CHR: VALOR DENIED - BIDEN + TRUMP ADMINISTRATIONS MAKE OUR MILITARY HEROES WAIT

TOP LINE

Turning the page on the Biden White House, the Trump administration promised a return to lethality, a culture where the warfighter and merit are the priorities. 

But my special forces contacts report at least two cases where the treatment of Vietnam veterans suggests defense department bureaucrats are dismissive of Trump’s agenda and still calling the shots.

DEEP DIVE

We reported in the November 10 newsletter that the Biden White House had put out a directive that it would not process additional Medal of Honor awards before January 20, 2025.  

While President Biden found the time to commute the sentences of more than 1500 people and pardon dozens of others,  this arbitrary decision meant valor awards for deserving service members were further delayed. 

The Medal of Honor is the nation’s highest military decoration for acts of valor.

Retired Sergeant First Class (SFC) Cliff Newman’s valor award upgrade was for his heroic actions in Laos during a 1971 Special Operations rescue mission for a downed helicopter and its soldiers.

During a 5-hour battle with a North Vietnamese Army (NVA) company, Newman conducted multiple acts of valor to fight off the enemy and protect his team. Newman’s heroic actions saved his 12-man team, and every man got out alive.

Last year, three members of the team gave sworn statements that Newman moved a severely wounded team member, under heavy fire from the NVA, to safety. I understand the sworn statements helped resolve remaining questions about Newman’s award at the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

President Biden’s Army Secretary Christine Wormuth recommended Newman for the Medal of Honor, but nine months later…

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President Trump’s Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll blocked the MoH award by recommending against it.

Asked whether any new evidence justified the downgrade, an Army spokesperson would only say that Driscoll made the decision to go with the lesser award, a Silver Star, “after reviewing the recommendations of the Senior Army Decoration Board."

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