The Pentagon is planning a review of high-ranking valor awards presented to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan to determine if any should be upgraded, according to a memo expected to be released on Wednesday.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter directed the review of the nation’s second and third highest valor awards after a year-old look at military medals found an “unusual Medal of Honor awards trend.” Critics have complained that too few Medals of Honor have been awarded in recent conflicts since Sept. 11, 2001.
Seventeen service members have received the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq and Afghanistan, seven posthumously.
Results of the ordered reviews are due to the defense secretary by Sept. 30, 2017, according to a Pentagon release.
This second look at valor awards is just one recommendation that resulted from a year-long review of military awards.
The recommendations are also expected to create two new devices for awards: a “C” device to denote valorous actions under “the most arduous combat conditions” and an “R” device for drone pilots who directly influence combat operations.
In 2013, the Pentagon announced it was creating a medal for drone pilots that outranked the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, but scrapped plans for the award after an uproar from troops and lawmakers.
These changes will be implemented over the next year, the Defense Department release said. Changes to the awards structure can be approved by the secretary and do not require congressional approval.
The medals review recommended no changes to the Purple Heart award criteria. The award has recently been given to troops injured or killed outside of traditional combat zones, including the airman who was injured thwarting a terrorist attack on a Paris-bound train and the troops who were killed by a gunman at a recruiting center in Chattanooga, Tenn.
