He was a farm boy and just 21 years old....

Just hope he remembers the hero he recognized this time.... don't want a repeat of 10th Mountain.
 
What an amazing story! Heard him interviewed on the news today.
One part of his story had me wondering though:
The forward team called for air support that wasn't coming.
"We had requested to go in three times before this and we were told no by the leadership in there," Meyer said.
Meyer and another Marine, Staff Sgt. Juan Rodriguez-Chavez, who received the Navy Cross for his actions that day, decided "we might as well go in there and help them," Meyer said.
"My brothers were there getting killed," Meyer said. "They were in under heavy fire and I knew I could go in there and help do something. I wasn't going to sit back and just watch it."
They jumped into an armored Humvee, and headed into battle with Chavez at the wheel and Meyer at the gun turret.

Would their decision to go in anyway and take a Humvee been considered disobeying orders?
Just thought that that might have been an issue with the leadership that he referred to even though their actions saved many lives.
 
I saw an interview of him too, and what struck me the most was he was told by a Marine recruiter that he wouldn't cut it as a Marine!

Can you imagine if he listened to that recruiter, and folded in the towel. As many of us tell posters, you will never know if you will make it unless you try.
 
Just_A_Mom said:
Two Army officers were cited for their "negligent" leadership which caused loss of life on the battlefield.
Click to expand...

"And now.....The rest of the story." (apologies to Paul Harvey)

WHY HASN'T ARMY CAPT. WILL SWENSON BEEN LIKEWISE RECOGNIZED?

Two men who fought in the Battle of Ganjgal in Afghanistan deserve the Medal of Honor. Only one - so far - has received it.

Marine Sgt. Dakota Meyer was decorated in a White House ceremony by President Barack Obama. Former Army CPT Will Swenson of Seattle, Wash. was not. In fact, the former Army Ranger, whose heroism equaled Meyer's during the six hour firefight in September 2009, has yet to receive ANY medal or recognition for his role in battling the Taliban and saving American lives.

This is no accident.

Swenson was known for not suffering fools gladly. When the REMF's back in their air-conditioned TOC refused to provide promised artillery and air support - contributing to the deaths of several U.S. and Afghan fighters - Swenson was furious.

A Dept. of Defense investigation cited several officers for negligence and lack of leadership and slammed them with letters of reprimand. Capt. Swenson gave testimony to probers that led to their punishment and thus earned the undying hatred of those he angrily exposed.

While Meyer's courageous acts - charging the enemy single-handed, risking his life repeatedly to reach the wounded and dying - was certainly deserving of our country's highest award for valor, petty politics and back-stabbing resulted in Swenson being totally denied any medal or recognition for his heroism that day.

The soft-spoken Meyer doesn't mince words when asked his view of fellow combat vet Swenson: "If it wasn't for Will, I wouldn't be alive today."

Plenty of witnesses cited Swenson's extraordinary bravery.

Thank God an honorable Marine general, John Allen, has stepped up to the plate and recommended the Army officer for the Medal of Honor. It is a disgrace that no Army flag officer would do so.

We tried to locate Swenson for comment, but as of press time, were unsuccessful.
Click to expand...

http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2...nson-report-ganjgal-hero-recommended-091411w/
 
Captain Swenson deserves his MOH but he would probably tell them to stck it. I hadn't seen this story before. Thanks for posting it. Paul Harvey would probably be proud that you used his famous quote. Stupid "ROE" costs lives.
 
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