A new medal has been approved by the U.S. Secretary of Defense (http://"http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123336660"). It is called the Distinguished Warfare Medal and it outranks Purple Hearts and Bronze Stars (http://"http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/02/14/new-medal-draws-backlash/1921413/").
"The Distinguished Warfare Medal will be awarded to pilots of unmanned aircraft, offensive cyber war experts or others who are directly involved in combat operations but who are not physically in theater and facing the physical risks that warfare historically entails.
"The new medal will rank just below the Distinguished Flying Cross. It will have precedence over — and be worn on a uniform above — the Bronze Star with Valor device, a medal awarded to troops for specific heroic acts performed under fire in combat."
I'm bit miffed by this. I don't feel that anyone who was not susceptible to hostile fire should receive an award that ranks higher than a Bronze Star with V and a Purple Heart.
the Duffel Blog's proposal
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for the record, I think it's a load of horseshit that this ranks higher than a Purple Heart or a Bronze Star. Anyone kicking grenades out of HMMWVs to save people's lives rates more than a cyberjoystickjockey playing Ender's Game from Las Vegas and commuting home to the wife and kids at the end of the day.
They could get a nice commendation that they were a very good drone pilot
and had performed a great service. I am not kidding they should receive recognition.
If they did not kill too many goats. And if they get a repetitive stress injury they
could get a purple heart. In the Commonwealth during WW2 they had the George Cross
for non combat acts of bravery. They should get something but Distinguished Drone doesn't sound good.
Quote from: Greybriar on February 16, 2013, 11:08:36 AM
"The new medal will rank just below the Distinguished Flying Cross. It will have precedence over — and be worn on a uniform above — the Bronze Star with Valor device, a medal awarded to troops for specific heroic acts performed under fire in combat."
I'm bit miffed by this. I don't feel that anyone who was not susceptible to hostile fire should receive an award that ranks higher than a Bronze Star with V and a Purple Heart.
+1 Hard to believe they're doing it that way. I hope they come to their senses and change it.
I think of those comic opera style uniforms emblazoned with a bazillion medals and the increasing
glitter of modern uniforms also the awarding of attendance awards and "particpant" ribbons.
There has to be a line drawn between recognising a good job and an extraordinary performance.
You've gotta be f***ing kidding me. Until brant posted, I was sure this was a story from the Duffel Blog. I can't believe this is a real thing. >:(
nice way to tell people that put themselves in real danger to go.............. >:(
You sometimes wonder if you are right to place any confidence in the military.
This bespeaks stupid decision making at a very high level. If a dumb decision is made
high up everybody down to the bottom is affected by it and more importantly
cannot stop it. There is something unfathomable about the peacetime military mind.
Yes I know there is war going on but not a big enough war to prevent this kind of stuff.
Drone drivers perform an important task but they aren't in danger of anything more
than a sprained thumb and emotional trauma or a car accident on the way to work.
Maybe this is some lame effort to make the zoomies stop sh*tiing on them.
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Quote from: bayonetbrant on February 16, 2013, 11:13:55 AM
for the record, I think it's a load of horseshit that this ranks higher than a Purple Heart or a Bronze Star. Anyone kicking grenades out of HMMWVs to save people's lives rates more than a cyberjoystickjockey playing Ender's Game from Las Vegas and commuting home to the wife and kids at the end of the day.
+1 well said.
Quote from: bayonetbrant on February 16, 2013, 11:13:55 AM
for the record, I think it's a load of horseshit that this ranks higher than a Purple Heart or a Bronze Star. Anyone kicking grenades out of HMMWVs to save people's lives rates more than a cyberjoystickjockey playing Ender's Game from Las Vegas and commuting home to the wife and kids at the end of the day.
I'm not so sure. Having suffered the civilian version of carpel tunnel I can tell you it's damn serious. Can't believe we don't recognize the sacrifice of IT guys who code all day and game all night in the civilian world. We should get a Congressional Freedom of Movement Award or something.
They should get recognition just not a higher one than somebody who gets their ass shot at.
QuoteAmid the controversy surrounding U.S. drone practices, toy maker Maisto International's model Predator drones have sold out on Amazon.com as reviewers joke about how the toys can help children hone their killing skills.
Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/02/18/toy-drone-sells-out-on-amazon-amid-jokes-from-reviewers/
Found three for sale through Amazon. Check out the comments :)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001LGFHHI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001LGFHHI&linkCode=as2&tag=grogheads-20
LOL. That Amazon link was worth clicking on.
I saw a good one for a Swiss Army knife once. It has about 100 comments and most of them were very, very clever.
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Other than the Medal of Honor, why do medals even have a rank? Do the higher ranked ones help you with promotions
In large part, it's the order in which you wear them on your uniform, but yes, some are more prestigious than others, and recognizing valor under fire in combat is a pretty big deal compared with "hey this guy did a great job in garrison in an important position, so we're giving him a medal".
The US has really, really inflated the medal count over the years to where they have essentially created a whole lot of participation ribbons.
Quote from: bayonetbrant on February 20, 2013, 08:40:56 AM
In large part, it's the order in which you wear them on your uniform, but yes, some are more prestigious than others, and recognizing valor under fire in combat is a pretty big deal compared with "hey this guy did a great job in garrison in an important position, so we're giving him a medal".
The US has really, really inflated the medal count over the years to where they have essentially created a whole lot of participation ribbons.
Yes I read where there were 631 Bronze Stars awarded for the invasion of Grenada. There were only about 7,000 troops that aprticipated in it and the fighting lasted less than a week.
Soon every US soldier will look like one of those old European Monarchs.
They will be emblazoned with "Walks Good" and "Doesn't Fart Too Much" medals and ribbons.
^^ we're 90% of the way there already
I wasn't kidding about the "Doesn't Fart Too Much" award.
That is one of the most valued traits in any soldier.
Quote from: Longdan on February 20, 2013, 12:13:24 PM
I wasn't kidding about the "Doesn't Fart Too Much" award.
That is one of the most valued traits in any soldier.
Then ensure the food service guys are properly trained and given the correct resources. Proper diet and exercise will fix that for ya.
Do you get some sort of clusters add if you exceed the average?
"How Often Do We Fart?
Well if you have ever wondered if you fart more or less than the average human person then read on. An average person will produce around half a litre of fart gas per day, which roughly translates as 14 farts a day."
Read more: http://scienceray.com/biology/10-things-you-didnt-need-to-know-about-farts/#ixzz2LSmQbz67
Quote from: LongBlade on February 20, 2013, 12:33:30 PM
Quote from: Longdan on February 20, 2013, 12:13:24 PM
I wasn't kidding about the "Doesn't Fart Too Much" award.
That is one of the most valued traits in any soldier.
Then ensure the food service guys are properly trained and given the correct resources. Proper diet and exercise will fix that for ya.
I leaned the hard way in a tent in -30 weather on the bald ass prairie at a horrible little place called Wainwright.
The frequency and lethality of flatulence varies considerably from one individual to another even when they eat
identical diets. Tunefulness and musical ability count for little when matched against lethality and sheer gag factor.
I had a buddy we called "Pumpkin". He was an talented fellow but much unloved. I can never eat pumpkin pie to this day.
Quote from: Longdan on February 20, 2013, 01:07:02 PMI can never eat pumpkin pie to this day.
You see: it is diet related.
He could make anything smell like rotten pumpkins. It must have been genetic.
Quote from: Longdan on February 16, 2013, 04:44:16 PM
You sometimes wonder if you are right to place any confidence in the military.
Never thought I'd agree with Longdan on anything until now. LOL
I'll try to make that into a compliment.
Quote from: Greybriar on February 16, 2013, 11:08:36 AM
A new medal has been approved by the U.S. Secretary of Defense (http://"http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123336660"). It is called the Distinguished Warfare Medal and it outranks Purple Hearts and Bronze Stars (http://"http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/02/14/new-medal-draws-backlash/1921413/").
"The Distinguished Warfare Medal will be awarded to pilots of unmanned aircraft, offensive cyber war experts or others who are directly involved in combat operations but who are not physically in theater and facing the physical risks that warfare historically entails.
"The new medal will rank just below the Distinguished Flying Cross. It will have precedence over — and be worn on a uniform above — the Bronze Star with Valor device, a medal awarded to troops for specific heroic acts performed under fire in combat."
