Hunter: Why so few Medal of Honor recipients?

SAN DIEGO — Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-El Cajon, is questioning why there have been so few recipients of the Medal of Honor for service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Duncan, a former Marine officer who served in both wars, announced Wednesday that he has inserted an amendment in defense spending legislation to force the U.S. secretary of defense to look at the reasons why.

According to Hunter, there has not been a single living recipient of the Medal of Honor since the start of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Five soldiers who were killed in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan have been posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, according to Hunter’s office.

“The lack of Medal of Honor awards in Iraq and Afghanistan suggest that either troops are not as brave as they used to be, which I don’t believe is true, or someone has to die in order to receive this honor,” Hunter said.

He cited the case of Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta, who was killed in Iraq in 2004 when he suppressed a grenade blast with his body. Peralta’s Medal of Honor nomination was downgraded to the Navy Cross after a review by an independent panel.

Hunter’s amendment to the fiscal year 2010 Defense Authorization Act would require the secretary of defense to review whether acts of valor that traditionally merit the Medal of Honor are being downgraded or the criteria has been raised to favor actions that only result in death.

Hunter sent a letter to President Barack Obama earlier this year regarding the lack of living Medal of Honor recipients.

Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Gail McGinn responded that technological advancements, like precision-guided weapons, have resulted in less risk to troops, according to the congressman.

“It’s true that some aspects of warfare have changed, but what hasn’t changed is the close-quarter combat that is required to take ground from the enemy,” Hunter said. “That is what our Marines and soldiers do. Those actions are no different today than they were at any other time before.”

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