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Really?
Originally Posted by 1.3VStall
(Post 11588147)
There is very little public recognition of the British Armed Forces, except when they are engaged in operations.
There is now an initiative to get belated recognition for the millions who served and helped to preserve the peace during the Cold War. Please view the petition via the link below, and sign it if you agree with the cause: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/655361 |
The number of signatures is not exactly roaring up.
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How about 15 years service, which - I believe is - the main criterion these days for the award of the LS&GC medal? That would seem reasonable to me. Moi? 36+ years regular service, and another 10 as a uniformed reservist..... no "Long Gong" yet! |
I would be happy to pay for my LS&GC to avoid costing HMG anything. But the parsimonious retrospective criteria for that suggests that a Cold War (ie: served during that time-frame) would be ludicrously expensive in production and administrative terms.
BTW, my Cold War was pretty painless. Loads of exercises and Tacevals at Waddington, and visiting DISTAFF for 11 Gp exercises. Hardly risky or rigorous ... just life in the RAF, really. |
The worst thing I remember about my first SH tour in Germany was hearing the town siren going off in the early hours (as it often did) and not knowing if it was for real this time, or just another exercise.
I reckon that our Puma squadron would have lasted less than a couple of days had the tanks come rolling through westbound, bearing in mind our role and that the Soviets designed aircraft specifically to knock us out of the sky. |
Originally Posted by ORAC
(Post 11589012)
25 years as a Cold War warrior - no medals or awards of any description. Quite happy about - seeing as t9 the alternative which would have generated them.
Got rid of my uniforms after I left, don’t attend parades, so anything I was sent would be stuck in a drawer and puzzled over and discarded by anyone sorting through my effects once I’m gone. Since millions would be handed out it would have no scarcity or other value either. Those who know I served know, I have no need to seek additional kudos by other means. I just enjoy telling “war” stories. If it’s a choice of a medal or Pprune, I’ll stick with the latter… |
Originally Posted by ShyTorque
(Post 11589369)
The worst thing I remember about my first SH tour in Germany was hearing the town siren going off in the early hours (as it often did) and not knowing if it was for real this time, or just another exercise.
I reckon that our Puma squadron would have lasted less than a couple of days had the tanks come rolling through westbound, bearing in mind our role and that the Soviets designed aircraft specifically to knock us out of the sky. CG |
Best flying ever, RAFG LLAD and Battle Flight, UK AD and QRA. Why on earth would one want a gong for it?
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CG, that was only because they lulled us into a false sense of security, by craftily drugging us with Bratwurst and Warsteiner. ;)
GAS GAS GAS!.....CRASHOUT! |
Originally Posted by ShyTorque
(Post 11589369)
The worst thing I remember about my first SH tour in Germany was hearing the town siren going off in the early hours (as it often did) and not knowing if it was for real this time, or just another exercise.
I reckon that our Puma squadron would have lasted less than a couple of days had the tanks come rolling through westbound, bearing in mind our role and that the Soviets designed aircraft specifically to knock us out of the sky. Certainly don’t think it was worth a gong - had to wait until I was posted back to UK for those!!! Mog |
When I joined the RAF just about nobody had a medal, by the time I left just about everybody had some - and I mean everybody, adminers, caters, medics.
I seem to remember a dining in night where Mr Vice was wearing more medals than the PMC. |
In the interests of ‘Diversity and Inclusivity’ I’m all in favour of medals for the Nav’s and Blunties to recognise their bravery in suffering constant ‘ microagressions’ from us Cold War pilots in Happy Hours. Come to think of it they were more like ‘Maxiagressions’. 🤣
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Originally Posted by Mil-26Man
(Post 11588945)
Not a fan of gongs, but surely the junior civil servant you cited would have done something to earn the OBE, in the same way a serviceman/woman should have done something to earn a medal.
My predecessor and my successor in my penultimate job wangled OBEs, I cheerfully burnt any chance of a meaningless bit of tin and enamel for six years in RAFG. No brainer, still have a modest stock of litres of Asbach and incredible memories and friends. |
I have a Veteran’s badge somewhere.
That’ll do me. |
Originally Posted by minigundiplomat
(Post 11588653)
I was lucky (or unlucky) enough to have a career that spanned the Cold War, Balkans and then the sandy unpleasantness. As others have said, specific operations such as Aden had a GSM, but for those that sat in RAFG/BAOR and tainted their shreddies every time they passed close to the inner German Border, to think that was in any way comparable with spending months without proper sleep, living on the roof of a FOB in Sangin under constant attack by small arms, IDF etc strikes me as a little bit 'grabby'.
You spent 3 years on the p1ss, came home, probably with a tax free car. Your colleagues have a far, far, far, reduced prevalence of mental illness (NI and FI aside - read note above re GSM's) - That is what you should be grateful for. |
Originally Posted by Mogwi
(Post 11589466)
We reckoned on 30% losses per day on the Harrier force, so about 3 days before you picked up a rifle. Spare can of fuel in the cellar and wife briefed to bug out west if she didn’t hear that the hooter was for an exercise. Serious days and would certainly have been a medals job if they had come over the border. It was just accepted though and was a couple of very good tours.
Certainly don’t think it was worth a gong - had to wait until I was posted back to UK for those!!! Mog |
Originally Posted by Saintsman
(Post 11589573)
I have a Veteran’s badge somewhere.
That’ll do me. |
But you wanted a verterans ID card? Go figure. The first, hopefully, will have some use as a discount card and for accessing government se4vices, the latter I consider reserved for those who did something above the ordinary to earn them. |
Originally Posted by ORAC
(Post 11589638)
I carried an ID card for 25 years, as did everyone who served, with nary a medal - two different classes of item.
The first, hopefully, will have some use as a discount card and for accessing government se4vices, the latter I consider reserved for those who did something above the ordinary to earn them. |
Originally Posted by Diff Tail Shim
(Post 11589655)
Blue light card. Shame half the major UK companies treat them as worthless.
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