JPL
-
Posts
653 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
5
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Blogs
Gallery
Events
Store
Posts posted by JPL
-
-
Here is the link to the latest list:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/operational-honours-and-awards-list-22-march-2013
Jean-Paul
0 -
Here is another interesting take on the establishment of this medal:
Critics of the new Distinguished Warfare Medal have a new objection to the honor: Military officials broke more than 100 years of tradition by creating it without getting support from lawmakers first. Doug Sterner, a military honors expert and archivist for the Hall of Valor awards database, said the Defense Department went against protocol by not consulting with Congress before establishing a new award. Fourteen of the top 16 military medals by order of precedence — including the Medal of Honor, Silver Star and Bronze Star — all received Congressional approval prior to being established. The other two medals, the Defense Distinguished Service Medal and Defense Superior Service Medal, were created through a presidential executive order.
The new Distinguished Service Medal followed neither of those paths. “It’s almost as if they tried to slip this one in the back door,” Sterner said. “For a department that has been so quick to cite tradition on how they award medals, they went against it here.”
Read the complete news story: http://www.stripes.com/news/defense-department-broke-with-tradition-in-creating-drone-medal-1.211732
Jean-Paul
0 -
Just came across this interesting article on the awarding of the Sacrifice Medal due to PTSD. Wondering if this will set a precedence.
The military has awarded a mentally injured war veteran the Sacrifice Medal a year after his father “kidnapped” him from CFB Petawawa, accusing army medics of neglecting his son as he struggled to deal with the trauma of two front-line tours of duty in Afghanistan. A senior officer will award the medal to 31-year-old Mast. Cpl. Jonathan Woolvett later this month at CFB Borden, where Woolvett has served since being treated for alcohol addiction. “It’s a validation of his service and some recognition of his efforts,” Woolvett’s father Greg said Monday. “Getting the medal will help him a lot.” The Sacrifice Medal, comparable to the U.S. Purple Heart, is considered a mark of respect to someone who has been injured in combat. Jonathan Woolvett, who has struggled with alcohol addiction and depression since returning from Afghanistan, had just been released from hospital after a second suicide attempt when his father drove through the night from Burlington, Ont. on May 1 last year and took his son directly to a rehab centre in Windsor. Woolvett had been missing sick parades and Greg believed his son was on the verge of being arrested for going AWOL. “I got so sick and tired of repetitive inaction by the military. Jon was a dead man walking and sooner or later he was going to kill himself,” said Greg Woolvett, who drove his son directly from Petawawa to Windsor’s Brentwood Recovery Home.Despite initial threats to charge Jonathan, the military eventually relented, paid for his addiction treatment and allowed the warrior to continue his service at Borden, where he has been receiving psychiatric treatment while slowly being transitioned out of the army. “The army decided he couldn’t be sent into combat any more so he is being transitioned out,” said Greg. “After all the money and time the military spends on training these guys you’d think they could do better.” First reported by the Citizen last year, the Woolvetts’ “kidnap” story called attention to the struggles a military and a Veterans Affairs department faced in trying to deal with both budget cuts and the aftermath of mental injury sustained by veterans of the decade-long Afghanistan conflict. Jonathan Woolvett, who was recovering Monday from a weekend anxiety attack he said “came out of nowhere” and left him struggling with a war-time memory, told the Citizen he has been treated well by the military since leaving Petawawa, and along with a strict physical regimen has been seeing a psychiatrist at least once a month. “If I need anything I have a dozen numbers to call,” he said. “It’s almost a 180-degree difference from last year but it’s still there, and I still get the nightmares. Some people call (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder) a sickness but I call it an injury. It’s going to be there for the rest of my life.” Woolvett did two tours in Afghanistan, one of six months in 2007 and one of seven months in 2008-09. He returned to Canada suffering from chronic night-terrors, profuse sweating and recurring nightmares. Like many Canadian soldiers who fought on the front lines in Afghanistan, Jonathan witnessed the aftermath of Improvised Explosive Device attacks as well as the death of friends and Afghan children. “I’m pleased to be getting the medal,” said Woolvett, “but I don’t want it to be some big hoopla. It will be a tough day for me. The anxiety is going to be through the roof because it’s a kind of culmination of everything. I will try to prepare myself for it mentally but it will be an overwhelming day. My dad is hoping it will bring some closure and maybe it will. “I’m looking forward to getting it done and moving forward.”
