The Bronze Star.

"The Meritorious Service Medal is awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States or to any member of the Armed Forces of a friendly foreign nation who, while serving in a noncombat area after 16 January 1969, has distinguished himself or herself by outstanding meritorious achievement or service." John - I wear my BSM (for service, not valor) from OIF1 and the fight from the border to Baghdad. I know it's the combat equivalent of a MSM. I know that an ARCOM with a V means so much more than a naked BSM. I know the rules aren't fair to NCOs. [I wish I could have obtained a BSM instead of an ARCOM for my E-6 assistant who served in an outstanding manner, not only in his technical specialty, but in an E-7 position as a platoon sergeant in the headquarters battery.] Even outside of combat, you've got the whole AAM-ARCOM-MSM structure that is largely connected with the rank of the recipient. I know all of this ... but I still wear my BSM with pride. The BSM means what it means, no more, no less. It's funny how much satisfaction one can derive from a piece of ribbon. For me, it reflects the value that my superiors placed on my labor and sacrices.

Then I guess I don't understand your point. It's an Army regulation (AR 600-8-2) that makes the BSM an award for meritorious service or achievement against an armed enemy, and the MSM an award for outstanding meritorious service in a non-combat area. Under current regulations, it's impossible to award an MSM to a person in a combat zone. (It's also impossible to award an AAM in a combat zone). I guess you're arguing for a change in regulation, not just a change in practice. Under current regulations, the BSM is a perfectly appropriate award for someone who would otherwise receive an MSM.

When it came time to go home from Desert Storm, CO calls me in and says "Bronze Star OK with you Chief?" Me: "No sir." CO: "Tommorow 10AM, on hardstand, BC to pin BSM on you, ARCOMS on E7 and below. Thanks for your work." Me: "Need to see the BC. Did not do anything to get BSM." Off to BC's. He thought I wanted more. I told him it was my job. Nothing more. And my guys would take the medals for the promotion points, but they did not feel good about it. He was LIVID that I would turn down HIS medal. When I got home, I had a ARCOM at the outprocessing station. More appropriate, but still more than needed for doing job. System is way inflated. Just like OER's were. Don't know if they still are, but probably are. It's the way it has been and always will be. It's an integrity issue in my eyes. But that's just me.

John, I agree with you position, but regs are what they are, and the BSM does get awarded probably more than I would agree with. FWIW, we were in a combat zone and rumor stated the unit was authorized x number of BSM's. Among the gun trucks this caused some consternation, because we had operated in a quiet area and none of us felt anyone had done anything to deserve one. I guess the command agreed, because the awards given out were MSM, ACM, and AAM. I mean no disrespect to anyone who was awarded one for meritorious service, but I think the civilian world doesn't really get the distinction of the V device. FWIW I think the combat patch and CAB have already been watered down. The CIB still means something, so good on the infantry.

Good, though-provoking article. I've linked to you here: http://consul-at-arms.blogspot.com/2006/06/re-bronze-star.html BTW, I'm an E-6 who received a BSM "for meritorious service" at the end of my OIF1 tour. It's very much the wartime equivalent of the MSM, especially for officers. "V" for valor notwithstanding, anybody E-5 below wearing a BSM can be assumed to have fully earned it. Senior NCOs and officers do seem to acquire them for not screwing up too badly while in theatre.

