Marine Medal of Honor Recipient sues Defense Contractor for Defamation

[MDyDinanM]

Interested in how this plays out, if the allegations is true against BAE, shame on that BAE supervisor.

This is just downright wrong and pitiful.

From the Wall Street Journal & Yahoo News:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...googlenews_wsj

http://news.yahoo.com/marine-won-med...171346866.html

---------------
Cliffs for those who don't want to read the article(s):

Cliffs:
-Sgt Dakota Meyer is a Medal of Honor recipient for combat action in Afghanistan
-After he left the military, he joined BAE.
-Learns BAE is attempting to sell high tech military equipment (thermal scopes, etc) to Pakistan military.
-Objects b/c of allegations Pakistan is two faced, and harming our troops in Afghanistan, and will use our technology against us.
-Files a complaint to his BAE supervisor and gets reprimanded.
-Resigns job, and tries to get his former job back.
-BAE supervisor allegedly bad mouths him, accuses him of being mentally unstable and having a problem with alcohol, and prevents him from getting his old job back by contacting former Program Manager (who believes what BAE supervisor says)
-Marine is suing BAE for defamation

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whether or not BAE can sell equipment is irrelevant, and must seek State Dept approvals, if not already. But this defamation seems uncalled for.

[Brey335i]

Typical actions by the kind of guys who think they're really important... Private defense companies should be illegal

[MDyDinanM]

Originally Posted by Brey335i

Typical actions by the kind of guys who think they're really important... Private defense companies should be illegal

BAE is a UK based company, with a US division, and is publicly traded on the stock market. None the less, I hope this works out in the Marines favor.

[O-cha]

He should probably win but...

He own the MOH for "defying his superiors and rescuing some people"

Most MOH awardees get them for throwing themselves on grenades.... I feel like no one else deserves to win the same medal as those people.

[MDyDinanM]

Originally Posted by O-cha

He should probably win but...

He own the MOH for "defying his superiors and rescuing some people"

Most MOH awardees get them for throwing themselves on grenades.... I feel like no one else deserves to win the same medal as those people.

Before you make a comment like that, you should looking into the history of MOH recipients and their combat actions on the reasons they were awarded the MOH. Not all of them are for "throwing themselves on grenades".

While he was repeatedly denied into going in to help and assist his comrades, he took the initiative, and rescued his fellow service members. Is it not honorable to fight back, against all odds, for your fellow service member? To go in and retrieve his fellow fallen Marines? You never leave a fallen soldier behind.

If you haven't been in the military, in combat, I wouldn't expect you to understand.

[ragingclue]

Originally Posted by mdyaman

If you haven't been in the military, in combat, I wouldn't expect you to understand.

.

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by mdyaman

Before you make a comment like that, you should looking into the history of MOH recipients and their combat actions on the reasons they were awarded the MOH. Not all of them are for "throwing themselves on grenades".

While he was repeatedly denied into going in to help and assist his comrades, he took the initiative, and rescued his fellow service members. Is it not honorable to fight back, against all odds, for your fellow service member? To go in and retrieve his fellow fallen Marines? You never leave a fallen soldier behind.

If you haven't been in the military, in combat, I wouldn't expect you to understand.

Where did I say all? I said most, and even if it's not most it's at the very least many. You completely misinterpreted what I said (really don't know how you managed that), all I'm trying to say is it seems like those people deserve something higher, they didn't just put their life on the line, they knowingly gave it. That's a pretty big difference.

[MDyDinanM]

Originally Posted by O-cha

Where did I say all? I said most, and even if it's not most it's at the very least many. You completely misinterpreted what I said (really don't know how you managed that), all I'm trying to say is it seems like those people deserve something higher, they didn't just put their life on the line, they knowingly gave it. That's a pretty big difference.

my apologies, I interpreted your post in another way.

[Bimmer84]

Originally Posted by O-cha

Where did I say all? I said most, and even if it's not most it's at the very least many. You completely misinterpreted what I said (really don't know how you managed that), all I'm trying to say is it seems like those people deserve something higher, they didn't just put their life on the line, they knowingly gave it. That's a pretty big difference.

I think you should shut the fuck up if you don't know what you are talking about. How does that sound? Have you ever been in the fucking military? I have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan multiple times, and lost quite a few brothers and sisters. And here you are talking about why you don't think someone deserves a Medal of Honor. He knowingly gave his life to save his friends, but survived. Don't take honor away from someone deserving while you sit behind your fucking desk.

[BigDog]

It's a shame what happened... but for what its worth, he's getting a lesson in civilian life... don't shake the hornet's nest too much....

in a previous life i worked for a few defense contractors.... you quickly learn its not about working for the greater cause or patriotism.... rather like any other private firm, its all about the bottom line, not at all a black and white situation of our guys vs their guys.....

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by Bimmer84

I think you should shut the fuck up if you don't know what you are talking about. How does that sound? Have you ever been in the fucking military? I have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan multiple times, and lost quite a few brothers and sisters. And here you are talking about why you don't think someone deserves a Medal of Honor. He knowingly gave his life to save his friends, but survived. Don't take honor away from someone deserving while you sit behind your fucking desk.