Jean-Paul
0 -
Another Medal of Honor to be awarded:
On April 11, President Barack Obama will award Chaplain (Captain) Emil J. Kapaun, U.S. Army, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry. Chaplain Kapaun will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary heroism while serving with the 3d Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division during combat operations against an armed enemy at Unsan, Korea and as a prisoner of war from November 1-2, 1950. When Chinese Communist Forces viciously attacked friendly elements, Chaplain Kapaun calmly walked through withering enemy fire in order to provide comfort and medical aid to his comrades. When they found themselves surrounded by the enemy, the able-bodied men were ordered to evacuate. Chaplain Kapaun, fully aware of his certain capture, elected to stay behind with the wounded. As hand-to-hand combat ensued, he continued to make rounds. As enemy forces approached the American position, Chaplain Kapaun noticed an injured Chinese officer amongst the wounded and convinced him to negotiate the safe surrender of the American forces. Shortly after his capture, Chaplain Kapaun bravely pushed aside an enemy soldier preparing to execute a comrade, thus saving a life and inspiring all those present to remain and fight the enemy until captured.
Read the complete news article: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/03/11/president-obama-award-medal-honor
Jean-Paul
0 -
The battle continues.
Add the U.S. Senate to the list of critics of the new Distinguished Warfare Medal. Four senators — two Republicans, two Democrats introduced legislation to drop the new medal in the military’s order of precedence, putting it below the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. In a statement, Sen. John Tester, D-Mont., acknowledged the need to recognize troops performing heroically beyond the battlefield, but “the folks who serve directly in the theater of war are at greater risk and we should fully acknowledge the risks that their service brings.” Officials from the Veterans of Foreign Wars said they petitioned President Barack Obama during a White House meeting last week to intervene on the issue, and he promised to review the controversy.
But Pentagon officials have said the criticism thus far has not forced any changes in the creation of the medal or its placement above the Bronze Star. The award is designed to honor “extraordinary actions” of drone pilots and other off-site troops performing noteworthy deeds on far-away battlefields.
Read the complete news article: http://www.stripes.com/blogs/stripes-central/stripes-central-1.8040/senate-too-wants-distinguished-warfare-medal-knocked-down-1.210939
Jean-Paul
0 -
Lance Armstrong faces the prospect of losing his Legion of Honor medal after French officials said they will open an inquiry following his admission that he doped during his Tour de France wins. Armstrong was awarded the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur in 2005 in recognition of his seven consecutive Tour victories. The American admitted to doping during all of those wins and has been stripped of the titles. Francois Sourd, top aide to the head of the Legion of Honor, told The Associated Press that "an inquiry will be opened." The investigation is expected to last several weeks.
Read the complete news article: http://news.yahoo.com/lance-armstrong-could-lose-legion-honor-medal-180342685--spt.html
Jean-Paul
0 -
Yes, this is good news. Here is the link to the article on the return of the medals. Very interesting article along with photos of the medals.
Jean-Paul
0 -
Om Gurung, his dad Bil bahadur, his grandfather Shirprasad and his great-grandfather Suklal - who received the George Medal posthumously - have been fighting and dying for the British since 1886.
Om, 55, received an MBE from the Queen in 1997 for his services as the last Gurkha regimental sergeant major during the handover of Hong Kong.
Through five generations the Gurungs had amassed an impressive 50 medals for their services in conflicts ranging from the two World Wars to conflicts in Burma and Malaysia.
But now Om, a former Regimental Sergeant Major with the Gurkha Signals, has been left devastated after thieves raided a cabinet displaying the medals in his Crossed Khukris restaurant in Nuneaton, Warks.
