that's pretty pissah.

Wicked pissah

is just an amazing example of personal courage, going back five times through a gauntlet of fire in an exposed turret, the driver was awarded the Cross from what I understood at the MoH Ceremony.

I think you are right Mr. Ricks, Obama does not get enough credit for the way he has been with the Military, especially the SOF Community, he is a lot more open minded and concerned than people give him credit for.

Beer time with the Sergeant was probably the best intel brief the CinC had this month.

First, there were two Navy Crosses that day and Army CPT Swenson is being put in for the MoH by GEN Allen for his actions that day - he was the police advisor constantly calling for IDF and he also went back in with Meyer after his own rescue to get others out of the fire sack..

As Bing West points out in his comprehensive account in yesterday's Wall Street Journal; the bulk of those attending the ceremony were the troops from the fight - mostly Marine NCOs. That too shows class. CJ Chivers in the NYT also highlights the photographer in attendance who lost his legs in similar Afghan combat. Both West and Chivers were Marine Infantry Captains and both (Bing is 72) still hump with the troops.

This young Corporal (at the time) led by example and two officers followed. Meyer with SSGT Juan Rodriguez-Chavez (Navy Cross) driving, had to keep changing vehicles as each was shot to pieces under them. Meyers dismounted each time to retrieve the wounded and dead. He himself was wounded in the right arm. On his final gun run, with a Kiowa overhead to assist, he found his 4 dead advisory team buddies. As Bing's article notes, all did not go well that day as an unidentified platoon refused to assist and supporting commands refused to provide indirect fires.

Against orders, Corporal Meyer followed a higher commander's intent - leave no one behind. He exercised initiative and dogged persistence in the face of overwhelming odds - 60 fighters from Pakistan with mortars in a fixed ambush. His direct fire killed no less than 8 enemy. The battle lasted over 6 hours so this was sustained heroism rarely if ever seen. Contrary to the thoughts of one of Tom's guests, this junior leader was not trained for this mission, but he exercised the principle of Auftragstaktik in the extreme.

President Obama is actually very good with people, with an astonishingly wide variety of people in fact.

He's just not experienced with people who have spent many years in the military. Also, a lot of his administration's dealings with the military must necessarily pass through subordinates of Obama's whose ability to "get" people from backgrounds other than their own is much less than his.

I think President Obama was very right to agree to have a beer with this brave Marine. Considering the brave deeds of one and the honorable office of the other I am not sure who was more honored by having this beer.

But I think it gives a nice low-key touch to the otherwise formal ceremony of bestowing of this medal. Therefore I think all future winners of the Medal of Honor should be invited to a similar treat with their Commander-in-Chief and similarly winners of the Victoria Cross should be invited to a beer (or whiskey or glass of wine as their taste dictates) with their Prime Minister, whether British, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand. I should also like for Danish combat troops who win the "Medalje for Tapperhed" (Medal for Bravery) to meet Denmark's new Prime Minister, Mrs. Thorning-Smidt, for a drink and a chat as an informal tribute to their heroism.

There is a nice scene in this film where Churchill meets a Victoria Cross winner from the Battle of Britain. I do not know if the quotes are authentic but they seem plausible enough. The meeting begins around 7:07
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tjk9ur05hk&feature=related

I somehow suspect that Dakota was a little tongue-tied, at least at first. Perhaps he did a little pre-gaming before the sit down... Whether you agree with his politics or no, President Obama is still the Commander in Chief of the most powerful nation on Earth. Still, I hope that they were able to find some common ground and have a conversation like two regular men.

I am going to pound away at this one more time, but surely someone else besides me is interested in the fact that Obama has awarded so many more MoHs than Bush. One could surmise, perhaps, that GW and his people were maybe reluctant to bestow the MoH?

David Bellavia deserves the Medal of Honor. Hands down. Google him. In any other war, he would have been awarded The Medal. In this one, he gets an SSM.

If I had one moment to tell Obama something, I'd say that there needs to be a board convened to review every SSM and DSC awarded in OIF and OEF. Promise you there are MoH worthy actions in there.

