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‘V’ is for valor

They make up about 90 percent of the force, but enlisted Marines earn only about half the Corps’ most prestigious combat medals.

The Corps issued 976 Bronze Stars with combat “V” between 2003 and 2008, 519 to enlisted Marines and 457 to commissioned and warrant officers.

Officers receive these awards both for single acts of heroism and meritorious service in a combat zone; enlisted Marines get them only for heroic acts. This confuses the matter.

Combat “V”s should mean what they imply: valor. They shouldn’t go to some people for heroism and others, by virtue of rank, for simply doing their jobs well in a dangerous place.

Whether presented for heroism or meritorious service, the awards are identical on paper. Or a ribbon rack. Or a license plate.

That’s not fair. Nor is it fair that awards are disproportionate almost across the board.

Move up the awards ladder and the numbers shake out in the officers’ favor most of the time.

In the six years since the invasion of Iraq, the Corps issued 88 Silver Stars to Marines, a third of them to officers. That’s 33 percent of the awards divided among 10 percent of the force.

It’s not until you reach the Navy Cross, the nation’s second-highest award for combat heroism — and the benchmark for valor in these days when one apparently must die to earn the Medal of Honor — that the numbers start to work out more proportionately. The Corps presented 22 Navy Crosses during the past six years, 20 to enlisted Marines and 2 to officers.

A 90-10 split. Go figure.

Marine officials reject the idea that the medals system isn’t fair, pointing to the tremendous numbers of Navy and Marine Corps Commendation and Achievement Medals issued to enlisted Marines with combat “V” attached. Many of these awards, however, started up the chain as Bronze Star recommendations that were eventually downgraded.

There’s a simple solution: Recognize valor separately. Meritorious service in a combat zone is worthy of recognition — but not with a combat “V”.