I emphatically disagree with the flawed reasoning for not awarding Bronze or Silver Star medals due to briefness of service or these young Sailor’s naiveness. Or that previously awarded recipients of the medal would be angered.

No where in the awards manual will one find a minimum length of active service requirement to award heroism medals. These young, brave men deserve much more than the country is willing to afford. I posted on this article because I have strong emotion about the Navy’s shortcomings for their own. Lastly, K, at least I have the intestinal fortitude to put my name in my post.

To award the Bronze or Silver Star would definitely require political pull. And to give a nod to politics playing a part, the Saudis are allies, and the attacker was by definition a solitary actor. To award the Bronze of Silver Star would strain the relationship at a time when the Saudis are increasingly aware of how vulnerable they are versus Iran.

The key here is that as students who were in reality untested in their respective fields, the elevation to Aircrew and Aviator were sufficient – otherwise all the Bronze Star and Silver Star holders out there would be ticked because a trainee got a Bronze Star / Silver Star.