Army’s got an idea to fix recruiting problems. More ribbons!
We might soon even have a ribbon for losing a war. The Inter-Allied GWOT Defeat Ribbon.
While the above picture of Ike wearing his top three ribbons and Milley looking more like a North Korean general is comical, Eisenhower actually had a similarly impressive rack. Of course he was a veteran of two world wars, and if he were to wear his foreign honors he’s got several dozen ribbons. Anywho, I digress.
The US Army is considering a radical shift in how they recruit. Facing severe recruitment woes and a youth population that’s literally too fat to fight, the Army is going to reward soldiers regardless “of rank or grade” to earn another piece of flair; an Army recruit referral ribbon. Send someone to the recruiter who signs and ships? You get a fancy little ribbon to show that, like Emperor Palpatine, you’ve converted another to the Dark Side.
From Army Times;
The Army is considering establishing a new ribbon that troops would receive for referring applicants to the service, officials confirmed to Army Times.
The Army missed its recruiting goals by around 15,000 troops in fiscal 2022, and it’s scrambling to improve those numbers to prevent the current end-strength crisis from deepening.
The service “is working to develop an Army Recruiting Ribbon” that would be awarded to those who successfully refer applicants to recruiters, an Army official, who was not named because the individual was not authorized to publicly discuss “pre-decisional” proposals, told Army Times recently.
The official added that “the eligibility requirements for the recruiting ribbon [will] not be limited by rank or grade,” if and when it is established.
Matt Leonard, an Army spokesperson, said the service “continues to develop innovative ways to recruit high-quality Soldiers,” but he did not comment on the planned ribbon.
“We are leveraging the talents within the total force to help us better connect with young people and their influencers to highlight the numerous career options available within the Army and how the Army can help them accomplish their goals,” Leonard said.
While the service currently awards badges for successful recruiters to wear on their uniforms, there is no current award or decoration for active duty troops who help recruiters.
Now if they include promotion points with it, then you’re talking. I get 12 dopes to sign up and I don’t have to bother trying to get an AAM!
Category: Army
How about a Commander in Chief worth a tinker’s dam?
The ribbon rack that Milley sports is the norm.
Has been for years.
His rack ain’t the problem; his politics are.
It’s even worse on the AF side.
Very true. My generation of NCOs, those who served during the GWOT, usually had very similar racks. Give or take a few ARCOMs or AAMs for PCS and deployment, and between 2004 and 2016 the typical SSG sported Iraq and/or Afghansitan campaign ribbons, the previously mentioned decorations, and all the usual gimme stuff like GCMs, the OSR, and ASR. If they were unlucky they might sport a Purple Heart and if they were really lucky maybe a Bronze Star for merit or even an MSM from a previous deployment or assignment. Very few sported the ones that count, at the Drill Sergeant Academy I sat next to an NCO who earned the Silver Star during the Battle of Wanat.
This ribbon is just another piece of fluff. I had my GWOT-E Medal removed from my records despite orders showing I deployed 15 FEB 93 because I knew I hadn’t spent 30 days in Kuwait prior to the Invasion. Sadly, most Soldiers wouldn’t (and didn’t) do that, opting to collect the most colorful ribbon rack possible.
The above should read 15 FEB 03. I think we arrived in Kuwait a week or so after that date but after I opted to wear the ICM I kept the GWOT-E in my uniform for years. There was a lot of misinformation after the campaign medals were authorized; I even had a 1SG tell us that if we earned the GWOT-E previously we could wear both.
I found the answer buried in a FAQ on HRC’s website back in 2006. Thirty days on the ground in theater prior to 19 March 2003 counted for both medals to be authorized.
No doubt an additional ribbon will definitely make kids who have no interest in believing the government’s promises change their minds and sign six years of their lives away for mediocre pay and a complete loss of your personal rights and freedoms.
Not to mention the joy of exposure to harmful chemicals, miserable working conditions, and time away from family and friends.
