You have hit the nail firmly on the head there. It is something that has bothered me for a while and maybe it's time to air my view.
Let me begin by saying I have nothing but respect for the job that folks are doing on Ops day in, day out . However, the minute people start to crow about it and look down their noses at guys with less medals it makes them look like a prize tosser in my opinion.
I have been in the RAF for 12.5 years now and spent most of those flying FJs, for which I am very grateful. However, my particular jet was not deployed operationally during my stint. I had a blast but have not ticked that particular box and, trust me, it bugs the hell out of me.
I suppose I should think I'm lucky not to have been in harms way but I will be that loser stood at the Cenotaph in 50 years time with only a Diamond Jubilee Medal to show for my troubles (I will still not buy one of the above mentioned Medals regardless).
I was at an RAF funeral recently and several people I met, for the first time, introduced themselves by staring at the empty patch underneath my wings. I, in return, looked at their assembled Herrick and Telic medals and felt an enormous pang of jealousy but as Geehovah has correctly pointed out above. You play the hand you've been dealt.
The funny thing about the funeral (not that it was a particularly funny occasion) was that all those fellow FJ guys looking down their noses at me would have looked like REMFs in comparison to certain Rotary aircrew. There's a lesson there I guess. There's always someone with a bigger d1ck!
BV
