Barack Obama Blunders on Death of Medal of Honor Winner

Medal of Honor (Army)

Obama got the facts wrong when speaking to troop at Fort Drum on June 23, 2011. He essentailly stated that Jared Monti was alive when he received the Medal of Honor, when the medal actually had to be awarded posthumpously because Jared Monti was killed in Afghanistan on June 21, 2006 while placing himself in extreme danger to rescue Specialist Brian J. Bradbury.

Here is what Barack Obama said.

"Throughout my service, first as a senator and then as a presidential candidate and then as a President, I’ve always run into you guys. And for some reason it’s always in some rough spots.

First time I saw 10th Mountain Division, you guys were in southern Iraq. When I went back to visit Afghanistan, you guys were the first ones there. I had the great honor of seeing some of you because a comrade of yours, Jared Monti, was the first person who I was able to award the Medal of Honor to who actually came back and wasn’t receiving it posthumously."

Salvatore Giunta received the Medal of Honor while alive, and this was probably where Obama got confused. To some, this might seem like an honest mistake, but we are not talking about the odd troop here and there. Jared Monti and Salvatore Giunta were both awarded the Medal of Honor, and one of them actually died while displaying the overwhelming courage required to win such and award. The Medal of Honor is no common thing. This is a tremendous honor bestowed on only the bravest of the brave.

Barack Obama should not get a pass on this one. There is no excuse to mess up such an important detail in public, especially when the audience is the men and women actively serving their country. Barack Obama should take the time to learn the names of the most heroic soldiers so bravely fighting and dying in his protracted wars. If he cannot be bothered to learn the names, at least he should have the decency to load them into his teleprompter.