bigjarofwasps

http://candle_in_the_dark.blogspot.com/200...01_archive.html "Better to Deserve Them AND Have Them or Your God Damn Right It's Sour Grapes! I think the worst part of the Army Awards System is the fact that anyone can put anyone in for an award. In Iraq we all received a "blanket" commendation with the same citation. I was put in for 2 ARCOMs one with "V" and both were kicked back. Most of us in Iraq were turned down for at least one real decoration for actions in combat. The sad part is that this week we had a battalion awards ceremony and about 120 awards were given out. About one third were ARCOMs and for all but about 10 achievement medals were given out. The point of this bitter rant is that none of these guys did anything in a play-play exercise that we didn't do FOR REAL in combat. Yes, I am pissed that I wasn't put in for an award, but my squad leader and I come from an older Army where you weren't given an award for doing your job. I know guys who literally saved a life but weren't put in for an award because it was said that's the medic's job. Yet an E-2 11B gets an AAM for clearing a room well in a play-play exercise. I know what you're all saying, but when you really look at it if we didn't get decorated in no ###### combat then these kids shouldn't get an award for showing up to the game just because this is an unpopular war and we want to inspire them to stay in. By the way, it's NOT better to deserve them and not get them."

Three Danish officers received Army Commendation Medal On 28 February 2005 kaptajn Philip Borreschmidt, kaptajn Jesper K. Pedersen og kaptajn Thorsten C. Lossin participated in a convoy to Baghdad with an American officer from the Illinois Army National Guard. An IED (Improvised Explosive Devise) exploded in front of the first vehicle in the column, which resulted in the vehicle rolling over. Two American officers from MND CS (Multinational Division Central Southern Iraq) were seriously wounded in the accident. On 26 June 2005 the three Danish captains received the American Army Commendation Medal for their professionalism in securing the accident site and participation in evacuating the wounded American officers. Shown receiving the medal are: Kaptajn Philip Borreschmidt, kaptajn Jesper K. Pedersen og kaptajn Thorsten C. Lossin. http://forsvaret.dk/HOK/Nyt+og+Press...endation+Medal

Yeh, I agree some of the designs are a bit lame, lucky these are in a minority, and good designs certainly make up for the others short fallings, in my opinion.

That is interesting, you`d think that the chop marks would add to the value? Like with Maria Dollars...

Cheers Ulsterman, I`d forgotten about that one...quality!!!!

Lance Corporal Sarah Holmes dies from injuries sustained in a road traffic accident in Qatar http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceN...dentInQatar.htm

Hi Guys, Can anyone tell me what the ARCOM is issued for? Can anyone give me any examples of events that lead to ARCOM was awarded? Is it highly thought of, within the military? One worth having...??? Gordon.

Yeh, this makes sense. But it still doesn`t define what `under fire` means.. ???

Cheers H, thats very interesting, and has answer my question perfectly. Thank you.

Cheers Ulsterman, I was particularly interested in the CAB. Seems only far that the clerks & chefs should have something they are reguarly overlooked aren`t. Just to throw a spanner in the works, mind. What would a medic involved in the contact get if he didn`t treat any casualties, just fought with the other, and visa vesa want would an infantry man get if he didn`t fight, but treated the wounded??

Cheers Guys, very nice but I think I prefer the British system.....

Hi Guys, Can anyone tell me how I can go about find details of recent awards to US soldiers for Iraq? AAM - 262 ARCOM - 421 (2 W/VALOR) MSM - 80 BSM - 31 (4 W/VALOR, 3 POSTHUMOUS) PH - 24 CIB - 269 CAB - 77 CMB - 10 1- Meritorious Unit Citation GWOT Campaign Streamer for Each unit A, B, C, HHC All these medals were awarded to soliders of the 2/127th National Guard, Iraq 2005-2006. I`d like to find out more about who the soldiers were & what these awards where given for? Can anyone help me out?

Hi Guys, Can anyone tell me what a Military Streamer is? Am I right in thinking that its like a Battle Honour? Gordon.

Ed, thats Fascinating thanks for sharing it to our attention!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gordon.

How Ironic that he should be killed on a street named after a guy he`d murdered!!!

Eddie, Now that is very interesting!!!!!!!!!!! But why isn`t the Canadian one medal out of the same gun metal? I also heard that the Crimea gun metal is running out, and that guns from the Boxer War in China are also used, any trueth in that? Gordon.

Taz, am curious is the Kiwi VC on par with the British VC, and by that I mean will this guy be listed with the 1000+ British issue VC winners, or will it be an award in it own right? Like say the US Medal of Honour? Gordon.

Leigh, not heard that, but am curious any more info or pictures?

Hi Guys, Found this thought it might be of interest... http://www.royalmint.com/Corporate/British...gn/50pCoin.aspx Gordon.

Taz, thats very interesting, am I right in thinking then that this is the first New Zealand VC to be awarded?

Corporal Bill Henry "Willie" Apiata VC (born 28 June 1972 in Mangakino, New Zealand) is a member of the Special Air Service of New Zealand and the first recipient of the Victoria Cross for New Zealand. He is also the first New Zealander to be awarded a Victoria Cross since 1943. He received the award on July 2, 2007 for bravery under fire during the Afghanistan conflict in 2004, after carrying a wounded compatriot across a battlefield to receive medical treatment. Corporal Apiata is one of only 12 living recipients of the Victoria Cross and the only living New Zealand recipient. He is the 22nd member of the New Zealand Armed forces to be awarded a Victoria Cross.[ Victoria Cross [edit] Citation Apiata (then a Lance Corporal) was part of a New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS) Troop in Afghanistan that came under attack from about 20 enemy fighters while holed-up for the night in a rocky rural area. The troop was attacked with rocket propelled grenades, destroying one of the troop's vehicles and immobilising another. This was followed by sustained machine gun and automatic rifle fire from close range. One of the grenade hits blew Apiata off the bonnet of the vehicle he was stationed on. Two other soldiers in or near the vehicle were wounded by shrapnel; one of them, who can only be identified as Corporal 'D', was in a serious condition. After finding what cover was available, the three soldiers found that Corporal 'D' had life-threatening arterial bleeding and was deteriorating rapidly. Apiata assumed command of the situation. The three were about 70 metres in front of the rest of the troop, so Apiata decided the only option available was to carry Corporal 'D' back to the rest of the troop. Miraculously none of them were hit during the brave act. After getting Corporal 'D' shelter, Apiata went back outside to rejoin the battle. On July the 2nd, 2007, Apiata was awarded the VC for his bravery. In part the citation for the award reads- "In total disregard of his own safety, Lance Corporal Apiata stood up and lifted his comrade bodily. He then carried him across the seventy metres of broken, rocky and fire swept ground, fully exposed in the glare of battle to heavy enemy fire and into the face of returning fire from the main Troop position. That neither he nor his colleague were hit is scarcely possible. Having delivered his wounded companion to relative shelter with the remainder of the patrol, Lance Corporal Apiata re-armed himself and rejoined the fight in counter-attack." Three other SAS soldiers also received bravery awards for actions during the same mission. Two received the New Zealand Gallantry Decoration and one the New Zealand Gallantry Medal.[

When I first deployed to Iraq, we were driving round in striped down Land Rovers!!!!! We got a couple of Snatches about half way threw the tour, but they weren`t that much better. I`d much rather have been in a Warrior or Chally 2 to be honest!!!!

Just out of idol curiousity. How does the US military view the wearing of foreign medals. I`ve read all the trends abouts serving years in the British Army, then joining the US Army, were they allowed to wear for example there GSM for Northern Ireland, etc?