Air Medals and the point system

[ChuckMK23]

Do Strike/Flight Air Medal rules apply for the Navy guys?

It sounds like Navy AA is building a huge legacy. Should be greatn material for a book. I hope someone is documenting the Navy Helo Air Ambulance mission so it can be published. Hopefully you guys will build a legacy similar to HC-7 during SEA.

This is all fascinating to former Navy HC/'46 guy. Keep it up!

 

[hscs]

You would need to be going cross border into bad-guy country for the air medals.

 

[skidkid]

Im really curious why the Army is sticking with the Red Cross, it isnt like our enemies are respecting it. Take off the red cross placard and add some guns, you can still have the same amount of medical equiptment on board you jsut arent counting in Int'l law to protect you anymore. I realize any of the Army guys here probably dont have a say in policy, is this a case of "we've always done it this way"?

 

[Hawkdriver81]

Air Medals are for everyone! Its a bit like candy on Halloween just show up, knock on the door and wham you got one, maybe two depending on the unit.

That aside I have seen AF crews recieve them so I would assume the Navy would also be eligible. All you have to do is fly 8 mins north cross the border and you'll qualify

Zero is right about CASEVAC/MEDEVAC differences. I was unaware the Marines were conducting thier own Medical Evacuations, the Army provides coverage for all the sectors minus some foriegn ones but things change and I may be out of date.

SkidKid, I've heard the argument fought before but it usually doesn't make it very high in the Chain before its squashed. Seems we're taking the moral high ground by following the international laws of war (well select ones anyways).

 

[bobbybrock]

We based our air medals off of hours flown. You did get one for just showing up( read staff officers) and the rest came for hours. Our hour requirement was one for 300, plus the freebe for just flying. Most of us walked away with three to four. I know of two H-64 IP whoflew over 1200 hrs so they walked with 5 on that rotation.
Hawkdriver I'm sure you've seen some senior guys ( RLO and Warrants) coming out of the wood work to get their few hours of combat time to get their air medal. I probably flew close to 10 guys on their only mission/progression so they could get their air medal. Pretty sad.

 

[hscs]

Whatever happened to the point system???? Do the other services not utilize it? I find that hard to believe since it is a cross-service award.

 

[bobbybrock]

HSCS,
How does the point system work?

 

[hscs]

2 points for dropping/launching/shooting, getting shot at, or direct support of non-kinetic operations (e.g. insert/extract)

1 point for patrol type ops or other direct support ops (e.g. route recce)

.4 points for indirect support ops (tankers maybe??? Don't know anything about tanking being a navy helo guy....)

That is what I saw from the Navy version of the award system. I would assume that the other services have the same deal.

It takes 20 points to get an one air medal. You can't get more than 2 points per flight. Therefore, you need a minimum of 10 flights.

 

[bobbybrock]

With that type of system the ARMY and Marines would be giving out a lot of air medals based on that system.

 

[hscs]

yes, but that would avoid the staff guys showing up to fly once and get an air medal. I would say give out as many to those guys that get the flight time.

 

[MasterBates]

For Navy, it depends a lot on what the Admiral deems worthy. Armed flight in to Iraq or NAG counted with 1 CSG, and both ESGs that I know people with. CSG I went with, no Air Medal unless you fired in anger.

 

[Hawkdriver81]

Ahhh, Bobby don't even get me started on the Senior RLO/Warrants showing up for a flight once a rotation just to "earn" thier Air Medal. That is actually quite a sore subject. We gave one Air Medal for my last year long rotation, no point system, no total flight hours and this current rotation is going to be the same.

I have grown to detest the way people seem to grasp at medals...

 

[MasterBates]

I see your point. I did not get an Air Medal, and while it would have been nice, I did not fight it.

Many have done far more, and not been awarded it. Some have done far less and been awarded it as well.

Not going to break my heart, although it does look cool.

 

[zero]

I wish I could gloat about the prospect of Air Medals and appreciation for what we've accomplished out here, but the admin side of this mission wasn't well thought out initially. So, No Air Medals (Despite several life saving mission in Indian country as well as a Metric Butt ton in Kuwait).

This isn't even considered a Joint or Unit Augmentation tour for us, just another cruise in the desert sans sea pay... and despite the fact that we work for CFLCC (not 5th Fleet or any Navy Commander for that matter) and our green middle boss said NO to the Air Medals. We're fighting just to get a limited number of Army COMs for our maintainers. It's somewhat of a sore subject around here...especially when we hear about the folks who show up for one flight and get that Air Medal. I'm bitting my tounge...it's the truest test of ones composure in an anonymous forum.

As for documenting the mission, it's a work in progress...

 

[hscs]

Not that this is any comfort now -- but other navy units are sending their awards (including air medals) to NAVCENT even though they are OPCON to commander in another service.

You can always have the wing sign off for a Comm --- I am guessing a Navy Comm and an Army Comm provide the same number of advancement points.