Operational Awards Announced Today
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Operational Awards Announced Today
139 awards for bravery announced today - see MOD website. Well done to all the recipients.
As one of those involved in your training I was particularly pleased to see the AAC awards - 2 DFCs and 2 MCs - outstanding, excellent, brilliant - words fail me.
And not forgetting my old pal awarded the US Bronze Star was well.
Low Ball
As one of those involved in your training I was particularly pleased to see the AAC awards - 2 DFCs and 2 MCs - outstanding, excellent, brilliant - words fail me.
And not forgetting my old pal awarded the US Bronze Star was well.
Low Ball
As one of the terminally lazy, my thanks to you c-bert, and my heartfelt congratulations and admiration to all listed on the link. I suspect that we are already facing a situation where reviewing officers are being out dazzled by those that they are reviewing. Never has so much been owed to so many equipped with so little!
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Only 11/139 for the RAF. Obviously the RAF do little these days. Or is it that the RAF are really, really bad at formal recognition / appreciation. Methinks the latter.
Heartfelt congratulations to any PPruners on the list.
Heartfelt congratulations to any PPruners on the list.
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I would like to join in with those who are praising those who have been recognized on the operational honours list published today. 
I was one of the lucky ones listed and I thank everybody for their kind words. I would like to go on record and thank those not listed, who played a big part in the action for which I have been recognized. To the crew of Ugly 53, Sniper and Winchester who will be remembered for the quickest “Winchester” in Sqn history.
For the backseater of Ugly 52, Fog who made the bad man disappear, I’ll never be able to repay those deeds.
But most of for Ugly 51; whose support throughout the mission was unstinting and whose courage was worthy of wider recognition. I am truley gutted.
I will be in touch with you all in the near future.
Last, but by no means least. To the family, friends and colleagues of Lance Corporal Matthew Ford, my sincere and heart felt condolences for your loss.
Tom
I was one of the lucky ones listed and I thank everybody for their kind words. I would like to go on record and thank those not listed, who played a big part in the action for which I have been recognized. To the crew of Ugly 53, Sniper and Winchester who will be remembered for the quickest “Winchester” in Sqn history.
For the backseater of Ugly 52, Fog who made the bad man disappear, I’ll never be able to repay those deeds. But most of for Ugly 51; whose support throughout the mission was unstinting and whose courage was worthy of wider recognition. I am truley gutted. I will be in touch with you all in the near future.Last, but by no means least. To the family, friends and colleagues of Lance Corporal Matthew Ford, my sincere and heart felt condolences for your loss.
Tom
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Well done Vincent.
Hope you haven't naggoood anything recently!
I haven't seen Vince for some years-can anyone enlighten me as to which Stn he is at these days?
By PM if anyone thinks it's an issue.
Thanks.
Hope you haven't naggoood anything recently!
I haven't seen Vince for some years-can anyone enlighten me as to which Stn he is at these days?
By PM if anyone thinks it's an issue.
Thanks.
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As someone that was fighting a losing battle in trying to get you guys a decent CSAR/ICR/JPR (whatever the doctrine boys want to call this month) capability I am genuinely delighted that your efforts have been recognised. And of course there will be those that were there as part of the organisation that were not formally recognised but everyone knows were part of the team that made it all happen. Lets be honest there are very few military honours that ae as a result of individual efforts - normally there is someone else invoved in the chain of events that lead up to the act of bravery.
But as leave my current job - and start to look at feathering my nest for civvie street I am saddened that I have not been able to make any headway with the whole JPR capability and despite the individual acts of bravery feel disappointed that for such a deliberate operation that there was not an organic JPR capability - and I am not talking about a Sea King on steroids. As AHQHI656Sqn has said in previus posts something akin to an HH60 or something similar (especially in the training to crews) that would have negated the requirment for these men to put themselves in harms way.
This time the guys got away with it and they really lived by the maxim of not leaving a man on the ground - but i think that they have agreed that luck (as well as bravery) was on their side and in future such an attempt may lose many a life and damage morale when a small, well trained and organic CSAR capability could not only do these kinds of missions, but also assist worldwide with others that sees UK personnel (both civilian and military) in need of a combat search and rescue/recovery.
Well done guys - to be honest the MCs for aircrew really does impress me as I can imagine what was going on in the cockpits (even as an ex Wokka driver)but heaven knows what was going on on the ground.
But as leave my current job - and start to look at feathering my nest for civvie street I am saddened that I have not been able to make any headway with the whole JPR capability and despite the individual acts of bravery feel disappointed that for such a deliberate operation that there was not an organic JPR capability - and I am not talking about a Sea King on steroids. As AHQHI656Sqn has said in previus posts something akin to an HH60 or something similar (especially in the training to crews) that would have negated the requirment for these men to put themselves in harms way.
This time the guys got away with it and they really lived by the maxim of not leaving a man on the ground - but i think that they have agreed that luck (as well as bravery) was on their side and in future such an attempt may lose many a life and damage morale when a small, well trained and organic CSAR capability could not only do these kinds of missions, but also assist worldwide with others that sees UK personnel (both civilian and military) in need of a combat search and rescue/recovery.
Well done guys - to be honest the MCs for aircrew really does impress me as I can imagine what was going on in the cockpits (even as an ex Wokka driver)but heaven knows what was going on on the ground.
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A very well deserved BZ to all.
Now the question: Is it still appropriate for Northern Ireland to be on the Operational list? After all normalisation has broken out - hasn't it?
Discuss (or should I start a new thread)
Now the question: Is it still appropriate for Northern Ireland to be on the Operational list? After all normalisation has broken out - hasn't it?
Discuss (or should I start a new thread)
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Air Vice-Marshal Paul Douglas LUKER CB OBE AFC
Is there a citation available for this award? :-
AFGHANISTAN
Bronze Star Medal
Air Vice-Marshal Paul Douglas LUKER CB OBE AFC Royal Air Force. When a Flt Lt, Paul Luker was attached to 654 Sqn AAC when I was with the unit.
AFGHANISTAN
Bronze Star Medal
Air Vice-Marshal Paul Douglas LUKER CB OBE AFC Royal Air Force. When a Flt Lt, Paul Luker was attached to 654 Sqn AAC when I was with the unit.
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Impinger
The Mil Op finishes on 31 July 2007. So on 1 August 2007, love, peace and reconcilliation will flourish across the Province and no-one will want to kill, mame or torture anyone.
But back to the thread - heart-felt congratulations to everyone. It takes people that are very special to gain such recognition. The rest of us will have to do with polishing our campaign medals (and the chocolate jubilee one) and read your citations with extreme humility. Well done.
Celer et Audax
Now the question: Is it still appropriate for Northern Ireland to be on the Operational list? After all normalisation has broken out - hasn't it?
But back to the thread - heart-felt congratulations to everyone. It takes people that are very special to gain such recognition. The rest of us will have to do with polishing our campaign medals (and the chocolate jubilee one) and read your citations with extreme humility. Well done.
Celer et Audax