Long story short, the VFW has drafted a resolution calling for the creation of a Combat Action Medal, to go with the currently awarded ribbon, for Marines. The article sites the recent creation of an Air Force Combat Action Medal, and later quotes,
"If the Pentagon is interested in keeping awards consistent across the military services... it’s only fair that sailors and Marines be eligible for a combat medal...."
'Keeping awards consistent across the military services...'
*phffffft!*
After a brief survey - granted, a small polling number (one) - I found this to be a bit silly. All of the Marines (moi) polled in my survey think that there are already quite a few medals and ribbons awarded to Marines, some too easily granted in a few cases, *coffNAMcoff* and some well deserved awards that never seem to get to the individual Marine as often as they should (MoH, Silver and Bronze Stars, etc). The Combat Action Ribbon has worked well enough, why fix what isn't broke?
Course, some of those awards just seem to get handed out to some. Nothing against my Officer brethren, but I personally know Marines who did absolutely crazy-heroic stuff under fire... and got nada except for an 'atta boy', and a slap on the ass. Makes my ass twitch when I hear about guys getting awarded stars for leading convoy security details, fuel replenishment, and the like. I understand they have an important job and did it exceedingly well, and good on 'em for it, but still... Mebbe it's just an old grunt mindset of getting awards in combat being for... oh I dunno, combat?
Your thoughts?
Besides, when it all comes down to it, we have the best decoration out there, the Marine Corps Dress Blues. Dead sexy, they are. I'm a decent enough looking dude, I guess, but when I wore 'em, I was a veritable stud-muffin! Of course, I'm completely unbiased...
Then again, if we're gonna follow the Air Force, wonder if we'll get other neat and interesting medals and ribbons, like...
I don't remember where I got that, but it made me chuckle. I still haven't found any kind of decoration for e-tool qualification, dumpster diving, running the gauntlet, or crossing the line, but there's always hope...
"If the Pentagon is interested in keeping awards consistent across the military services... it’s only fair that sailors and Marines be eligible for a combat medal...."
'Keeping awards consistent across the military services...'
*phffffft!*
After a brief survey - granted, a small polling number (one) - I found this to be a bit silly. All of the Marines (moi) polled in my survey think that there are already quite a few medals and ribbons awarded to Marines, some too easily granted in a few cases, *coffNAMcoff* and some well deserved awards that never seem to get to the individual Marine as often as they should (MoH, Silver and Bronze Stars, etc). The Combat Action Ribbon has worked well enough, why fix what isn't broke?
Course, some of those awards just seem to get handed out to some. Nothing against my Officer brethren, but I personally know Marines who did absolutely crazy-heroic stuff under fire... and got nada except for an 'atta boy', and a slap on the ass. Makes my ass twitch when I hear about guys getting awarded stars for leading convoy security details, fuel replenishment, and the like. I understand they have an important job and did it exceedingly well, and good on 'em for it, but still... Mebbe it's just an old grunt mindset of getting awards in combat being for... oh I dunno, combat?
Your thoughts?
Besides, when it all comes down to it, we have the best decoration out there, the Marine Corps Dress Blues. Dead sexy, they are. I'm a decent enough looking dude, I guess, but when I wore 'em, I was a veritable stud-muffin! Of course, I'm completely unbiased...
Then again, if we're gonna follow the Air Force, wonder if we'll get other neat and interesting medals and ribbons, like...
I don't remember where I got that, but it made me chuckle. I still haven't found any kind of decoration for e-tool qualification, dumpster diving, running the gauntlet, or crossing the line, but there's always hope...
8 comments:
Well, now, I'm not so sure. I did two 179 day TDYs to VN when I was in the AF. According to the rules, you had to have been in VN/Thailand 6 months, 180 days, to get a SEA tour credit.
But, if you only spent 179 days there, they could turn right around and send you back. I did two 179 day TDYs back to back in the back seat of an F4. No tour credit, no ribbons, nada.
That happened a lot during that time in the Air Force.
Soon as I read that one line I thought, "Self, you knows and Murph knows that he's using the usual abbreviation for that medal, but that's just gonna draw the ire of some that jump to an understandable conclusion about it coinciding with the shortened version of Vietnam..."
Never will change Murph... RHIP on awards and the reality is that your average Sailor/Marine will NEVER get the awards they deserve. Been there, seen it, and DIDN'T get the award :-(
But did get to see the RADM turn an interesting shade of purple when he recounted what he was told about why I did not rate it (I was not senior enough)...
My brother left the Air Force after four years due to extreme boredom. He frequently volunteered to go TDY to Turkey just for a change of scenery (his enlistment was spent in England, Lakenheath I think was the town name).
My ex coveted, and never got, a NAM. Everyone else got it for excellence in farting and scratching themselves, from his telling of it.
There was a bit of a contretemps in '04 when the COs of the Boise and Newport News put themselves up for bronze stars (at least, I think it was that; one of the higher decorations anyway) after deployment for OIF. Seems half the Navy was angry that none of the crew were nominated for anything (Rob did get a real purty admiral's letter) and the other half was angry that a submariner might possibly get a combat medal, because apparently you have to be above the water for it to count.
I don't see a ribbon for scrounge.
crusis: In the Corps we call that 'getting the big green weenie'. However y'all call it, that just sucks.
anony: Of course, the medal I was referring to is the Navy Achievement Medal (NAM, as we all knew it). No offense intended to my elder 'Nam brothers.
old nfo - SSDD
sabra - I've seen NAMs given out for removing Black Palm (a particularly nasty thorn found in Panama, if I remember correctly), providing water, and locking on hot chow - all stuff that might be considered 'doing ones job'. I've also seen 'em handed out because, "our platoon has been alloted one and I'll be damned if we're not gonna find some reason to hand it out". Re: the bronze stars, like old nfo said, RHIP [shaking head]
gerald - There's no ribbon or medal, but it's an unofficial requirement of promotion to 'Lance Criminal'...
Murph, the Army is worse. Not only the Army Achievement Medal, but the Army Service Ribbon (thought that was the uniform?); the NCO Professional Development Ribbon; and the Overseas Ribbon. By the time I retired, I would only wear the one Army Commendation Medal that I received for saving a soldier's life.
Sarge, just wait until they start handing out service ribbons for:
-R/C tactical manipulation
-search engine protocol
-robot retrieval
And I can just see all the P/Hs for
"nintendo thumb"!
Weird was always the part of the "job", but c'mon now...
;)
B.G.
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