What Do You Guys Think of the Idea of Medals in the Military?

[andar]

Why stupid,Because he made a sacrifice that you seem to weak minded to understand.

did this even make sense to anybody? it didnt to me.......

 

[andar]

First of all you can never say "most" when talking about our service people. I spent four years in the Navy and one thing that is very evident is all branches of the military are diverse. Stereotyping all service members can't be done and shouldn't be done just like you wouldn't stereotype races. I served with people from all over our country and the world. I had buddies from mexico, guatamala, lithuania, guam, phillipines, etheopia, canada, and others I'm sure (i'm sure i didn't spell those right). Sure some cared about medals, others did not.

To answer your question should the gov't put up this prize for us? I don't even see it like that. I never thought of earning a medal as a "prize." In fact you are the first person I have ever heard refer to it as a prize. For one thing its because its not, medals and ribbons are awards. I've also never heard of anyone joining the service just to earn a medal, i'm sure it may have motivated some in the past, but to think that it is a big motivator for most would be plain wrong.

I personally don't give a flying fuck about my awards, that life is behind me, but I do think they serve a solid purpose for service members. service members hardly ever where there medals and ribbons. thats because they are only worn on dress uniforms. dress uniforms are hardly ever worn by service members unless they have a job that requires them to be among citizens all the time. I personally only wore my dress uniform when i was checking into a new command or having an inspection. checking into a new command is where wearing your uniform can help you out, the other people you will soon be fighting/working with can look at your uniform and get an idea of what you are all about. I can take one look at a persons uniform and tell if they are fresh out of boot camp, old salty nuts, the biggest shit bag or the most bad ass.

I also think medals are a good way of honoring fallen service members. it may just be a little piece of scrap metal but it can be so much more to a grieving family.

thank you! someone who actually knows what their talking about.

 

[hanimmal]

Well then what is the symbolism behind your avatar?

 

[Robert Paulson]

Symbolism. The medals symbolize fighting [or dying] for ones country.

some do but most do not, if you really want to enlighten yourself look up service medals and ribbons online and you can see exactly what they are awarded for. i think they pretty much have an award for everything these days, i think the marines even give one out for wiping your ass correctly.

you're welcome andar

 

[Mindmelted]

And that is saying alot.

You do know what sacrifice is right.

The gentlemen who was shot and is in a wheel chair is proud of his medals.

He had the fortitude to fight for his country,Not giving a shit what happened to him.

And do you understand that simple mind.

 

[andar]

yes i know what sacrifice is. i never said anything about people not being proud of their medals after the fact. i am saying that nobody is trying to die for a medal that the government "puts up as a juicy prize" while they are fighting they dont care about medals.. yes after they get one they are proud of them i agree with that. why are you trying to insult me i wasn't even talking to you. you have the simple mind you couldnt even read and analyze what i wrote.

 

[UncleBuck]

And that is saying alot.

You do know what sacrifice is right.

The gentlemen who was shot and is in a wheel chair is proud of his medals.

He had the fortitude to fight for his country,Not giving a shit what happened to him.

And do you understand that simple mind.

are you saying he has a simple mind, or asking if he understands the simple mind?

 

[andar]

i think his mind has melted i would just ignore him. hes trying to insult me and sound intelligent but he didnt even read/understand what i wrote. so sad

 

[doc111]

Symbolism. The medals symbolize fighting [or dying] for ones country.

This may be how YOU see it but it's not about fighting or dying. Medals symbolize different things based on the type of medal itself. The Medal of Honor, our military's highest honor's meaning is pretty obvious but I'll give you the wiki definition: The medal of honor is bestowed on soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who distinguish themselves "conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States."
There are numerous others which symbolize different things. You've made a gross oversimplification of something which you have very little understanding. If you want an all encompassing explanation of what they symbolize from someone who's also served in 3 armed conflicts and numerous other humanitarian missions, they symbolize honor, tradition, and perhaps courage. Nothing I did was for a medal. I could care less about medals. I earned the fire departments highest honor, the medal of valor and it's sitting in a drawer somewhere right now. A medal is a small but important token of gratitude for some. Some don't give a shit about them at all and some value them as prized posessions. Everyone's different I suppose.

