No bar on the medal itself, but of course the total time served all counts toward qualification for the Accumulated Service Medal. The 2011 issue of this medal, which is almost identical to the earlier award other than an extra stripe on the ribbon, is now awarded after a total of 720 days accumulated service (previously 1080 days). A bar to the ACSM can be awarded for a further 720 days accumulated service!

PN - re the QRA medal - I trust your tongue is firmly in your cheek ;)

MPN11 :D :D :D

Sorry TTN but my bad, I was thinking of the S.A.M. as I know of several people who, now that the period has been extended, carried out 2 full qualifying detachments on ASI.

I understood that as the Falklands war had its own medal, time done did not count towards the ACM.

NATO medals, such as the one issued for the Former Yugoslavia, attract a brass numeral on the ribbon for multiple tours in the same qualifying period. The highest number I have seen on an FRY medal ribbon is an 8 (RLC - I think he was a driver).

Mick, you are quite correct. As a general rule, if a medal has been issued with a start and stop date (South Atlantic, Rhodesia (although that is a bit of a funny in itself), Gulf Medal (1990-91)), these do not count towards the award of the ACSM, neither do UN/NATO tours. In simple terms, qualifying periods are for any award of an OSM, Telic or GSM 1962 but there are only certain qualifying bars, from memory, anything pre 1969 doesn't count.

Another review, and still no Cold War medal....

Sloppy Link,


Absolutely right.


The 'accumulated' bit only counts for clasps issued from 1969, so South Arabia - that's Aden for those old enough to remember - Borneo, Malay Peninsula don't qualify.


I seem to recall that the Accumulated Service Medal was lobbied for because of the many repeat visits to Northern Ireland that were not otherwise recognised. This second medal - and I have no bitch about it per se - drives a coach and horses through the argument that we only issue one medal for each campaign. Mind you, there were two for Korea and, if you got your timing right, you could have a pair for Brunei/Borneo. Again after lobbying, the Pingat Jasi Malaysia (PJM) was approved for 'unrestricted wear' three or four years ago and does add a real bit of colour.


As an aside, my wife's station commander (at a secret base in Rutland) always used to say that medals looked nice but they didn't pay the mortgage. Hamish Mahaddie, pathfinder extraordinary, tells that after an investiture at t'Buck House, his mates and he adjourned for some refreshment, when he was asked by a lady what his medals were (they started with a DSO and went downhill from there). He recounts that he looked her in the eye and said: 'Madam, I've no idea, they were on the uniform when I bought it'.


Old Duffer

TTN, Indeed.

Goes with the RAFG, NEAF and NS Medals.

In fact, I wonder where the alternative medal market actually has these already.

On medals (and Walts) there was an old boy featured on TV as the youngest sailor on D-day; he was 16 I think which makes him 86. Now he had a chest full of gongs. I couldn't make out how many stars he had but I did wonder how, at 16 or 17 by war end, he had at least 4 campaign stars.

O-D, as ever, you are correct.

One was in Whitehall when the ACSM was being staffed, and it was very much Army and NI driven. The argument could be (and often was!) summarised thus:

Flt Lt Flashheart flies one Harrier sortie in South Atlantic, one Buccaneer sortie in Lebanon, and one Tonka sortie in GW1 - result: 3 medals.

Pte Baldrick meanwhile, does 4 months in NI every other year for 20 years - result: 1 medal

Teeters
(GSM and 2 clasps (30 years apart!), ACSM and bar!) ;)

TTN,

I knew a Yorkshire man that appended CDM to his name. A CDM and bar would be a good award to V-force aircrew. For those that flew actual QRA missions a MB.

For the kipper fleet (Kinloss) a JP or (St Mawgan) a CP.

:)

Can I get a 'Volcano Club' bar for my S.A.M? I was there twice during the period.

PN - I mis-read that first time round. For a brief moment I thought you were talking about launching QRA against Main Building and I experienced a warm glow and a brief surge of morale at the idea :ok:

Then I re-read it and my morale settled back down quicker than a mushroom cloud evaporating :sad:

teeteringhead ... never saw that paper. Perhaps it was "Army Eyes Only"?

Still believe the ACSM [?] was a good decision, though. Too many guys 'suffered' long enough to deserve it.

Melchett01 ... launching Q against MB is surely a nugatory operation? When did MoD ever get off the ground?

One thing that puzzles me, I am sure when I was at MPA/RAF Mt Pleasant for first 4 months of 1986 it was still deemed an "operational" tour/posting/whatever. It was still thought possible that a rogue Argie squadron commander might launch an unauthorised strike on the Falklands so it was deemed to be a bit "dangerous", but not even a GSM to sully the pristine chest of my No1 uniform. A bit late to be bothered now, but there do seem to be oddities in the system.

28 years in light blue.

Two wars in my time - Falklands and GW1.

For both I was serving as a "Whitehall Warrior".

Result? Completely bare tunic!

Do I care? No!

Best 28 years I ever spent in my life!

(Glad I'm not in now though!)

P-N , unlikely, but not impossible. He gets the France & Germany Star for his efforts on D Day. Later his ship is sent to the Far East and on the way sees active service in the Eastern Med, which earns him the Italy Star, then his Far East service earns him either the Burma Star or the Pacific Star (but not both). Add on his 1939-45 Star and you have your four campaign stars.

Either that or he was dissatisfied with what he had and bought a few more to augment his group!

Rather than issue more gongs, how about giving us a day to day uniform where you can wear ribbons. My half dozen only ever get aired at the odd Dining In, the Summer Ball, the Annual Cockers P and a hats on discussion with no tea and biscuits!

Bring back a derivative of Battle Dress (you know the one that the Public recognise and with a bit of heritage behind it!!). Or put ribbon bars on our nasty polyester shirts!

LJ

I didn't realise the UK didn't have that like they do here in Aus.
That's surprising to me.

I was in over here at a time when very few had any medals, you had the last of the Vietnam era soldiers
so most had nothing. Now you have quite a few with 3 rows and most with two rows.

Personally looking at the UK, just my HO but I think the UK is too tight on the medal front
(and the US over the top the other way, medal or badge for everything !).

Or perhaps a one for not flying as in the RAFG Jag force.

And 8 years of RAF Odihams food in the 70's must have been above and beyond the call of duty..

And silver jubilee medals for all :p