BV, you have struck a chord!
I served for nearly 28 years and retired bare chested. A "Cold War Warrior" - yes - but I was proud to do what was necessary for all those years. Through no design of my own I was serving in MoD London during the two wars on my watch: Falklands and GW1.
Until recently I wasn't at all bothered by the lack of a "gong". However, I am now converted to your view that It would be appropriate for me to have something to pin on my lapel when I attend the local war memorial in November - and also a little memento for my boys, when I drop off my perch, to show their Dad did a bit of service.
At the end of the day, if it is now accepted that officer service is deserving of a LSGC gong then when the LS occurred should be irrelevant n'est ce pas?