Read the complete article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/defence/9902646/Thieves-steal-entire-medal-collection-of-Gurkha-family-who-served-British-Army.html
Jean-Paul
0 -
Here is a link to another interesting article on this topic: http://www.stripes.com/distinguished-warfare-medal-is-off-to-a-rocky-start-1.210188
I found the following paragraphs interesting:
A trio of Republican veterans in Congress -- California’s Duncan Hunter, Florida’s Tom Rooney and Pennsylvania’s Tim Murphy -- have introduced legislation to lower the new medal in the order of precedence, a move military officials say is overstepping lawmakers’ traditional roles.
A companion bill is under discussion in the Senate, and the provision is expected to be part of the annual defense authorization act.
That’s key because the authorization bill is one of the few pieces of legislation to pass through Congress every year, regardless of the partisan gridlock. Lawmakers will likely finalize that measure in November or December, possibly before any of the new defense warfare medals are awarded.
Jean-Paul
0 -
I came across this news item which should help in the elimination of false Valor Award claims.
However, after reading the article, that might not be the case. I've highlighted one part of the article that is troubling.
The names of Medal of Honor recipients recognized for their battlefield valor before Sept. 11, 2001, now are listed on the Defense Department's valor website, Pentagon officials announced today.
"Recognizing our brave men and women for their heroic actions is one of the most important things we can do as a department," said Vee Penrod, deputy assistant secretary of defense for military personnel policy.
"Our service members have shown great courage and sacrifice on the battlefield throughout our nation's history, and it is fitting that we honor their sacrifice and courage. Expanding this site is one small way to do that," she added.
The website, at http://valor.defense.gov, lists the name, rank and conflict of recipients of the most prestigious U.S. military awards for valor: the Medal of Honor, Service Crosses and Silver Star Medals.
The site was designed to raise awareness of service members' heroism and to help deter those who falsely claim military honors, said Navy Lt. Nate Christensen, a Pentagon spokesman.
"Our service members earn their medals with hard work and tremendous sacrifice," he said. "While lying about these medals may not be illegal, it is shameful and runs counter to the military's moral and ethical values."
Officials plan to complete a similar expansion of the Service Cross lists by March 31, Christensen said.
Once complete, the site will list recipients of the Medal of Honor and Service Crosses by service and conflict, dating back to the inception of each medal, as well as Silver Star recipients since Sept. 11, 2001.
For security, privacy and administrative reasons, most, but not all recipients of the valor awards will be named on the website, Christensen said. The absence of an individual's name from the list is not a declaration by the Defense Department that the individual did not receive the medal.
In addition, Christensen said, the Defense Department and military services still are examining the feasibility of listing recipients of the Silver Star Medal for actions before Sept. 11, 2001.
"Unlike Medal of Honor and Service Cross data, Silver Star Medal data is not readily available, and obtaining information on pre-9/11 Silver Star Medal recipients will likely be much more difficult, costly and time-consuming," Christensen said.
Silver Star award authority often was delegated below the service headquarters, he explained, and award documents did not always make it into a service member's military personnel record or reach higher headquarters.
Also, many more service members have earned the Silver Star than have earned the Medal of Honor and or Service Crosses, Christensen said, noting the Silver Star's lower place in the order of precedence for military decorations.
Finally, he said, historians and others have done extensive research on Medal of Honor and Service Cross recipients, creating a large body of existing knowledge. This is not the case for Silver Star recipients, he added.Here is the link to the article: http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123338189
Jean-Paul
0 -
Hi Paul,
I see you have 3 medals to E.A. Rys. This abbreviation is not in the list you provided. Is this East African Railways?
Jean-Paul
0 -
I'm seeing more and more news article regarding the order of precedence of this medal. Here is an example along with an interesting video:
US Officials urged to downgrade new medal honoring drone pilots
http://www.10news.com/news/us-officials-urged-to-downgrade-new-medal-honoring-drone-pilots-022013
Jean-Paul
0 -
I agree that this medal should be lower in the Order of Precedence. It would be interesting to see the rational that went into determining why it was placed where it is.
