Marine gets Bronze Star after investigation of false allegations
The Military Times reports that back in 2010 Joshua Acevedo was investigated because some attachment to his unit reported after a mission that Acevedo had killed an unarmed insurgent in Afghanistan during his third combat tour to the war against terror. The court battle that ensued forced the Marine to leave the Corps even though he had been cleared of the charges. Now the Marine Corps is making it up to him with the award of a Bronze Star for his valor during the operation that cost him his career.
Acevedo now works in Iraq for Triple Canopy, a provider of integrated security and mission support services. He will receive his Bronze Star with V at the Marine Corps Ball in Sonoma, California. A number of former squad members will be at his side. He would have it no other way.
“It is more of a squad award in my eyes,” he said. “Absolutely nothing could have been done without them.”
Schmitz also reached out to Mattis and asked the former head of U.S. Central Command to take part. He quickly agreed.
“The valor displayed by Sgt. Acevedo stands on its own, unadorned by who is privileged to present the actual award to him,” Mattis told Marine Corps Times.
All respect to Sergeant Acevedo. The Military Times tells the story of his actions that earned the award, so you’ll have to click over to the read the story of the sergeant who led the bayonet charge when his troops were low on ammo. All respect to the Marine Corps, too, for coming to this decision, albeit years late to the moment.
My complaint about the article though is that the Military Times calls his award “a Bronze Star with combat distinguishing device”. A publication called “Military Times” should know better. The Bronze Star Medal is only awarded for combat. So what device would be needed to “distinguish combat”? I’m guessing that they mean the “V” device for “Valor”, but they should say that.
Category: Marine Corps
I guess better late then never. I would be pissed if I’ve got booted then for them to say years later here you go for the great job!! WTF!!!
Well the bronze star is a nice gesture…a better gesture would have been NOT FIRING HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE! stupid s.o.b.s, clear him, fire him, then give him a Bronze star? WTF is wrong with this picture??
The Bronze Star isn’t limited to combat.
It can be awarded for “heoric achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone”. My OIC (who never left the FOB) recieved a meritorious achievement BSM, while my team chief (who led us on missions all the time) received a BSM for meritorious service in a combat zone. Neither of them had the V device.
That said, how the Military Times phrased that is very odd. I’ve never heard of it put quite that way (BSM for Valor yes, BSM for distinguished combat, no…maybe its a Marine thing).
The Navy and Marine Corps standards for the Bronze Star are a little different than the Army. If you have not been in combat or what is considered dangerous outside the wire missions they will not approve Bronze star awards. That is why Navy IA’S and Marine IA’s have to go up the Navy Chain for any thing above Navy Commendation. Unless they are Army Joint Awards then there is a different standard. If the Joint Command puts in a Bronze star it will go up the Army Joint chain and will have to go up the Navy chain at the same time. If it comes back from the Navy Disapproved the award will default to a Navy Comm.I am simplifying but there is an instruction the Navy And Marines use.
Former Marine here. I’ve seen officers get Bronze Stars who have never left the wire. Junior to mid enlisted enlisted on the other hand can only get Bronze Stars for doing rambo shit. Bronze stars are not necessarily dependent on whether or not the Marine is in hazardous situations a lot of the time, but it certainly might help in you’re junior to mid enlisted.
That is why they have changed the way they give the Bronze Star. This changed around 2006 like Hondo posted you have to read the instruction trust me they have changed the way it is awarded.The Navy & Marine Corps have to review before it is awarded and if it does not have participation in combat operations or you are in danger all the time it will get shot down. I’m telling you this because I was at as joint command and saw it first hand, also had to deal with Navy and USMC HQ element’s in trying to get these awards approved.
“My complaint about the article though is that the Military Times calls his award “a Bronze Star with combat distinguishing device”.”
Maybe Shane Ladner wrote that line. He is the only other person I’ve heard that was awarded a “combat distinguishing device V” for one of his sparklier medals he awarded to himself.
I’m glad Acevedo is being recognized, but I’m also irritated he lost his career for this type of thing.
The technically correct Navy/Marine Corps name for the letter “V” attached to some decorations is in fact the “Combat Distinguishing Device”. It’s criteria is also somewhat different from that used by the Army and USAF – it is awarded “based solely on acts or services by individuals who are
exposed to personal hazard involving direct participation in
combat operations and -not upon the geographic area in which the
acts or services are performed”. A specific act of heroism does not seem to be required, as is the case for award of the “V” device used by the Army and USAF. See SECNAVINS 1650.1. Not sure about the citation from the current version (and don’t have the time to search for it at present), but its criteria was found in para 2.d. of SECNAVINS 1650.1H from 2006.
Correctamundo there Hondo. SGT Kane also has it right.
My Brother, a retired CSM, was a 1SG during Desert Storm (1/504/82nd). He was awarded a BSM without a “V” and it bugged me when I read the citation. Maybe I misinterpreted the citation, but it sounded like he got the BSM for “actions against an armed enemy.” I’ve known guys who were awarded the BSM for “extra” meritorious service in support of (whatever).
Desert Storm era saw quite a few Marines get Bronze Stars without the V device. My XO on the drill field had one.
He was on staff somewhere in the general vicinity.
Aaaand this is how the boot Lt gets the BSM as an end of tour award when he only went out 3 times.”A simple act of heroism isn’t required” and technically he could have been ‘involved in combat operations’ by going on a convoy escort mission or something.
I would turn down the Bronze Star in exchange for beating the shit out of the lying bastard that filed those charges in the first place.
Since the lies that drove him from the service proved baseless how about offering him re-enlistment with no break in service. I’m not sure I’d stand and let anyone from The Corp pin anything on me after the shameful treatment I got.
““The valor displayed by Sgt. Acevedo stands on its own, unadorned by who is privileged to present the actual award to him,” Mattis told Marine Corps Times.” But not enough to railroad him out of The Corp on a PC trumped up charge by a shit sucking weasel scoring brownie points with the anti-troop/war left.
I don’t know that he would want to come back, at least in terms of allowing the high brass to screw him over again.
The Corps needs to give this hero his career back, or at least offer it, to include promotions, etc. Probably no back pay if he left on his own but they need to do the right thing.
They’ll never do the “right” thing.
I have a Bronze Star for “Meritorious Service” from Vietnam. It’s not for combat action. I have another award for that.
so they gave him Five Years of Hell, to do what they should have done in the first place Holy Cow…
on a bright side I say HOOOOOOOAAHHHHH……..
I’m wondering if the person that originally told of him killing an unarmed insurgent can be prosecuted by the Marine Corps or sued by Sgt Acevedo for being a lying POS?
UCMJ Article 131