Originally Posted by
Mil-26Man
Not a fan of gongs, but surely the junior civil servant you cited would have done something to earn the OBE, in the same way a serviceman/woman should have done something to earn a medal.
I don't think junior civil servants [up to and including HEO/ HSO] were awarded OBEs, much more like MBE. To my knowledge, very few
SEO/SSO [about S/Ldr or Wg Cdr Messing rates] managed an OBE either. The Other Buggers' Efforts really kicked in at about Principal or PSO [Wg Cdr/ Gp Capt depending on appointment].
My predecessor and my successor in my penultimate job wangled OBEs, I cheerfully burnt any chance of a meaningless bit of tin and enamel for six years in RAFG. No brainer, still have a modest stock of litres of Asbach and incredible memories and friends.