Readers of Tom Philpott’s Military Update column sound off.

Gallantry Under Fire Buried Under Paperwork

I find it very disappointing that so many great soldiers have been slighted when it comes to medals and awards. As an officer and leader of soldiers it is my responsibility to ensure award recommendations for actions deemed worthy. Yet I continue to get such recommendations returned for minor typos, for handwritten rather than typed sworn statements, for lack of photos or video footage or because we did not copy the award recommendation. This can delay the process by a couple of months.

When we resubmit often the original chain of command has left theater and we have to submit again to the new command. In most cases I have had to resubmit awards five to six times just to have them get to the brigade level where they either are automatically downgraded or have no action taken because, we are told, they have been lost or no record exists.

Soldiers serving in the National Guard or Reserve have additional hurdles. I know of one case where an award was downgraded because the soldier was in the reserves.

Now, almost three years later, I have soldiers who did not receive anything for their heroic actions under fire. Some soldiers did not even have their submissions read because I had submitted too much documentation and it would take too many man-hours to review. Well, I am sure glad our soldiers in the field did not that attitude while fighting the enemy.

As far as opportunities for heroic actions in Iraq, contrary to popular belief we actually do fight an armed enemy that sometimes gets very close. We still have soldiers killed by small arms fire and hand grenades. Even in today’s high-tech world of standoff weapons, we still face danger and still require troops to go above and beyond the call of duty to protect fellow soldiers or to deliver defeat to an enemy determined to kill us. So opportunities for heroism do exist.

I wonder if the same system been in place for awards during past wars, if we would have recognized heroes like Sgt. Alvin York or Lt. Audie Murphy for their actions?

What constitutes heroism or gallantry under fire has never changed and should never be changed.

JAMES L. MCCORMICK
Captain, ANG
Commander, 1487th Transportation Company
Eaton/Piqua, Ohio

We should not even be talking or reading about the subject of medals so publicly. Medals are awards to military personnel, awarded by military personnel. No true hero thinks he is a hero.

Now, because of your article and others, all medals awarded in the future will be in question.

JOHNNY HUTCHERSON
Via e-mail

It's been a year since coming home from Iraq and I am still waiting for my awards. The problem is higher ups in G-1 [personnel] slots are making the calls on award criteria.

In Operation Iraqi Freedom III, according to the [New York Army National Guard] 42nd Infantry Division G-1, we were only allowed to submit seven percent of our company for a Bronze Star, whether for meritorious service or valor. Also, E-7s and above were deemed closest to having achieved the tasks to be eligible for the [meritorious] Bronze Star.

I have seen way too many higher ranking NCOs and officers padding their 201 files while sitting behind a desk. They leave the war zone having never fired a round, never gotten shot at, with a Combat Infantry Badge.

There is a lot of paperwork involved with awards yet every staff officer, first sergeant and commanding officer on up the chain had the ability to step on to the plane ride of their lives with paperwork in hand and patches on their uniforms to show they had been in combat. They wore their Bronze Stars and CIBs out in front of everyone, while lower-ranking soldiers were told that, unless you have papers in hand, you can't wear it.

I am disgusted at the whole process. It makes me sick knowing what the standard was to get a Bronze Star. The only way you will ever see it awarded to a lower enlisted is if they give the ultimate sacrifice.

The abuse of rank, when I was there, was all to clear.

JIMMY M.
Via e-mail

MEDICARE-TRICARE CATCH 22

I have just received a rather scary letter from the Defense Manpower Data Center. It outlined my upcoming 65th birthday and how this would affect me with Medicare and TRICARE for Life. It presented this Catch 22:

When I reach age 65, I must sign up for Medicare Part B or I will loose my TRICARE eligibility. But I am still working [Navy retired pay not being enough to live on] and I receive health insurance from my employer. Therefore, I do not need Medicare Part B. Yet I will lose my TRICARE coverage if I do not enroll.

If I do sign up for Part B, the premiums normally would be deducted from my monthly Social Security. But I make too much money in my current job to be eligible to receive Social Security. So if I enrolled in Medicare Part B, the Social Security Administration would be sending me a bill for Part B, a bill that I can’t afford. Dammed if I do and dammed if I don't.

The veteran gets screwed again.

PATRICK GERRELLS
Via e-mail

Military retirees who continue to work past age 65 can decline Medicare Part B enrollment and rely on employer health insurance until they stop working. At that time they can enroll in Medicare Part B without paying a premium penalty. They should contact Medicare at 800 638-6833 for guidelines on enrolling in Part B.

What concerns you, however, is retaining both your employer insurance and enrolling in TRICARE for Life as you continue working past age 65. That, indeed, is not possible unless you pay Medicare Part B premiums. Military retirees in your circumstance have to consider whether having TRICARE for Life as a second payer to your employer health insurance is worth the cost of paying $93.50 a month for Part B. For some, it makes more financial sense just to delay TRICARE for Life coverage until fully retired. – Tom Philpott

Letters may be edited for clarity or length.  Write to Military Forum, P.O. Box 231111, Centreville, VA  20120-1111, send e-mail to militaryforum@aol.com or visit www.militaryupdate.com