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I am wondering how the VP's son managed to get into Walter Reed while not on active duty and how he ended up with the Bronze Star let alone the Legion of Merit upon his death.
For the final few years of his life, Biden suffered from brain cancer. On May 20, 2015, he was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, because of a recurrence of brain cancer; he died there 10 days later.
I empathize his death and applaud his service but...
Biden joined the military in 2003 as a member of the Delaware Army National Guard and was a Major in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps as part of the 261st Signal Brigade in Smyrna, Delaware. Biden received a visit at Camp Victory from his father on July 4, 2009. Biden returned from Iraq in September 2009, his yearlong stint on active duty complete. Biden had announced that during his deployment he would continue to actively serve as Delaware's Attorney General by working in conjunction with his office's senior staff in Delaware. During his year of service in Iraq, Beau returned home only once — to see his father take the oath of office for vice president. Beau received the Bronze Star for his service, a military medal that celebrates “heroic or meritorious achievement.” The act justifying award of the medal must be performed while fighting an enemy of the United States, or while involved in conflict with an opposing/foreign force. It can also be awarded for heroism while serving with friendly forces engaged in combat against an opposing military in which the United States is not a belligerent party.
Bronze star is supposed to be for heroism, not for just showing up. Also he was a lawyer.
Army Chief of Staff Raymond Odierno presented Beau Biden with the Legion of Merit for his service in the Delaware National Guard. Odierno, Beau Biden’s commanding general in Iraq, also lauded his comrade’s military service overseas. The general presented Beau Biden with the Legion of Merit for his service in the Delaware National Guard. The award honors exceptional merit in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.
Is there something I am missing here? What did Beau Biden do that was so meritorious? When did he go above and beyond the call of duty during his services as a lawyer in the signal corp (communications)? There has to be a story behind this. How many lawyers saw frontline combat in the iraq war?
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The following is a copy of the original post to record the post as it was originally written.
I am wondering how the VP's son managed to get into Walter Reed while not on active duty and how he ended up with the Bronze Star let alone the Legion of Merit upon his death.
For the final few years of his life, Biden suffered from brain cancer. On May 20, 2015, he was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, because of a recurrence of brain cancer; he died there 10 days later.
I empathize his death and applaud his service but...
Biden joined the military in 2003 as a member of the Delaware Army National Guard and was a Major in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps as part of the 261st Signal Brigade in Smyrna, Delaware. Biden received a visit at Camp Victory from his father on July 4, 2009. Biden returned from Iraq in September 2009, his yearlong stint on active duty complete. Biden had announced that during his deployment he would continue to actively serve as Delaware's Attorney General by working in conjunction with his office's senior staff in Delaware. During his year of service in Iraq, Beau returned home only once — to see his father take the oath of office for vice president. Beau received the Bronze Star for his service, a military medal that celebrates “heroic or meritorious achievement.” The act justifying award of the medal must be performed while fighting an enemy of the United States, or while involved in conflict with an opposing/foreign force. It can also be awarded for heroism while serving with friendly forces engaged in combat against an opposing military in which the United States is not a belligerent party.
Bronze star is supposed to be for heroism, not for just showing up. Also he was a lawyer.
Army Chief of Staff Raymond Odierno presented Beau Biden with the Legion of Merit for his service in the Delaware National Guard. Odierno, Beau Biden’s commanding general in Iraq, also lauded his comrade’s military service overseas. The general presented Beau Biden with the Legion of Merit for his service in the Delaware National Guard. The award honors exceptional merit in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.
Is there something I am missing here? What did Beau Biden do that was so meritorious? When did he go above and beyond the call of duty during his services as a lawyer in the signal corp (communications)? There has to be a story behind this.
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If you are actually curious(I doubt it), ask the Army because no one here is going to have that kind of information when it comes to received decorations.
The anti-Biden spin machine is in full force. These guys might as well come in here and just post "Biden bad, stay home or vote for Trump."
This is especially egregious, even for them. What kind of pile of human garbage thinks it's ok to denigrate a dead service member to try to score political points against his father.
Go check out the r/AskConservatives thread where they are totally fine with or deny that Trump calling service members losers.
People kind of talk up that sub as our sister sub. I don't quite get it. There is some valid discussion there but I don't know if lots of far-right folks have moved in but there is way too much nonsense to read it regularly. I've stuck by tuesday for most of my lurking.
e removed link
Agreed. I mean, I've had people legitimately ask why "X person" was awarded "X", but man, unless you are in the upper echelon of leadership, it was the Medal of Honor, or you were in the unit at the time of award, you are not going to know. Unless their name is Smedley Butler, Dan Daly or Chesty Goddamn Puller, I have no idea lol.
