National Defence Medal is a medal for doing nothing
Gentleman Aviator
Sat next to a retired AVM at a Dinner recently - in Mess Kit. He had -IIRC - 38 years service and not even a SomethingBE to show for it.
Not aircrew, so nowt at all on his No 5 lapels - looked odd in the company; he was about the only medal-less one. How times have changed.......
Not aircrew, so nowt at all on his No 5 lapels - looked odd in the company; he was about the only medal-less one. How times have changed.......
I joined a year after the Silver Jubilee fiasco and people were still irritated. Move to the Golden Jubilee medal and people were moaning 5 years was to short a qualification period!
I was lead to believe the LS@GC medal was not automatically issued and that a board of Officers approved there issue. I certainly know of three people who didn't get it at there 16 year point, and they all had clean, no charges records. I got charged when I was 17 for splashing an Officer (yes i will come clean, it was deliberate) when i went through a puddle on my bike but i got mine
I was lead to believe the LS@GC medal was not automatically issued and that a board of Officers approved there issue. I certainly know of three people who didn't get it at there 16 year point, and they all had clean, no charges records. I got charged when I was 17 for splashing an Officer (yes i will come clean, it was deliberate) when i went through a puddle on my bike but i got mine
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PN
WRT your last post I think I might be prepared to buy a NDM if one was created but not issued. As one who joined up in 1979 and served 10 years I missed out on the Siver Jubillee and the Gold Jubilee medals, didn't ever serve in NI, my time in ASC and FI happened only after hostilities were over, I jumped ship before GW1 so didn't qualify for any award, but still believe I gave valuable service to the crown.
That is not to say that I, or many others in the same period, was always out of harm's way, as the Cold War was quite real and taken very seriously - RAFG was considered front-line then and one worked hard, though we played hard too. Quite a few I knew are dead through flying accidents and the course ahead of me at BFTS have lost 4 of their number in subsequent years and the course behind lost 1 killed......and that happened on the course at Linton in Jan 1981.
The Veteran's Badge isn't quite the same thing and a medal to recognise say > 5 years' full-time service to HM's armed services would I think be appropriate, provided the recipient served and received an honourable discharge. If one's exit was via a Court Martial or in similar disgrace then I think award of an NDM should be withheld, but that would only apply to a very small minority.
I had the privilege to be a wreath layer at my local church on Remembrance Sunday on behalf of the PCC. Of course I wore my poppy with pride but would have also been proud to have been wearing a NDM (or equivalent) to have had some outward sign of my own past service....
Just my own two penny-worth.
MB
WRT your last post I think I might be prepared to buy a NDM if one was created but not issued. As one who joined up in 1979 and served 10 years I missed out on the Siver Jubillee and the Gold Jubilee medals, didn't ever serve in NI, my time in ASC and FI happened only after hostilities were over, I jumped ship before GW1 so didn't qualify for any award, but still believe I gave valuable service to the crown.
That is not to say that I, or many others in the same period, was always out of harm's way, as the Cold War was quite real and taken very seriously - RAFG was considered front-line then and one worked hard, though we played hard too. Quite a few I knew are dead through flying accidents and the course ahead of me at BFTS have lost 4 of their number in subsequent years and the course behind lost 1 killed......and that happened on the course at Linton in Jan 1981.
The Veteran's Badge isn't quite the same thing and a medal to recognise say > 5 years' full-time service to HM's armed services would I think be appropriate, provided the recipient served and received an honourable discharge. If one's exit was via a Court Martial or in similar disgrace then I think award of an NDM should be withheld, but that would only apply to a very small minority.
I had the privilege to be a wreath layer at my local church on Remembrance Sunday on behalf of the PCC. Of course I wore my poppy with pride but would have also been proud to have been wearing a NDM (or equivalent) to have had some outward sign of my own past service....
Just my own two penny-worth.
MB
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Originally Posted by BEagle
'Buy your own' NDM? A somewhat different matter. What are the intended qualifying criteria?
When discussing this with the OH [she only served 25 years], she suggested "having completed enough service to be eligible for a pension". We didn't pursue the conversation beyond that, but at first glance it seems a more rigorous criterion. Or is that too harsh?
Are they any other criteria, beyond just a 'few' years service, that would make sense?
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There seems a thread of opinion implying '5 years' - which seems a bit short to me.
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Next, people will be suggesting a series of bars to show length of service (perhaps subconsciously demonstrating the number of bars that were "propped up" during the service period).
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Thank you for your replies Gentlemen. Reading Hansard, it looks as if Service will count as it mentions National Service.
Second reading of the Bill will be 5 Dec but will it run out of time?
The LS&GC medal would seem different as old hairless like me sporting a retrospective medal could irritate long serving ORs.
Second reading of the Bill will be 5 Dec but will it run out of time?
The LS&GC medal would seem different as old hairless like me sporting a retrospective medal could irritate long serving ORs.
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Gentleman Aviator
The Cadet Forces Medal is issued to uniformed adult volunteers supporting ACF, ATC, SCC and CCF.
Initial award is after 12 years continuous service, with subsequent bars every 6 years, so after 18, 24, 30 etc. So maybe that's a good starting point??
This is what it looks like:
Initial award is after 12 years continuous service, with subsequent bars every 6 years, so after 18, 24, 30 etc. So maybe that's a good starting point??
This is what it looks like:
Let's not go down the American route of adding stripes for the amount of service you have please. - Skeleton
As the Royal Navy has been doing since the mid 19th century for good conduct, and Skeleton's navy has been doing for long service and good conduct for some 100 years, although the RAN now awards them for long service alone....
Jack
As the Royal Navy has been doing since the mid 19th century for good conduct, and Skeleton's navy has been doing for long service and good conduct for some 100 years, although the RAN now awards them for long service alone....
Jack
When discussing this with the OH [she only served 25 years], she suggested "having completed enough service to be eligible for a pension". We didn't pursue the conversation beyond that, but at first glance it seems a more rigorous criterion. Or is that too harsh?
Plus given the pride many recipients attach to their LS&GC, I can see some bring disappointed their award has lost it's status as it becomes a catch all medal. As such I think separate qualifying periods that wouldn't allow for the 2 awards to be combined.
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When discussing this with the OH [she only served 25 years], she suggested "having completed enough service to be eligible for a pension".
S-D
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And what to do about TA or Reserve service?
There are plenty of serving and former TA soldiers (plus RNR and RAF Reserve) who have served sandy and/or rocky side, many doing more than one tour.
There are plenty of serving and former TA soldiers (plus RNR and RAF Reserve) who have served sandy and/or rocky side, many doing more than one tour.
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Surely the Reserves have their own 'endurance medal' already?
Content with NutLoose's suggestion of 6 years ... That makes enough sense for me!
Content with NutLoose's suggestion of 6 years ... That makes enough sense for me!
Quote:
When discussing this with the OH [she only served 25 years], she suggested "having completed enough service to be eligible for a pension".
Isn't it just two years to be eligible for a service pension?
S-D
When discussing this with the OH [she only served 25 years], she suggested "having completed enough service to be eligible for a pension".
Isn't it just two years to be eligible for a service pension?
S-D
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Isn't it just two years to be eligible for a service pension?
In my time, OR's had to serve 22 years for a pension. My, I did 13 and got zilch.
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Skeleton
See my earlier post.
We did this until 1951. A stripe every 5 years.
Lets not go down the American route of adding stripes for the amount of service you have please.
We did this until 1951. A stripe every 5 years.