We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:29:50 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification You can tell it's an election year.......first the PH for PTSD, and now, we all gonna get a Combat Action Badge.......... Bi-partisan support for the legislation........file it under "shameless pandering to Veterans" during the election cycle? Personally, I'm pretty proud of the one I already have..........My kid "awarded" me his that he got in Iraq....... This is from a Vietnam Vet who saw some serious combat himself. I see it a little differently. Of course, I don't have a serious combat record, either, just for the record. This is how I see it, as I put it in my response.... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html Mon, 02 Jun 2008 07:16:15 -0600 Actually, I didn't mind not having a ceremony. It kind of re enforced that I had got someone's goat. At Camp Eggers (Kabul) in 2006, they had an awards ceremony someplace on post nearly every day. Only 1000-1100 people assigned but it was the lair of the 3 star puller of strings and knower of people to be knowed. So, I be happy! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73797 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73797 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 18:32:11 -0600 They all came in the mail. Heh. Only awards I ever had *presented* to me were AM #1 and an ARCOM. Interesting that the same CO did both...]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73768 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73768 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 04:55:42 -0600 Dennis - no doubt there is award abuse, and that's a chain-of-command issue. Happens in peacetime, too, and, more often than not in my experience, it's a careerist officer problem, wartime and peacetime. And don't feel bad, I have 5 MSMs and three SUA's an ARCOM and an AAM that I never got pinned on, either. They all came in the mail. My Armed Forces Reserve medal was thrown across a room at me. It seems the Ops Grp adjutant (a Pointer) didn't appreciate the fact that we unwashed ROTC grads who'd never bothered to integrate RA (it was going to happen to us as Majors, anyway, why bother with the paperwork) got a medal for having served 10 years as Reservists. Torqued her to no end, given we'd all been on active duty together for 10 years. Snerk. I didn't have the heart to tell her I turned down the RA in Armor because I'd rather be a Redleg. I'm not sure she wouldn't have thrown the filing cabinet at me. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73752 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73752 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:43:52 -0600 Two examples. First: I have a nephew who was awarded the CIB for duty in Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Their replacements ended up in the fight in Fallujah but he says that he's nearly 100% sure that no one in his battalion came under any enemy fire. He refuses to wear the award because he has a sense of honor. Second: In the rotation in Kabul Afghanistan that preceded mine, two LTCs 'came under fire.' A single rocket that landed nearly a kilometer away from them. They hurried home and spent the next day writing up their awards for the CAB. The endless chasing of awards and badges by supposed 'leaders' is painful. It needs to stop. I turned down the Bronze Star for my staff service. I was raised to believe that it stood for something more than a staff puke is likely to do in his normal job. Because they insisted on an award for everyone, I requested the Joint Service Commendation Medal instead; because my major accomplishment had been to commendably service my ..... They gave me that medal, but no ceremony to go with it for some reason. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73742 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73742 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:47:42 -0600 It's something the new privates can put on their greens as practice for when they get some real awards. Back in The Day, we used to call the NDSM the IBB. I've Been to Basic. How times have changed...]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73738 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73738 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:20:11 -0600 [This Comment Moved To The Post It Was Intended To Be On] http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73730 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73730 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 13:46:06 -0600 The Army Service Ribbon is best understood as a training device. It's something the new privates can put on their greens as practice for when they get some real awards. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73723 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73723 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:28:48 -0600 I'm just jealous because no one pandered to *me* until it was monetarily safe to do so. Been proofing ry's posts again, haven't you? ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73722 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73722 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:22:00 -0600 I *did* say some pandering was better than others. I'm just jealous because no one pandered to *me* until it was monetarily safe to do so. /whine http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73714 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73714 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:35:39 -0600 Well, we're glad to provide these opportunities to work out your issues, Bill. ;^ ) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73713 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73713 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:33:49 -0600 Sorry about the rant. The PTSD kicked in while Carbo was hitting the water bottle and I got to the keyboard first... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73711 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73711 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:49:00 -0600 Lessee, now: I didn't get a PH when I got (minor) bodily damage but now I can get one for having flashbacks -- and I can get a combat badge for engaging in combat that occurred thirty-odd years before they invented the badge but medevac crewmembers who pull people out under fire *today* aren't eligible for the Combat Medic Badge. Yanno, I'm really *glad* I retired, because I'd go broke having to buy a new ribbon-rack every week... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73710 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73710 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:42:11 -0600 "Some pandering is better than others" And some of us are afflicted by what is commonly referred to as SPAS (Selective Pandering Assignment Syndrome) Guilty as charged. This is why I don't consider the GI Bill legislation pandering....but that's just me.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73709 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/06/expanding_the_c_2.html#comment-73709 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:31:53 -0600