Let me tell the story. I want you to imagine it's September 8, 2009, just before dawn. A patrol of Afghan forces and their American trainers is on foot, making their way up a narrow valley, heading into a village to meet with elders. And suddenly, all over the village, the lights go out. And that's when it happens. About a mile away, Dakota, who was then a corporal, and Staff Sergeant Juan Rodriguez-Chavez, could hear the ambush over the radio. It was as if the whole valley was exploding. Taliban fighters were unleashing a firestorm from the hills, from the stone houses, even from the local school.

And soon, the patrol was pinned down, taking ferocious fire from three sides. Men were being wounded and killed, and four Americans — Dakota's friends — were surrounded. Four times, Dakota and Juan asked permission to go in; four times they were denied. It was, they were told, too dangerous. But one of the teachers in his high school once said, "When you tell Dakota he can't do something, he's is going to do it." And as Dakota said of his trapped teammates, "Those were my brothers, and I couldn't just sit back and watch."

The story of what Dakota did next will be told for generations. He told Juan they were going in. Juan jumped into a Humvee and took the wheel; Dakota climbed into the turret and manned the gun. They were defying orders, but they were doing what they thought was right. So they drove straight into a killing zone, Dakota's upper body and head exposed to a blizzard of fire from AK-47s and machine guns, from mortars and rocket-propelled grenades.

Coming upon wounded Afghan soldiers, Dakota jumped out and loaded each of the wounded into the Humvee, each time exposing himself to all that enemy fire. They turned around and drove those wounded back to safety. Those who were there called it the most intense combat they'd ever seen. Dakota and Juan would have been forgiven for not going back in. But as Dakota says, you don't leave anyone behind.

For a second time, they went back — back into the inferno; Juan at the wheel, swerving to avoid the explosions all around them; Dakota up in the turret — when one gun jammed, grabbing another, going through gun after gun. Again they came across wounded Afghans. Again Dakota jumped out, loaded them up and brought them back to safety.

For a third time, they went back — insurgents running right up to the Humvee, Dakota fighting them off. Up ahead, a group of Americans, some wounded, were desperately trying to escape the bullets raining down. Juan wedged the Humvee right into the line of fire, using the vehicle as a shield. With Dakota on the guns, they helped those Americans back to safety as well.

For a fourth time, they went back. Dakota was now wounded in the arm. Their vehicle was riddled with bullets and shrapnel. Dakota later confessed, "I didn't think I was going to die. I knew I was." But still they pushed on, finding the wounded, delivering them to safety.

And then, for a fifth time, they went back — into the fury of that village, under fire that seemed to come from every window, every doorway, every alley. And when they finally got to those trapped Americans, Dakota jumped out. And he ran toward them. Drawing all those enemy guns on himself. Bullets kicking up the dirt all around him. He kept going until he came upon those four Americans, laying where they fell, together as one team.

Dakota and the others who had joined him knelt down, picked up their comrades and — through all those bullets, all the smoke, all the chaos — carried them out, one by one. Because, as Dakota says, "That's what you do for a brother."

Dakota says he'll accept this medal in their name. So today, we remember the husband who loved the outdoors —Lieutenant Michael Johnson. The husband and father they called "Gunny J" — Gunnery Sergeant Edwin Johnson. The determined Marine who fought to get on that team — Staff Sergeant Aaron Kenefick. The medic who gave his life tending to his teammates — Hospitalman Third Class James Layton. And a soldier wounded in that battle who never recovered — Sergeant First Class Kenneth Westbrook.

Dakota, I know that you've grappled with the grief of that day; that you've said your efforts were somehow a "failure" because your teammates didn't come home. But as your Commander-in-Chief, and on behalf of everyone here today and all Americans, I want you to know it's quite the opposite. You did your duty, above and beyond, and you kept the faith with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps that you love.

Because of your Honor, 36 men are alive today. Because of your Courage, four fallen American heroes came home, and — in the words of James Layton's mom — they could lay their sons to rest with dignity. Because of your Commitment — in the thick of the fight, hour after hour — a former Marine who read about your story said that you showed how "in the most desperate, final hours…our brothers and God will not forsake us." And because of your humble example, our kids — especially back in Columbia, Kentucky, in small towns all across America — they'll know that no matter who you are or where you come from, you can do great things as a citizen and as a member of the American family.

