The saga of medals various gets a regular exposure in these columns, only beaten by the tirades about them in SOLDIER magazine.
I was naturally disappointed when the LS&GCM was extended to officers in about 2015, having put in 30+ years but - hey - they don't pay the mortgage and unless you can wangle a fairly tolerable VC or GC, there's no gratuity to help buy the celebratory drinks! I consoled myself that I had acquired a Cadet Forces Medal, which is significantly less common than an officer's LS&GCM, so I'm happy and well into my 70s and en route to a first clasp.
The story I like about medals is that told by Group Captain Hamish MaHaddie in his autobiography. He recounts that he attended an investiture by the King in about 1943, when he was presented with a DSO, DFC and another foreign 'gong' - this at a time when not too many campaign medals were about. He and his chums were taking light refreshment afterwards, when a lady asked him what his medals were and he responded: "Madam, I've not any idea, they were on the uniform when I bought it".
Old Duffer