According to a news article, there is a backlash against this new medal. Interestingly, the arguments being put forward are exactly the same as identified by GMIC members.
Here is the link to the article: http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-1-160566-Backlash-against-new-US-medal-for-drone-pilots
Jean-Paul
0 -
Actor Bruce Willis has been presented with the highest culture award in France, the Commander of the Order of Arts for his contribution to film over the past thirty years. Read the complete news article, along with a picture: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bruce-willis-receives-highest-french-420794
Jean-Paul
0 -
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has approved a new medal designed to recognize service members directly affecting combat operations who may not even be on the same continent as the action. The Distinguished Warfare Medal recognizes the changing face of warfare. In the past, few, if any, service members not actually in a combat zone directly affected combat operations. It will not be awarded for acts of battlefield valor, officials said. It will be awarded in the name of the secretary of defense to members of the military whose extraordinary achievements directly impacted combat operations, and cannot be used as an end-of-tour award. The most immediate example is the work of an unmanned aerial vehicle operator who could be operating a system over Afghanistan while based at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. The unmanned aerial vehicle would directly affect operations on the ground. Another example is that of a soldier at Fort Meade, Md., who detects and thwarts a cyberattack on a DOD computer system. The medal could be used to recognize both these exceptional acts, officials said. In the order of precedence, the Distinguished Warfare Medal will be below the Distinguished Flying Cross, and will be limited to achievements that are truly extraordinary. “The member’s actions must have resulted in an accomplishment so exceptional and outstanding as to clearly set the individual apart from comrades or from other persons in similar situations,” a DOD official said.
Read the complete news article and view images of the medal: http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=119290
Jean-Paul
0 -
Royal Marines hero Mark Grey has been awarded one of Croatia's highest military honours for saving a town of 20,000 people from being swept away in a flood when he dodged mines and sniper bullets to save a dam from bursting its banks. Retreating Serb troops had deliberately rigged the dam in Peruca to blow as they fled, engulfing the Croatian town underneath it during the Balkans conflict in 1993.
Colonel Grey - then part of the UN peace keeping force - had been under strict orders to remain neutral.
But when he saw what the fleeing troops were planning, he sprinted to the top of the dam to open a sluice gate to allow thousands of gallons of water to flow harmlessly away before the charges blew, saving the town. And this week he was awarded the Order of Duke Domagoj by
Croatian president Ivo Josipovic for his bravery. Read the complete article and view an image of Col Grey: http://austriantimes.at/news/Around_the_World/2013-01-29/46694/Hero_Marines_Bravery_GongJean-Paul
0 -
JapanX,
Thanks for this information. Looks like I'm now going to have to add Russian Federation miniature ribbons to my ribbon collection.
Does anyone know a source for these miniature ribbons?
Jean-Paul
0 -
Frank,
It never ceases to amaze me how quickly information can be provided in this forum.
Thanks Frank and IrishGunner.
Jean-Paul
0 -
Actually, Chuikov served as the Chief of the Civil Defence of the USSR from 1961 until his retirement in 1972.
Is that a US DSC I see on his chest?
Jean-Paul
0 -
Congratulations Frank on being awarded the Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Jean-Paul
0 -
Another Medal of Honor to be awarded:
The White House announced that on Feb. 11, Former Army Staff Sgt. Clinton Romesha, 31, will receive the highest military award in the nation, the Medal of Honor, for his heroic actions during the intense and deadly Oct. 3, 2009 attack on Combat Outpost Keating in eastern Afghanistan. Romesha was a section leader in B Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division during the 12-hour long battle that killed eight American soldiers and wounded 24 others. The vicious enemy attack is documented in the book, “The Outpost,” by author Jake Tapper. Read the complete news article: http://www.bizpacreview.com/2013/01/12/heroic-soldier-to-receive-medal-of-honor-for-cop-keating-battle-14086
Jean-Paul
0 -
VETERANS of one of the harshest and most important campaigns of the Second World War are to finally get full recognition today for their their bravery after a seven-decade wait, with the creation of an official Arctic campaign medal. The government will announce today that the men who took part in the Russian Convoys are to be awarded a campaign medal after fighting for formal recognition since the mid-1990s in a determined campaign supported by The News. At Prime Minister’s Question Time today, David Cameron will announce that he has recommended the Honours & Decorations Committee proceed with awarding the Arctic Convoy Medal, subject to approval by the Queen. Read the complete news item: http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/defence/arctic-medal-campaign-is-won-1-4600240
Jean-Paul
0 -
After a number of reviews, Sgt Rafael Peralta will not be awarded the Medal of Honor.
