Particlewill had a great idea in the Veterans thread.
>>Perhaps we should also list any decorations, medals,etc? I did manage do get a Navy Meritorious Unit Citation while in the Air Force, as did almost all with whom I served at Lakenheath…<<
I’ll go first
1)USN Submarine service “dolphins”
2)USN Expeditionary Medal (2nd award)
3)USN Good conduct Medal (barely)
4)USN Battle Efficiency Ribbon
5)USN Sea Service Ribbon (3rd award)
6)USN Arctic Service ribbon (2nd award)
7)USN Pistol Sharpshooter
I served for 6 years…'82-'88.Particlewill,how did you get a NAVY award?
C’mon war hero dopers,lets hear it.
C’mon war heroes,lets hear all about 'em!
Hmm, I have a crapload of medals and citations. Unfortunately, most of them are from things I never did. I got some just from being in during the time I was in, some were unit citations, the “obligatory” medals(GCM), there were a few ACMs I got for service, but two were from field problems, which I feel don’t count, etc… I’m most proud of the things I earned while I was in the army, like my EFMB (Expert Field Madical Badge) and my 1st Cav and 15th FSB coins.
You can’t get shit for ribbons in naval aviation. I came out of a six year hitch with nothing more than than a sea service ribbon, a good conduct medal (four years of undetected crime) and a hash mark on my sleeve. I did get a letter of commendation for being stupid enough to fight an engineering fire and another for being stupid enough to go around the Memphis NAS during a tornado warning telling people to get inside.
Geobabe, Sounds like my Battle E! I checked on board Aug 15th…anyone checking on before Oct 1 was awarded the ribbon.I didn’t participate in any of the tests OR drills.We should wear them with PRIDE!
Most of my ribbons were pinned to my Class A jacket, which was stolen along with a bunch of other stuff a few years ago (after I separated). I don’t remember each one, mainly because they were things eveyone in my unit received, not for anything that I did as an individual. I do remember there were 11, which made for a nice display on the jacket.
The ones I can recall off the top of my head are [ul]
[li]Army Service Ribbon (duh!)[/li][li]Good Conduct[/li][li]A couple longevity ribbons[/li][li]Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal[/li][li]National Defense[/li][li]Southwest Asia Service[/li][li]Louisiana War Cross[/li][li]Kuwaiti Liberation (I still have the actual medal–it is very nice)[/li][li]Why can’t I remember any more?[/li][/ul]
Expert rifle
Expert grenade (although I never through a live grenade–that’s what happens when a soldier blows himself and a Drill Sergeant up right in front of your platoon.)
Seriously, though, my service was through the Louisiana Army National Guard. Several medals came through my unit and were specific to the LAANG. As far as I know, every soldier activated from the LAANG to serve in the Gulf War was awarded this medal. Other states probably have a similar deal.
Aw, Gee G7. Good thinking starting this Thread. I wish I’da thought of it!
I thought about the citations because I had to dig out my old DD 214 form to remember the pay grade I was when I got out, and the citation list was there. All of us at R.A.F. Lakenheath were awarded the Navy Meritorious Unit Citation for service in the Libia raid in 1986. The Navy handed them out to all its units that were involved in that very successful strike, but the Air Force only awarded the pilots aircraft crews and munitions personale. The Navy brass thought this a real slap in the face to all us in support, so they gave us the ribbon. I was awarded it, but was not allowed to wear it on my uniform while on active duty. I guess the A.F. brass were a little pissed. I tell you what tho. After the award was announced, there was NO trash talking the Navy in our squadron.
Other than that oddity, I only wore the AF good conduct medal, The overseas long tour ribbon, and AF training ribbon,( which essentialy meant that you’d passed basic traning). I was a 47252 General Purpose Vehicle Mechanic, so I didn’t get to see any “action”, which was fine with me.
We called it the KP ribbon, since everyone who pulled KP in basic got it. (Everyone gets KP at least once—or did at the time.)
I have a couple of other ribbons, too, but I don’t even know what they’re for. I joined the Army Reserve a couple of years after I got out of active duty, and they told me I had two more decorations coming. They gave me the ribbons and told me to put 'em on, that’s all I know.
National Service Medal (like everyone else)
Meritorious Service Medal (awarded after my discharge)
Achievement Medal (for my work with the Base Honor Guard)
Good Conduct Medal (for not getting caught)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (for the Haiti Invasion)
Also got your standard ribbons (Basic Training, Small Arms Expert, etc.), so by the end of my 4 years, I looked a hell of a lot more highly decorated than I really was.
