Jared Monti - Latest Recipient Of The Medal of Honor

Jared Monti's family will be receiving a Congressional Medal of Honor today for the actions of Jared in 2006 in Afghanistan.

A local paper in Massachusetts described his actions this way.

On June 21, 2006, during a heavy firefight in Gowardesh, Afghanistan, Monti dragged a wounded soldier to safety under fire. He went back to get another critically wounded soldier and was killed by a grenade in the process.

First off the local paper got some facts of the case wrong. There was only one soldier rescued. SFC Monti had to attempt several times to secure the imperiled soldier. For the true details of what happened that day and the actions that earned SFC Monti the Medal of Honor visit The Mudville Gazette for the whole story.

The remaining patrol members coordinated covering fires for SFC Monti, and he advanced a third time toward the wounded Soldier. But he only took a few steps this time before he was mortally wounded by an RPG. About the same time, the indirect fires and CAS he called for began raining down on the enemy's position. The firepower broke the enemy attack, killing 22 enemy fighters. SFC Monti's actions prevented the patrol's position from being overrun, saved his team's lives and inspired his men to fight on against overwhelming odds.

For those unfamiliar with military weaponry, an RPG is a Rocket Propelled Grenade, and is a weapon designed to disable lightly armored vehicles. CAS is Close Air Support.

Jared's family found out only after his death that he had received some other medals for valor for his actions during the war on terror.

Monti previously was awarded a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, five Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals and three National Defense Service Medals.

Now allow me a few minutes to editorialize on something that has become an accepted practice in the military now in the awarding of the Medal of Honor. So far every recipient of this medal, in the GWOT, has paid the ultimate sacrifice. No where in the criteria for this award does it state this as a condition of qualifying for our country's highest award, and if you need evidence of this every year there is an annual meeting of all of our living Medal of Honor recipients, which number about 95. There have been numerous service members who have engaged in acts that are truly worthy of MOH consideration, but survived their encounters that while they may be considered, never seem to be awarded the medal.

This is a dangerous trend, in my opinion. We need living heroes as much as we need to recognize the accomplishments of those who pay the ultimate price.

Today let's honor the memory of SFC Jared Monti, but tomorrow we need to once again pick up the debate about looking at the actions of all who have been recommended and not make dying a prerequisite for receiving the Medal of Honor.