Can you get this for being in a Call of Duty Hall of Fame? 8) ;)
I'm bit miffed by this. I don't feel that anyone who was not susceptible to hostile fire should receive an award that ranks higher than a Bronze Star with V and a Purple Heart.
Does getting in a Hall of Fame for Call of Duty or BF42 count?
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^^That's downright subversive!
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Again:
http://www.duffelblog.com/2013/02/predator-drone-is-first-recipient-of-distinguished-warfare-medal/
@Brant :)
I love those new medals for the Virtual Army. 8)
On a more serious note, I think there is some merit in this medal if the recipient can frustrate cyber attacks or save a lot of life from developing appropriate intel to stop a terrorist atrocity - but not just for drone piloting.
Quote from: Boggit on March 05, 2013, 06:46:59 PM
On a more serious note, I think there is some merit in this medal if the recipient can frustrate cyber attacks or save a lot of life from developing appropriate intel to stop a terrorist atrocity - but not just for drone piloting.
Seriously. you think that should give higher credit than taking a bullet ?
Ive gotten PTSD from shady hits in World of Tanks. wheres my medal?
Quote from: jejo68 on March 06, 2013, 05:05:39 PM
Quote from: Boggit on March 05, 2013, 06:46:59 PM
On a more serious note, I think there is some merit in this medal if the recipient can frustrate cyber attacks or save a lot of life from developing appropriate intel to stop a terrorist atrocity - but not just for drone piloting.
Seriously. you think that should give higher credit than taking a bullet ?
Yes, I think so. In my opinion, if medals are given for battlefield performance, then it all hangs on the impact that the individual makes to the battlefield outcome. Taking a bullet is a sad event, but pure bad luck or even stupidity can create such an event. It doesn't necessarily mean that taking a bullet makes a positive contribution to your sides victory, nor necessarily is a sign of bravery beyond the normal occupational risks of being in a military force. In the case of taking a bullet due to bad luck or to stupidity, then what message is sent for awarding a medal in that context? If the skill/bravery exhibited by a soldier is so outstanding that it contributes to the successful conclusion of a battle, or inspires comrades to victory, then I think a medal is merited. Of course what contitutes a battle is open to opinion, but I'd suggest that even cyber wars can constitute a specie of battle for military intelligence superiority.
If you accept that premise, then is it so wrong to recognise skills by way of a medal that achieve such advantage that saves or substantially protects a country's servicemen or economy?
I still think they should get something just to make the zoomies stop crapping on them but not higher than someone who has been in danger.
I would imagine some could get PTSD but so do firemen and cops and anybody who has been through a bad divorce. I've had PTSD diagnosed.
Quote from: Longdan on March 08, 2013, 05:40:38 PM
I still think they should get something just to make the zoomies stop crapping on them but not higher than someone who has been in danger.
I would imagine some could get PTSD but so do firemen and cops and anybody who has been through a bad divorce. I've had PTSD diagnosed.
I see where you're coming from. I'm not unsympathetic to the traditional view of medals for bravery, but I'm just pondering the purpose behind it. I'm more inclined towards the issue of contributing to victory in some tangible way as the basis of the award. If the effect of ones actions has a greater effect on the achievement of victory than lesser tangible performance (but a physical presence on the actual battlefield), does that not merit greater recognition? I reckon really we should be saying it has to be looked at on a case by case basis. I'm not advocating that medals should be handed out for the normal performance of the job, whether that be a drone operator or a combat infantryman. It has to be for something beyond that and the level of award must reflect the contribution effect of the soldiers' actions.
Looks like the outrage has been heard:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/12/official-hagel-orders-review-new-cyber-medal/
Thanks for letting us know, Steve.
Quote from: steve58 on March 12, 2013, 11:45:28 AM
Looks like the outrage has been heard:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/12/official-hagel-orders-review-new-cyber-medal/
Good. It's past time they dealt with this farce.
the medal has been nixed.
instead it will be a device affixed to existing medals
http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=15934
Since they are virtual warriors maybe it should be a virtual medal...something that only if you are equipped with google glasses you could see!
Con