Bundesrepublik Green Beret receives German decoration

[Mike Page]

Unfortunately the recipient has his back to the camera...Does anyone know what the award looks like?

http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/soldierstories/s...ory_id_key=9573

The way the headline was worded for a split second I thought of the RK. I'm not very up-to-date.

Edit: I believe I posted this in the wrong forum.

Edited October 30, 2006 by Mike Page

[Gerd Becker]

Mike,

i guess, he got the "Ehrenmedaille der Bundeswehr". Finally an award to a foreigner

Take a look on this website:

http://s115255626.alturo-host.de/lvo/ezbw.htm

best,

Gerd

[eitze]

Unfortunately - up to now - we do not have any bravery awards for the German Army

So the only thing you can earn is the Honour-Medal and the 3 Honour-Crosses.

But these decorations are for general purposes. They are awarded for long service, meritorious service or for special occasions, as it was in this case.

Mine was awarded in 1986. You can see the document, whis was signed by the then Minister of Defence Manfred W?rner, in the attachment.

It is time to create some kind of bravery award for the German Soldiers or make it easy and re-issue the Iron Cross

greetings

eitze

[Ingsoc]

It's not the first time this award is giving to an American soldier.

Here is Lt. Col. Gerhardt Weber, left, presents Lt. Col. Michael Childers the Silver Cross of Honor of the German Armed Forces.

[Dave Danner]

A huge difference. Unlike LTC Childers, SSG Zapien is possibly the first, and maybe only, American, decorated by Germany for merit and valor in combat.

The article on SSG Zapien has a few errors, most notably describing the Ehrenmedaille der Bundeswehr as the "German army?s highest [award] for foreign soldiers..." Technically, (i) the Bundesverdienstkreuz isn't a Bundeswehr award but a German state award, (ii) the Ehrenzeichen der Bundeswehr is the Bundeswehr's highest exclusive award, (iii) and the Ehrenmedaille is the class of the Ehrenzeichen der Bundeswehr a sergeant in a foreign army would get stuck with, so the statement isn't totally inaccurate, but it is a little misleading.

For Germans, the Ehrenzeichen der Bundeswehr is generally awarded as a long and loyal service award, 20 years for the golden cross, 10 for the silver, 5 for the bronze and 7 months for the medal. So basically the Ehrenmedaille comes after completion of conscript service. They can also be awarded in exceptional circumstances for merit without regard for the time limits, but rank often plays a role here.

The Ehrenmedaille der Bundeswehr is about what a sergeant in a foreign army could expect to get. Frankly, I'm not sure a Feldwebel in the Bundeswehr would get much more, maybe the Bronze Honor Cross, for doing what SSG Zapien did. And the Feldwebel would still have gotten the Bronze Honor Cross if he had sat around doing nothing for 5 years. That in itself is a pretty sad statement about the current state of the German awards system.

It is an even sadder statement that SSG Zapien gets the lowest class medal for, among other things, playing "an essential part in saving the life of a German soldier who was injured during an improvised explosive device attack", while LTC Childers gets the Silver Honor Cross for "... an extraordinary dedication to cross cultural activities that foster understanding and mutual support."

Edited November 2, 2006 by Dave Danner

[Kev in Deva]

A huge difference. Unlike LTC Childers, SSG Zapien is possibly the first, and maybe only, American, decorated by Germany for merit and valor in combat.

It is an even sadder statement that SSG Zapien gets the lowest class medal for, among other things, playing "an essential part in saving the life of a German soldier who was injured during an improvised explosive device attack", while LTC Childers gets the Silver Honor Cross for "... an extraordinary dedication to cross cultural activities that foster understanding and mutual support."

Well we must remember the award "regulations" are written by "paper-pushers" with the consideration of even-more "paper-pushers" in mind.

Kevin in Deva

Edited November 2, 2006 by Kev in Deva

[eitze]

For Germans, the Ehrenzeichen der Bundeswehr is generally awarded as a long and loyal service award, 20 years for the golden cross, 10 for the silver, 5 for the bronze and 7 months for the medal. So basically the Ehrenmedaille comes after completion of conscript service. They can also be awarded in exceptional circumstances for merit without regard for the time limits, but rank often plays a role here.

Hello Dave,

that was the original intension back when the Ehrenzeichen was created, but it is not the practice.

During my 4 year tour with the Airforce, only about 10 soldiers of my unit were awarded with the different classes of the Ehrenzeichen.

And nobody got it atomatically after completing a special timeline !!!

On the other hand I know the case of a private who got the Gold Cross after saving a child from drowning. And it was awarded beside the Life Saving Medal of the German State of Nordrhein-Westfalen!

But nevertheless - it`s a shame for us not to own a pure bravery award

greetings

eitze

[Riley1965]

I can understand Germany not bringing the Iron Cross back after the stain Hitler left on it. However, They do need an apropriate substitute.

Doc

[Guest Rick Research]

The Iron Cross is ONLY brought back for wars with FRANCE.

So nobody wish for THAT to come up again!!!!

Something new would certainly be appropriate-- as long as it doesn't look like most of the new British Commonwealth awards!

[Chris Boonzaier]

After many wars the french and germans finally sealed the peace by working together to create one of the worlds 10 greates inventions...

The Laugencroissant, it incorporates the best of germany with the best of france.... and will assure peace for decades to come.....

[Daniel Krause]

to clear it a bit more, the TIME regulations for the Ehrenzeichen der Bundeswehr are the minimum time a soldier has to serve before he can get the fitting class of the award. Exeptions are just done in rare cases.

I received my Bronze Cross as Feldwebel in 1997 after the flood at the river Oder. I just served 5 years and some months as I got it. If I would be "in" a year shorter I would have gotten the Medal.

There is NO automatism to get one award like this. In the Bundeswehr You can a lot of the older NCO?s and staff officers with a Gold Cross, but the lower classes are more rare.

For Foreigners it is a bit more compliated, as their rank plays also a role adn the time limit does not count.

Generals receive the Gold Cross

Staff Officers the Silver Cross

Field Grade Officers and highest ranking NCO?s the Bronze Cross

Enlisted men and junior NCO?s the Medal.

Actually in service abroad a few selected members of allied forces can get the "Einsatzmedaille der Bundeswehr" (Bundeswehr service medal) for merits WITHthe German Troops. That a foreign soldier received a class of the Ehrenzeichen der Bundeswehr is indeed a rare case and although it is the lowest class it is still a high award.

Best regards

Daniel