Defense officials have decided once again not to award the Medal of Honor to Sgt. Rafael Peralta, saying too much uncertainty exists to upgrade his combat commendations.
The decision is a devastating blow for friends and family of the fallen Marine, who have lobbied for the honor over the last four years and believed new evidence submitted last spring would finally settle the matter.
But staff of Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., who has been pressing Pentagon officials to review the case, said they were informed earlier this week that no change will be made. Peralta was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross – the second highest honor for battlefield valor – over objections from Marines who served alongside him in Iraq who said he deserved the higher honor.
Peralta was killed during a firefight in Fallujah on Nov. 15, 2004. As his team entered a home overtaken by insurgents, Peralta was shot in the head and fell to the ground.
Eyewitness accounts state that before he died, the 25-year-old Marine reached out and pulled an enemy grenade under his body seconds before it detonated. His final sacrifice saved most of his team, those troops insist.
But after he was first nominated for the Medal of Honor, a panel of forensic pathologists reviewing the case found that Peralta could not have consciously grabbed the grenade because of the brain injuries from the gunshot. They also questioned whether the grenade detonated under Peralta’s body, or simply near his corpse.
Hunter and other lawmakers from California asked for a new review earlier this year when new footage of the firefight emerged, showing wounds more consistent with the eyewitness story. Pentagon officials also considered new forensic evidence suggesting that the head wound might not have immediately incapacitated Peralta.
But on Tuesday, Department of Defense General Counsel Jeh Johnson informed Hunter’s office and Peralta’s family that the new evidence did not change the 2008 decision.
Read the complete news article: http://www.stripes.com/news/no-medal-of-honor-upgrade-for-peralta-after-pentagon-review-1.200481
Jean-Paul
0 -
BP,
You are correct in that the 2nd Bn PPCLI was awarded the US Presidential Unit Citation while in Korea. Members of this unit still wear the ribbon on their uniform, but only while stationed at that unit. Here is a link for further details: http://www.army.gc.ca/iaol/143000440000270/index-Eng.html
As for the ribbons, I'd also keep them for my "Ribbon Collection". The ribbons in the top bar were British made, while the UN ribbon in the bottom bar is US manufactured.
Jean-Paul
0
Putin revives Soviet-era Hero of Labor award
in Russian Federation
Posted
President Vladimir Putin has revived the Soviet-era Hero of Labor award, once again turning to the symbols of the Soviet Union to reach Russians who look back to those times with nostalgia. Putin, a 60-year-old former KGB officer, also has turned to Soviet practices to address the problems of Russia today. In his decree, the president said he was establishing the title Hero of Labor of the Russian Federation "with the goals of raising the social significance and prestige of selfless and honest labour." The new Hero of Labor medal is now Russia's highest state award and as such is to be worn on the left side of the chest and above all other Russian and Soviet awards. The medal is to be made from gold with a weight of 15.25 grams (more than half an ounce). The award should be given to Russian citizens who "make a significant contribution to the social and economic development of the country, including development of industrial and agricultural production, transport, construction, science, culture, education and health care, and also other spheres of activity," the decree states.
Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Russias+President+Putin+revive+Sovietera+Hero+Labor+award/8169758/story.html#ixzz2OzDKxIsy
Jean-Paul