Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta — The Fight Continues

I don’t remember anymore when I first started to seriously lament and write about the dearth of recognition received by our heroes whom we sent into harm’s way in Iraq and Afghanistan and who “gave it all,” including, at times, their lives.

With the award of several Medals of Honor, President Obama has started to more justly recognize the many instances of ”conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life,” as the citation for the Medal reads.

However, there are instances where our nation’s highest honor for such bravery and heroism is — in my opinion and in the opinion of many others — still being denied to some of our heroes. One of these heroes is Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta who gave his life to save his fellow Marines during the Battle of Fallujah in November 2004.

While I have written dozens of pieces on this subject, I fully realize that I may be whistling in the wind.

However, in the case of this Marine hero, there has been plenty of military, political and media scrutiny and support.

The latest comes from none other than. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), son of Duncan L. Hunter, and a former Marine officer who served two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan.

In a letter to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Hunter asks for “a comprehensive review of top medal citations to determine if upgrades to the Medal of Honor are warranted.”

Hunter already called for such a review in 2009 and the creation of a committee of Medal of Honor recipients to advise the military, “after Peralta was passed over for the Medal of Honor.”

SignOn San Diego writes:

In his letter to Panetta, Hunter rejected one reason cited by defense officials to help explain the scarcity of Medal of Honor awards in the current conflicts – that changes in the tactics and weaponry of modern warfare provide fewer opportunities for individual heroism, because of better air support and less close-quarters combat.

More than 2 million troops have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. “There is no shortage of instances where combat personnel have performed remarkable acts of heroism under immense danger and personal risk,” wrote Hunter, a Marine combat veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Properly recognizing these actions through the awards process is not just important to the individuals involved, but it is also essential to upholding the tradition of the armed forces and inspiring others to step forward.”

And the fight continues …

Read more here.