JABQ04 said:

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Similar story. Was wounded and then did some stuff at the same time. Was told I was put in for the BS w/ V. Told a few days later "you're only an E3 so we had to change it to an Arcom w/ V. At that point we were headed home so I gave zero Fs. The whole incident happened so close to redeployment I got the award back stateside. Funny enough the Battalion Commander pinned a BS on me, leaving me a little confused, before the CSM pointed it out and replaced it with the the correct award. Then he told me, that's (ArcomV) is the one you want. Right.

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Same thing happened to me. Was examined for a Silver star, put in for a BS w/ V, downgraded to a NAVCOM w/ V. The reason was that they felt like they were putting in for too many Bronzes company wide. I mean, ok....but why the **** would you tell me that? Bizarre.

Oh and every E7 and above came home with a Bronze. Not one with a V. Guess I had to give up my slot for one of theirs.

Government service is a trip I swear...

torrid said:

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Do you really think Petraeus spent the time to pin and align all those medals himself?

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Hell no. Petraeus probably had one of his underlings do it and then gave the underling a ribbon of "Superior Ribbon Alignment".

I prefer the clean look. An individual whose reputation is based on the quality of her work and not the flare on her jacket.

My first deployment was the surge in Iraq. Every E7 and higher was awarded a BSM. Everyone else Arcoms. Hard to take an award serious when dudes who processed pay issues, leave forms and awards received the same award as dudes kicking in doors and patrolling everyday. Don't get me wrong I'm immensely proud of my PH and Arcom w/ V but the rest were just show up, don't **** up, and you'll get a medal awards.

JABQ04 said:

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My first deployment was the surge in Iraq. Every E7 and higher was awarded a BSM. Everyone else Arcoms. Hard to take an award serious when dudes who processed pay issues, leave forms and awards received the same award as dudes kicking in doors and patrolling everyday. Don't get me wrong I'm immensely proud of my PH and Arcom w/ V but the rest were just show up, don't **** up, and you'll get a medal awards.

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The medal system is beyond broken. Completely killed any meaning to me. My mom has my PH, I don't know where a single one of my other medals are at. I am so immune to it it boggles my mind why some cling to them. The chest salad is a good quick snapshot of an individual though. Those who pin everything on them though don't realize that this is a negative thing.

The BSM is the highest meritorious award that can be given out, so of course it is done so in wholesale lots to POGs.

JABQ04 said:

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Similar story. Was wounded and then did some stuff at the same time. Was told I was put in for the BS w/ V. Told a few days later "you're only an E3 so we had to change it to an Arcom w/ V. At that point we were headed home so I gave zero Fs. The whole incident happened so close to redeployment I got the award back stateside. Funny enough the Battalion Commander pinned a BS on me, leaving me a little confused, before the CSM pointed it out and replaced it with the the correct award. Then he told me, that's (ArcomV) is the one you want. Right.

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In a pre 9/11 world, the difference between an Arcom and a Bronze Star probably wouldn't be a big deal.
But these days, you can get some free stuff if you've got a Bronze Star.

I wonder how much people think about that when writing up awards now.

The hands are always a giveaway

HollywoodBQ said:

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JABQ04 said:

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Similar story. Was wounded and then did some stuff at the same time. Was told I was put in for the BS w/ V. Told a few days later "you're only an E3 so we had to change it to an Arcom w/ V. At that point we were headed home so I gave zero Fs. The whole incident happened so close to redeployment I got the award back stateside. Funny enough the Battalion Commander pinned a BS on me, leaving me a little confused, before the CSM pointed it out and replaced it with the the correct award. Then he told me, that's (ArcomV) is the one you want. Right.

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In a pre 9/11 world, the difference between an Arcom and a Bronze Star probably wouldn't be a big deal.
But these days, you can get some free stuff if you've got a Bronze Star.

I wonder how much people think about that when writing up awards now.

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can you explain the free stuff if you got a Bronze Star for us non military types

jagvocate said:

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Corps Commander, 3 of his decorations are simply for being the CC - the diamonds, the cord, and also the white/red medal that I've never seen anyone else but a CC ear

Did the Corps change the Corps Commander cord? That looks like a band commander or major unit commander cord, the CC cord was once a bolder maroon and white. I think the white/red medal is an Eagle Scout ribbon, which is a nice award, but never made sense to me why the Corps recognized high school accomplishments.

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They did used to have a CC-only cord, but they phased it out and made the CC match the Major Unit Commanders. The Eagle Scout award is this CC's lowest award, and it's red white and blue with a silver BSA Eagle. The white/red medal in the top left ia the highest award the Corps can give, and like I said it's always given to the CC but I've never seen anyone else with it.

