military and their medals.....

I understand completely. While I was stationed in the Navy (USS Ranger CV-61) we received medals that seemed we did not do anything for. While the medals were not on the level of those mentioned in the article one gets the feeling that were just handed out with not much thought. The one that I recall for sure was a Southwest (east?) Asia Service Medal. We received the medal just for being there. I knwo that is what the medal was for, but always thought that the medals should be for something special or significant, Good Conduct, Meritorious...., Distinguished ....Everyone that served on the ship during our time in the Gulf got the medal. It seemed to lack the "special" meaning.
 
That is right on the money. I know I met a guy who had gotten a letter of appreciation for risking his own life and saving two others. It sure took all of the pride I got out of my first NAM from doing well in a few drill sets.

We have a pretty dumb award system.
 
[ QUOTE ]
That is right on the money. I know I met a guy who had gotten a letter of appreciation for risking his own life and saving two others. It sure took all of the pride I got out of my first NAM from doing well in a few drill sets.

We have a pretty dumb award system.

[/ QUOTE ]

Putting one's self in for an award is tacky, IMO.
 
Seeing the people in my own squadron who have put themselves in for the bronze star is sickening to me...I agree with mister D..it is so VERY tacky to put yourself in for ANY medal...My Commander at the time was put in for one..and he himself turned it down...saying that he did not want to belittle any of the people who EARNED them in WWII-Vietnam...

I am not saying that people in my squadron did not deserve them..but to put yourself in for them..very very shallow..

I also agree with Shorefly..I do not think the UAV guys should get any combat medals..NONE..because if there plane gets hit, thy go home and still get to go to bed with there wife and fly another plane in the morning...

did you hear about the B-2 bomb loaders ( Who were back in the USA) who got Bronze stars...for loading bombs..that were not even dropped..but could have been...LAME
 
[ QUOTE ]
did you hear about the B-2 bomb loaders ( Who were back in the USA) who got Bronze stars...for loading bombs..that were not even dropped..but could have been...LAME

[/ QUOTE ]

I was just going to bring that example up; and in addition, it was a E-9 Chief that came up with the idea and submitted the packages......even more lame.

Some BS about "direct combat support" or some other shat. Yeah....combat support from the perilous Whiteman AFB flightline......
 
[ QUOTE ]
Here's the link fellas. B-2 = B.S.


[/ QUOTE ]

Hell, then I am wrong..I would even feel better if they were the loaders of the bombs..or the Maintainers who helped get the hunk of metal (and carbon and plastic)in the air...instead the stars went to the commanders of the people with bloody knuckles..I am even more pissed now .....but I guess that these few officers who gladly accepted the bronze stars for the others were fighting in that • country..while they got to stay home..I guess it was there award for not receiving family separation pay?
 
My supervisor while deployed to the Mid-East wrote himself a medal; I was at the ceremony and almost walked out when I heard the citation being read; it involved stuff that I did while he was sleeping in his tent!!!!
 
I agree writing a medal package for yourself is BS. If what was done was so great, someone else would be writing it. What I think is funny is seeing the people at billeting or at the gym that have 15-20 ribbons and tons of medals. They must sit around all day and write medal packages
 
did you hear about the B-2 bomb loaders ( Who were back in the USA) who got Bronze stars...for loading bombs..that were not even dropped..but could have been...LAME

I've flown into Baghdad a couple times in the biggest flying target the military has (C-5) and I didn't get a bronze star, nor do I deserve one. Those should go to people that did VERY heroic things, not loading bombs in Missouri. I offloaded bombs in Baghdad, and the only medal I get is the Global War on Terrorsm medal that everyone else gets. I don't care, I just do my job and leave the medals to people who actually earn them
 
[ QUOTE ]
did you hear about the B-2 bomb loaders ( Who were back in the USA) who got Bronze stars...for loading bombs..that were not even dropped..but could have been...LAME

I've flown into Baghdad a couple times in the biggest flying target the military has (C-5) and I didn't get a bronze star, nor do I deserve one. Those should go to people that did VERY heroic things, not loading bombs in Missouri. I offloaded bombs in Baghdad, and the only medal I get is the Global War on Terrorsm medal that everyone else gets. I don't care, I just do my job and leave the medals to people who actually earn them

