Comments on: Pvt. Monica Brown And The Silver Star

Lara Logan Interviews A Young Woman Who Was Awarded A Silver Star For Exceptional Valor

[vviff]

I was shocked to hear that the soldiers that were wounded refused to be interviewed and that they did not feel that women should be on the front lines. After getting over the surprise, I felt that they were right. I wonder too if they believe now that any 18 year old should be on the front lines, whether male or female? I would be delighted if only the post 40 birthay celebrants were allowed to choose to fight for this country. If it was needed, I would be right there!!! Keep the 18 year olds in school.

[hootie1993]

Overall a good report. It''s nice to see reporters showing more of what our armed forces are doing over there. One thing I would like to mention is when you are referring to someone receiving a medal it is inappropriate to say the "won" the medal. War should not be compared to a race or the Olympics. These people "earned" the medal and "received" it for actions above and beyond the call of duty. When you say they won it you are demeaning the medal and what it represents. Please pass this on to all the reporters and writers to ensure they are giving the due respect to these people and the medals they have earned. Thank you for your time.

[sgtsue1]

CBS you missed the mark on two big points. First, no military award is "won" it is awarded! Second, while Monica Brown may have been a Private (probably Private First Class)when the incident took place, she was wearing Specialist stripes through the whole piece. Missing things like that makes me question the interviewer on all points.

[norwalkdad]

candiebeck. its tv. you need to ask yourself what she said after that last line of the news package. meaning..."i wish i could take that day back..so none of my buddies had never been put in the awkward psotion because of this report." she is brave, she deserves the citation, and laura logan needs to go back to school...or just go to H&%L. what''s the point of the story? it seemed to be all over the place. logan talks about her childhood, which i believe had no part of the story, only to elude and feed into the perception that only dumb kids from broken homes go into the army. and the line about when there was doubt during the mission from her unit when all hell was breaking loose..logan says she fell back on her instincts. seemed more to me that she fell back on her training you stupid idiot! when in the heck are we ever going to see a story that just flat out praises and appreciates the work that these men AND women do? logan makes me want to vomit. brown...if you feel you were taken for a ride...i don''t blame you. you did a great job that day. by watching the story, i know you wish no ill will on your comrades. but it would seem laura logan does.

[meiserwt]

First CBS you do not win a medal like the Silver Star it is not a contest, you are awarded it. As a MSgt in the Pa Air Guard, a combat veteran with two tours & ready for my next tour find it outrageous that her commrades that she saved would even consider her non deserving of this medal. Here is the regulation which she meet and was approved by her command

578.12 Silver Star.
(a) Criteria. The Silver Star was established
by Act of Congress July 9,
1918. It is awarded to a person
who, while serving in any capacity
with the U.S. Army, is cited for gallantry
in action against an enemy of
the United States while engaged in
military operations involving conflict
with an opposing foreign force, or while
serving with friendly foreign forces engaged
in an armed conflict against an
opposing armed force in which the
United States is not a belligerent
party. The required gallantry, while of
lesser degree than that required for the
Distinguished Service Cross, must nevertheless
have been performed with
marked distinction. It is also awarded
upon letter application to Commander,

Yes beacuse she was a women should that weigh upon the decision & she was only 18 yes.

Spc Brown I salute you and you deserve it and let no one feel that you do not!

MSgt Bill XXXXXX

[vviff]

I was shocked to hear that the soldiers that were wounded refused to be interviewed and that they did not feel that women should be on the front lines. After getting over the surprise, I felt that they were right. I wonder too if they believe now that any 18 year old should be on the front lines, whether male or female? I would be delighted if only the post 40 birthay celebrants were allowed to choose to fight for this country. If it was needed, I would be right there!!! Keep the 18 year olds in school.

[danimalhanke]

There are some really clueless people in the world. You give the Silver star to guys like the MasterSgt who under a withering fire stood up throwing grenades in to a trench with 15 enemy soldiers and then entered the trench firing his weapon until it was inoperable due to enemy fire at which time he had to clearness of thought to grab a disgarded enemy weapon and continued to ravage the enemy who where now within an arms length. He continued this until all of the enemy were either killed, wounded or had fled. He did this to save his men whom had been ambushed. Sinlge handedly he saved the lives of more than 20 young soldiers all the while exposing himself to enemy fire. He was wounded many times in this action. A MasterSgt BTW is an old man to most of his troops because he has typically spend 15 to 20 years in before he reaches that rank. Compare the actions of a 40''s someting charging into harm''s way to the actions of this medic and the smarts ones out there will understand why it''s wrong to award the Silver Star to a medic for doing her job!

[mexicano1012]

I saw this story today and I have to say that I am very proud for this soldier. She is 100% correct, we don''t ask for medals, we don''t ask for recognition, we just go out there and do our job. Woman are capable of doing the same job than any other men. I get ask many times, why woman are treated differently in regard to woman in battle fields, but what do we consider a BATTLEFIELD? Great job SPC Brown and for all of you haters, like the ones that you saved their life, grow up. You are alive because of this soldier performance.

