What does the Army give Bronze Stars for?

[JackDRipper]

Saw a local new report last night about an Army Guard Engineering unit that returned from Afgahstan building "living quarters" for the troops and they were giving bronze stars to some of these guys in a ceremony.
I thought you had to be in combat, wounded, or save someones life to get a bronze star. Looks like now one can build latrines in the army and get a bronze star.
JR

 

[wakal]

Used to be a combat award, now stateside REMF get them for "participating" somehow with combat operations...talking on the phone to someone in a combat zone, perhaps. Thinking of danger while at Wal-Mart, maybe.

The Air Farce has been doing that sort of thing for years, but I had held out hope (until the last few years, unfortunately) for the real military services. :barf:




Alex
TSgt, 1ea, USAF

 

[Bud Helms]

From What Does A Hero Look Like?

Bronze Star Medal

For heroic or meritorious achievement of service, not involving aerial flight in connection with operations against an opposing armed force.

Authorized on February 4, 1944 the Bronze Star Medal is awarded to members of all branches of military service and may be awarded either for combat heroism or for meritorious service.

The bronze "V" identifies the award as resulting from an act of combat heroism or "VALOR", thus distinguishing it from meritorious achievement awards.

 

[paratrooper]

As a rule an officer that served in Nam got one . Without the "V" . This is the medal that Grey Davis got and touted all through the Gubnors campaign in Kalifornia . No one thought to bring up the absence of the "V" which would speak volumes . The ad's showed choppers and guys running in combat so as to insinuate that he was involved in real fire fights .

 

[madmike]

The Air Farce was handing out Air Medals to pilots who flew over Iraq, 6 years after the war, while not getting shot at by the AA batteries that no longer existed.

Until the REAL awardees of the Air Medal objected. Then they created the "Aerial Achievement Medal."

 

[Redlg155]

The "V" for Valor makes a big difference. Just short of a Silver Star.

Good Shooting
RED

 

[Bud Helms]

madmike, "created" six years after the war? I got mine in '95 in another part of the world.

Aerial Achievement Medal

The Armed Forces Aerial Achievement Medal was established on February 3, 1988. It is awarded to recognize sustained meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. It is given to US military personnel and civilians whose conduct while participating in aerial flight is above and beyond that normally expected of professional airmen.

Also:

Aerial Achievement Medal

Establishing Authority

The Aerial Achievement Medal was established on February 3, 1988, by the Secretary of the Air Force Edward C. Aldridge, Jr.

Effective Dates

The Aerial Achievement Medal has been in effect since January 1, 1990.

Criteria

The Aerial Achievement Medal may be awarded to individuals who, while serving in any capacity with the Air Force, distinguish themselves by sustained meritorious service while participating in aerial flight.

Order of Precedence

The Aerial Achievement Medal is worn after the Air Medal and before the Joint Service Commendation Medal.

Devices

Additional awards of the Aerial Achievement Medal are denoted by oak leaf clusters.

Designer

The Aerial Achievement Medal was designed by Technical Sergeant Gerald E. Woo, USAF.

First Recipient

The first recipient of the Aerial Achievement Medal was Captain Toby M. Kay, USAF.

Description and Symbolism

Obverse

In the center of a bronze disc one and three-eighths inches in diameter, an eagle facing to its right is shown with its wings displayed. The tips of the eagle's wings extend beyond the edge bringing the medal to an overall width of one and three-quarters inches. Above the eagle, and following the contour of its upper quarter (but just inside its raised edge), are thirteen five-pointed stars (point up). The stars on either end of this array and the one in the center are larger than the remaining ten. Behind the eagle are two intersecting arcs which cross behind the eagle's head. The eagle is clutching a cluster of six lightning bolts in its talons, and the bottom two extend beyond the rim of the medal forming a triangular configuration of which the bottom leg is the lower rim of the medal.

The eagle is the American bald eagle, symbol of the United States, and its wings extending beyond the boundaries of the medal allude to freedom. The thirteen stars allude to the thirteen original colonies and thereby to all of the United States; the arcs represent the flight paths of aircraft, while the lightning bolts represent the Air Force.

Reverse

A raised plaque appears in the center of the reverse. Above the plaque are the words, FOR MILITARY and below the plaque, MERIT.

 

[C. D. Beaver]

If you earn it . . .

My Bronze Star, awarded 50 years ago in October, has the "V" device attached. Earned it for finding a radio to use for the regimental CO after mine had taken a hit that rendered it useless. He got the DSC for being on the same hill. RHIP. We also carried a badly wounded GI down off that deadly hill.
Incidentally, the radio I "found" was sitting next to a second looie serving as a forward observer . . . a real cool type of guy.





Pro Patria

 

[madmike]

I stand corrected, Sensop. Thanks.

All I know is, our pilots got Air Medals in '99 for doing nothing more than a few laps over the Killbox, out of Al Jaber. The 2000 rotation only got AEMs. None of them got shot at or even fired a shot in anger.

I was there, too, standing in a field of UXOs. No one saw fit to give me a medal. On the other hand, I didn't think it was a big deal. I could happily get rid of 13 of my 16 decorations and not notice.