Yep another pointless award will certainly make those realities disappear.
One has to wonder what these meetings must look like….which high ranking jagoff proposed this concept and how many more had to sign off on it?
What a fucking clown show.
The Good Idea Fairy was in charge…..
“Give me enough ribbons to place on the tunics of my soldiers and I can conquer the world.”
Almost worked for Napoleon.
Numbers of ribbons doesn’t fool anyone. Just look at all of the fun poked at the NDSM on this forum. Another worthless medal isn’t going have the effect they think it will.
Sacrilege! I very nearly had two.
I’ve have two since I went to boot in Feb of 1995 and they didn’t stop giving that out until October. The one thing I appreciated about it was that it was an indicator as to how long someone had been in. Seeing Colonels with no star on their NDSM makes me feel really old.
Seeing Generals that I knew when they were 2LT’s makes me feel old.
One would think the NDSM alone would bring them in.
Maybe it’s time to adorn the thing with a new accoutrement
or two.
Maybe they could make a really cool skull device to go on the ribbon worn like the palm the Army has.
NDSM with Skull Device
That’ll pull ’em in!!!
Brilliant!
Now THAT’s an award!
So…a Totenkopf?
I thought that I was given that for standing fire watch at Fort Ord in 1963.
All I have is the NDSM and AFEM and would have had the Good conduct medal if I did 4 years but I was a Kiddie Cruiser with 3 years.
As of Dec 31, 2022, the NDSM is no longer awarded. I just hope they don’t start anymore wars before I retire. Then I would have 2 stars on that sucker 🙄
You will not disparage the NDSM. Next thing you know you’ll be coming after my Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal!
Ha, ha – got that one, too!
You can’t handle the truth!! (Sorry, A Few Good Men flashback… )
So…a medal for active-duty troops that help recruiters? Achievement Medal. Commendation Medal.
Or maybe forget the medal; give old SP4 Snuffy a handshake, a case of beer, and 96 hours of liberty. If the Veterans in my family are any indication, Snuffy would rather have that than any medal. 😉
I’ve known some that would do it for a lap dance at Joe-Bob’s Gentleman’s Club and Mud Wrestling Ring!
So the US Army is now a multilevel marketing force? How many troops do you have to pull into this quagmire to qualify for the diamond level?
Looks like we need another Thread Category here @ TAH…in addition to Stupid People of The Week, we could add Stupid Ideas of The Week. SMH
“More Brilliant Ideas From Your Government” category.
Anyone remember that Twilight Zone episode where Marcia White was locked in the department store and attacked by the mannequins, The After Hours? Hack doesn’t want to spoil the ending, but maybe Big Army can institute a program where GI Snuffy can not be discharged until he finds someone to take his place. Not sure how that will work for troops killed in combat, but they pay the geniuses at The Pentagon to figure that shot out.
I tread lightly here –
Repeating the words of so many of you –
(enough qualifiers and upfront apologies?)
I’ve heard of some ribbons referred to as participation trophies, so what do we call it when you get a trophy for getting others to willingly participate in the same misery? Groomer award comes to mind /snarc
<ducks and runs for cover, to the stove, to make something yummy as a bribe for my continued existence. IOW I crack myself up>
“Groomer award comes to mind /snarc”
Crossed curry combs over a Bronze hair brush.
You better not be using a gas stove, Mom!
ROFLOL!
Well played, Mom, well played!
Recruiting, OAM.
“Buddy Fcuker Medal” comes to mind.
The BFM with OLC for the decerning amateur proctologist. 😆
https://milspecmonkey.com/store/patches/255-blue-falcon.html
Thanks for the link!
Whatabout them so called ‘migrants’ who repay American generosity by trashing hotel rooms, assaulting people, doing drugs, throwing out perfectly good food given to them, etc.
Dunno, but a Project 100K McNamara’s Misfits part deux might just be the ticket sarc/.
