Comments on: Stolen Valor at the Highest Levels: The Case of Sgt. Rafael Peralta http://themoderatevoice.com/30745/stolen-valor-at-the-highest-levels-the-case-of-sgt-rafael-peralta/ An Internet hub with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, indies, centrists, moderates, and right Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:37:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: mwaddle http://themoderatevoice.com/30745/stolen-valor-at-the-highest-levels-the-case-of-sgt-rafael-peralta/comment-page-1/#comment-201391 mwaddle Sun, 09 Aug 2009 21:28:52 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/?p=30745#comment-201391 As an ex-soldier, and friend too many still serving in all branches of the military, I have to say that this is truly an atrocity that is being committed by our elected officials. However, I noticed that there may be some underlying political tones criticizing George W. Bush and his administration for the MOH not being awarded to SGT Rafael Peralta. Now, it has been my understanding that the MOH is awarded by Congress and not the President of the United States. The official name is "The Congressional Medal Of Honor" and the President signs off on the honor after it has been approved by congress and is presented to the soldier or soldier’s family by the president. Six Hundred Twenty out of Three Thousand four hundred sixty-seven MOH awardees have given their lives in the line of duty and the fact that it has only been awarded posthumously four times during Bush's administration is not a black mark. I am not a George W freak in anyway, and from what I have read about SGT Peralta's story, he is being done a great injustice. I do think, however, that blame for this should fall squarely on the shoulders of our congress and the elected officials that make up the committee that approves the MOH. If I am wrong, please correct me. As an ex-soldier, and friend too many still serving in all branches of the military, I have to say that this is truly an atrocity that is being committed by our elected officials. However, I noticed that there may be some underlying political tones criticizing George W. Bush and his administration for the MOH not being awarded to SGT Rafael Peralta. Now, it has been my understanding that the MOH is awarded by Congress and not the President of the United States. The official name is “The Congressional Medal Of Honor” and the President signs off on the honor after it has been approved by congress and is presented to the soldier or soldier’s family by the president. Six Hundred Twenty out of Three Thousand four hundred sixty-seven MOH awardees have given their lives in the line of duty and the fact that it has only been awarded posthumously four times during Bush's administration is not a black mark. I am not a George W freak in anyway, and from what I have read about SGT Peralta's story, he is being done a great injustice. I do think, however, that blame for this should fall squarely on the shoulders of our congress and the elected officials that make up the committee that approves the MOH. If I am wrong, please correct me.

]]> By: D. E.Rodriguez http://themoderatevoice.com/30745/stolen-valor-at-the-highest-levels-the-case-of-sgt-rafael-peralta/comment-page-1/#comment-198533 D. E.Rodriguez Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:10:35 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/?p=30745#comment-198533 Thanks for all the recent comments<br><br>Dorian de Wind Thanks for all the recent comments

Dorian de Wind

]]> By: marinerecruite1 http://themoderatevoice.com/30745/stolen-valor-at-the-highest-levels-the-case-of-sgt-rafael-peralta/comment-page-1/#comment-198468 marinerecruite1 Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:27:56 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/?p=30745#comment-198468 Sgt. Peralta deserved the MoH for that act. Politicians, Like Gates and his Panel, dont have the slightest clue on what really goes on in war. They were not there when Peralta cushioned that grenade. They were not in Iwo Jima or Vietnam when those other guys cushioned grenades for the comrades, so should there MoH's b taken from them as whell? no they shouldnt, and neither should have Peralta's. I Agree heavily with m80 above me. i would like to see them clearing rooms, or i mean running away in fear from insurgents. I give major props for the men and women who serve our country. I salute everyone who serves in the military and so should everyone else. INCLUDING POLITICIANS!!!!!!!!!! Hoorah!!!!!!! to them all and Semper Fidelis!!!! Sgt. Peralta deserved the MoH for that act. Politicians, Like Gates and his Panel, dont have the slightest clue on what really goes on in war. They were not there when Peralta cushioned that grenade. They were not in Iwo Jima or Vietnam when those other guys cushioned grenades for the comrades, so should there MoH's b taken from them as whell? no they shouldnt, and neither should have Peralta's. I Agree heavily with m80 above me. i would like to see them clearing rooms, or i mean running away in fear from insurgents. I give major props for the men and women who serve our country. I salute everyone who serves in the military and so should everyone else. INCLUDING POLITICIANS!!!!!!!!!! Hoorah!!!!!!! to them all and Semper Fidelis!!!!

