Congratulations to one and all.

I find it mildly disconcerting that, although still serving, I know none of the recipients, except the Air Ranks, and then only by their names do I need to get out more?

You are not alone, I did not recognise a single name from the RN, and I used to get out loads. Always a lot of bitching when these awards come out. Many people just do their jobs as well as they can, receive nothing, expect nothing anyway and simply fade away. Not that's there's anything wrong with that and all the better for it.

Jimlad,

Perhaps I was bemoaning the lack of junior rank inclusion from the position of a "junior".
We're not all Officers here you know.
I feel quite sure their must be a junior rank more than deserving out there.

seems odd to give awards to SO's at all TBH

Bravery awards certainly but a gong just for turning up at the office??

It did cross my mind, which rank did all the work and which rank took all the credit for it?
Did the air ranks work over christmas and new year de-icing runways?

All that hot air must be of some use...

Ross Paterson
 

Blimey - AVM and another gong.

Ross was my flight commander at Cranwell back in 1988. Someone I wish I had perhaps paid more attention to than I did. No messing type of chap.

If he is reading this - congratulations.

Again....
 

I note that latest Personnel Bulletin exhorts us to do better at identifying exceptional performance and writing suitable citations.

Maybe not unconnected, DT has presented some data on broad rank spread of State awards since demise of BEM in Military Division of Order of British Empire (see link: Honours bias 'favours officers over soldiers' - Telegraph).

Whilst broadly in agreement that what we have ended up with seems unfair, I do think that to some extent the award of LS&GCM to a high proportion of OR makes up for lack of other State awards. As a wild-arsed guess, I'd say that a greater proportion of OR with 15+ years of service have LS&GC than officers and WO of same service have been admitted to Order of British Empire.

Other than that, well done Rich Langley (OBE).

Batco

BATCO
I'm not sure what direction that statement is heading in, but the LS&GCM is awarded to non-commissioned personnel (and, I believe, Officers commissioned from the ranks) after completing 15 years qualifying service (without being disbarred for any reason).

The Long Service aspect most often means that the individual has been around the camps a bit, and is willing to put up with the current employment for a while longer, it is certainly not an 'honour' award...

So, whilst the quoted statement is factually correct, the award of a LS&GCM does not usually leave the recipient with the warm, fuzzy feeling that all of their efforts so far have been noticed and appreciated. It just confirms that the RAF have not got enough evidence to halt their career before pension time.

I have known some truly excellent non-commissioned personnel, many of whom would be truly deserving of some recognition, but because of their rank (at the time), it would have been a no hoper. (Has an SAC ever been awarded an MBE...?)

I'm clearly just stirring but...
 

Have you ever noticed on threads like this that it seems perfectly reasonable to rubbish the efforts of Officers and accuse them all of being chinless wonders who just take the credit for others work but you very rarely, if ever, see anyone saying the opposite?
I am absolutely certain that there are more hard working JRs and NCOs who are deserving of awards who don't receive them (and it genuinely disappoints me that more don't) but I feel certain that, whilst those Officers weren't out de-icing runways, they were probably still working their respective dangly bits off in order to receive the recognition they have garnered.
BV:oh:

Maybe not, but a Private soldier has won the Victoria Cross, which in my opinion userps all of the medals associated with levels of ( principally commisioned ) rank. LS&GC medal is nothing more than a tick on the board; although I do know someone for whom it never came :{

I myself am quite nonchalant about the process although I do disagree with individual crew members receiving awards in cases where the whole crew have been courageous. The common argument of all = nothing is unacceptable IMHO.

Totally agree, the whole system is abhorrent, awarding people OBE's and knighthoods for simply doing their jobs, one reason I refuse to call anyone Sir whatever... And have told them to their face

Yep, there was one I remember where the pilot and Nav were awarded the VC, the LAC gunner nothing..


Fairey Battle P2204 PH-K of 12 Squadron RAF as it might have looked in May 1940. This aircraft was lost on May 12th 1940 while attacking the Veldwezelt bridge at Maastricht. All the crew were killed but only the pilot and navigator Flg Officer Garland and Sergeant Thomas Gray were awarded VCs. The air gunner LAC Reynolds was not given any recognition.

That is SO wrong.

Flying Officer Garland VC, Sergeant Gray VC - 1940 - WW2 Talk

And I totally agree with this

I refuse to call anyone Sir whatever... And have told them to their face

Oh dear! I probably "resemble" that remark, but hope that you wouldn't take umbrage at me addressing any man I meet as "Sir" if I don't initially know their name.:ok:

That said, I don't disagree with the overall tenor of your post, and I speak as someone very involved in the Honours and Awards process

Jack

PS You'd better not go abroad, M'sieu:)

I mean as in the title, I was told you can call me Sir XYZ, and I said XYZ it is then.. And that was that, got on like a house on fire once my views were understood and accepted..

I don't mean any offence in it, just my personal view, in the past knighthoods were awarded for deeds, not simply doing your job. Far different from gallantry awards where they have my total and deep respect for what they have done.


Re LAC Reynolds, it appears 12 Sqn at the time tried to get it overturned, shame he couldn't be recognised retrospectively.

RAF BINBROOK HERITAGE CENTRE - Fairey Battle

Don't know about SAC but I had a female Cpl working for me in the '90s who had an MBE.

There are a fair few out there if you take time to look. All very well deserved.
For example:

Corporal to Raise Flag at Olympic Opening Ceremony

:ok: Sir Nut! :D

Jack

Nutloose

Just for interest, what are your views on Knighthoods for actors, pop-stars and sportsmen? (eg Sir Larry, Sir Cliff and Sir Wiggo).

Are they not "just doing their job"? And for considerably more money than anyone in uniform or any other sort of public service.......

A quick google shows this thread

http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...ours-list.html

with SAC Swift listed as a recipient of the MBE in the NY Honours 2010.

And 1996 must have been a good year as there were three (SAC Mackell, SACW Richford, SACW Walker) - click here

Probably more can be found by those with better google skills than me!

My apologies for not clarifying that point, all Knighthoods. I can understand it for doing great services to the Crown, etc, but the rest is just piffle.
These days for some strange reason they seem to hand them out just to make up the numbers. Why knight someone for winning a Gold Medal at the Olympics or singing a song?. Its like the MBE to Camerons hairdresser.