Huh?

These are just a few examples from a quick search. Needless to say, I would not be the person holding a terrorist at gunpoint when the police arrive. If they will shoot a bleeding man with his arm bandaged, they would surely shoot a person with a real pistol.

 

http://www.airforcetimes.com/story/military/2015/08/24/hero-airman-nominated-airmans-medal/32286247/

Airman 1st Class Spencer Stone will be nominated for the Air Force's highest non-combat award for his actions to subdue a gunman aboard an Amsterdam-to-Paris train, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James announced on Monday.
...
The Airman's Medal is known colloquially as "the non-combat Medal of Honor" because it recognizes airmen who risk their lives while not in action against an armed enemy, said Doug Sterner, curator of the Military Times Hall of Valor.

"It's strictly a valor award," Sterner said in June. "The only thing that distinguishes it from the Silver Star is that the Silver Star is a valor award for combat. It is the fourth highest solely valor award."

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-n...sf/2015/08/oregon_national_guardsman_who.html

Alek Skarlatos, an Oregon Army National Guard specialist who helped thwart a gunman's attack on a train to Paris last week, will receive the Army's highest award for non-combat valor.

Skarlatos, 22, will be awarded the Soldier's Medal, Army officials said Tuesday. They haven't announced a date for the ceremony

 

Not everything is what it appears to be. I watched the "Cop Arresting Fireman Trying to Help..." some years ago. The Fire Truck stopped on a busy highway, creating a safety hazard. When the cop tried to get the driver to pull into a safe place away from traffic, the Fire Chief interfered and prevented the truck from being moved. He was subsequently arrested for interfering with the officer's efforts to avert an unsafe situation.

Bad situation all around, but the cop has say over safe operation of vehicles on the highway.

 

Not everything is what it appears to be. I watched the "Cop Arresting Fireman Trying to Help..." some years ago. The Fire Truck stopped on a busy highway, creating a safety hazard. When the cop tried to get the driver to pull into a safe place away from traffic, the Fire Chief interfered and prevented the truck from being moved. He was subsequently arrested for interfering with the officer's efforts to avert an unsafe situation.

Bad situation all around, but the cop has say over safe operation of vehicles on the highway.

OT but here's my 2 cents on the subject.
In the end that cop was wrong. At the time the Fire Chief was in command of the incident as the first responder and was rendering emergency medical aid. That takes priority over traffic control unless the cop assumes command and he did not.

Don't know if this is the same incident but this is what they found in court.
http://www.fourwinds10.net/siterun_data/health/safety/news.php?q=1203383265

Before Wednesday's deliberations, U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Ann Medler had already ruled that Greeves had no probable cause to arrest Wilson, who she said had state law on his side. She also dismissed the city of Hazelwood as a defendant.

 

Back on topic:

The Airman's Medal is known colloquially as "the non-combat Medal of Honor" because it recognizes airmen who risk their lives while not in action against an armed enemy, said Doug Sterner, curator of the Military Times Hall of Valor.

I quibble thusly: If the, "War or Terrorism" exists, this armed terrorist who fired an AK-47 was, "in action" as an enemy combatant. I do not understand why the people who were wounded while stopping him were not, "in action" against him.

Supporting evidence includes the following quotations:

“I saw a guy entering the carriage with an AK and a handgun,"

Spencer Stone and student Anthony Sadler, said he and his companions heard a gunshot and breaking glass while on their Thalys train at around 3.45pm on Friday.

Alek wrestles the gun away from him, and the gunman pulls out a boxcutter and slices Spencer a few times.

And, back off-topic:

I still wouldn't be standing there with a gun in my hand when the police arrive.

 

The trouble is that nowadays all the bleeding hearts emphasize the unalienable rights of the attackers. They completely ignore the rights of the victims. It's a case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

 

• The Airman's Medal is known colloquially as "the non-combat Medal of Honor" because it recognizes airmen who risk their lives while not in action against an armed enemy, said Doug Sterner, curator of the Military Times Hall of Valor.

Really ? In my 22 years service, no one ever called a "service medal" which is the Soldiers Medal and Airmans Medal the non-combat CMH. @nsaspook, how about you? Have you heard the Navy & Marine Corp medal colloquially referred to as "the non-combat CMH"?

Criteria:
The Airman's Medal is awarded to those service members or those of a friendly nation who, while serving in any capacity with the United States Air Force, distinguish themselves by heroic actions, usually at the voluntary risk of life, but not involving actual combat. The saving of a life or the success of the voluntary heroic act is not essential.

By contrast ... the CMH

Criteria
It is given in the name of Congress to officers and enlisted members who distinguished themselves by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their lives, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual combat with an armed enemy of the United States.

• Distinguished themselves by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their own lives? Sure.
• Unarmed -v- armed ... not actual combat? mmmm now where is my dictionary ...

Full Definition of COMBAT
1: a fight or contest between individuals or groups
2: conflict, controversy
3: active fighting in a war : action <casualties suffered in combat>

• Unarmed -v- armed is actual combat as it was a fight between individuals.
• Above and beyond the call of duty? Sure.
• In action involving actual combat with an armed enemy of the United States? Therein lies the discriminator. The U.S. must not consider the lone terrorist it's enemy. But then again, the lawyer said his client "found" the weapons and was planning to ROB the train.

The soldiers medal

Army Regulation 600–8–22
3–14. Soldier’s Medal

a. The SM was established by Act of Congress 2 July 1926, as amended by 10 USC 3750.

b. The SM is awarded to any person of the Armed Forces of the United States or of a friendly foreign nation who,
while serving in any capacity with the Army of the United States, including RC Soldiers not serving in a duty status, as
defined in 10 USC 101(d), at the time of the heroic act, who distinguished himself or herself by heroism not involving
actual conflict with an enemy. The same degree of heroism is required as that of the award of the DFC. The
performance must have involved personal hazard or danger and the voluntary risk of life under conditions not
involving conflict with an armed enemy. Awards will not be made solely on the basis of having saved a life.

c. A SM recommendation that is downgraded will be approved as an ARCOM.

The order of precedence for the U.S. is

CMH
SERVICE CROSS
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDALS
SILVER STAR
LEGION OF MERIT
Distinguished Flying Cross
SERVICE MEDALS
BRONZE STAR
PURPLE HEART

 

No, not even close but it's possible to get a combat award without actual personal combat or a declared war or conflict(I have two for support roles, both evolving Iran as authorized by the President Navy Expeditionary Medal with the perk of a 10 point Vet preference on federal jobs so it means something after the service and I can get a cheap drink at the VFW). A combat award here will need an official declaration that this involved with a ongoing operation of the "Global War on Terror" so someone at the top would need to sign-off. I can easily see a Purple Heart for the Airman if this is traced to ISIS or some affiliated group.

 

It's got to be a Zoomie thing. Yes, I still think they are heroes.