“C” and “R” devices
The Military Times discusses Defense Department plans to add “C” and “R” devices to the inventory of accouterments and appurtenances for military awards. The “C” is for medals that are awarded for combat on awards that aren’t already designated for combat awards – it would be attached on the service Achievement and Commendation Medals, for example. The “R” is for remote participation in combat like for drone operators.
Here’s the helpful graphic that Military Times used;
“C” device. Recognizes meritorious service or achievement under combat conditions, and authorized only if the service or achievement was performed while personnel were exposed to hostile action or significant risk:
[…]
The “R” device. Recognizes hands-on employment of a weapon system or other war-fighting activities with direct and immediate impact on an operation. The device appears intended for drone operators, cyber warfare specialists and others who contribute to battlefield initiatives while not directly exposed to hostile action or significant risk:
Category: Military issues
“R” as in REMF…
Now that’s funny!
Remote Execution of Military Force. (smile)
Well played….
They should have added a “P” device for “PCS” Afterall, that is what most medals for. If the Air Force did that, there would be a shortage of the devices due to demand…
You bring a good point, about shortages.
Who is making money out of this? Somebody is.
And when are we going to finally get rid of the 0bama holdovers at the Pentagon?
(best radio DJ voice) Remember, guys and gals – you heard it here first!
http://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=35249
(smile)
And yeah – I still claim naming rights. (smile)
“P” Power Point device.
Yeah.
I am confoosed. The R device requires “meritorious service or achievement” while the C device does not. So, if a drone operator is in hostile country and exposed to significant risk, that alone isn’t enough for the R device. But if his colleague stateside performs the same job, he is entitled to the C device. Neither the R nor the C device applies before Jan 2016. Whatever.
Yeah, speaking of confused. Don’t bother. I surrender.
It’s DoD policy, 2/17. It doesn’t have to make sense. (smile)
“R device requires “meritorious service or achievement”
My ARCOM citation says for “exceptionally” meritorious achievment. Can I get me an “E” device retroactive.
This idea is fucking stupid.
I completely agree, I wish they’d just leave it the hell alone.
As to why this is happening, my assumption is that the manager of Tchotckie’s has now been promoted to a senior Pentagon psi toon and this is part of his plan to ensure that every service member will wear at least 15 pieces of flair.
“Hey, its about fun!”
“Senior Pentagon position” stupid autocorrect!
Some of the commands that I served with in combat zones would downgrade BSMs for service to MSMs if the recommended awardee wasn’t in the “in” crowd with the argument that the BSM was just an MSM in a combat zone. Since the “C” device isn’t an option on the MSM now, does that mean that that foolishness gets to stop?
One of the commands that was doing this was also one that would “board” PH awards. Needless to say, I was vocal in my dislike of the CSM’s and CoS’s plan given the regulations for awarding the PH, but, as a lowly MAJ brought into their staff from an outside organization, my protest meant squat.
Yep. “Been there, (seen) that” too, Bobo.
Simplest solution is to (a) go back to pre-2004 rules for the MSM and BSM, and (b) introduce sanity regarding combat zones/IDP zones/CZTE zones. No regular shooting? Then the answer is “no” – it’s just another remote tour.
Yes, simple answer was no hf/IDP or CZ, then no BSM. HF/IDP then no MSM.
You absolutely need simultaneous reform of CZ/IDP location designations as well, L4C.
As I understand it, what prompted the 2004 policy change for the BSM and MSM was a raft of “cheapie” BSMs given for duties in Qatar and Kuwait in 2001-2004 that under any realistic definition should not have qualified as “combat service”. That was a real issue, and cheapened the BSM.
I mean, really – Camp Arifjan? Camp As Saliyah? Al Udeid AB? Combat duty? GMAFB.
I’ve been to all 3. Other than GO#1, none of them were any worse than a tour in Korea in the mid-1980s.
Unfortunately, without reforming the CZ/IDP issue, that problem comes back. So we need either both or we need to accept and live with the inequities we have today.
Yeah that’s great, when some fucking clown who is not all in any danger can decide to downgrade an actual medal for someone who actually put their ass on the line because they are not one of the “cool” kids the system is truly and utterly fucked.
It’s getting close to time when we need to purge the officer corps and start putting people in command who understand their first fucking priority is the care of those under their command not their own personal career advancement….or the advancement of their toadies and ball lickers.
A F’ingMen!!!
It is amazing how often senior leaders seem to think that giving someone an award will take money out of their own paycheck, even if it is an earned award.
At the same time, giving each other awards must cancel out the paycheck thing.
Please, please, puuleeeeze, let this be retroactive. I so want one on my ARCOM from Iraq. My CIB is not enough!!
Because everyone is special, everyone needs a medal….
Nothing says “meaningless” like issuing something to everyone regardless of effort…after all if pushing papers across a desk is worthy of a medal and recognition…well then I guess everyone IS fucking special…short bus special.
You want awards? Risk getting fucking killed, otherwise shut the fuck up about not getting an award….
Maybe they should come up with a “D” to give Dirtbags a device on their AAM when they bar them from re-enlistment and show them the door.
Wow! Now we can get a good game of Ribbon Scrabble going. We have: A, C, E, M, N, O, R, S, V and W. 🙂
I drew T, I, and F from the kitty.