]]> By: m80 http://themoderatevoice.com/30745/stolen-valor-at-the-highest-levels-the-case-of-sgt-rafael-peralta/comment-page-1/#comment-198228 m80 Sun, 02 Aug 2009 02:35:01 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/?p=30745#comment-198228 Id like to see gates and his panel clearing rooms in AL FAJR! Id like to see gates and his panel clearing rooms in AL FAJR!

]]> By: charlesbell http://themoderatevoice.com/30745/stolen-valor-at-the-highest-levels-the-case-of-sgt-rafael-peralta/comment-page-1/#comment-198218 charlesbell Sun, 02 Aug 2009 02:00:58 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/?p=30745#comment-198218 "Gates’ appointed panel unanimously claimed that Peralta’s actions did not meet the standard of “without any possibility of error or doubt”."<br>So then, the testament from each one of those Marines that were in that room and that were spared life and limb due to Peralta's selfless act when the nade blew up under him cannot be trusted or taken as fact. That's a class act.<br>To me it seems that it's all a bunch of BS on the part of Gates and his appointed panel by not giving Marine Peralta the MoH he deserves for what he did that day that most likely shredded him. I guess Peralta's life's story and or looks are not romantic enough or marketable enough for the lot of chicken hawks that Gates and his boys are.<br>"What A Wonderful World..." “Gates’ appointed panel unanimously claimed that Peralta’s actions did not meet the standard of “without any possibility of error or doubt”.”
So then, the testament from each one of those Marines that were in that room and that were spared life and limb due to Peralta's selfless act when the nade blew up under him cannot be trusted or taken as fact. That's a class act.
To me it seems that it's all a bunch of BS on the part of Gates and his appointed panel by not giving Marine Peralta the MoH he deserves for what he did that day that most likely shredded him. I guess Peralta's life's story and or looks are not romantic enough or marketable enough for the lot of chicken hawks that Gates and his boys are.
“What A Wonderful World…”

]]> By: romieo20 http://themoderatevoice.com/30745/stolen-valor-at-the-highest-levels-the-case-of-sgt-rafael-peralta/comment-page-1/#comment-197655 romieo20 Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:46:36 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/?p=30745#comment-197655 i definately think he should be awarded the MoH. i definately think he should be awarded the MoH.

]]> By: D. E.Rodriguez http://themoderatevoice.com/30745/stolen-valor-at-the-highest-levels-the-case-of-sgt-rafael-peralta/comment-page-1/#comment-183256 D. E.Rodriguez Mon, 04 May 2009 17:56:05 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/?p=30745#comment-183256 As far as we know, no review has been ordered yet.<br><br>Let us hope that sufficient outrage and pressure by Americans will lead to that move--and, subsequently, to the Medal of Honor.<br><br>Dorian As far as we know, no review has been ordered yet.

Let us hope that sufficient outrage and pressure by Americans will lead to that move–and, subsequently, to the Medal of Honor.

Dorian

]]> By: Politics and Heroism do not mix « Plain View http://themoderatevoice.com/30745/stolen-valor-at-the-highest-levels-the-case-of-sgt-rafael-peralta/comment-page-1/#comment-183250 Politics and Heroism do not mix « Plain View Mon, 04 May 2009 15:01:16 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/?p=30745#comment-183250 [...] This is the link:  http://themoderatevoice.com/30745/stolen-valor-at-the-highest-levels-the-case-of-sgt-rafael-peralta/ [...] [...] This is the link:  http://themoderatevoice.com/30745/stolen-valor-at-the-highest-levels-the-case-of-sgt-rafael-peralta/ [...]

]]> By: Janjanjan http://themoderatevoice.com/30745/stolen-valor-at-the-highest-levels-the-case-of-sgt-rafael-peralta/comment-page-1/#comment-183037 Janjanjan Sun, 03 May 2009 00:57:08 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/?p=30745#comment-183037 So, has Obama ordered a review, or is this information we won't have unless/until the review overturns the previous decision? So, has Obama ordered a review, or is this information we won't have unless/until the review overturns the previous decision?

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