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Bronze Stars for PAOs and other tales of award inflation

mb1k

Yep. The clock says, "MAN TIME".
pilot
None
Is that a joke? Is there something missing that wasn't in the article? That's ridiculous if she got a bronze star for providing important information as a PAO. That's her job description, isn't it?

Nope... unfortunately an friend of mine has a bronze star as well. I just bite my tongue when I see the citation hanging in her office.
 

JIMC5499

ex-Mech
What do you expect from an organization that awarded a Purple Heart for a paper cut recieved in a combat zone. I read an article in Newsweek a long time ago how the Air Force awarded a Purple Heart to an officer who suffered a paper cut when he was attached to an Army unit in Vietnam. The cut became infected requiring his hospitalization and he was given the award while in the hospital. The article came out right after Grenada and was on the subject of "watered down awards".
 

Fog

Old RIOs never die: They just can't fast-erect
None
Contributor
The AF invented & then perfected the art of "get-a-medal-for-showing-up"!
 

hummole

Hummer Mole (ret)
None
yeah but

Tho I am a true believer that the USAF is way to liberal with their awards, more so then other services and still ahead of the Army, it is necessary to point out, that if the award was for service while in a combat zone then it is not that far fetched. The Bronze Star (sans V device) is the equivilant of the MSM, the only difference is where the person was when they performed this outstanding service, we would not even be talking about this if it was an MSM.
 

loadtoad

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Honestly though, the Navy is no better in that department these days.

Brett

Agree. Being prior AF I am laughing when people try to give me shit for my ribbons. Especially when I see Navy E-3's walking around with three/four rows of ribbons. Hell, I only had my two ribbons until I deployed as an E-4. It also is funny that most of the people who rag on the AF ribbons are non-priors and have three months time in service.
 

Harrier Dude

Living the dream
Tho I am a true believer that the USAF is way to liberal with their awards, more so then other services and still ahead of the Army, it is necessary to point out, that if the award was for service while in a combat zone then it is not that far fetched. The Bronze Star (sans V device) is the equivilant of the MSM, the only difference is where the person was when they performed this outstanding service, we would not even be talking about this if it was an MSM.

Do you think that a junior officer or enlisted person rates an MSM for 6 months worth of work? I'm not trying to demean their contribution, as silly as it may sound in the context of a warzone, but you have to be kidding me.

MSMs are "routinely" given out to COs and Sergeants Major after a sucessful tour. Normally well over a year. They also go to folks in a great position of responsibility on a major staff.

For these people, I think that a NC would have been a stretch, but possible. Bronze Star/MSM?? No way.
 

loadtoad

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Tho I am a true believer that the USAF is way to liberal with their awards, more so then other services and still ahead of the Army,

My Grandfather got quite a few medals while in the Army.
n29613878_32423070_4663.jpg
 

LoneSailor

Registered User
In my days working jointly with the Air Farce, this doesn't surprise me. I think you get a medal just for breathing while in the AF. The AF has given out more Bronze Stars than any other service in OIF, which begs the question.. are they really out doing the grunts on the ground? If the Medal of Honor wasn't congressional, I'm sure we'd see tons of Medal of Honor awardees in the AF today.
 

LoneSailor

Registered User
Honestly though, the Navy is no better in that department these days.

Brett

I would disagree. Yeah certain medals like NAMs are freebees blah blah blah.. you can bake a pie and get one of those. But I've seen first hand (in more than one occasion) where the Navy has actually downgrade a Bronze Star that was written, submitted, and approved by the Army for Sailors serving with Army units on IAs/Joint Requirements.

At those levels of awards.. the chAir Farce takes the cake in diluting them.
 

Single Seat

Average member
pilot
None
Honestly though, the Navy is no better in that department these days.

Brett


I don't see Hummer FO's getting Bronze stars, and the info they pass is a fuckton more important than some AF PAO's latest home town news release.

As much as I love my Air Force buddies, they bring this shit on themselves.
 
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