taxes, and other money owed inside the country (internally ), while duties, tariffs, and import taxes and fees from outside the country coming through the ports, (external revenue ) was collected by Customs.
That's why they are separate branches of the Treasury Dept.
Makes sense, and that's fine, but there would be no need for them to be the bloated monstrosity they have become.
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Could say that about the entire Govt.
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"Those who are skilled in combat do not become angered, those who are skilled at winning do not become afraid. Thus the wise win before they fight, while the ignorant fight to win."
As a civilian,...I view the MOH individual actions as extraordinary. What I have noticed from all MOH accounts, is how humble all of them are.
Without teleprompters, pomp or circumstance, they state, " I am merely carrying this Medal, for those not here today."
That is an amazing trait. An amazing feat,...and worthy of this countries thanks.
To be a warrior is not a simple matter of wishing to be one. It is rather an endless struggle that will go on to the very last moment of our lives. Nobody is born a warrior, in exactly the same way that nobody is born an average man. We make ourselves into one or the other.
Carlos Castaneda
"I think it would be a nifty idea to remit all taxes to holders of the Congressional Medal of Honor. This would cost the government practically nothing, and it would show that at least some of us are serious about our salutes on Veteran's Day."
Jeff Cooper
I
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I think you can extend that to anyone with a purple heart and say the same.
FQ13
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I think you can extend that to anyone with a purple heart and say the same.
FQ13
John Kerry has several Purple Hearts. I wouldn't include him. And being awarded a Purple Heart simply is not the same as the MOH. For a Purple Heart, you just have to take damage. You could be asleep, get hit, knocked unconscious, wake up in the field hospital and not remember a thing about the event.
The thing about MOH holders is that they did something, and it was an act going beyond their own personal safety. While it is, no doubt, driven to also save themselves, it also includes acts that are above what is expected by "normal" grunt behavior.
Those who earn the MOH have found it in themselves to go beyond duty to preserve themselves, their comrades, and perhaps the cause for which they are fighting. There is no thought of self glory (as I believe it was in Kerry's awards). These folks put the lives of their mates and their unit above their own life. And they only felt it was their duty. It is no wonder that they are humble.
Don't mean to take anything away from those who hold a Purple Heart, but the standards are just not the same.
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My Dad was awarded a Purple Heart, and I agree with Solus.
There are those self promoters who get Purple Hearts for trivial, or even self inflicted injuries, even the most deserved are for making a mistake, being in the wrong spot at the wrong time, or just plain bad luck. The initiative is in the hands of the enemy in that they have to shoot at you, or place the mine, bomb, or boobytrap.
The CMOH is awarded for for actions intentionally taken by the recipient on his own initiative.
( Is my meaning clear ? The above is the best phrasing I can come up with, but it doesn't read quite right to me. )
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Yes Tom your meaning was clear. Very well said. +1
WTF :o Did I just agree with Tom B. It's going to be one of those days. I need to add something to my coffee and calm my nerves. ;)
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Better get a lotto ticket ;D
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Thank SFC Perty for your incredible service. I dont know if you will ever see any of this, but you make me proud to be American.