As for your point about Eagle Scouts - it helps with recruiting immensely to cater to the scouts. I guess there are girls now with that medal in the Corps...or soon to be.

BQ_90 said:

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HollywoodBQ said:

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JABQ04 said:

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Similar story. Was wounded and then did some stuff at the same time. Was told I was put in for the BS w/ V. Told a few days later "you're only an E3 so we had to change it to an Arcom w/ V. At that point we were headed home so I gave zero Fs. The whole incident happened so close to redeployment I got the award back stateside. Funny enough the Battalion Commander pinned a BS on me, leaving me a little confused, before the CSM pointed it out and replaced it with the the correct award. Then he told me, that's (ArcomV) is the one you want. Right.

---

In a pre 9/11 world, the difference between an Arcom and a Bronze Star probably wouldn't be a big deal.
But these days, you can get some free stuff if you've got a Bronze Star.

I wonder how much people think about that when writing up awards now.

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can you explain the free stuff if you got a Bronze Star for us non military types

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The first thing I personally saw was free parking at GRK Airport in Killeen.

One of my buddies gave me a rundown of his various benefits for having a Bronze Star and a 100% Disability rating. I didn't take notes so I don't remember which benefit went with which category.

From memory, I think the Bronze Star primarily helped with preferential parking and/or free parking.

Thanks for responses, a lot has changed since the 90s when I was

ok I see what you mean. I thought it was some kind of extra govt payment. thanks

coconutED said:

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Mayor West said:

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Ginormus Ag said:

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Is there a ribbon or metal for wokeestness, sucessful transgendering or the war against white supremacy, patriarchy, or climate change?

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FIXED

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BOOM!

Good to see the best MOS being represented well on this thread. 13B here too. Well, former anyway

You should see USAF LTs. They look like army generals. Talk about participation ribbons!

D2F1D0 said:

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You should see USAF LTs. They look like army generals. Talk about participation ribbons!

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Most of those are pretty mundane, but you should see the "Hole in one" award.

I laugh every time I see a license plate with the ****ing National Defense Medal. Are you kidding me??

Clob94 said:

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What Ike was lacking in medal wearing was more than made up for by Patton.



That dude wore medals that other countries gave him. (Is that legal?)

https://www.google.com/search?q=patton+full+medals&oq=patton+full+medals&aqs=chrome..69i57.4657j0j4&client=ms-android-att-us-revc&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=zpUC9r655OmXMM

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In the back of AR600-8-22, their is a list of approved foreign badges and medals that Army personnel are allowed to wear and who can wear them.

My RA time was Dec74 to Dec78. Got an ARCOM mailed to me from my last outfit for being a damn good BMO, Tank Co XO, and BN S1 after I went on terminal leave. Only thing on my greens back then was an Airborne badge. Period.

Over the next 26 years I got some peacetime RC medals, can't remember most of them. A couple of MSMs. No big deal. Old Vietnam era NCOs that I served with during my RA time told me that the only medal that means anything is a PH and/or a CIB. Back then it was I think. Methinks they were right.

I hate to think what that creature ADM Levine was awarded. Blow the man down?

According to AFI36-2903, paragraph 4.5.2.3, dated 7 February 2020: Ribbons. All or some ribbons and devices will be worn on the service dress coat. Wear ribbons centered, resting on (but not over) the edge of the pleated pocket on the wearers left.

A previous version of the AFI stated simply "all ribbons…". Many of us are used to the old instruction, so we continue wearing all of them. Like a previous poster said, "if you earn it, wear it."

Those of you who are complaining, but have never served can continue virtue signaling.

Gump 02 said:

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According to AFI36-2903, paragraph 4.5.2.3, dated 7 February 2020: Ribbons. All or some ribbons and devices will be worn on the service dress coat. Wear ribbons centered, resting on (but not over) the edge of the pleated pocket on the wearers left.

A previous version of the AFI stated simply "all ribbons…". Many of us are used to the old instruction, so we continue wearing all of them. Like a previous poster said, "if you earn it, wear it."

Those of you who are complaining, but have never served can continue virtue signaling.

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We were told the exact opposite. It's your stack, you build it. Meaning you could leave off whatever you wanted. For example I never included my Good Conduct. Not only is it stupid but it was almost a negative thing in the infantry. Almost shameful to have one. Same with my National Defense. I think there was four I left off by the time I got out. Our Corpsman left off their weapons quals ribbons as another example.

But the mentality is the same I guess. You don't "earn" those medals in my mind. They are given. So I never displayed them. I don't begrudge people who do of course, but I do raise an eyebrow when you get to six rows + and you are still sporting the National Defense one.

