Soldier gets Silver Star, reprimand for same battle

[pauldun170]

Soldier gets Silver Star, reprimand for same battle
By Mike Mount, CNN Senior Pentagon Producer
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Army Capt. Matthew Myer has Silver Star from actions during a Taliban attack
Letter of reprimand criticizes him for allowing attack to take place
Two of his superior officers also receive letters of reprimand
Site of attack was at bottom of a valley surrounded by high hills
RELATED TOPICS
U.S. Armed Forces Activities
Afghanistan War
Washington (CNN) -- A U.S. Army officer who was honored for valor after his combat outpost in Afghanistan was attacked has also received a letter of reprimand for failing to secure the base before the attack, according to Army officials. Such a letter normally would prevent career advancement.

U.S. Army Capt. Matthew Myer received the Silver Star for his part in repelling a Taliban attack on his small combat outpost in eastern Afghanistan in July 2008.

The attack, near the village of Wanat, is still the deadliest ground combat of the war involving U.S. troops. A coordinated Taliban attack from the steep hills surrounding the base almost resulted in the outpost being overrun.

According to troops who survived, the Taliban came at the base with about 200 fighters, outnumbering the U.S. forces at the base. In the end nine soldiers were killed and 12 were wounded. About 100 Taliban were killed.

Despite the heavy U.S. death toll, Myer was awarded the Silver Star for calling in aircraft to beat back the fighters, some of whom had breached the base walls, according to U.S. military officials in Afghanistan.

After the attack, the U.S. military scrutinized how enemy forces were allowed to get as close to the base as they did. Officials familiar with the after-action review said Taliban fighters got within grenade-throwing distance of U.S. troops.

Myer even called in close air support to hit enemy targets just 10 meters from his own position, according to officials familiar with the after-action report.

Four-star Gen. Charles C. Campbell was chosen to review the final investigation and make disciplinary decisions. Campbell decided Myer would receive a career-ending letter of reprimand for failing to prepare the base's defenses sufficiently against an enemy attack. Myer was informed this week of his punishment, according to U.S. military officials. CBS News first reported his punishment.

Two of Myer's senior commanders, who were not at the base during the attack, also received similar career-ending letters of reprimand. Officials would not elaborate on the reasons for the reprimands.

Army officials acknowledge the base, built to protect the people in Wanat, was at the bottom of a valley surrounded by high hills, an almost impossible location to defend.

According to one U.S. military official familiar with the general's decision to reprimand Myer, "He saw the evidence and made a decision based on that." However, the same official said, "Unless you've been there, you don't know how hard those places are to defend."

Myer and his two senior officers are allowed to appeal the punishment.

Another U.S. military official familiar with the review said he expects the three officers to meet with Campbell to plead their cases.








Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/03/12/sil....html?hpt=Sbin

[SteveP]

Did you see the pic is that base? How could you possibly defend it?

[Dave]

Originally Posted by SteveP

Did you see the pic is that base? How could you possibly defend it?

three ring concertina wire and stakes are a good start

[fatbuckRTO]

Originally Posted by Dave

three ring concertina wire and stakes are a good start

Sounds great. Got any handy?

[Dave]

Originally Posted by fatbuckRTO

Sounds great. Got any handy?

the army has mountains of that shit. If he didnt have any he failed for not asking

[fatbuckRTO]

Originally Posted by Dave

the army has mountains of that shit. If he didnt have any he failed for not asking

From the article Pauldun posted:

As one Army source put it to me, "The paratroopers sent to Wanat knew they were in big trouble. Although the battalion HQ was only 7km away, these guys lacked class 4 [construction and fortification materials], ran out of water and had little material to build up their defensive positions."

Could barely get water, much less concertina.

The army (and the military in general) has mountains of lots of things that don't make it to the warfighter on the ground. For instance, there are thousands of airmen who never leave their FOB running around with PAC-4's, CCO's, and every other piece of fluff known to man strapped to their M-4's, while grunts running daily missions that include CQB are pimping M-16's with iron sights.

In our case, when we were going to a similar COP all we wanted were NVG's and chem lights (two things the army also has mountains of, especially chem lights). After begging and pleading and sucking the right dicks we finally got NVG's, from a captain who had no resposibility to supply us whatsoever. When we got back, we found out why we couldn't find chem lights. They were all being used at Trance Night.

Originally Posted by Papa_Complex

I wonder if there might have been a more obvious failure there, like not properly posting sentries or something along those lines? I agree that such a forward base is a tough thing to defend, as they repeated found in Vietnam, but are we getting the whole story?

I can guarantee you two things from personal experience:
1) When you're at a COP like that, you don't fail to post sentries. It just won't happen.
2) If they somehow had failed to post sentries, the senior officers looking to cover their own asses by throwing this captain under the bus right now would be screaming that shit from the rooftops.

[fatbuckRTO]

Originally Posted by SteveP

Did you see the pic is that base? How could you possibly defend it?

Roughly, by calling in CAS danger close. Repeatedly. While fending off attackers with a 4-1 advantage. Then receiving a letter of reprimand because you dared allow 9 of your men to die in the attack.

"Failing to prepare the base's defenses sufficiently" my ass. If anyone should be reprimanded it should be Schloesser. He's the one who wanted that COP there but didn't want to support it. And now, after 9 men died in its defense, he's the one who was ok with us just leaving it and letting come what may.* Same thing happened recently with Taliban Stan shooting down recommendations from his officers. We left COP Keating too, but not before we lost 8 lives defending it. Great fucking strategy.



* The Taliban were "what may"

[Papa_Complex]

Originally Posted by fatbuckRTO

Roughly, by calling in CAS danger close. Repeatedly. While fending off attackers with a 4-1 advantage. Then receiving a letter of reprimand because you dared allow 9 of your men to die in the attack.

"Failing to prepare the base's defenses sufficiently" my ass. If anyone should be reprimanded it should be Schloesser. He's the one who wanted that COP there but didn't want to support it. And now, after 9 men died in its defense, he's the one who was ok with us just leaving it and letting come what may.* Same thing happened recently with Taliban Stan shooting down recommendations from his officers. We left COP Keating too, but not before we lost 8 lives defending it. Great fucking strategy.



* The Taliban were "what may"

I wonder if there might have been a more obvious failure there, like not properly posting sentries or something along those lines? I agree that such a forward base is a tough thing to defend, as they repeated found in Vietnam, but are we getting the whole story?

[Cutty72]

Another decision made by someone behind a desk in a nice cushy chair that isn't quite sure what "combat" really is.

[smileyman]

I can hear the conversation now...
'Build a base to protect the civilians at Wanat'
'But Sir that area is not defensible'
Dammit the administration wants civilians protected!, Hold at all costs'
'Yes sir!'