My Ribbon Scrabble word(s) is: WASTE OF TIME.
How many points is that?
Figured it out.
120 points, cause I hit Triple Word Score twice.
Maybe in the far off future that’ll be how many promotion points an EAB (Expert Action Badge) and one AAM w/”R” Device are worth when going to the E-5 board./smile
Yet another reason to be thankful I am retired!
I know, how about a LSS award for ass hamsters like my brother who falsely claimed many combat medals he never earned! By the way, that stands for Lying Sack of Shit award!
Already exists.
Ribbon color may vary from image. (smile)
Thanks Hondo, I’m sure this asshat already has one of those in gold! I am still praying he gets his silver bracelets!
With horseapple device in lieu of second, third, etc. Award
gay
There will be a medal for that, too. 😉
“G” device
S for Snowflake.
Thought VCR was replaced by DVD? I am such a Luddite…
First i have heard of this, will it be retroactive? since i stopped getting any awards (except from the Wife) 5 years ago i am sort of out of the loop these days.
“But, Dad, how could you have been in that war when you said you never left the country?”
“I was a drone pilot son. And I got a medal.”
“What for, Dad?”
“Go clean up your room!”
And once again I thank my cozy DD-214 blanket, under which I sleep peacefully and unaffected by this immense pile of horseshit.
So is this retroactive??
It’s radioactive. Don’t touch it.
Radioactive? It’s fookin’ toxic!
HAWHAHAHAHAHA
Retroactive to JAN 2016. For the bulk of here it does not apply.
So if that shit goes through, one can looks at someone’s BSM with an “R” device and say something like “Oh, a video game BSM!”
I still think a pair of pendulous man boobs make a fine medal danging on a ribbon with a pin.
You don’t have anything for ‘In the Rear With the Gear’???
The silly rules don’t bother me as much as the fact that the Pentagon thinks this is a matter that is important enough to devote time to “fixing.”
I’ll bet if you polled 10,000 military personnel in the grades from E-1 through 0-5, and asked them “what is one thing the Pentagon needs to fix” not a single one of those 10,000 would say “need more awards.”
This is a result of all the whining about the creation of the Distinguished Warfare Medal for drone operators and the like a few years ago. Now instead of a medal that 95% of service members would never qualify for, we get this new collection of alphabet soup that potentially affects everyone.
Is it Distinguished Warfare because they get to wear suits and ties while they do their job?
Could be. 🙂
Where the (bleep) is Air Defense Artillery when that (Bleeee-eee-eeeeep) Good Idea Fairy makes a bombing run?
Somebody shoot that (bleeeeeeeeep) thing down ASAP!
Un-(bleeeeep)ing the mess in our armed forces is going to take an extinction-level catastrophe.
Don’t necessarily need ADA to take care of the Good Idea Fairy.
Any outfit with SAFAD (Small Arms For Air Defense) capability is free to get in on the action.
That means you, the 8063rd Mess Kit Repair Detachment, can finally have a chance to clean out the cosmoline from your rifle barrels./smile
What? There’s no CAP bling for Shelly Tesla in that pile of stuff.
Gee does this mean I can put a big “C” next to the number 4 on my Air Medal? I guess I’ll go for C4 (my fav explosive) instead of 4C, which looks like an apartment number.
Interviewers discussing two applicants:
“Both of those guys were good. And they’re Vets. I can’t separate them.”
“Really? I can. Did you see that the first applicant had the R device?”
“No shit? I can’t believe I missed that. Well, the decision is easy then! He’s our guy.”
So would I now get a C device for my MSM? I was running a forward base, was put in for the bronze, and denied because I didn’t go out on enough missions. My previous tour was downgraded because “they were giving out to many bronzes.” I led over 450 combat missions, and a mechanic who went out twice in 15 moths got the award. The whole system is fucked.I don’t want anything they would push my way at this point. But I do want them to fix the damn problem. Be consistent. Give honor where it’s due, and that sorry fat fucking asshole in S-4 who just happened to show up, doesn’t deserve a bronze for doing his job, or the fucking battalion commander either.
I hear you, during the end of my time in A-Stan pretty much every E7 and above left with a BSM including 2LT’s who did little more than type and make coffee for the CO.
OTMG. I have never doubted that there have been many more members of our military who deserved CMOHs, as well as DSCs/NCs, not to mention Silver Stars, than ever rec’d them. The fact is that their valorous acts occurred w/o witness or, if witnessed, there were no survivors to give the necessary account. A heroic act or a good and courageous deed is not enhanced by officialdom’s recognition of it. What you did, you did. What others didn’t, they didn’t, and you–and they–know the truth of the matter.
So if you were to go on a patrol and send in an IA team to hit a target house on a package you have been working while you chill on the perimeter, they catch the HVT and you get an AAM-R for that.
On the way back you get a cherry popping IED so then you get a CAB. Then you have a CAB and “R” for the same mission? Seems legit. Of course that would never, ever happen.
Do we really need this? And if so for what purpose? So the drone operator gets more bling? Good call not back dating it too far. The numbers of suicides at HRC would have skyrocketed.
Can’t wait to see the first Vietnam Vet poser rocking the “C”;
“That’s right sonny they did not give these out to just anyone you know….”