The Pentagon has launched a website designed to keep track of U.S. military veterans who have earned the nation’s highest awards for valor. This has been a thorny issue since the Supreme Court ruled in June that anyone can lie about winning a Medal of Honor or other military decoration. It is going to be tougher to do now that the Pentagon is listing all winners of the nation’s two highest awards for bravery since 9/11, and is busy compiling the roster of those who have won the third, the Silver Star.
This is a sad commentary on America today: first, red-light cameras to make sure you stop at red lights, and now a website dedicated to rooting out those who would soil military decorations by claiming those they haven’t earned. Battleland has several old military pals no longer with us, and is grateful they aren’t around to see what has happened to the nation they served, heroically and otherwise.