AF Finance NCO awarded Bronze Star

[JediMaster 451]

Sounds more like something deserving of a promotion than a medal. But I guess a medal is cheap, doesn't require more pay like a bump to E-7 does would it?

[+ST0RM 145]

Sounds more like something deserving of a promotion than a medal. But I guess a medal is cheap, doesn't require more pay like a bump to E-7 does would it?

 

Oh I'm sure she'll be step-promoted to E-7 also. With a BSM on her record, a female and in a support role, she's practically there already.

[macelena 1,070]

I don´t know if she deserves the bronze star or not, but i´m pretty sure she doesn´t deserve this load of s**t

[+ST0RM 145]

I don´t know if she deserves the bronze star or not, but i´m pretty sure she doesn´t deserve this load of s**t

 

The reason I'm so pi**ed off about this, is that I've seen people do a hell of a lot more in actual combat, and get nothing.

 

I stick by my principal. And by the way, I'm also an active duty NCO who has been in combat, both on the ground and in the air and know this is BS!

[column5 63]

Aren't there awards specifically for this sort of thing? If she did a good job in an administrative role, isn't there the Air Force Commendation or Achievement award (I think those are the correct names)?

[JediMaster 451]

How about the Air Force Administration Achievement Award Ribbon? AFAAAR. That would make sense.

 

Or perhaps AFPPA...AF Paper Pusher Award.

[Dave63 13]

There are a whole lot of decorations that could've been a little more appropriate.

[Heck 496]

My dad (God rest his soul), won his Bronze Star for dragging a newbie Lieutenant's a@@ out of the line of fire of two Japanese machine guns on Okinawa when their patrol was ambushed. This saddens me. I think there's a huge difference between putting your life on the line to save another human being and properly funding programs. I don't know what else to say...

[+ST0RM 145]

My dad (God rest his soul), won his Bronze Star for dragging a newbie Lieutenant's a@@ out of the line of fire of two Japanese machine guns on Okinawa when their patrol was ambushed. This saddens me. I think there's a huge difference between putting your life on the line to save another human being and properly funding programs. I don't know what else to say...

 

That is the example of what I should read on any BSM.

 

<S> to the memory of your Father and his service.

[+Jug 99]

I cannot get upset over any award given to an American volunteer that went on our behalf, no matter what her tasking was. There are a bunch of our society riding on her back. My thanks to her for her service.

[turkeydriver 4]

Navy sailor in that spot could expect an achievement medal or possibly a Comm at best for that role. There are instructions- whoever put her in for that award is paying her back or trying to keep her quiet-I can't imagine any senior NCO or officer reveiwing that award and signing off on it without batting an eye.

[MAKO69 186]

I cannot get upset over any award given to an American volunteer that went on our behalf, no matter what her tasking was. There are a bunch of our society riding on her back. My thanks to her for her service.

 

Jug I appreciate our vets, many thanks to our past, present, and future Veterans, I myself am prior service. I believe she did a great job as I stated before "Don't get me wrong, but what she did sounds like logistical nightmare. Someone had to do it though. A commendation medal, but a Bronze Star?" thats just stretching it a little. There are plenty other awards or commendations that could have been bestowed upon this NCO, hats off to her, great job. Its not this NCO I'm questioning, but upper echelon. Maybe they should have thought this one out better when there are soldiers in combat still dying, just as heroic?

 

soldiers denied medals

Edited April 5, 2012 by MAKO69

[CavtankerKyle 1]

We may never know the whole story behind this situation. Maybe she didn't want it, but her leadership pushed her to accept it. But who knows...

 

I know of leadership that doesn't want to give out medals.

 

To summarize their thoughts: 'Combat arms soldiers are supposed to get shot at/blown up in combat Why do they deserve a medal for that? That's in their duty description'.

 

And, as a result, hundreds of soldiers came home from this particular deployment without anything at all.

[MAKO69 186]

We may never know the whole story behind this situation. Maybe she didn't want it, but her leadership pushed her to accept it. But who knows...

 

I know of leadership that doesn't want to give out medals.

