NATO has taken flak for the last few years for the numbers of civilian casualties occurring in the Afghanistan campaign. With the war’s military leadership, especially General Stanley McChrystal, emphasizing the need to win the support and confidence of the civilian population, there has been serious pressure on commanders to limit civilian deaths whenever possible. Despite this, civilian deaths have risen in the country since last year.
Now, NATO has come up with a new plan to reduce civilian casualties: The Courageous Restraint Medal:
“British Maj. Gen. Nick Carter, the NATO commander of troops in southern Afghanistan, proposed the idea of awarding soldiers for “courageous restraint” during a visit by Hall to Kandahar Airfield in mid April. McChrystal is now reviewing the proposal to determine how it could be implemented, Hall said.” …
“There should be an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the troops who exhibit extraordinary courage and self-control by not using their weapons, but instead taking personal risk to de-escalate tense and potentially disastrous situations,” the statement said.” …
“NATO commanders are not planning to create a new medal or military decoration for “courageous restraint,” but instead are looking at ways of using existing awards to recognize soldiers who go to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties, Hall said.”
Okay, so maybe there is not really going to be a medal, but still, recognizing restraint in combat? That is a world away from traditional medals which highlight martial qualities.
Will it work? Not a chance.
I typically avoid discussing internal Armed Services politics for a simple reason: I am not in the military. However, nothing in my experience with servicemen and women leads me to believe they want to celebrate ‘restraint’. There is a poignant Marine Corps saying, attributed to a Korean War veteran: “Never send a Marine where you can send a bullet, and the bigger the bullet the better”. Any act of courageous restraint, by definition, sends Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen in first. And there lies the problem. Winning a medal for courageous restraint would be a scarlet letter, warning that the owner put his subordinates or compatriots at risk when he did not need to, when a bullet would do.
There are ways to reduce civilian casualties, but this is not one of them.
Christopher R. Albon is a Ph.D. candidate specializing in armed conflict, public health, human security, and health diplomacy.
Want more? Subscribe to Conflict Health through RSS or email.
{ 7 comments }
“Winning a medal for courageous restraint would be a scarlet letter, warning that the owner put his subordinates or compatriots at risk when he did not need to, when a bullet would do.”
As someone who spent 8 years in the Army and went to Iraq as a soldier, this is exactly right.
Yeah Robert, the sentiment is correct but this is just not the correct way to go about it.
The Ribbon of this Medal should really be Pink, with a Yellow Jackass!
That’s one medal I’d be ashamed of getting. This is pure insanity. A lot of Purple Hearts will be awarded with the Restraint medal. The terrorists must be laughing their asses off.
who in there right mind would think this was a good idea. Is this a post mordum medal. shoot first ask questions later
I can not believe this award, what soldier would wear this ward? I dont have to worry, I would never be awarded this medal. 24.5 years in the military and this is one of the worst things that the military has done, this is right up there with the beret.
How dare anybody expect our soldiers to not be able to protect themselves !This idea is a disgrace to the military and the americans they protect.This would be a huge step in bringing america to its knees.We are becoming the best public relations firm the terrorists could ever ask for
Comments on this entry are closed.