Therein lies the greatest lesson of that day in the valley, and the truth that our men and women in uniform live out every day. "I was part of something bigger," Dakota has said, part of a team "that worked together, lifting each other up and working toward a common goal. Every member of our team was as important as the other." So in keeping with Dakota's wishes for this day, I want to conclude by asking now-Gunnery Sergeant Rodriguez-Chavez and all those who served with Dakota — the Marines, Army, Navy — to stand and accept thanks of a grateful nation.

Every member of our team is as important as the other. That's a lesson that we all have to remember — as citizens, and as a nation — as we meet the tests of our time, here at home and around the world.

To our Marines, to all our men and women in uniform, to our fellow Americans, let us always be faithful. And as we prepare for the reading of the citation, let me say, God bless you, Dakota. God bless our Marines and all who serve. And God bless the United States of America. Semper Fi.

If you're interested, here's a good article about CPT Swenson, the Army officer who was with Cpt Meyer. His comments echo a lot of this blog's previous posts about "individual initiative" and "micromanagement by distant staff officers."

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2011/09/military-dakota-meyer-will-swenson-ganjgal-afghanistan-091311w/

I am delighted that Sgt. Meyer got the CMoH. But he shouldn't have, because he shouldn't have been there, nor any other of our guys.

The whole thing with him having a beer with the prez is like backstory from '1984'.

Walt

< http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2009/09/08/75036/were-pinned-down-4-us-marines.html >

Watch the video as well. I am disquieted to learn that the ETT Team Leader was a USMC Major Williams prsent with his counterpart at the battle. Nowhere has he ever been mentioned. What the heck did he do? The reporter continually refers to the actions of Army CPT Swenson and Marine LT Fabayo - both near him.

< http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2009/09/08/75036/were-pinned-down-4-us-marines.html >

Watch the video as well. I am disquieted to learn that the ETT Team Leader was a USMC Major Williams prsent with his counterpart at the battle. Nowhere has he ever been mentioned. What the heck did he do? The reporter continually refers to the actions of Army CPT Swenson and Marine LT Fabayo - both near him.

None of the media accounts seem to have picked up the fact that the advisors - the Marine ETTs (Embedded Training Team) and Army BMTs (Border Police Mentoring Team) such as CPT Swenson - were under a different Chain of Command than the maneuver battalion in the AOR (1-32 IN). The ETTs and BMTs worked for CSTC-A (Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan) while 1-32 IN of the 10th Mountain Division was under RC-East. There is frequently tension between the maneuver battalion, CSTC-A advisors (and SOF elements) who work in the same AOR, compounded in this case by the rivalry between the Marines and Army. (A Marine officer who served as an ETT in the same province during a previous rotation told me that relations between Marine ETTs and the maneuver battalion from the 173d Airborne Brigade were not good.)

That said, Bing West in his book "The Wrong War" noted that the 1-32 IN Commander had good relations with the Commanders of the Afghan Army Battalion and the Border Police unit. These good relations presumably extended to the CSTC-A advisors attached to these units. However, West also notes that the Battalion Commander was on leave during this fight. It was either the 1-32 In XO and/or S-3 who made the decisions from the Camp Joyce TOC to deny the fire support requests. Reading between the lines of West's book, the 1-32 IN Commander may have made a different call if he had been there.

Finally, per RVN SF Vet's comment, Major Williams, the senior Marine ETT was apparently wounded early in the battle, as was the senior Marine NCO, Ist Sergeant Garza. The severity of MAJ Williams' wound is not clear, West mentions rock shard shrapnel in the elbow while the Army Times article about CPT Swenson mentions a Gun Shot Wound. 1st Sergeant Garza was clearly out of the fight with a concussion and blown eardrums but reportedly still wanted to go back out after being evacuated to Camp Joyce.

Men were being wounded and killed, and four Americans — Dakota's friends — were surrounded snowblower. Four times, Dakota and Juan asked permission to go in; four times they were denied. It was, they were told, too dangerous. But one of the teachers in his high school once said, "When you tell Dakota he can't do something, he's is going to do it.

The McClatchy reporter makes it sound like it was a recent implementation. If so, this error in judgement was echoed in several other denials of supporting fires across Afghanistan. The is one thing that all kindle fire review commanders, regardless of rank, must realize; that their orders are interpreted and filtered down through the command echelons.