 

To summarize their thoughts: 'Combat arms soldiers are supposed to get shot at/blown up in combat Why do they deserve a medal for that? That's in their duty description'.

 

And, as a result, hundreds of soldiers came home from this particular deployment without anything at all.

 

Well no there not supposed to get shot at/blown up in combat according to popular beliefs. Soldiers join now as apposed to past wars, maybe they don't deserve medals or recognition for their volunteerism. I think not! A soldier is a soldier wheather they are at 5000 ft dropping bombs, 5 ft in the mud in a fortified fighting position or 500 miles away from the front in an A/C'd office pushing paperwork so the logistics can make it to those two soldiers on the line fighting. People who join now have more input in what they want their military careers to be than decades past. Some jobs in the military are a little more dangerous than others. Should the NCO office worker get a purple heart for a stapple through the finger during a time of war then? Like I said before I take nothing from this NCO that did her job and did it well, but look at the situation my problem is still with the people that got this pushed through.

Edited April 5, 2012 by MAKO69

[garyscott 11]

[column5 63]

Not being in the military myself, I had just always assumed that the Bronze Star was awarded for battlefield heroism, but the actual description of it is different:

 

The Bronze Star Medal may be awarded by the Secretary of a military department or the Secretary of Homeland Security with regard to the Coast Guard when not operating as a service in the Navy, or by such military commanders, or other appropriate officers as the Secretary concerned may designate, to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Coast Guard of the United States, after 6 December 1941, distinguishes, or has distinguished, himself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service, not involving participation in aerial flight—

(a) while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;

(b) while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or

© while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

 

Apparantly the V device distinguishes what type of achievement the medal was awarded for:

 

The Valor device (or “V device”) is authorized by all services and identifies the award as resulting from an act of combat heroism (as in the case of the Army and Air Force) or signifying that the medal was earned in combat (as in the case of the Navy), thus distinguishing it from meritorious achievement awards

[+Typhoid 231]

That is all correct, of course. The relevant part is

 

(b) while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force;

 

which pretty much opens it wide to cover just about anything.

 

Traditionally, the Bronze Star was reserved for forces that were actually involved in combat operations, not the support units. Support, including staff, have another set of roughly equivelant awards that rank just below the comparable combat awards.

 

For example, I have two DMSM's and an MSM which are the "staff equivelant" of the Bronze Star and rank just below (appropriately). Up until the current conflict, those were what were handed out to forces not engaged in direct combat. To hand out Bronze Stars to staff pukes and service support forces "inside the wire" violates a very long tradition.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Typhoid

[+ST0RM 145]

A picture is worth a thousand words...

[firehawkordy 34]

A-F***ing-mazing, I had a kid that we took in get his Bradley hit by an IED and he get's the Purple Heart but where the F**K is his Bronze Star? Actually, this is not new to me, me old boss was a supply Sgt in Vietnam and was awarded the Bronze Star for "running a supply depot perfectly". Hearing that kind of diminished the import of this award in my eyes related to the Army and AF. I concur that she should have turned it down not because of the negative reaction, but as stated earlier, she did not earn it while in direct conflict with enemy forces. No offense to my AF friends here at CA but this is Air Force stupidity at it's best. In my 20 years in the Navy I observed many Navy Achievement Medals awarded to mostly office pukes who knew how to work the system and many of my younger charges or my peers that busted more than their asses to support the mission get dick. While ribbons and medals are nice to have they should be at least earned in the context for which they were intended.

 

As an aside concerning accepting an award or recognition that id undeserved, during the First Gulf War I was a drilling Reservist that was not deployed. After the war the county I work for decided to recognize those in their employ for their service. That included guys like me, my boss put me in for it against my wishes, that did not fight. I made a point of not going to the ceremony because I felt that I DID NOT earn that distinction. I have the letter of appreciation still, but it will never be displayed along with my TRUE military accomplishments at anytime or place, sadly some of the other guys that did not deploy proudly display that bullsh*t piece of paper in their offices as if it were the CMoH. Some have no pride or honor. Better to let an award the one earned pass by than to get one that should be awarded to a more deserving Warrior.

[+CrazyhorseB34 937]

Great observation STORM. I saw no warriors in that photograph.