Pentagon Takes Heat for Elevating Cyber Warrior Medal Above Other Honors

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

http://www.nextgov.com/defense/2013/02/pentagon-takes-heat-elevating-cyber-warrior-medal-above-other-honors/61415/

By Bob Brewin
Nextgov.com
February 20, 2013

Pentagon plans to create an award for drone operators and cyber warriors that 
ranks above medals earned in physical battle is drawing fire from combat 
veterans, a former high-ranking Defense Department official and an advocacy 
group. But a Pentagon spokesman told Nextgov that Defense has no plans to 
reverse that order of precedence.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the award, the Distinguished Warfare Medal, 
will recognize high tech warriors -- personnel who operate “remotely piloted 
platforms and cyber systems [that] have changed the way wars are fought.” 
Panetta, speaking at a Feb. 13 press briefing, said the new award “recognizes 
the reality of the kind of technological warfare that we are engaged in, in the 
21st century. “

The Defense chief said he recognized that the “military reserves its highest 
decorations obviously for those who display gallantry and valor in actions 
where their lives are on the line, and we will continue to do so.”

But, he added, “We should also have the ability to honor the extraordinary 
actions that make a true difference in combat. And the work that they do, the 
contribution that they make, does contribute to the success of combat 
operations, particularly when they remove the enemy from the field of battle, 
even if those actions are physically removed from the fight.”

[...]

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