This is a memo for record I sent up the chain while in Iraq. I am a personal witness to the sniveling coward officers padding eachothers careers, while the men who do the bleeding are left off the award list. It is horse shit and if you are incapable of seeing this then you need an ass kicking and I will be glad to give it to you. AWARDS, RECOGNITION AND THE LACK THERE OF! CO F 425 INF “NATIONAL GUARD” DEPLOYED TO IRAQ FEB 2004 TO FEB 2005 IN SUPPORT OF OIF II It has come to my attention the soldiers in my unit will spend an entire year in Iraq and will receive no awards for the service. I would like to bring to everyones attention the character of the unit which is being forgotten. This unit, Co F 425 Infantry, came to the theater of operation to conduct long range reconnaissance and surveillance missions. That is the mission we thought we were to execute here in Iraq. This country has a virtually unguarded border where insurgents and enemy supporters flow threw unopposed. The Special Forces and other units capable of our mission are fully entrenched in other parts of Iraq. We are short on virtually all mission essential equipment and communication devices. Ninety percent of our vehicles deadlined within days of our arrival here in country. We have very limited organic crew served weapons and a shortage of gunners due to our poor mobilization process. We have been supporting the 202 Military Intelligence Battalion every step of the way threw this tragic comedy of errors that is called a reconstruction and or WAR! We have pulled Foreign Internal Defense missions or “F.I.D.” missions for short. Those are Special Forces missions and we are not Special Forces. My second platoon has trained two battalions of Iraqi forces to help stabilize the country. Second platoon has pulled this mission and guarded the border for over half of their tour here in country. They have done this without the proper training and equipment and done it while acting in a decentralized manner. Their platoon has been split up working in no less than three locations at any given time. My first platoon has pulled border patrol with the striker units here in country. They have also, for the past 4 months, been working as convoy security for ABU-GERAB prison. They have pulled, what I consider, over 250 combat missions while keeping the supplies moving and sewage trucks pumping in the accursed place. They have been shot at countless times. They have discovered at least a dozen improvised explosive devices and saved untold lives with their professional service. 1st platoon found a car bomb and sealed off the road to prevent coalition causalities. 1st platoon while on convoy, pulled over two semi trucks full of bombs, explosives, shells, rockets and yes there was even N.B.C. rounds within one of the trucks. The soldiers called sheriff “the local quick reaction force” and waited for over 3 hours for them to respond. Finally, because of dwindling daylight and water, 1st platoon brought those trucks in themselves. Some of my brave soldiers rode shotgun in those truck to get them back to the prison. I was latter told my soldiers had their 9mm pistols pointed at the drivers heads the whole trip back. Those trucks were filled with munitions and were more than likely unstable. My soldiers seized the largest cash of weapons since the end of formal hostilities here in Iraq. To date they have received not even a pat on the back. The whole time they have executed this mission with up armor HUMMV’s the average operation temperature within is 138 degrees and they are in full armor and uniform at all times outside the wire. 1st platoon is a LRS Infantry platoon not military police. They have executed that mission with utter perfection and a professionalism, the likes of which is rarely seen in this world. I salute them, they are hero’s one and all! My 3rd platoon is patrolling around Baghdad and the Airport. They are conducting counter mortar and counter rocket operations. They are doing it with next to no specialized equipment and the equipment they do have was begged, borrowed and yes probably stolen, “knowing those guys”. They drive out with 10th mountain and or the CAV almost every night crawling threw slug and sewage and laying in mud waiting for the next launch. They also have had their share of “IED” exposure. One team watched as the vehicle behind them was destroyed by 3x155 rounds buried in the road. The team gave first aid, secured the site, and called in a medi-vac, which took an hour to arrive, and collected all sensitive items and sterilized the vehicle. All the soldiers in that destroyed vehicle owe my men their lives, their limbs and one his eye site. That debt can never be repaid! Today the list of bronze star medals came across my desk. I was outraged! The 202 MI BN has their entire headquarters receiving a bronze star. The HQ never did anything more than their job. They were never shot at, except the BN commander who was hit by an IED with the 425 HQ while conducting courtesy visits to his Tactical Humit Teams. And the BN commander had the balls to roll out with us in April fully expecting enemy contact from the insurgents. I understand that the full time soldiers need the awards to further their career. I also understand that the BN staff job sucks and the bull shit they have to swallow fully makes them eligible for awards as my men. But what I do not agree with is the unwritten quota on the bronze star medal. The whole, submit your soldiers for an entire year of service once is completely wrong. According to AR 600-8-22 section (1-14) paragraph b, soldiers are to be submitted for recognition as soon as possible. Also according to the statistics presented in the attached table the awards are violating AR 672-20 section (2-1) paragraph b and d. There is clearly a bias toward the officers and the active duty in the awards list. Further more the process of kicking back the awards six and seven times was also against AR 600-8-22 section 3-18 paragraph q, the over complications of punctuations and other minor errors violated the spirit in which the award was intended. We are soldier’s not English majors. I find it hard to believe my soldiers are being denied their recognition because of such minor and petty things that are not even supported in the regulation. The regulation clearly states the award needs to be written in black ink and legible. By the regulation we could have even hand written them and they still should have been viable. The number of revisions needed, the one window for submission, and the unwritten quota is bordering on discrimination and harassment toward my soldiers. I am not going to stand for it. Consider this the beginnings of a formal complaint that I will take as high as necessary to see satisfaction. 1st SGT POPP CO F 425 INF (AIRBORNE) L.R.S. 47% all BSM to BN HQ? 37% to 202 MI BN? 14% to 425 INF? 425 is 55% of the 202 MI BN? 425 85% of BSM down graded to ARCOM? REVIEW THE NUMBERS AND FEEL SHAME