Clink-clank...another medal
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I only got one for NI in my time and would be embarrassed to ever wear it, I must admit seen few people with those veteran lapel badges, but would even be embarrassed to wear one of those, I just think they look a bit sad. Similar to those that still flaunt their rank on stuff with retired on the end of it... I once said to one guy who introduced himself with a bunch of airs and graces as AVM XYZ Retd, get over it mate, you are a Mister now.
A 'wife off'?!
Is that like the 'walk off' scene in Zoolander? What would the wives do to compete with each other? It sounds like a hoot. I'd pay good money to see one of those.
BV
BV
"I once said to one guy who introduced himself with a bunch of airs and graces as AVM XYZ Retd, get over it mate, you are a Mister now. "
LOL! I once introduced myself to a guy thus:
Hi, I'm sorry, I dont know you who you are?
I'm Wg Cdr Blogg you can call me "Wg Cdr"
Nice to meet you. I'm Mister Rigga - you can call me "Mister Rigga".
I do have a couple of jangly things but don't tend to wear them much (except for the missus).
LOL! I once introduced myself to a guy thus:
Hi, I'm sorry, I dont know you who you are?
I'm Wg Cdr Blogg you can call me "Wg Cdr"
Nice to meet you. I'm Mister Rigga - you can call me "Mister Rigga".
I do have a couple of jangly things but don't tend to wear them much (except for the missus).
Probably a slightly contentious view and I don't want to appear like one of those "sneering tossers", but I have never understood the fascination by these baubles and bling. Half the time, they aren't even particularly nice to look at - more cheese than a pack of cheesy Wotsits. What I find particularly confusing is when you look at the Old Boys parading on Remembrance Sunday, lots seemingly thinking their chestful of genuine, hard earned campaign medals aren't quite enough, so they add one of these underneath. Frankly, their campaign medals alone, even where it is a solitary Defence Medal or War Medal say far far more than an entire collection of purchased bling ever could.
But this brings me on to my point, medals are an emotive issue. And as has been said, it is often down to the luck of the draw and being on the right unit, in the right place at the right time that dictates things. Given the way that all 3 Services have been called upon to support the nation (on ops and increasingly at home) in recent years, and indeed during the Cold War, combined with the fact that this as an issue clearly isn't going to go away, why can't they just re-issue the old Defence Medal?
If memory serves, that was issued on a graduated timescale according to the risk and rigour associated with where you were posted; so spend your war sipping G+T in the Savoy and dodging the odd V1 / 2 post Blitz and that would rightly need a longer period of service than if you were in an operational area under the threat of regular air attack. I'm fairly sure that such graduated criteria would fit quite nicely with the concept of those spending much of their service in Germany whilst those posted to other areas might have a different qualification period. Also, rather than the War Medal which had a blanket 28 days under Colours and you get the medal, which would mean people potentially failing training but still getting a medal, the Defence Medal criteria could help ensure that you had to do a reasonable amount of time to make sure you had earned it.
Now I'm not a Muttley in any sense; I probably have the only 3 medals I am likely to get, am happy with them and don't feel the need to buy any others. But for the sake of a little harmony and to put these discussions to bed once and for all, as well as stopping these cheap baubles being put up for sale by "Del Boy Medals Plc", it has to be at least worth considering. Of course, this would depend on us not being skint and being able to afford it!
But this brings me on to my point, medals are an emotive issue. And as has been said, it is often down to the luck of the draw and being on the right unit, in the right place at the right time that dictates things. Given the way that all 3 Services have been called upon to support the nation (on ops and increasingly at home) in recent years, and indeed during the Cold War, combined with the fact that this as an issue clearly isn't going to go away, why can't they just re-issue the old Defence Medal?
If memory serves, that was issued on a graduated timescale according to the risk and rigour associated with where you were posted; so spend your war sipping G+T in the Savoy and dodging the odd V1 / 2 post Blitz and that would rightly need a longer period of service than if you were in an operational area under the threat of regular air attack. I'm fairly sure that such graduated criteria would fit quite nicely with the concept of those spending much of their service in Germany whilst those posted to other areas might have a different qualification period. Also, rather than the War Medal which had a blanket 28 days under Colours and you get the medal, which would mean people potentially failing training but still getting a medal, the Defence Medal criteria could help ensure that you had to do a reasonable amount of time to make sure you had earned it.
Now I'm not a Muttley in any sense; I probably have the only 3 medals I am likely to get, am happy with them and don't feel the need to buy any others. But for the sake of a little harmony and to put these discussions to bed once and for all, as well as stopping these cheap baubles being put up for sale by "Del Boy Medals Plc", it has to be at least worth considering. Of course, this would depend on us not being skint and being able to afford it!
