Wow: Flo Groberg - Our Runner of the Month Last August - To Receive Medal of Honor (Nation's Highest Miliary Honor)

Obviously this is a bittersweet award but, what an amazing person and inspiring individual.

Congrats to Flo.

I can't imagine what it is like to win the highest medal in the military for what Flo describes as the worst day of his life. I think his perspective that the medal is for the men who didn't make it is a good one.

incredible story! Thanks for linking this.

As a fellow Terrapin alum and Army Veteran, congratulations Flo, you deserve it, airborne!

If any of you were in a war with blood on your hands, you might rethink calling any of this shit courageous or heroic or brave. War is evil.

Congrats Flo! What an honor. Makes me proud to be an American and a LetsRun fan.

Ummm, yeah. So, throwing yourself on a evil person that could kill you and your colleagues, in an attempt to save your colleagues, is not heroic?

We all understand, and probably agree, that war is not what any of us want, ever... but, even in evil situations, a hero can emerge, and this guy has been recognized as such.

Americ***z wrote:

That's funny - voluntarily joining a military force and partaking in the active slaughter of impoverished civilians and "enemies" (more likely coerced, poor, uneducated people trying to defend their mut huts from foreign invaders) doesn't exactly scream "hero" to me.

As a former Marine I won't make the comments I'd like to make as I'd get banned from the site...............that being said, you're obviously a lower form of life then the turd I flushed early this AM.

the mission in Afghanistan is one thing, the courageous actions of Flo Groberg an entirely other thing. You have to give it to this guy for actions that go far beyond anything any of us are called to do in our ordinary lives.

LetsRun - there probably should be another thread opened up for political thoughts on US foreign policy. This thread should be for honoring a true hero who is one of the LRC community.

Congrats to Flo - realize it is a bitter sweet honor and your perspective on it being for your fallen comrades is the right one. Your story about fighting back to run again is incredibly motivational, and I wish you the best of luck in your recovery.

jjjjjj wrote:

the mission in Afghanistan is one thing, the courageous actions of Flo Groberg an entirely other thing. You have to give it to this guy for actions that go far beyond anything any of us are called to do in our ordinary lives.

Indeed you would be correct. While many may not agree with what were are doing there or why, that's a topic for discussion on a different thread, populated by the spoon fed, trust fund, pablum slurping, concave chested cowards who would stand in abject terror behind the shirt tails of the soldier in discussion here. This thread is for discussion about the selfless act a soldier made for his buds.

I'm sorry I missed the original story when LRC first ran it because that's one of the best stories LRC has written. I'm amazed at how normal he sounds despite what he went through. The Medal of Honor is well deserved.

And I wish people could give the politics and ideology a rest for long enough to try to appreciate the human situation in this story instead of feeling compelled to using it as yet another piece of evidence to confirm your left-wing or right-wing worldview.

Thought? wrote:

LetsRun - there probably should be another thread opened up for political thoughts on US foreign policy. This thread should be for honoring a true hero who is one of the LRC community.

Congrats to Flo - realize it is a bitter sweet honor and your perspective on it being for your fallen comrades is the right one. Your story about fighting back to run again is incredibly motivational, and I wish you the best of luck in your recovery.

Once you call a man a hero for invading a foreign country you are making a strong political statement. More than that, you are advocating for the mass slaughter of millions more. Statistically speaking, babies and young children in Afghanistan are likely braver than any branch of the US military who went there to kill. Street gangs in USA are far braver and less dangerous. Smedley Butler was right: War is a Racket, and those who wage it are racketeers like Al Capone, except more deadly. Butler won the MOH twice, BTW.

Would you stop an armed robber at a gas station? Would you step in front of a bullet meant for someone else? Would you put yourself in harms way to save someone?

Alan

Congrats Capt. Groberg!!!

I ask this respectfully, as Flo seems like a brave and great guy. but did I miss the part where he performed "above and beyond the call of duty", as throwing the bomber down and away from his group is exactly what he is reflexively trained to do? I mean it's not exactly Audie Murphy single-handedly holding off an enemy assault and then leading a counterattack while wounded and out of ammo (among many other feats). Just curious what the threshold for valor is here. Do we give the MOH for simply carrying out your training and orders?

Lookup the definition of valor. The Army doesn't really want martyrs.

He put himself in harms way throwing himself on top of a suicide bomber...similar to throwing yourself onto a grenade. That is not a common protocol.

Alan

He didn't jump on top- he stood next to him after throwing him down, which is why the injuries were to his leg, not to his torso or head. Not doubting the basic valor, but this just seems like protocol for a bodyguard of any sort. Look up MOHs from other campaigns and you will see much more remarkable feats-truly "above and beyond". Maybe now just doing your job and saving lives is enough now, in the current PR climate.

Runningart2004 wrote:

Lookup the definition of valor. The Army doesn't really want martyrs.

He put himself in harms way throwing himself on top of a suicide bomber...similar to throwing yourself onto a grenade. That is not a common protocol.

Alan

Humdinger wrote:

He didn't jump on top- he stood next to him after throwing him down, which is why the injuries were to his leg, not to his torso or head.

Not doubting the basic valor, but this just seems like protocol for a bodyguard of any sort. Look up MOHs from other campaigns and you will see much more remarkable feats-truly "above and beyond". Maybe now just doing your job and saving lives is enough now, in the current PR climate.

Runningart2004 wrote:

Lookup the definition of valor. The Army doesn't really want martyrs.

He put himself in harms way throwing himself on top of a suicide bomber...similar to throwing yourself onto a grenade. That is not a common protocol.

Alan

Like all awards, it's a judgement call. Anyone can recommend anyone else for an award.

"The Medal of Honor is bestowed to any member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself "conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States.""

There are a number of awards for valor.....MOH, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Cross. You can also be awarded the Bronze Star or Army Commendation Medal with "V" device for acts of valor.

You could, using a conservative interpretation, say that the majority of awardees of these medals were just performing their duty. Most of them would also likely agree with you. Soldiers who perform acts of valor aren't chasing awards, they are trying to save lives or defeat the enemy.

Alan