Typical blinded response from a self important servicemen. Why don't you try to actually comprehend what I said, because its quite the opposite of what you are flying off your handle over. I don't know what it is about *some people from* the latest generation of servicemen who take any opportunity possible, twisting any comment into a presumed attack, to yell and scream about how they sacrificed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Try learning some composure and humbleness.

[chungdae]

^Whoa so much hostility.

[ragingclue]

Originally Posted by O-cha

I don't know what it is about the latest generation of servicemen who take any opportunity possible, twisting any comment into a presumed attack, to yell and scream about how they sacrificed in Iraq and Afghanistan...

I understand where you're coming from here to an extent. I hate the ones who scream and yell for attention and their "cookie" for their voluntary service, but to generalize the entire generation of servicemen this way is beyond wrong.

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by ragingclue

I understand where you're coming from here to an extent. I hate the ones who scream and yell for attention and their "cookie" for their voluntary service, but to generalize the entire generation of servicemen this way is beyond wrong.

Sorry, By no means did I mean to apply the statement to an entire generation.

I meant it as relative to other generations, I have never met someone from any other deployments that acts in this way. Then again they are all older.

[Kroy]

You say BAE is UK based? Is BAE US or BAE UK selling to Pakistan? If you're talking about state approval, US or UK approval?

I don't agree with the defamation either; not sure the legality of that.

[MDyDinanM]

Originally Posted by Kroy

You say BAE is UK based? Is BAE US or BAE UK selling to Pakistan? If you're talking about state approval, US or UK approval?

I don't agree with the defamation either; not sure the legality of that.

BAE is a UK based company, but has global divisions, the US being one of them. Their US based division provides services to the US Govt, mainly the military in terms of technology, equipment, weapon systems, etc. That said, products produced from their US division, especially military technology/weapon systems must have US State Dept approval to be sold to non-US countries and exported overseas.

In relation to that, upon further reading of the news, the US State Department has not technically approved the full sale of the systems that the above article was referring to. BAE was only allowed to have a limited production sent to Pakistan for evaluation and demonstration purposes.

see more here on CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/29/us/med...uit/index.html

Originally Posted by O-cha

Sorry, By no means did I mean to apply the statement to an entire generation.

I meant it as relative to other generations, I have never met someone from any other deployments that acts in this way. Then again they are all older.

O-cha, apologies again for my mis-interpretation for your previous post. They way it was written came off as awkward (at least to me) and I construed it in a different way.

[Kroy]

Originally Posted by mdyaman

BAE is a UK based company, but has global divisions, the US being one of them. Their US based division provides services to the US Govt, mainly the military in terms of technology, equipment, weapon systems, etc. That said, products produced from their US division must have US State Dept approval to be exported overseas.

Ah, gotcha. Didn't know whether it was products from US or UK.

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by mdyaman

O-cha, apologies again for my mis-interpretation for your previous post. They way it was written came off as awkward (at least to me) and I construed it in a different way.

Was definitely not referring to you. Was talking about the guy who told me to "shut the fuck up I've served in Iraq and Afghanistan" in response to what I thought by then should have been clear that I just think people who jump on grenades to save others deserve some sort of recognition above and beyond what anyone else receives.

Back on topic, private security companies suck.

[ragingclue]

Originally Posted by O-cha

I just think people who jump on grenades to save others deserve some sort of recognition above and beyond what anyone else receives.

I don't think so at all. Just because someone cheats death in an act of heroism, instead of dying, that doesn't make them any less suitable to receive the medal.

If you get the chance, read up on some of the CMOH recipients who were lucky enough to not have to be awarded posthumously. I think it's completely appropriate to award the medal to those who did not end up dying for their act of heroism.

Also, not everyone who jumped on a grenade has succumbed to their wounds. It's all about the intent behind the action without regard for his/her own life, whether that's jumping on a grenade, or running through a hail of bullets to save lives. The award is based on intent.

[Bimmer84]

I think it was a shitty situation he was put into, especially with where he was deployed in the past. I think he made the right move and was blackballed by the guys that are just in it for the money. An unfortunate situation for him, and hopefully he wins the legal fight.

As for O-cha, I still don't think I misunderstood what you said and still feel as if your comment is taking away from the honor of the recent living Medal of Honor recipients. I don't feel I am some self righteous guy that deserves credit because I was deployed, I joined the Army during the War and knew what I was getting myself into. But when I see people die in front of me, as opposed to you seeing it in movies, I probably tend to react a bit different then you would if you feel you were disgracing a soldier's honor. Sorry for "jumping the handle" or whatever, but I said what I felt.

[Rodzilla]

With Pakistan fuming over the Nato strike. We shouldn't even sell them peanuts and crackerjacks.

FWIW It is a lot more difficult for a Marine to receive a MOH than other services.

[carve]

Just because he's a hero does not automatically mean he's mentally stable and doesn't have an alcohol problem. It wouldn't surprise me if this was just retribution for rocking the boat, but we can't be sure.