Why Do So Many Medals of Honor Go to Irish Troops?

[Winston]

I'm half Irish, so I'm celebrating the day with something green, a large Caesar Salad, food that my food usually eats.

Why Do So Many Medals of Honor Go to Irish Troops? One theory.

https://www.military.com/daily-news...s-honor-go-irish-troops-heres-one-theory.html

"Of the 3,515 Medals of Honor awarded by the United States, some 2,018 have gone to Irish-Americans, according to Patrick McDermot of Irish Veterans Post 2, created in Tampa in 2017."

 

[cwbullet]

A lot of Irish and Scottish decent volunteers end up in SF and combat roles. Most soldiers who go into these roles do so by initiative and not selected by their command. People of other decent tend to go into support roles. I am not so sure it is a race thing but a social/societal thing. In other words, it is probably due to exposure in their culture.

 

[Winston]

A lot of Irish and Scottish decent volunteers end up in SF and combat roles. Most soldiers who go into these roles do so by initiative and not selected by their command. People of other decent tend to go into support roles. I am not so sure it is a race thing but a social/societal thing. In other words, it is probably due to exposure in their culture.

Yep, that was pretty much the theory of the guy they interviewed - societal/cultural. For me, as I've previous said, my choice of service branch was based upon the following considerations. I've added a new #1 that I can't believe I failed to mention before:

USAF career advantages:

1. Great technical training, much of which can translate directly to civilian jobs if the proper career fields are chosen.
2. We send our officers to the fight.
3. The airfield is an ultra high value asset, so it is very well protected as are you by being there; also, it can't sink and, therefore, you can't be lost at sea or drown.
4. Your part in it does maximum damage to the enemy for your effort - many tons of precision targeted munitions worth; it can also save our ground troops from harm.
5. You work with (mostly) smart people.
6. Your housing and meals are typically very good.
7. Military jet airplanes are just cool.

 

[cwbullet]

Understood. A few of those might be misconceptions.
1. The US Army has one of the highest educated enlisted corps in the military. I have several CSMs with PhDs.
2. I do agree that the living conditions are better for the AF as long as you don’t mind getting you family’s care taken care of off base by CIVs.
3. Army officers also tend to be thrust into the fight and we stationed closer to the front.

 

[Steve Shannon]

Maybe it’s just that we Irish are scrappers.

 

[cwbullet]

Maybe it’s just that we Irish are scrappers.

That is a stereotype that seems to ring true. Nature vs Nurture?

 

[Steve Shannon]

That is a stereotype that seems to ring true. Nature vs Nurture?

Good question. I don’t know the answer, but I do have the Irish temper. [emoji3515]

 

[Winston]

Understood. A few of those might be misconceptions.
1. The US Army has one of the highest educated enlisted corps in the military. I have several CSMs with PhDs.

I was going by the general entrance requirements by service, at least those of the past, and my own personal experience. But since you mentioned it, I had to check:

2.48 Number of Active Duty Members by Service Branch and Education Level (page 40)

https://download.militaryonesource.mil/12038/MOS/Reports/2016-Demographics-Report.pdf

"This table provides a breakdown of the education level of Active Duty members by Service branch. Of the Active Duty members with a known education level, the Air Force has the highest percentage of members with a Bachelor’s degree or higher (27.5%, or 84,930 of 309,361 members), while the Marine Corps has the lowest percentage of members with a Bachelor’s degree or higher (12.0%, or 21,788 of 181,368 members)."

2. I do agree that the living conditions are better for the AF as long as you don’t mind getting you family’s care taken care of off base by CIVs.

Medical care?

3. Army officers also tend to be thrust into the fight and we stationed closer to the front.

And enlisted are stationed just as close which was my point. I enjoyed having the potential to seriously lay waste to the enemy from the relatively safety of a heavily protected rear area (usually) asset, an air base.