I believe this is relevant.

Irish 2.0 said:

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People basically get Purple Hearts for tripping over rocks in foreign countries now. The value of most of those ribbons is worthless and the people outside of the military don't know what the **** they mean

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Cousin was a medic in Vietnam.

He claimed to know of a guy who tripped and fell while running to the bunker, during a rocket attack. Skinned his palms, put in for and received a Purple Heart.

BCG Disciple said:

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I prefer the clean look. An individual whose reputation is based on the quality of her work and not the flare on her jacket.

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Just FYI, he is wearing every ribbon and badge he is qualified for.

CanyonAg77 said:

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Irish 2.0 said:

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People basically get Purple Hearts for tripping over rocks in foreign countries now. The value of most of those ribbons is worthless and the people outside of the military don't know what the **** they mean

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Cousin was a medic in Vietnam.

He claimed to know of a guy who tripped and fell while running to the bunker, during a rocket attack. Skinned his palms, put in for and received a Purple Heart.

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A sister company lied and put in for a PH for one of their platoon sgts. They said he was too close to a mortar hit and the concussion messed his brain up and could not longer perform his duties.

He was so bad they went to that length to get rid of him. And the ******* went along with it with a grin. Got him out of a brutal warzone that we were dying in and some new chest candy.

So there is that too.

My cousin didn't do that.

But his hated platoon sergeant that came in blackout drunk every night back at base camp?

He might have crawled into his bunk one night with a dead cobra, courtesy of my cousin. Country boy was the only one who would get close enough to a snake to dispatch it.

I drew the line at snakes. Mounted patrols, dismounted patrols, route clearance, raids? Sure. Snakes? Hell Mother Efing no

I remember showing up to tech school and on the first or second day, one of the instructors asked all of us why nobody was wearing our occupation badge. This obviously confused us, and when somebody answered "...um...because we haven't finished tech school yet?" He responded that we were actually entitled to wear the badge as soon as we completed the online training course that we all had to do before showing up.

Somebody actually came to class the next day wearing their badge.

Not Coach Jimbo said:

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So has part of the military been backing the communist agenda just to get more flair?

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We need more trouser medals

TxTarpon said:

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Like this guy with the saber?


Come on now.



Are they in Chile doing this?

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Testing my memory, but I think that was a game at Jerryworld and the BQ's dad as in charge of the drilling operation to rescue Chilean miners. Was the 3rd option that wasn't supposed to work, but it was the one that got them out.

BCG Disciple said:

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I prefer the clean look. An individual whose reputation is based on the quality of her work and not the flare on her jacket.

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Is there a new one for preferred pronouns ……..

HollywoodBQ said:

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BQ_90 said:

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HollywoodBQ said:

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JABQ04 said:

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Similar story. Was wounded and then did some stuff at the same time. Was told I was put in for the BS w/ V. Told a few days later "you're only an E3 so we had to change it to an Arcom w/ V. At that point we were headed home so I gave zero Fs. The whole incident happened so close to redeployment I got the award back stateside. Funny enough the Battalion Commander pinned a BS on me, leaving me a little confused, before the CSM pointed it out and replaced it with the the correct award. Then he told me, that's (ArcomV) is the one you want. Right.

---

In a pre 9/11 world, the difference between an Arcom and a Bronze Star probably wouldn't be a big deal.
But these days, you can get some free stuff if you've got a Bronze Star.

I wonder how much people think about that when writing up awards now.

---

can you explain the free stuff if you got a Bronze Star for us non military types

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The first thing I personally saw was free parking at GRK Airport in Killeen.

One of my buddies gave me a rundown of his various benefits for having a Bronze Star and a 100% Disability rating. I didn't take notes so I don't remember which benefit went with which category.

From memory, I think the Bronze Star primarily helped with preferential parking and/or free parking.

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Have a couple of BSMs and I think the only thing is cheaper vehicle registration that I know of, really was tempted to do the ASR license plate just to f with everyone, now 100% disability probably opens lots of doors I would imagine

TxTarpon said:

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Like this guy with the saber?


Come on now.



Are they in Chile doing this?

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It was in support of the people trapped in the collapsed mine in Chile.

D2F1D0 said:

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You should see USAF LTs. They look like army generals. Talk about participation ribbons!

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I'll admit that's true. My Favorite Pilot (Major, not LT) already as 4-5 ribbons, and has done nothing but train stateside. But she'd rather be in a flight suit with just her wings, squadron patch, and YGTBSM patch.

Someone who knows can correct me, but I think some of them are for simply being on active duty during the War on Terror.