Military AircrewA forum for the professionals who fly the non-civilian hardware, and the backroom boys and girls without whom nothing would leave the ground. Army, Navy and Airforces of the World, all equally welcome here.
Brought forward from the PPRuNe Time Machine (post #33)!!! I've no idea why my first post has date/timed 6 hours earlier!
Viz
I'm in receipt of a veteran's badge and will get another choccy gong because my HM Forces service can be aggregated with what I do now. Call me a bluff old traditionalist, I got other medals for "putting my pink body on the line" and the QDJM is really just a celebration of HM's long service through recognising "long" service of her crown servants.
I won't be signing the petition as I believe you're either serving at time of recognition or you're not - simple.
but thanks for saying that serving personnel deserve no recognition..
On what planet could you ever think that I said, meant or inferred the above? As I did say though ...... You're spouting crap .... I can only hope that you've been at the kokinelli.
It's not a decoration or a campaign medal for the military, it's a celebratory medal for public servants in the front line, including police, fire and rescue, ambulance etc, to commemorate her Majesty's 60 years on the throne. I would be happy to wear it if I qualified. Rubbishing it as a chocolate medal is a form of inverted snobbery. Rejoice and celebrate for heaven's sake! There's not a lot else to be happy about these days.
Last edited by Clockwork Mouse; 27th Nov 2011 at 14:24.
Reason: Correcting senior moment pointed out by 500N!
Location: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
Posts: 20,200
Perhaps a reasonable criterion to award the Queen's Diamond Jubilee medal to veterans would be to award it to those who, in addition to meeting the qualifying criteria for the 1977 Jubilee Medal but who did not receive it, subsequently completed a further 25 years of service?
Just a thought. But it would perhaps end the lingering sour taste many still feel about that wholly unfair 1977 'lottery'.
More relevant might be a backdated gong for those who flew Fast Jets during the Cold War. The Mudmoving and Recce world was particularly hazardous, with guys spearing in left right and centre trying to get the job done with some of the lousy equipment we had. A Single-Seat OCU I was on lost 4 out of 12 staff killed in accidents in the space of 6 months in the 70s.
How about Bounced SAPs in Germany in “5km” visibility with the windscreen covered in insects?
And how about Lightning Low Level intercepts over the sea at night with no Rad Alt and the baro alt reading minus 1500ft because of Pressure Error?
The flying was exhilarating and - like most others - I wouldn’t have wanted to do anything else, but with TACEVAL, MAXEVAL etc. the job was extremely demanding and at times downright bloody dangerous.
I can remember it too - woman from across the road came over (it was half term, or I was at home sick (too young to have learned to skive off school)) and Mrs Over (her name. although from "over the road") said to My Mum that the King was dead - They clung round each other sobbing their hearts out - G VI was very much loved for taking over when E VIII skipped off with his American bird and for his leadership and humanity during WWII. Now what did I have for breakfast?.......
And how about Lightning Low Level intercepts over the sea at night with no Rad Alt and the baro alt reading minus 1500ft because of Pressure Error?
OK, I'll raise you "how about stooging around at low level down the back of a Vulcan with no ejector seat?" (Which I am mightily thankful I never had to do, as I sensibly got myself posted to Victors)
No?
Of course not, you can go on forever inventing reasons to get medals. Why not admit we enjoyed what we did, got reasonably well paid for doing it, and leave it at that!
Anyone old enough to have served in any military or close support service [such as, dare I say, Met.] during the Cold War will surely ack. that our victory and our medal was in winning? The world and the country are again in a sh1t state, but we prevented it being blown into little bits. Like our grandfathers and fathers, todays old gits got on with the business, there were lots of laughs, some tears, but when the Wall came down our many years of service paid off. No medal, no OBE, but we know what we achieved, and we did it with ours eyes open. As for the Jubilee medal, I for one am very glad that there are young people out there who will qualify for one [my daughter included], holding a slender line which keeps my a**e more or less safe.
