Tribe eyes its own medal of honor for vets

[unhappycamper]

Tribe eyes its own medal of honor for vets
By Felicia Fonseca - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Apr 18, 2008 11:38:58 EDT

The leader of the Navajo Nation Council wants to recognize all honorably discharged Navajo veterans with a special medal adorned with bow and arrows and geometric shapes that represent tribal ceremonies performed on warriors returning from battle.

The Dine Nation Medal of Honor would be similar to the Congressional Medal of Honor but with a different meaning, Council Speaker Lawrence Morgan said.

“This medal is something that our Navajo veterans can have as an appreciation long into the future,” Morgan said.

But some Navajo veterans say the medal would be a waste of money and would belittle the U.S.’s highest award for valor in action.

“We got veterans with a lot of needs. What good is another medal going to do us, a medal we can’t wear on our uniforms, a medal that is not honored by the U.S. government?” said Leon Curley, a former Marine who heads a veterans group at the tribe’s Church Rock Chapter.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/04/ap_navajo_041808/