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Subject:  Request for Assistance

Dear Senator XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (or Dear Representative XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX):

I am asking for your assistance.  Specifically, I would like you to inquire of the Department of Defense and the Army why the reconsideration of Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe, US Army, for the Medal of Honor has not yet been completed.

On October 17, 2005, Cashe was severely injured in combat.  He later died of his injuries.  For that action, he was originally awarded the Silver Star.

His commander in Iraq - then Lieutenant Colonel (now Brigadier General) Gary Brito - who submitted him for his original award has publicly indicated he did not have a complete account of Cashe's heroism at the time.  He now states that had he known the complete story, he would have recommended  that Cashe receive the Medal of Honor.  He has also been striving for the last 7 years to have the Army reconsider Cashe's award, apparently without success.

Cashe's heroism that day speaks for itself, and is detailed in the attached news article from the Los Angeles Times.  The short version:  Cashe's Bradley Fighting Vehicle had been damaged by a roadside bomb, rupturing a fuel tank and setting the vehicle on fire.  Though Cashe had escaped without serious injury, his men were trapped inside.  Cashe then - under enemy fire - approached the burning vehicle, unlocked it, and went inside to retrieve his men.  Though engulfed in flames himself after his fuel-soaked uniform caught fire, he reentered the burning vehicle multiple times to pull out other soldiers - even after receiving 2nd- and 3rd-degree burns over 75% of his body.  He then refused medical evacuation until after all of his men had been evacuated.  Cashe later died of his injuries.

If that's not worthy of the Medal of Honor, I don't know what is.  I respectfully request you contact the Department of Defense and the Army, and ask them why the matter is still under review.

I thank you in advance for your time and assistance.

						   Sincerely,





						   (your name typed here)