Whopee! Medals for all!
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The former transport base in Wiltshire was pretty good in presenting gongs for confrontations and colonial punch ups the Station supported. The First in Last out action was normally in a Tac C130. Other than that GSMs, their bars, NATO medals and Her Maj's jubilees were normally signed for in the Adj's office.
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I got a letter with a personalised subscript from ACAS for my efforts in GW1 
Absolutely, it's not like the PM has anything better to do right now than to deal with a bunch of ROs with a sense of entitlement........!
BTW, you wont have to claim one, even if you do qualify, and you can write in to point out how you don't think retired Officers with long service should be getting a medal, if that is your view?
OAP
I received the bar to my LS & GC through the post to my home address along with a letter thanking me for my loyal service as if I had retired. At the time I was serving as an Ops Officer in the Big Tent in Oman having been Commissioned as a Warrant Officer in 2002. Right Hand Left Hand
Contrasting presentations. 1968, sitting in a St Athan classroom on my fitters course, the door opens and the FS chucks a package to me - my GSM Malay Peninsular. Many years later I received a fulsome apology from AVM Squire on the late presentation of a bar to my LSGC and my 'Warrant'.
Onceapilot suggested in post 199 that anyone keen to see the LS Medal made official for retired officers should write to the Defence Secretary, etc.
Well, I did just that in June 2015, addressing my three letters to the Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans, the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, and the Secretary of State for Defence. The texts were essentially similar, but an example (to my local MP) included:
As a courtesy, I should like you to know that I have written to the Rt Hon Michael Fallon MP, Secretary of State for Defence, on my understanding that the new Long Service Medal he announced on the 26th of March 2015 may not be awarded retrospectively to those who have served a minimum of 15 years in the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom.
Writing this letter is not about qualifying for another medal, but for deserving just one medal from a Nation that I hope is grateful for the long service in the Armed Forces that many of us have delivered in former years. My letter to the Secretary of State is an attempt to suggest how it might profit the Government to look with sympathy upon addressing what could otherwise become a potentially anomalous situation.
I do hope that you will do whatever you can to support my plea that those of us who served our Monarch in earlier years may at last obtain recognition of that service, even though administering that award may be spread over several months in order to reduce the impact on what I acknowledge are extremely tight budgets."
All three letters were then forwarded to the Minister of State for Defence, the Rt Hon Earl Howe PC, who sent a reply in which he explained that the LSM was intended to be a medal for the modern era, "which reflects the commitment we expect from the Armed Forces today. There are no plans to make it a retrospective award."
I replied with a statement rather than a further question, acknowledging that, "The UK Government was to be applauded for addressing the anomalous situation that has existed hitherto in which Armed Forces personnel of all ranks who have served qualifying periods in the Volunteer Reserves, Cadet Forces, Royal Observer Corps and other part-time units have been able to claim long service medals whereas within the Regular Army, Navy and Air Force such recognition has been denied to those who have held the Queen's Commission without prior service in a non-commissioned capacity. The new LSM will be a visible and tangible indication of the Government's regard for the professionalism, courage and contribution over extended periods by those who serve and have served in the Regular Armed Forces, and as such will be highly regarded.
To this end, it cannot be right that contributions made by former commissioned officers who have provided long service in the Regular Armed Forces during Her Majesty's reign could be held as less deserving of merit and recognition than those who today have served for 15 and more years. If retrospective application of the new LSM is not prescribed, comparisons such as this will be made, and many who have served faithfully for long periods in earlier years will feel that their service counted for little and, despite the rhetoric, is not in fact highly regarded. With the greatest respect, I would be most grateful if you were to convey these sentiments to the officials who are currently working on the criteria for the award."
The reason why I put pen to paper on this issue is that I would cherish medallic recognition for having served for more than 15 years as a Regular Service officer throughout the 1960s and 70s (20 years actually), and retired without a medal. Why does it matter to me? At one level, because I was proud to serve in the Royal Air Force and would like to be able to display that pride at events such as the annual Remembrance Service. At another level, because at this Service, in a packed congregation in my local church, there are maybe only two or three persons wearing medals: two of us wearing those earned by our fathers in the two World Wars, and one a GSM he earned in Cyprus. I fear that unless more medals can be seen, our new generations will increasingly lose touch with the symbolism that serves to bring home the service and commitment of the Armed Forces whose physical presence is increasingly less evident amongst rural populations: "Lest we forget".