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Bob Viking:
There is in fact a Law of Swinging Dicks, which goes something like: "When two or more swinging dicks are gathered together in one place for the purpose of achieving cooperative ends, the amount of cooperation actually achieved is inversely proportional to the ambient level of testosterone".
Empirical evidence of this law exists in all parliaments, and clearly at some public events attended by retired officers...like funerals.
There's always someone with a bigger dick!
Empirical evidence of this law exists in all parliaments, and clearly at some public events attended by retired officers...like funerals.
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I just realised, I actually have 2 medals, I have a bronze medal I got at school for life saving
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Interesting, I see that one is Regular... Do they do one for Constipated as well?
I just realised, I actually have 2 medals, I have a bronze medal I got at school for life saving
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That's why I would never wear my NI GSM, the Army earned theirs big time, I didn't at Aldergrove .... A bit like all these senior officers that turf up places on some shallow reason simply to get a medal...
Oddly enough at the time in Germany I was the odd man out because next to no one at that time had any medals... No one did..
Oddly enough at the time in Germany I was the odd man out because next to no one at that time had any medals... No one did..
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I gained an Iraq gsm & an Afghanistan gsm, really don't think I did much to deserve them apart from dodging the occasional incoming. Personally feel that the lads out on the front line are the ones that deserve them really, spannering a C-130 isn't really that dangerous ( unless you happen to be on a wonky set of ladders eh SPHLC? ).
).
Melchett
Since you have some medals you are able to afford the luxury of indifference towards them. Those of us without any can only wonder!
Woe is me.
BV
Although, now I think about it a London Marathon Medal and four Nijmegen Medals weren't that easy to come by. A terrible case of groin chafing as I wandered the plains of Holland is the closest I've felt to dying.
Woe is me.
BV
Although, now I think about it a London Marathon Medal and four Nijmegen Medals weren't that easy to come by. A terrible case of groin chafing as I wandered the plains of Holland is the closest I've felt to dying.
Whenurhappy
You're in danger of sounding like one of those people of which I spoke earlier. Does it make those Gp Capts and 1*s any worse at their job because they don't have medals?
CAS is a great example of a man who obviously grew up in an era when actual shooting operations were thin on the ground. Does that make him incapable of high command?
I am playing Devils advocate now, but have I made my point?
BV
CAS is a great example of a man who obviously grew up in an era when actual shooting operations were thin on the ground. Does that make him incapable of high command?
I am playing Devils advocate now, but have I made my point?
BV
Thread Starter
I do take your point - of sorts. I had been in 14 years before I received my first campaign medal; since then I have received another one every 2-3 years - and at 50, there is probably every likelihood that I might serve on another operation in due course, before I am finally culled.
It is not appropriate for me to comment on the current CAS - but a cursory look at Sir Glen Torpy's 'rack' is revealing, especially for a Cold War warrior. Unfortunately I know of fellow senior officers who have avoided service in various deserts - in part because it would upset their postings plot and therefore their promotions - or because, in one high-profile case, his wife didn't want him to go. Does it make them less effective? In terms of day to day staff work, probably not, but I know that my Service life is considerably richer for having undergone some risks on operations. Certainly, when I was in MB I could add a degree of understanding and urgency to many of the operationally-related issues that crossed my desk, whereas those who hadn't served on operations simply did not posess that empathy or knowledge. There is also a credibility issue with colleagues and subordinates.
I was filling an 'Any Branch' post; our team of 6 was an eclectic bunch representing most areas and capabilities of the RAF and it worked well. It's sad to note that these posts are now annotated 'flying related', thus narrowing the employment field for non Flying Branch officer. Anyway, that's another story...
It is not appropriate for me to comment on the current CAS - but a cursory look at Sir Glen Torpy's 'rack' is revealing, especially for a Cold War warrior. Unfortunately I know of fellow senior officers who have avoided service in various deserts - in part because it would upset their postings plot and therefore their promotions - or because, in one high-profile case, his wife didn't want him to go. Does it make them less effective? In terms of day to day staff work, probably not, but I know that my Service life is considerably richer for having undergone some risks on operations. Certainly, when I was in MB I could add a degree of understanding and urgency to many of the operationally-related issues that crossed my desk, whereas those who hadn't served on operations simply did not posess that empathy or knowledge. There is also a credibility issue with colleagues and subordinates.
I was filling an 'Any Branch' post; our team of 6 was an eclectic bunch representing most areas and capabilities of the RAF and it worked well. It's sad to note that these posts are now annotated 'flying related', thus narrowing the employment field for non Flying Branch officer. Anyway, that's another story...