That Bronze Star Power Point
The other day we discussed LTC Jon Trainer and his Bronze Star Medal award ostensibly for a power point presentation. CarlS sends us a link to a blogger at Patriot Post who talks to the folks involved in the award;
Among Trainer’s responsibilities in Afghanistan, that PowerPoint was an insignificant contribution, except for the high-profile coverage of the Quran burnings, which put it and him in the crossfire. Fact is, Trainer should be recognized, first and foremost, for his “Ask, Care, Escort” suicide prevention curriculum for military personnel. According to his commander, Col. David Smith, Trainer “crafted outstanding programs on suicide prevention … which exponentially impacted tens of thousands of Service Members.”
His pastoral counseling was invaluable. “Chaplain Trainer served with me as my pastor, counselor, comrade and prayer warrior,” says Army LTC Todd Perkins. “He accepted my personal challenges as his priority and was always available to listen and counsel. His lessons, sermons and advice are a solid foundation for me to reference until and beyond the day that I return home to my family.”
To condemn LTC Jon Trainer personally because he was recommended for a Bronze Star for meritorious service in the conduct of his duties in a theater of war is odious. Trainer didn’t ask for the award, and given his clear Christian predisposition for humility, I am certain he never would have missed it.
Assassinating the character of a military chaplain — especially one who has served our country with integrity and has honored his oath “to Support and Defend” our Constitution — is inexcusable.
I don’t think anyone here assassinated his character, so to speak, in fact, I think we gave the good chaplain the benefit of the doubt. But, anyway there’s the rest of the story.
Category: Military issues
“It may be awarded for acts of heroism, acts of merit, or meritorious service in a combat zone. When awarded for acts of heroism, the medal is awarded with the “V” device.”
As long as he didn’t get the “V”, I think he was deserving of it. That’s a pretty tough situation to diffuse. I wouldn’t want to do it.
For an end of tour award with a laundry list of other items listed off, I don’t see much issue with a bronze star. I believe the concern was that this was an award just for putting together a PowerPoint. Even in that case, there are ways to word an award for that wouldn’t set off my knee-jerk reaction. I think the very mention of the term “PowerPoint” triggers some PTSD flashbacks in me. Character assassination, though?
@2 – Reaperman? You caught the PTSD? 🙂
Nah, I don’t think anyone aligned the chaplains character here. In fact, I think we applauded his efforts, but questioned the merit of the award solely for doing a .ppt presentation.
@3 Oh yeah, I caught the PPT PTSD real bad. It’s pretty common in military types and is usually triggered by terms like “PowerPoint” or “Safety Stand-down.” I keep flashing back to days worth of annually renewed training. TIP, SAPR, PII, PFM. Thousand yard stare–going to my ‘happy place’ is the only way to stay sane. For the love of God, sign the roster or you’ll all be back next week. Ahhh.
If the original post had had this information in it, it would have been a non-issue. It was the “BSM for a Power Point presentation” that got everyone cranked up and rolling.
I, like many others who’ve done time in the M. E., have seen the BSM handed out like candy at a Shriner’s parade and all too often awarded to one because of “who they knew and who they blew”. Unless I see a “V” device on one, I have doubts anymore.
@4 – Next time, give me the last-4 of your SSN, and I’ll sign you in. Then I’ll leave after we’re checked in and go to Starbucks.
The previous post was a discussion about whether or not the award was being diminished in the way it was given, Red Leg and Hondo were spot on in their explanations of the details and most of the posters I read were saying that they were of the opinion that the Chaplain was probably a modest, hard working guy.
I didn’t see any evidence of character assassination in those posts, but maybe my skin is a little thicker so service members tossing around expletives doesn’t make me wet myself and cry like some soft handed buttercup.
“To condemn LTC Jon Trainer personally because he was recommended for a Bronze Star for meritorious service in the conduct of his duties in a theater of war is odious. Trainer didn’t ask for the award, and given his clear Christian predisposition for humility, I am certain he never would have missed it.
Assassinating the character of a military chaplain — especially one who has served our country with integrity and has honored his oath “to Support and Defend” our Constitution — is inexcusable.”
STFU, Bitch. Keep touting that “war” you POG ass fobbit scumfucks. I’m so tired of this constant shit from military warriors in a “theater of war” that are safer there than driving to work in a non theater of war.
Thanks for setting this right gentlemen. The local rag (Dayton Daily News) ran a puff piece that NRO picked up under a woefully inaccurate headline. All the readers at NRO had to see was Bronze Star, PowerPoint, and Islam, and that was all she wrote. Oh, and a few Marines were incensed when they saw “Air Force.”
I called NRO within 3 hours of posting the story and told them they were way off base, but it took them 45 hours to post a weak correction. By then it was way too late…ran all over the web and on talk radio.
The BSM was awarded for cumulative meritorious service over the course of my 7 month deployment. The only reason the PPT presentation came up was because it had strategic impact…every service member in the AO saw it within 72 hours of publication. In addition, it is used in pre-deployment training. I served as the training chaplain for the AO (over 300 chaplains) and the Garrison chaplain at New Kabul Compound. I did not receive a “V” device…didn’t come close to deserving one. Ran around the AO between Bagram and Kabul in helis and vehicles, but never took fire. Thanks for listening.
Chap T
The C.I.B. qualification badge denotes that the soldier was in combat and so does the Combat Actions Badge. If a soldier wears a Bronze Star but not one of those badges it shows he or she was not in combat. Any soldier in the Army that claims combat better have good reason why no badge was awarded. The C.I.B.is a Qualification Badge BASED on your MOS. Its not awarded for what you do!!! Its awarded on what you are !!! Army medals that are decorations are based on what you do in combat or out of combat!
ONE MORE IMPORTANT NOTE>>> COMBAT IS NOT BEING STATIONED IN A COMBAT ZONE. {{THAT IS NOT COMBAT PEOPLE}}!! ITS WHAT HAPPENS WITHIN THAT ZONE THAT IS REGARDED AS COMBAT !!!!
In the Military today, why call a Bronze Star a COMBAT Decoration when 1 in 45 that are awarded are for non-combat and 1 in 10 that are in combat can only receive one with V-device.
Correction–45 to 1 are awarded for non-combat!!!!!!!