Veteran (West Point grad) Jack Reed has an interesting outlook on this question
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Are all military medals - REALLY earned?
- Thread starter Salty
- Start date
I can see his take on the Army's award system. I did my active duty in USCG (73-77). So, I got the NDM just for being in. After I got out, I had a CG Commandants Unit Commendation mailed to me. It was for the Air Station I was stationed at's action dealing with an oil tanker and her crew. When I joined the Navy Reserve (a nice part-time job), I wrote the Commandants office for authorization for a CG Good Conduct and got that. The CG wasn't big on easy medals and awards. But then what do you expect from a service whose unofficial motto is "The Book says you have to go out. It doesn't say anything about coming back in."
Medals are awarded more often to combat veterans and rightly so, given the extreme hazzards of the combat arena. I did three years in the Army and eighteen in the Coast Guard and have only the National Defense and Good Conduct medals because I was never in any situations that merited anything more than a hand shake and a slap on the back. I have a few unit commendations, but those are just ribbons which don't represent any medal.
Personnel who take on demanding responsibilities which require an abnormal amount of personal dedication are often times justly recognized for their contributions with a medal.
I had a good friend in the Army who was jut a pfc, but his dress uniform coat was decorated like fruit salad. He was a combat veteran who had reenlisted in the Army after being separated from the service for a couple of years. He talked a lot about his experiences and I feel that he earned every one of those awards.
Personnel who take on demanding responsibilities which require an abnormal amount of personal dedication are often times justly recognized for their contributions with a medal.
I had a good friend in the Army who was jut a pfc, but his dress uniform coat was decorated like fruit salad. He was a combat veteran who had reenlisted in the Army after being separated from the service for a couple of years. He talked a lot about his experiences and I feel that he earned every one of those awards.
This guy is an embarrassment in my opinion. He is a user who used tax dollars to fund his education & build his networking resume. Instead of letting it go at that, & be on his merry way to financial success, he spends his spare time picking away at the military complex, which like any cumbersome entity, is far from perfect. These stories justify his using of the system for his personal gain in his mind. At least he must have a conscience to feel the need to do so. I have some experience with West Pointers, as my son is a graduate. I have been around many of his graduate friends. You don’t hear any disparaging words from them. They are respectful, & nonjudgmental, to a man. They too have opinions which are not always complimentary about their service time, but they would never share them publicly, if at all. They, however, went in with the right motives, & came out as better men & they remain so throughout their lives.
I am proud of my ArCom medal, which I like to think I earned for meritorious service, rather than the result of disingenuous behavior. But when I looked at my uncle's Purple Heart, for injuries incurred in battle, and resulted in him being left for dead, I knew my medal did not in any way compare.
Van - I was also given an ARCOM. I was a pencil pusher. IMHO - I just did my job.
I had a great O-3 -who was able to write me a great review for my ARCOM.
The biggest thing it did was to help me get my promotion to E-6. - In the Army - you receive
promotion points for an Arcom.
I first joined during Vietnam. Many Combat soldiers - had 4 maybe 5 medals.
In this day and age, a similar GI would be wearing 10 or 12 medals.
Inflation???
I had a great O-3 -who was able to write me a great review for my ARCOM.
The biggest thing it did was to help me get my promotion to E-6. - In the Army - you receive
promotion points for an Arcom.
I first joined during Vietnam. Many Combat soldiers - had 4 maybe 5 medals.
In this day and age, a similar GI would be wearing 10 or 12 medals.
Inflation???
That is exactly an example of the point that Reed is trying to make.
Currently - "pilots" of drones are getting medals for missions - even combat missions the planes are deployed. Even though the pilot is sitting at his NG Air Base - somewhere in the States.
Or how about the comment of a Deceased Head Cook - He recd the MSM for having such a great mess hall.
Then as his widow was out of sight - the Commander stated that his XO would be put in charge of fixing up the
big mess in the Mess Hall.
Reed used the term "Attendence medals" He stated the day he arrived in Nam - he was given a medal - just for being there.
Enlisted Men are given a Good conduct - for staying out of trouble. Officers do not qualify because they are an "Officer and a Gentlemen" and are expected to have good conduct.
On the other hand - some of the higher awards are usually only give to officers.....
I was a paper-pusher too. Because so many non-coms were reassigned to Viet Nam, I filled the billet of an E-8 for the better part of my time in West Germany, 65-67. But we got the job done. And yes, I have one of those "served in 1965" ribbons and a GCM. Also a Sharpshooter badge. But I was given an assignment and I completed it.
In Basic - I shot Marksman on my M-16. In AIT - (as I had levy for Nam) we went thru POM,
which included firing the M-14 for qualification. We were given a clip of 20 rounds I had 21 hits
4 rounds leftover.- I was given orders for expert.