The award of the BSM to an officer of his rank on completion a combat deployment is entirely normal. His LOM was posthumous, in recognition of his achievements throughout his career, and again not without precedent for an officer in his grade.
As to how he got admitted to Walter Reed, he would still be eligible for TRICARE while in the National Guard, although he'd have to pay in a portion of the costs.
I did a bit of searching and Bronze Stars don't look that rare. Can you confirm this makes sense.
Operation Iraqi Freedom: 102,345 recipients: 99,886 for achievement and service and 2,459 for valor
Roughly 2 Million people where deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom
So like 5%. It's the Bronze Star with a V Device that is rare.
That's entirely correct.
I explained this in another comment as well, but the typical award for a captain completing an assignment is a Meritorious Service Medal. However, the policy has been that an MSM awarded in a combat zone is automatically converted to a Bronze Star. It is very normal for captains to receive Bronze Stars at the end of their deployments.
Ok, you explained that well enough.
Now explain this: Joe Biden’s dog Major recently graduated from PetCo’s obedience training, however there is little evidence to suggest that he fulfilled all graduation requirements.
How do you explain that, and will you still be voting for Biden?
Jesus, you guys are scraping the bottom of the barrel. “Let’s go after the dead son of a presidential candidate!” Having a hard time finding stuff to stick?
It's a simple question. If you don't know the answer then I can appreciate that.
Right. You were definitely just accused of asking a question that wasn't simple.
We don't officially know why he got the star - all we know is that he got one and it has three categories:
Heroism, Valor, and Achievement. There's no question about his achievements. Even valor is pretty explanatory. As far as heroism? Who knows. If he was anything like his dad, and it seems he was, he was humble.
Maybe it was for maintaining his position as AG with coordinatimg with his staff in DE? Who knows. But here is a guy who saw active duty when he didn't have to, and could have run. Plus, he kept up with the demands of a job 1000s of miles away.
I did read something that all officers who serve in active war duty get a bronze star - it is just precedent, but I don't remember where or if that is even true.
Since we are wondering about medals people (seemingly) don't deserve: Rush's Medal of Freedom which is awarded by the president to those who have made exceptional contributions to the security of national interests of America, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.
And the guy is absolutely a total piece of flaming dumpster trash. It has literally ruined the value of that award and should be removed before he dies.
It's not quite that. The typical award for a captain completing an assignment would be a Meritorious Service Medal. However, the current policy is that any MSMs awarded in a combat zone are automatically converted into Bronze Stars. So a captain receiving a Bronze Star at the end of their deployment is very normal.
Good to know!
Hey...why does Trump have millions in a Chinese bank account linked to dirty deals with the Chinese government?
Both can be awarded for being damn good at your job outside of combat. Something I'm sure you're unfamiliar with.
As to why he got them specifically? Ask the Army.
The specific citation is private, what I'm really wondering is why you're questioning the military record of a deceased veteran. Non-combatant role soldiers often receive bronze stars for direct engagement with the enemy, as it is the US lowest award for valor, and it is pretty damn valorous for a lawyer or an engineer or a mechanic to go outside their usual job description and fight the enemy. Most soldiers in combat zones aren't combatants, they're support personal who's job isn't to fight the enemy or go on patrol, they're supposed to stay in camp or on base and keep things running for the boys who go out and engage the enemy.
Alright. There is a story here. Does anyone know it?
I think it has something to do with bone spurs and the president being a fucking coward who lied to avoid military service.
Of all of the questions you could have asked us, the one you went with was "hey did this guy who had the extreme misfortune of dying of brain cancer really deserve this honor?" Like are you FUCKING kidding me? That's what you want to ask?
And people genuinely wonder why we are so polarized. Maybe it's because there's a faction of people who do things like this.
Yeah, I was in the army. A bronze star is highly, highly respected. During my service I only ever met one soldier who had received one. And he had gotten his in Vietnam. He was deserving of a bronze star. What did Beau do?
Something that deserved him being awarded with it. Your choice here is to either respect this military you served and to assume it made good choices, or throw out the notion that the military knows what it is doing and whether any of your fighting to protect rich oil barons overseas was even necessary in order to be able to answer this question.
I'd recommend the former.
Really? Because both my parents have several between them, and my grandfather has one. He kept it next to his silver star.
