We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/02/did_you_ever_wonder_why.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:56:14 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification ...there was such a furor generated last election-time over whether or not John Kerry came by his Purple Hearts legitimately? Lest anyone think us uniforms were stirring a tempest in a teapot, remember this: The PHM is an old award, and it's an Equal Opportunity one. Nothing--skin color, ethnicity, religious preference, where you came from or how you got here--matters except one thing: you bled from wounds inflicted by the enemy. In many units, including my own, you weren't submitted for the award unless your wounds were such that you required evacuation to a field hospital. We considered it a... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/02/did_you_ever_wonder_why.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/02/did_you_ever_wonder_why.html Thu, 09 Feb 2006 14:35:25 -0600 Yup, a sense of proportion is always helpful. I recall doing really dumb things when I was a little kid (and, I'm sorry to admit, a big kid) which injured me much worsely than anything Sen. Kerry had to put up with. Those were my fault, or my parents' fault, though, not enemy action. Then there was Sgt. Lizzie who got blown up by an IED and had a comrade die by her side. She did nothing to bring that about aside from being present there in Iraq and doing her duty. I think she mentioned on her blog that she's happy to put a Florida Purple Heart tag on the back of her car. I think I commented on her blog, once. She'd displayed a pic of herself, all dolled up, and I wrote, "Nice legs, Sergeant!" or something like that. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/02/did_you_ever_wonder_why.html#comment-40578 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/02/did_you_ever_wonder_why.html#comment-40578 Sat, 11 Feb 2006 00:18:28 -0600 Carrying on the tradition, Jon, carrying on the tradition... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/02/did_you_ever_wonder_why.html#comment-40510 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/02/did_you_ever_wonder_why.html#comment-40510 Thu, 09 Feb 2006 21:03:36 -0600 WARRIORS we have in Iraq currently. They get wounded and when they ask a question of the medic, the first question that many of them ask is how long before they can get back into the field with their units, because someone needs to cover Joe's (Bill, Frank, Bob, Erin, Sarah, Dianne, etc) six. I look at those men and women and almost consider myself not worthy to be mentioned in the same breath of air.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/02/did_you_ever_wonder_why.html#comment-40498 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/02/did_you_ever_wonder_why.html#comment-40498 Thu, 09 Feb 2006 19:06:32 -0600 Bill is of course correct. If every helicopter crewman got a PH everytime he was knicked by shrapnel, aluminum chips from the helo's skin or flying plexiglas chips, we would have to walk bent over from the shear weight of the Gongs! The Deuce was not noted for handing out Gongs willy nilly. If'n you were awarded one in our outfit, you really deserved it. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/02/did_you_ever_wonder_why.html#comment-40495 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/02/did_you_ever_wonder_why.html#comment-40495 Thu, 09 Feb 2006 17:00:44 -0600