(I know - the numbers above are correct - officially)
A week later we were told that the M-14 was now totally replaced by the M-16.
I remember reading Bill Mauldin's Up Front about his experiences during WW2. He wrote about award inflation and "garritroopers".
Interesting on the Vietnam Service Medal criteria. None of the campaign medals nowadays are not awarded for less than 30 days unless you were wounded and evac'd or engaged in actual combat.
The campaign medals are a bit mixed up nowadays. GWOT Service, GWOT Expeditionary, Afghanistan, Iraq, Inherent Resolve. Desert Storm was similar, where you received a SWA Service Medal plus a 2 Kuwait Liberation Medals, one from Kuwait and one from Saudi Arabia.
Everyone realizes the awards system isn't perfect. One day you'll not be put in for an award for something you felt was above and beyond, and on another day you'll receive an award for something you felt was minor.
Comparisons to WWII don't quite compute, when you consider that the MSM didn't exist until 1969. Most of the Achievement Medals didn't exist until the early 80s.
I've written dozens of awards, and have proofread or revised scores more. It's a leader's responsibility to ensure their subordinates blood, sweat, and tears are recognized.
The campaign medals are a bit mixed up nowadays. GWOT Service, GWOT Expeditionary, Afghanistan, Iraq, Inherent Resolve. Desert Storm was similar, where you received a SWA Service Medal plus a 2 Kuwait Liberation Medals, one from Kuwait and one from Saudi Arabia.
Everyone realizes the awards system isn't perfect. One day you'll not be put in for an award for something you felt was above and beyond, and on another day you'll receive an award for something you felt was minor.
Comparisons to WWII don't quite compute, when you consider that the MSM didn't exist until 1969. Most of the Achievement Medals didn't exist until the early 80s.
I've written dozens of awards, and have proofread or revised scores more. It's a leader's responsibility to ensure their subordinates blood, sweat, and tears are recognized.
Great military story, SNAFU!
My M-14 also had a 20 round clip, but mine was chock-block full when I pushed number 20 into it.
Magazine. 20 round magazine.
Ammunition came on clips, 8 round en bloc clips of 30-06 for the M1, 5 round stripper clips of 7.62 for the M-14, and 10 round stripper clips of 5.56 for the M16 and beyond.
Though perhaps the 7.62 came in different sizes of stripper clips back in the day, I've only ever encountered 5s.
Ammunition came on clips, 8 round en bloc clips of 30-06 for the M1, 5 round stripper clips of 7.62 for the M-14, and 10 round stripper clips of 5.56 for the M16 and beyond.
Though perhaps the 7.62 came in different sizes of stripper clips back in the day, I've only ever encountered 5s.
To be more specific - the National Defense Service medal is not only for being in - but being in the Military during a period of war
(even if for just one day)
Wiki article
But what about GI's who served when there was no combat operations??
The Army has the Army Service Ribbon
Which is awarded upon completion of your MOS training.
If you do not require formal training for MOS,
than it will be awarded upon completion of 4 months TIS
Wiki
The Air Force has a somewhat similar medal
The Air Force Training Medal
The AFTM is issued regardless of peacetime or wartime.
Air Force personnel who are awarded this medal -
who later join the USMC or USN are not permitted to wear this award on Dept Navy uniforms
(But WHY would an Air Force Vet - join the USMC???)
The Army has the Army Service Ribbon
Which is awarded upon completion of your MOS training.
If you do not require formal training for MOS,
than it will be awarded upon completion of 4 months TIS
Wiki
The Air Force has a somewhat similar medal
The Air Force Training Medal
The AFTM is issued regardless of peacetime or wartime.
Air Force personnel who are awarded this medal -
who later join the USMC or USN are not permitted to wear this award on Dept Navy uniforms
(But WHY would an Air Force Vet - join the USMC???)
The ASR is most certainly still awarded.
The ol ASR (and a parachutist badge) was all I had for almost 2 years. Received an AAM during an exercise in Thailand, Good Conduct Medal a year after that, and an ARCOM when I left active duty after 4 years. 3 medals and 1 ribbon for 4 years of peacetime service.
Of course, 9/11 happened 2 weeks after my ETS, and the awards and op tempo (and the funerals) all increased dramatically.
The ol ASR (and a parachutist badge) was all I had for almost 2 years. Received an AAM during an exercise in Thailand, Good Conduct Medal a year after that, and an ARCOM when I left active duty after 4 years. 3 medals and 1 ribbon for 4 years of peacetime service.
Of course, 9/11 happened 2 weeks after my ETS, and the awards and op tempo (and the funerals) all increased dramatically.