[/ QUOTE ]

Well put
 
And that's another thing...The Global War on Terror medal. Apparently that's supposed to supplant any other individual campaign medal. No Iraqi Liberation medal, nothing for Afghanistan. They made one for Kuwait, for cryin out loud, why not one for those two? I think it's merited. Must cost too much to mint them..or something. That makes it as general as the Defense Service medal that EVERYone gets. We have guys here being put in for all kinds of kooky junk they didn't earn. Disgusting.
 
Flug,

While I applaude the statement you're trying to make, actually your post is only half correct. There are 2 different War on Terrorism Medals being issued, which are the War on Terrorism Service Medal (WTSM) and the War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (WTEM).

The WTSM will be awarded to service members who serve in military operations to combat terrorism on or after September 11, 2001. Operation Noble Eagle (Reserve and active forces protecting domestic targets from terrorist attack) is an example of the type of operation eligible for this award.

The WTEM will be awarded to service members who serve in military expeditions to combat terrorism on or after September 11, 2001. Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and anti-terrorism operations in the Philippines are prime examples for this award.

In effect, this will distinguish us deployed warfighters from those who merely served during the period after 9-11.

WAR_TERR_MEDALS.jpg
 
[ QUOTE ]
Flug,

While I applaude the statement you're trying to make, actually your post is only half correct. There are 2 different War on Terrorism Medals being issued, which are the War on Terrorism Service Medal (WTSM) and the War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (WTEM).

The WTSM will be awarded to service members who serve in military operations to combat terrorism on or after September 11, 2001. Operation Noble Eagle (Reserve and active forces protecting domestic targets from terrorist attack) is an example of the type of operation eligible for this award.

The WTEM will be awarded to service members who serve in military expeditions to combat terrorism on or after September 11, 2001. Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and anti-terrorism operations in the Philippines are prime examples for this award.

In effect, this will distinguish us deployed warfighters from those who merely served during the period after 9-11.




[/ QUOTE ]

All right, I didn't know there were two War on Terror medals. That goes a little farther in addressing the issue, but I stand by my sentiments that there should be an Iraqi Liberation Medal at least, since really (and you may agree or disagree with this depending on how you look at it) the Iraq war, despite some of the assertions, wasn't really about terrorism in the same way Afghanistan was...is. Anyway, I'm a non-deploying 'spook', so I have about as much interaction with medals as the local garbage collector. Thanks for the clarification.
 
I'd like to see an Iraqi Liberation Medal, but...

I'm not the only guy in my squadron to think "what was it all for". I mean, are the people of Iraq really liberated, and will Saddam and/or his regime truly stay out of power, or will the Iraqi people be once again threatened by that type of oppression? While I think that it's proper for servicemembers to be awarded for our sacrifices at time of war, there should not be a celebratory award until true victory is achieved.

Time will tell. I think we'll have to wait until the dust clears to declare this a true victory, and then decide whether we should be rewarded for it. Furthermore, the Kuwaiti Liberation Medals were offered to the US by the Kingdoms of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, as a reward for a job well done. It's not up to the US to fabricate our own liberation medals, only service and campaign medals. Somehow, I don't think the Iraqi people will be slapping us on the back when this is all over with.
 
As a matter of fact I did see some videos, and I agree, we did do them a great service. My question is, will they thank us for it?
 
Not many countries that we have EVER helped have thanked us for it...Does that mean we should never help? We have to help because that is who we are..and our value system.
but, in Iraq right now..yes there as a lot of crap going on, It looks to me like it is not just your common Iraqi people doing the car bombs.. Yes they loot a bit, but so did LA during the King riots..It is not the common Iraqis who are killing out troops.. they are organized.and they calculate us and have watched us..they know us, I feel they are Al qaeda or al-qaeda linked. I also feel that the common Iraqi people are very happy and very grateful for what we did......now how they feel about us in 10 years will be a different story...
 
Back
Top