Hey, MoveOn! Petraeus Wore Fraud Medal At Testimony

by dlawbailey
from DailyKos

Examining General Petraeus's medals, his official bios and then comparing three reports of events on 3/30/2003 in Najaf, Iraq - two by prize-winning embedded journalists and one understood to be by Army personnel (which document this diarist will produce to a responsible party at any time) - this diarist cannot conclude other than that General David Petraeus wore a medal for combat valor in his testimony before Congress that was a sham, propaganda and a dishonor to his troops and nation.

Update [2007-9-19 13:44:53 by dlawbailey]: General Eisenhower, who also entered command not having seen combat was not awarded - and did not let himself be awarded - a medal for combat valor. Thanks to responders.

The medal in question is a Bronze Star with Valor Device, the fourth-highest award we have for combat valor. That "Valor Device" specifies combat valor and makes it an entirely different medal from the Bronze Star for Meritorious Conduct. With the 101st Airborne, Petraeus received it as a Major General, in 2003-2004. It was his first combat ever. That same year, Jeannie Hancock and her four children would receive a telephone call from General Petraeus and his condolences that she would be getting the same medal from the Army, but not the husband who had earned it posthumously - Sgt. Michael Hancock, also of the 101st.

"a kind of moral plagiarism--a theft of other men's honor, and therefore a debasing of the coin rewarding their courage" - Lance Morrow describing the improper wearing of a Valor Device and the suicide of Admiral Jeremy Boorda.

Let me break this down for you:

• To get the valor medal, General Petraeus had to be under enemy fire.
• He is described to have been under enemy fire in the battle for Najaf.
• The only incident of enemy fire reported near General Petraeus was on March 30th.

(Continued here.)