[ktg05]

I am a bothered by the fact that Specialist Stanson Smith couldn''t give a good comment to 60 Minutes about the women who saved his life. Who cares if the rules say that women aren''t allowed on the front line. Pvt Brown was there that day and she helped save the life of 2 men. They should atleast be greatful for that. And if they are they could have atleast gave a comment to 60 Minutes stating that. I am very proud of ALL of our soliders regardless if they are on the front line or behind a desk. Each of them make up a whole military system that gives us our freedom everyday. It doesn''t matter if they are man or woman. They are all just doing there jobs. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

[ptm4936]

Lara Logan needs to remember the interviewer asks questions. Answering your own questions is really bad form.

[Will7312]

Pvt Monica Brown may be an ordinary person that did an extraordinary act at a time when her training was challenged. I''m sure that Smith & Sprague would have given 60 minutes an interview had she deserted her post or did nothing to contribute to saving their lives. Both of them should be ashamed. Regardless of her age, according to the qualification of earning the Silver Star, she earned it and all of America should be proud of her.

[harleybiker8]

all women in the military are hipacrits.claiming there equil to men.when they dont have to meet the same physical standards as men do.but still get payed the same.i was in the military,and it wasnt fare that a woman was gettn payed the same as for doing less.she got that metal becouse she was a woman.through many wars men have done more heroic feat''s than what she did and got nothing.no women in combat,means no women in combat.if she felt she was just doing her job.then she couldve turned down the metal.

[kirkcath]

Pvt. Brown Your country is proud of you! I am a military veteran and I am very dissappointed in your fellow soldiers not to be supportive of you - regardless of your ***. Though I must say it has not changed in 20+ years.. Which too is very sad.

Walk tall yong lady and be proud.

[danimalhanke]

It''s nice to know that our Army can train young men and women to act as this soldier did, but she simply did what every other young medic is trained to do! No more no less. Courage and bravery yes, Silver Star no! My son was a medic and had no more experience and he managed to stop the bleeding and clear the airway of a yound soldier with a severe gunshot wound to the head. He didn''t hesitate, he did what he was trained to do and no one suggested he get a medal. The age of political correctness has gone way overboard. If anything this medal represents all the feminists dislike about society and that''s awarding prefferential treatment because she was a woman. Thousands of times young medics and corpsmen do exactly what this soldier did and their Co''s would never think of giving them a medal much less the Silver Star. Great she did her job as she was trained to do, but the awarding her or any other medic/corpsman the Silver Star belittles the ones awarded for true bravery. My credentials? 4 years in the USMC and 4 in the Army as an infantry soldier.

[mary21667]

Is the Silver star awarded for bravery under fire? Is it not awarded for a selfless act in saving another human being while under fire? I think she deserves it. My Father was also a recipeint of the silver star in world war 2. Her actions in a combat area deserve the award just as much as my father's did

[olag2001]

I have nothing against Pvt.Brown for what she did. I do have a problem w/her commanding officer giving her a medal for doing her job. This was motivated by a political correct colonel who wants to become a general someday. If she was a man, she would not have received this honor.

[dragon7380]

The problem with Woman such as Pvt Brown serving on the Front Line is not Pvt Brown serving on the Front Line. It is the Female Politicians who force this issue on the Military, and then expect the Military to make up time by promoting Women faster. Woman should be allowed to do everything a Man does. Equal pay should equal work, but for the equal pay you need to do the equal work. As a former Air Force Sergeant I can tell you the best people I have ever met in the Military were Female. They did their job, they did it better then the Men, but got less recognization or promotions. Don''t give either men or women a leg up, treat them equally.

[planejames]

This story by Lara Logan demonstrates some of the worst reporting I have seen in recent years. Contrary to what I and others have come to expect from 60 Minutes, Lara%u2019s %u201CDrama Queen%u201D interview was the furthest from objective. The way she used her voice in a seemingly sympathetic manner came across so phony that it detracted from the content of the story. Please tell me that she is not part of the longer term plan for 60 Minutes.

James

[lindly-2009]

The blonde interviewer was difficult to understand. Between her trying to speak in whispers and her accent, I had to strain to follow her comments. If she wants millions of listeners to hear what she has to say, perhaps she would stop trying to sound so feminine, and just try to sound professional. thanks

[candiebeck]

This story is remarkable. For Spec. Brown to wish to take the entire day back because others have questioned whether she earned the award or not is disgraceful on the part of those she saved. Their lives were spared because of her bravery and they do not even have the decency to thank her? They should be lucky she thought their lives were worth saving because at this point I don''t know if I would have done the same.

[lostdetroit]

I think they all deserve a medal. With her background she should get 2