Many of those of you who have read thus far may already have earned a medal, possibly the Queen's Gold and/or Diamond Jubilee medals (which inter alia required at least 5 years' service), so might not have the same perspective on this matter as those of us who have none. I was serving during the Queen's Silver Jubilee and, like many around me, was pleased to learn that a medal was to be struck, to be awarded to the Armed Forces, but hugely disappointed when it became apparent that this was limited to only a very small minority.
I think that as the months pass, there could be more than a few voices (hopefully some VSOs) asking the Government to think again about retrospective granting of the LSM to retired Regular Service officers - maybe only to those who qualify and wish to receive it (for quite possibly many won't be interested). Now in my mid 70s, I would like to think that one day, the LSM/LS&GCM will be awarded to all regular Service officers who satisfy amended qualification criteria.
This Poppy Day I will be at Waterloo Station collecting for the RBL, and wearing - with pride - my late father's impressive collection of WWII medals.
Well, I did just that in June 2015, addressing my three letters to the Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans, the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, and the Secretary of State for Defence. The texts were essentially similar, but an example (to my local MP) included:
As a courtesy, I should like you to know that I have written to the Rt Hon Michael Fallon MP, Secretary of State for Defence, on my understanding that the new Long Service Medal he announced on the 26th of March 2015 may not be awarded retrospectively to those who have served a minimum of 15 years in the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom.
Writing this letter is not about qualifying for another medal, but for deserving just one medal from a Nation that I hope is grateful for the long service in the Armed Forces that many of us have delivered in former years. My letter to the Secretary of State is an attempt to suggest how it might profit the Government to look with sympathy upon addressing what could otherwise become a potentially anomalous situation.
I do hope that you will do whatever you can to support my plea that those of us who served our Monarch in earlier years may at last obtain recognition of that service, even though administering that award may be spread over several months in order to reduce the impact on what I acknowledge are extremely tight budgets."
All three letters were then forwarded to the Minister of State for Defence, the Rt Hon Earl Howe PC, who sent a reply in which he explained that the LSM was intended to be a medal for the modern era, "which reflects the commitment we expect from the Armed Forces today. There are no plans to make it a retrospective award."
I replied with a statement rather than a further question, acknowledging that, "The UK Government was to be applauded for addressing the anomalous situation that has existed hitherto in which Armed Forces personnel of all ranks who have served qualifying periods in the Volunteer Reserves, Cadet Forces, Royal Observer Corps and other part-time units have been able to claim long service medals whereas within the Regular Army, Navy and Air Force such recognition has been denied to those who have held the Queen's Commission without prior service in a non-commissioned capacity. The new LSM will be a visible and tangible indication of the Government's regard for the professionalism, courage and contribution over extended periods by those who serve and have served in the Regular Armed Forces, and as such will be highly regarded.
To this end, it cannot be right that contributions made by former commissioned officers who have provided long service in the Regular Armed Forces during Her Majesty's reign could be held as less deserving of merit and recognition than those who today have served for 15 and more years. If retrospective application of the new LSM is not prescribed, comparisons such as this will be made, and many who have served faithfully for long periods in earlier years will feel that their service counted for little and, despite the rhetoric, is not in fact highly regarded. With the greatest respect, I would be most grateful if you were to convey these sentiments to the officials who are currently working on the criteria for the award."
The reason why I put pen to paper on this issue is that I would cherish medallic recognition for having served for more than 15 years as a Regular Service officer throughout the 1960s and 70s (20 years actually), and retired without a medal. Why does it matter to me? At one level, because I was proud to serve in the Royal Air Force and would like to be able to display that pride at events such as the annual Remembrance Service. At another level, because at this Service, in a packed congregation in my local church, there are maybe only two or three persons wearing medals: two of us wearing those earned by our fathers in the two World Wars, and one a GSM he earned in Cyprus. I fear that unless more medals can be seen, our new generations will increasingly lose touch with the symbolism that serves to bring home the service and commitment of the Armed Forces whose physical presence is increasingly less evident amongst rural populations: "Lest we forget".
