CAMP SHELBY JFTC, Miss. - The Department of Defense revealed the establishment of the Distinguished Warfare Medal Feb. 13, 2013, to acknowledge service members’ extraordinary achievements that directly impact combat operations yet are not covered by established awards.
Service-wide there are 34 personal decorations for achievement, which cover nearly every accomplishment of previous wars. The need for the DWM stems from new threats and our techniques to combat them. None of these awards recognize the achievements of Soldiers engaged in electronic warfare and cyber security because they are not physically present on the battlefield.
This new award provides recognition for “extraordinary achievement, not involving acts of valor in combat, directly impacting combat operations of other military operations,” according to a Feb. 13 memo from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.
The Distinguished Warfare Medal ranks below the Distinguished Flying Cross, but above the Bronze Star. The brass pendant features a laurel wreath encircling a domed and grid-lined globe. At its center, the Department of Defense eagle is imposed upon a diamond shape and positioned below a six-pointed starburst.
There is no geographic limitation on the award, and the domain for the award includes air, land, maritime, space and cyberspace. It cannot be given for actions prior to Sept. 22, 2001.
“This new medal recognizes the changing character of warfare and those who make extraordinary contributions to it,” said Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin E. Dempsey in a Department of Defense release. “The criteria for this award will be highly selective and reflect high standards.”
Electronic warfare and cybersecurity have emerged in the past two decades as significant weapons in the U.S. military’s arsenal. These emerging technologies include the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (commonly known as drones), which have had a major impact in military operations across the globe.
“EWOs and UAV pilots contribute tremendously to the war effort and do have a direct impact,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Randy L. Manix, electronic warfare officer and infantry instructor at the 154th Regional Training Institute, Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center. Camp Shelby was recently named the nation’s only Unmanned Aircraft Regional Flight Center. “What we do changes how the enemy operates. Does it require a special medal to recognize [us]? I'm not sure.”
UAVs have become widely used in the Global War on Terrorism. There are medals specifically intended for aerial warfare; in most cases, however, the detailed criteria does not account for the efforts of UAV pilots.
Former U.S. Army Spc. Marlin S. Muller, an infantryman and UAV pilot, stated “Saving American lives is worth a medal no matter what your job is.”
Spc. Muller said he could see how certain accomplishments can be overlooked when comparing valor to achievement. That being said, the impact of those efforts should not be ignored.
“Electronic warfare saves more lives than anything,” Spc. Muller said. “You are talking about one soldier possibly saving hundreds of lives.”