Medals?

During the first Gulf War many US soldiers were (technically) denied medals, awards or promotions (despite their performance) due to being on the Army weight program.
Funny, the Commander was overweight, some of his staff were even more over weight, but enlisted men got screwed.
They were so overweight they didn't meet AR 600-9 but could still do their job well enough to be deployed in combat.
Something is wrong with this picture and the Army wouldn't even talk about it!
 
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In Australia they allocate a given number of medals of the higher grades, and you could win the war single handed, but if all the medals have been issued, you will go without.

I guess this is just the way your Forces have approached the same problem.
 
Medals and Ribbons are nothing more than window dressing. (ask Gunny Dan Daly) I knew a Marine Gunny who got a Silver Star for the risk and work of a lance corporal who was the real deal.

Some guys get decorated because of what they were observed doing in the heat of battle. Others, get medals for no reason other than they are well liked. Most heroes don't get anything because those who saw the action were killed off and the one who performed the deed has too much character to raise his hand and say hey look at what I did.

In my mind, the Soldier, Airman, Sailor, or Marine with a smattering of ribbons is more apt to be the real deal as compared to one with 20 silver stars ect. Now, that isn't always true but is seems the case in most instances.
 
That's a sin. What, over-weight people aren't worthy of recognition. By giving a slap in the face instead of recognition of a job well done makes a better soldier.

What are we becoming?
 
Have any of you heard of Marine Sgt Lou Diamond? He was one of the greatest mortar man in WWII. There is a story of him dropping a mortar round down the stack of a Jap cruiser while he was on Guadalcanal. His skills with a mortar were second to none.

He served in the Corps for a long time and his highest decoration was a Navy Commendation Medal. It's the man that makes the Marine, not the medal.

I think Major Pappy Boyington said it best. " Show me a hero, and I'll prove he's a bum."

He should know about such things he was awarded the Congressional MEdal of Honor in WWII>
 
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