We're starting to look like Third World dictators.

 

[ajaxinacan]

In the Marine Corps, medals may be worn one of three ways:

1) All medals earned by the Marine

2) Only personal awards and unit decorations

3) No medals or ribbons at all

I knew a few old timers who never wore their medals or ribbons. To me, they always seemed to be good Marines. One old MSgt who retired a few years ago used to wear only his Medal of Honor. I think that probably got a lot of attention.

Me, I usually wore them all. I didn't wear badges unless ordered to.

 

[Glockster35]

I assure you that the non-fliers in the "Air Farce" (as you call it) don't get medals handed to us for doing nothing.

In over 14 years of service I have managed to accumulate two Achievement medals and two Commodation medals. I proudly wear my measly medals because I know I earned each and every one of them plus some.

 

[Bud Helms]

madmike,

I know what you mean, buddy. I got one of those for flying through a couple of killboxes too. 'Course a -130 lit up by an SA-2 WILL draw the shorts up a tad.

 

[kjm]

During the Persian Gulf War (first episode), the medal breakdown was as follows:

pvt - spc: Army achievement Medal

Cpl & Sgt: Army Commendation medal

SSG & 2nd Lt: Bronze star (some platoon sgts also recieved it but it was like a slap in the face)

SFC and up plus 1lt, cpt, major & LTC: Silver star.

Yep, the medals went out according to rank. The narrative portion of the medal was a vague statement with a fill-in-the-blanks with your name thing.

I was so upset about it that I put all my friends in for the Bronze star, and one of them put me in for it too. We were all rejected as not being quite heroic enough I suppose.

Here's some other interesting data for you:

In Panama (operation Just Because), after the drop zone at tortilla aeropuerto was in safe hands, the REMF's from the 82d abn division HQ back at Ft. Bragg were flown in and dropped out so that they could get their combat jump too. This of course only applied to officers and super-senior enlisted. I found it quite distasteful and I am surprised that MG Johnson allowed that.

In PGW I, the Infantrymen who served in that theatre were able to get their CIB but only if they had not participated in Panama also. I couldn't figure that one out except that maybe the high ranking officers didn't want to see some PFC walking around with a CIB with a star and CPB. I have a hard time respecting any medals anymore except the Purple heart and even there, I have heard of abuses. Anything with a V device is also worthy of merit, the rest are mostly "I showed up" badges. I have four full rows of them myself. Some are for school attendance, others for showing up. I recieved 2 full rows just off of the PGW I, alone. I did get shot at once, but somebody else had to point it out that I was being shot at, since the guy was so far off we had to wait to see his muzzle blast. We were way out of his range, so we didn't even return fire. Didn't want to waste .50 cal ammo on someone when we were promised that we could light up some old vehicles and airplanes at the captured airbase. Hurricane Andrew relief provided almost another whole row. Schools and merit gave me the other full row. Oddly enough I never did get a good conduct medal....

 

[Fraser]

I would never denigrate anyone who received any military award.

One of the members of our Legion Post was awarded the Medal of Honor. He treats all veterans with equal respect regardless of service or awards.

 

[mushoot]

That is why I have 3 MSMs. I got them because I was an E7 or above. When I was an E6 I got 2 ARCOMS. Strictly by rank. SGMs got legion of merits when they retired

 

[Marko Kloos]

One of the members of our Legion Post was awarded the Medal of Honor.

No crap? Who is it?

 

[Sactown]

The Goobenor of Kalifornia, Gray Davis got a Bronze Star for being in Vietnam...something about meritous service. He didn't get it in combat, although his TV commercials made it seem he did. I think I saw one TV station mention that he didn't get if for combat. At least Davis went to vietnam, unlike a former president/draft dodger..but still, to someone who has not been in the military, when I hear Bronze Star, I'm thinking heroic action in combat...not meritous service.

 

[support_six]

I agree that occasionally some commanders authorize awards for less than for what the awards were established. This is a shameful practice and is often a source of controversy, as expressed above.

It should not; however, denigrate "all" those posessing awards. Most were earned and awarded for true service or valor. We should not apply disdain for "barely earned" awards with a broad brush lest we defame the innocent.

Bruce Woodbury

 

[FPrice]

I have some awards and medals, but none are for service in combat. I was willing to go, and in my younger, dumber days, even volunteered. But I was never chosen. Others who were told me that I should count my blessings and not complain.

So I did my job the best that I could, took what was given by my commanders and in turn tried to recognize those who worked for me in the most appropriate way, the way which would allow them to compete for those promotions which I felt that they deserved.

My attitude is to accept what awards others have been given as being legitimate until they demonstrate to me that those awards were not deserved.

Seems to work often enough.

 

[clem]

Giving out Bronze Stars for "admin" work, man that is sad.

I remember Marines in Vietnam getting the medal for some real
a-- kicking combat and I was impressed.

But, when I was a kid I remember the neighbor, Mr. Flak. He was a WWII GI and had a Bronze Star for taking out a german panzer all by him self.

Man have "they" lowered the medal or what?

Sad, real sad.