President Barack Obama this week received the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service from Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, prompting a backlash from critics that include former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, R. But the award is more common than they apparently know, as numerous senior officials have received it, including the last two presidents.
The award was adopted in 1947 and recognizes “exceptionally distinguished service of significance to the Department of Defense as a whole or distinguished service of such exceptional significance” to a part of the Defense Department for their awards to be considered insufficient, according to a Pentagon fact sheet on the award.
“The service or assistance may have been rendered at considerable personal sacrifice and inconvenience that was motivated by patriotism, good citizenship, and a sense of public responsibility,” the fact sheet said.
Palin criticized the decision, saying “this is what happens when you grow up thinking every kid gets a trophy.” She shared a Breitbart News Network story with the headline: “President Obama awards himself Distinguished Public Service Medal.”
Obama said that he has had “no greater privilege and no greater honor” than serving as commander in chief of the U.S. military. Presidents and service members take a similar oath, he said.
“You committed yourself to a life of service and of sacrifice,” Obama said. “And I in turn, made a promise to you, which to the best of my abilities I tried to uphold every single day since. That I would only send you into harm’s way when it was absolutely necessary, with a strategy and well defined goals, with the equipment and support that you needed to get the job done. Because that’s what you rightfully expect and that is what you rightfully deserve.”
In January 2009, then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates gave outgoing President George W. Bush the award at a similar ceremony. Then-Defense Secretary William S. Cohen did the same with President Bill Clinton in January 2001.
(c) 2017, The Washington Post · Dan Lamothe
{Matzav.com}
Brezhnev used to award himself medals by the kilo. Big deal.
Maybe the distinguished service refers to not completely eviscerating the US military, playing a good round of golf with some general, or finally going away, just as the Ignoble Prize received simply for being black and elected?
Let him have his medal; let him place it somewhere in his memorial library, where it will be promptly looted by a fellow member of the AA population.
He can put this unearned award on the mantel right next to his worthless unearned Nobel peace prize.
Who cares, he is going going GONE finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!