Your parents have SEVERAL bronze stars? Are they special forces or something?
Air force. My dad for service in Vietnam, my mom for writing (both meritorious service, not valor). My mom actually has more.
The article you quoted: "heroic or meritorious achievement.”
You - "Bronze star is supposed to be for heroism"
I can't help you if you have that much trouble with reading comprehension.
Actually, it is two different awards. One is the Bronze Star. One is the Legion of Merit.
True, but the two sentences I quoted are specifically about the bronze star.
Stop your concern trolling.
So yeah, in my opinion there is indeed a problem of medal inflation, and the relatively recent habit of awarding a Bronze Star after the completion of a deployment (especially for officers) is an example of that. If you don't see the combat 'V' than it may actually have been just an award for 'showing up'. My impression is that this has been normalized since the start of the GWOT - it's hardly unique to Biden. The Legion of Merit has been similarly devalued, but that started earlier I think.. closer to the Vietnam era.
Side note: the "above and beyond the call of duty" language is particular to the Medal of Honor, and thankfully that still has a great deal of meaning. To the best of my knowledge, nobody is claiming that Biden went above and beyond the call of duty.
I actually disagree, there's some considerable evidence supporting the position that medals have actually been deflated since the Vietnam era. For as much as it seems like most officers who deploy get a Bronze Star now, fifty years ago it was the same way, but with Silver Stars. Although we do hand out a lot of medals these days, I also think that has more to do with the simple fact that we've been at war for a longer period of time than ever before.
But as you said, there's nothing unusual about the awards that Beau Biden received. Entirely normal for an officer in his grade and position.
I read up on this last night. A lot of people have been complaining about medal inflation since sometime around 2012.
I would assume JAG and other military lawyers have their own criteria for how awards are distributed?
Additionally, being the child of someone high up, as unfair as it might be, has its perks. Plus it could just be the military trying to stir up good PR for themselves.
It’s impossible for any of us without primary knowledge of the events to give an accurate answer.
The bronze star has very specific requirements.
Now that is something I definitely saw in the army. Just didn't know you could get a bronze star with out killing a whole lot of people.
I assumed this would be public knowledge but everywhere I look, no one seems to know. You can see how this would make me look at the situation sideways.
I remember taking a few classes on war journalism and having one of the military PR guys from Bush’s time during the Iraq invasion in as a guest lecturer. It’s wild how much of it is just spectacle, PR and trying to control the narrative. Like even the pulling down of the Saddam statue at Firdos Square was a staged event.
And I can see how you might look at it sideways, but I feel so jaded about powerful families being shady that it doesn’t really phase me at this point. If anything it’s Biden’s voting record that bothers me, but it is what it is I suppose. Neither you or I is going to change our minds because whatever scandals pop up in these next few weeks. I just want this election to be over already, one way or the other without any ambiguity lol
Well we're getting there man! Just two weeks to go! Hang in there yo!
I distinctly remember at the end of my deployment with my non-combat unit (back in 2010/2011 I think) that everybody recieved either an Army Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, or Bronze Star (in decreasing order of number awarded). Which one you got depended on a combination of rank and how hard you worked/how much you did.
The Bronze Star with V device is what you are thinking of. That is the Bronze Star with Valor. So Biden being awarded a normal Bronze Star as a JAG officer doesn't surprise me in the least.
You know, after a bit of research I have come across a lot of veterans complaining about this. People are saying 'They are just handing out the bronze star for anything now'. A bit disturbing, but it does kind of explain Biden getting it.
I was a specialist at the time and remember me and a lot of my peers being annoyed about it at the time. But I don't really care as much anymore (though I've also been out of the military for a while now).
We call this "swiftBEAUting."
If you were actually ever a service member you would know officers get ribbons and medals out the ass for doing their job. The bronze star specifically has a V for valor if it's combat related so again, I question if you actually ever served.
This is actually a fantastic question.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I promise you that, even if he runs for elected office again, I won't vote for Beau Biden.
Well hey now. Lets not be hasty. From all accounts, he seemed like a stand up guy. I would just prefer he give back the bronze star and tell the marine corp to stop handing them out like candy. That would score a lot of points with me.
Yawn.
I swear, there are like 3 adults on this sub.
I treat serious questions seriously.
Now if Beau gets caught being a perv by Borat I definitely it it won’t vote for him.
Are we swift boating a dead guy now?
He saved a school bus full of children from driving off a cliff into an active minefield during a firefight.
Well- that is quite impressive.