Medals(rant)

Fair enough.

I have noticed - like Hacker mentioned - that generally a larger percentage of AF Officers don't interact well with enlisted as compared to say, the Army.
 
Hacker15e said:
That's an unfortunate experience. Just out of curiosity, what types of things specifically did the two "good apples" do that makes you think they cared?
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It is what they did, that others did not do.

Wish I had more time to explain, but time is just not on my side today. Maybe I'll be able to expand more later this evening or tomorrow.
 
I'd be interested to know both sides...good and bad...if you have the chance. Possibly a learning experience.
 
What really grinds my gears are all those female, Air Force officers in their comfortable bases in CONUS who have more medals than the poor, enlisted PFCs manning checkpoints in Fallujah. :sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm:

There, took care of the medal, enlisted/officer, females in the military, QOL disparity between the branches, and inter-service rivalry rants all in one sentence. :D

Maybe a new thread discussing this "animus" between the enlisted and commissioned ranks is in order? You can start it, surreal, when you expand on your previous comments. ;)
 
In my seven years in the Navy, I've served with a buch of great officers and a couple bad apples; that you'd like to blindfod and beat like a pinata! In my field the officers first main interaction with enlisted were with us enlisted crewman. Once the pilots we put into a detachment and started working as a det, the interation began to include more interaction with the other maintainers and leadership. While on deployment and workups the pilots are given collateral duties such as division officer, admin officer, and so on which required direct interaction to support the enlisted personnel. The best of course were mustangs that were previously enlisted, since they knew what it was like on the other side. The Naval Academy guys were more of by the book kind of officers and didn't really let off steam. Most of the others were like Buc Compton from "Band of Brothers", when on liberty and while on deployment. They curbed that when we returned from deployment, so not as to get in trouble with the brass.
 
USMC-SGT said:
dont forget that the bronze star is not just a combat action related medal anymore. If it is not decorated with a V it can simply mean that you had any slight miniscule thing to do with a combat related mission and didnt screw up (provided you were 0-4 and above).


example.
My Battalion Commander got the bronze star when she PCS'd. We did a 12 month tour and she was the Battalion Commander and because she was actually in charge she got the award. She spent 6 months in the rear going back and forth for various reasons. We call it the "HABU" ribbon for "hook a brotha up" all of the officers nominate each other for them from the naval achievment and commendation medal all the way up to the bronze star, they ALL have them. You will not find an officer who has been to Iraq without one of those awards...NEVER

also the combat action ribbon, I can not count how many random officers tried to jump in on our patrols in the hope of kicking it in the back of the hummer and us finding some action so they can wear their CAR through the admin hall proudly

Sore subject
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Not all officers are like that...I turned down awards / medals when I left the AOR for this very reason. Its also the reason I won't be making 04 and retiring as an 03. Oh well.

You are correct...Their is way too much careerism and not much leadership in the officer ranks.

Unfortunately.

-LAFF
 
dingo222 said:
... 3 days later I lost a stripe, and the army lost a 12 yr nco. I totally lost all heart and faith in an organization that I cared so much about...
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Seeing as E7 is a DA appointed promotion, I am very interested to find out how you lost it in 3 days, from an O-5. How did this really happen.
 
My favorite are all these AF C-130/C-17 type pilots fishing for an Air Medals with 'V' devices by reporting they're receiving small arms fire at 6000 feet on approach to BIAP.

Cause if this is the criteria for an Air Medal with a 'V' I should have +/- 1000 of them. Maybe about 100 of them if you count how many times my airframe actually was hit.

What was funny to me is when the AF automatically started awarding 'V's to all Air Medals at the end of 2004, the number of SAFIRE reports from these guys went down to about 1 a month.
 
Never heard of "V" devices for all Air Medals. Do you mean all Single-Sortie Air Medals submitted for "heroism"?
 
The Secretary of the U.S.A.F approved the award of the "V" Device for valor to Air Medals awarded for heroism effective 21 Oct 2004. It applies to all Air Force members (Active Duty, ANG, AFRes), retirees and veterans, but this change is not retroactive to any earlier date; only decorations approved on or after 21 Oct 2004 are affected by this policy change.
Awards may be made to recognize single acts of merit or heroism, or for meritorious service. Award of the Air Medal is primarily intended to recognize those personnel who are on current crew member or non-crew member flying status which requires them to participate in aerial flight on a regular and frequent basis in the performance of their primary duties. However, it may also be awarded to certain other individuals whose combat duties require regular and frequent flying in other than a passenger status, or individuals who perform a particularly noteworthy act while performing the function of a crew member but who are not on flying status. These individuals must make a discernible contribution to the operational land combat mission or to the mission of the aircraft in flight.
 
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