:saluting:
The Romans went that way and it didn’t work out so good…. but…. believe you me…. if any immigrant living in the US or on student visa found they could get US Citizenship through serving for 4-6 years our recruiting problems would disappear like a fart in the wind.
I know this because I almost started a riot at the college in town my first week on the job. I was told that to join they simply had to be in the country legally on a visa. Nobody said student visas were no good and they left out certain other details. My first hour on campus I had 11 people wanting to join vs. a company mission of 33. I was thinking this recruiting shit was easy and was calling the local station commander to send me more guys. It broke everybody’s heart, even mine. They sure were mad….
So yeah, open up low skill, no clearance jobs to Student Visas and others in the country legally that can’t join currently and it’s over. Just watch out for President Odoacer…
I’ve actually said for a while that the US would greatly benefit from developing a Foreign Legion like the French.
I’m in favor.
Like those Syrian “refugees” in 2015:
I could see a Recruiter with 10 OLCs.
Fucking dumb.
If WWII was fought today, we lose.
In the interest of full historical disclosure, then CPT Eisenhower commanded the tank training unit at Camp Colt, PA in WW1. He did not see combat.
Instead of a new ribbon, how about the Army reach out to the few thousand unvaccinated troops it booted for refusing the jab, and ask if any would consider having their discharge rescinded and restate them?
Not saying it would work, but enticing troops with a new ribbon is a fucking stupid idea.
Full back pay and advancemants? After the class action lawsuit. Maybe.
Hated to be awarded a new ribbon that was not worth any promotion points. All it meant that I had to obtain a new ribbon ba and replace the old worn/dirty ribbons so the new one would not stand out. $$ out of my beer money.
You don’t have to wear it. Well, maybe on your official photo, but not daily. I never wore my “Gay Parade” ribbon. Hell, I figure that if I was out of basic training and in the real military … my uniform was proof of “successful completion of initial-entry training.”
When A Proud Infidel®™ first enlisted in the early 90’s, there was what the Drill Sergeants called the “Fuck Your Buddy Program where some fresh meat could join as an E2 for bringing one person in and E3 for bringing two, sounds better than some ribbon, I bet it would be called the “Fuck-Your-Buddy Ribbon”!
That program was in place when I enlisted in ’78. Two of the most worthless PFCs via enlistment credits were given ‘platoon guide’ responsibilities in my infantry OSUT cycle. They lasted 3 and 5 days respectively as I recall.
That would be the Blue Falcon Medal with “V” device, for vicious.
I remember when I was in the AF reserves after transferring from the Navy, I was told I needed to write up my recommendation for my AF Commendation since I didn’t have one. After scratching my head and trying to figure out that logic I submitted my retirement request.
Medals or ribbons for just showing up just don’t cut it.
I guess that next up will be collateral duty and full time positions: Company/Battalion Recruiter Assistance NCO (RAN–pull a Squad Leader per company and an S3 type for collateral duty). Brigade Recruiting Assistance Coordinator (RAC–SFC with SQI “4” [Detailed Recruiter] serving full time with the Career Counselor’s office. Division/Installation Recruiting Assistance Manager (RAM–79R MSG). Win-win-win, NCOER bullets, a cush job for SFCs, and more E8 slots for all those who converted to make E7 only to realize that E8 is a lot more competitive in USAREC.
Division can task the brigades with a Duty RAN rotation. Flowing downhill, ultimately each week a different Company RAN can accompany the Battalion RAN to local recruiting stations, being OPCON to the recruiting company commander. Every six weeks or so, a different Battalion picks up the duty.
Good Idea fairies abound, but between station of choice being another incentive they’re tossing around, and the alienation a lot of Recruiters have–detailed Recruiters can feel out of their element while 79Rs can forget what Army life really is–it couldn’t hurt to put a few matter-of-fact line NCOs from local installations with the Recruiters who get paid to recruit.
What was the expression back on the boat?
“I don’t need a NAM, I need a NAP!”