>>>>>>Retracted.
>>>>>
>>>>>Too slow .... I read your reply.
>>>>>
>>>>>Tracy, I was not insulting the soldier who is receiving the Medal of Honor in any way. It may have been expressed poorly enough to give that impression. My post was not about him but about the military PR machine. Yes, he was a hero. Was he more of a hero than others, though? Why him, why now? Announcing it just before 9/11 seems awfully convenient, doesn't it? You don't have to answer these questions, just ponder them.
>>>>
>>>>For someone who supposedly spent energy and time in pursuing a career in journalism, you don't spend too much time or energy doing research. It takes months and often years for the process to go through. His actions were in 2007 and were covered in a book as well (which you know if you read my post I retracted).
>>>>
>>>>Military PR machine? Who chose now to announce the award? Not the military. The White House. Who leads the White House? Spell it out. If you feel it is PR only then put the blame on your beloved leader and not the military. The military recommends awards, they do not award them. Who awards them? The President. Sgt. Robert J. Miller was announced the day before. Did you miss that?
>>>>
>>>>http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=60775
>>>>
>>>>The process:
>>>>http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/crandall/medal/other.html
>>>>
>>>>The following organizations and individuals play key roles in the Army Medal of Honor recommendation process:
>>>>
>>>>CHAIN OF COMMAND
>>>> Submits award reccomendation that meets the two year submission time limit to Department of the Army Personnel Command
>>>>MEMBER OF CONGRESS
>>>> Submits award recommendation that is outside the two year limit for submission to Department of the Army Personnel Command or the Secretary of the Army who forwards request to Personnel Command.
>>>>DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY PERSONNEL COMMAND
>>>> Army Decoration Board - Merit Review, can disprove based on criteria (Cdr, HRC can overrule)
>>>> Senior Army Decorations Board - Recommends approval, disapproval, or downgrade.
>>>>MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS
>>>> Concurs or nonconcurs with Board recommendation
>>>>CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ARMY
>>>> Concurs or nonconcurs with Board recommendation
>>>>SECRETARY OF THE ARMY
>>>> Recommends approval or can disapprove. Also forwards packet to Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff for comment.
>>>>SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
>>>> Recommends approval or can disapprove.
>>>>PRESIDENT
>>>> Approves or disapproves.
>>>
>>>You are, of course, absolutely correct on this. The *Congressional* Medal of Honor - its awarding - and especially its timing is a political decision - at the discretion of the Chief Executive.
>>
>>Where on earth are you two coming from? This was not Obama's decision. Lord knows he has enough to deal with already. I suppose the President is the one who awards the actual medal, if you say so. Presidents do lots of ceremonial things. Do you think he's spending his time poring over military records and choosing Medal of Honor recipients?
>
>YES. A medal of honor recipient can ONLY be signed off on by the President of the U.S. He reads the recommendations made all through the chain. Not all are signed off on. Some never make it up the chain. It is NOT a ceremonial thing. This is I do know as fact. I provided the links simply to show a reference. I was secretary to a General of the U.S. Army for a while. I worked for General Budge, General Bean, and General Shalikasvili and met General Schwarzkopf when he was Commanding General of I Corps. I mentioned that in posts gone by. Maybe your memory is failing......
>
>This I know from experience and you are WRONG.

Tracy, you can be as emphatic as you want, capitalize as many words as you want, drop as many names as you want. You have not directly addressed the question of who chooses Medal of Honor recipients. I doubt it's the President. He just signs off on it. Maybe the White House has something to say about the timing but I would be surprised if the President is any more involved than that.