Many of those of you who have read thus far may already have earned a medal, possibly the Queen's Gold and/or Diamond Jubilee medals (which inter alia required at least 5 years' service), so might not have the same perspective on this matter as those of us who have none. I was serving during the Queen's Silver Jubilee and, like many around me, was pleased to learn that a medal was to be struck, to be awarded to the Armed Forces, but hugely disappointed when it became apparent that this was limited to only a very small minority.
I think that as the months pass, there could be more than a few voices (hopefully some VSOs) asking the Government to think again about retrospective granting of the LSM to retired Regular Service officers - maybe only to those who qualify and wish to receive it (for quite possibly many won't be interested). Now in my mid 70s, I would like to think that one day, the LSM/LS&GCM will be awarded to all regular Service officers who satisfy amended qualification criteria.
This Poppy Day I will be at Waterloo Station collecting for the RBL, and wearing - with pride - my late father's impressive collection of WWII medals.
It would seem that none of us dispute that the requisite time in uniform deserves the medal. The main argument seems to be the cost to finance the medal for all qualifying cases if there were not an arbitrary cut-off date. So, how about anybody who has qualified, regardless of dates, can have and wear the medal. Serving personnel should get the medal free, all others can order and pay for it.
BB
BB
I do not have any truck with arguments that, cost or difficulty should limit simple awards where merit has been recognised. However, if the official choice was presented of being recognised but having to pay for the actual medal, I would go for that, rather than see thousands of Veterans not get that recognition of Service AT ALL! 
Cheers
OAP
Last edited by Onceapilot; 22nd Oct 2016 at 11:25.
Nugget90
Yes, a very good move by you, IMO.
The response that implies the medal is "for today" is fatuous. A Long Service medal by definition reflects past Service! What a load of bolleaux from them!
OAP
Yes, a very good move by you, IMO.
The response that implies the medal is "for today" is fatuous. A Long Service medal by definition reflects past Service!
What a load of bolleaux from them!OAP
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Well done, Nugget90. I suspect that nothing will come from your efforts - but thanks for trying 
"which reflects the commitment we expect from the Armed Forces today ..."
What a pathetic response! Do we assume then that in the past the same level of commitment was not required? I repeat, I wont be getting one in any event, as I only did 12 years, but I see no reason why longer serving fellow officers from earlier years shouldn't get one.
What a pathetic response! Do we assume then that in the past the same level of commitment was not required? I repeat, I wont be getting one in any event, as I only did 12 years, but I see no reason why longer serving fellow officers from earlier years shouldn't get one.
The way letters sent to Ministers work, they are looked at by the Ministers office, the part of the department that deals with the issue is asked to produce a reply, and its then approved and sent by the Ministers office.
Sending 3 letters doesnt mean 3 responses, it just means that one desk officer will get stiffed 3 times. Writing to a Minister doesnt do very much beyond ensuring you get a formal letter back, written by a usually highly overworked officer or civil servant rather than by the Minister in question.
Sending 3 letters doesnt mean 3 responses, it just means that one desk officer will get stiffed 3 times. Writing to a Minister doesnt do very much beyond ensuring you get a formal letter back, written by a usually highly overworked officer or civil servant rather than by the Minister in question.
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I might try dropping a line to my MP, the former Lord Chancehellor. Now he's on the Back Benches, he might have some time on his hands. And at least he known me personally.
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Apologies for the typo ... "knows me". I was very active in local politics before I emigrated, which was a week or so after we put the Gove in Government 
I hope that clarifies matters?
I hope that clarifies matters?
MPN11
Yes, do write. Sometimes, I suspect, just getting the ear of the right, or enough, people can tip the balance. Beyond that, I think the case for backdating the award on merit is sound! Cheers
OAP
Yes, do write. Sometimes, I suspect, just getting the ear of the right, or enough, people can tip the balance. Beyond that, I think the case for backdating the award on merit is sound!
CheersOAP