Having served with the USAF for 3 years I found the constant awards/ pinning on ceremonies/ re-enlistments etc well over the top.... well at least initially! They actually grew on me over time and I do think we might actually be missing something. The most prominent example were the official retirement ceremonies which really put us to shame and I think we should do more at all levels to thank our people for the service to their country. I've seen many SNCOs and Officers leave the Service, some with as many as 35 years plus, just to receive a small gift and a quiet send off from immediate colleagues at a local pub.
In my opinion, adopting just some of these ceremonies and the use of more awards would help increase morale and esprit-De-corps, especially in the current climate.
Where I was based the Stn Cdr would send out a weekly email to everybody with some of the stuff he'd been up to that week and some of the "accomplishments" he'd seen on the base. I actually grew to like his light-hearted informal updates and found them much more personal than the annual formal stuffy disingenuous 'Christmas Messages' we tend to get!