 

[smokinguns]

After 3 armed conflicts, years overseas, Service on the high seas,The rescue from Mt Pinatubo I got a big ole chest full of "Fruit salad" on my USMC Dress Blues. While in the service I had plenty of higher ranking officers and Enlisted who were very Jealous of my accomplishments. Full bird colonels did not have as many medals as I did. Probably the biggest thing that pissed others off was that I could care less about it, I mean its just a piece of colored ribbon. Well except for my Kuwait Liberation medal which is made of real gold, but most are not, you had to be in country when Kuwait gave them out in '91 to receive one. The idea of receiving more medals did not Motivate me to serve my country with more fervor. I did what What I was asked to do, I volunteered for every duty they gave out because when you are younger that is when life is a Big Adventure.

"A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon." - Napoleon Bonaparte

Semper Fi Man. I could give a shit about my ribbons and medals. Funny though how all those green assed butter ball Lt's would gawk at you. Made me want to punch them in thier pasty assed faces.

 

[Mindmelted]

I understand well,You on the other hand i don't know.

This is what you said to my post(did this even make sense to anybody? it didnt to me....... )

Now you do remember posting this right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[doc111]

Semper Fi Man. I could give a shit about my ribbons and medals. Funny though how all those green assed butter ball Lt's would gawk at you. Made me want to punch them in thier pasty assed faces.

Damn there are a lot of Marines here!

 

[R2F]

After 3 armed conflicts, years overseas, Service on the high seas,The rescue from Mt Pinatubo I got a big ole chest full of "Fruit salad" on my USMC Dress Blues. While in the service I had plenty of higher ranking officers and Enlisted who were very Jealous of my accomplishments. Full bird colonels did not have as many medals as I did. Probably the biggest thing that pissed others off was that I could care less about it, I mean its just a piece of colored ribbon. Well except for my Kuwait Liberation medal which is made of real gold, but most are not, you had to be in country when Kuwait gave them out in '91 to receive one. The idea of receiving more medals did not Motivate me to serve my country with more fervor. I did what What I was asked to do, I volunteered for every duty they gave out because when you are younger that is when life is a Big Adventure.

"A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon." - Napoleon Bonaparte

As a former Marine myself, I have to agree.. having a few rows of MUC's and NUC's really didn't mean a whole lot to me. I was never really "ooh rah" though, I looked at it as a job. I know some people that are still in, and they're definitely the "lifer" type.. ooh rah hardcore devil dogs to the core type.

Edit: Oops hit reply before I finished. Anyway, to the hardcore types, the medals mean a lot to them.

 

[Mindmelted]

And bye the way,Thanks to ALL who have served.

 

[andar]

because when you posted this->

Why stupid,Because he made a sacrifice that you seem to weak minded to understand.

nobody was talking about the guy in the wheelchair or to you so i didnt know what it had to do with the conversation when you posted it. can you explain it to me? im not a mean person or anything andd i dont want to argue with you i just didnt know where that comment came from it had nothing to do with what i posted before you wrote that.
​

 

[raverguy]

YAT YAS!!!

dont think i ever met anyone who said they joined because of chasing a medal.
btw, those "awards" payments were for merc armies right?
maybe u should pose that question for blackwater peeps, maybe they get enough money to buy silver and melt it to a star.

 

[doc111]

And bye the way,Thanks to ALL who have served.

You're welcome my brother.

 

[thebuttonpusher]

I was the dude with his varsity jacket hanging to one side with the wrestling medals, so while not being in the military ever (I went to college to wrestle in 97 and was done busting my ass nonstop with someone screaming at me to do more by 9/11 so I never joined), and knowing that it is not the same, I would have to say I can really appreciate how much a well earned/deserved medal can mean to someone.

And it may be more about letting the other person quickly evaluate what you have done, and the things you may have seen more than it is about personal pride for everyone. So I see no real need to abolish something like this. At least I don't think that there is, this is not like a video game where you get a medal for killing 100 people or anything right?

But really I just wanted to comment:


We may butt heads on this site with our political/economic views for a long time to come, but when it all comes down to it, I have a tremendous amount of respect for what you have done for us all.

The reality is that they indeed do give you medals for killing others, and its not so much the medal, but the accessories that go with the medals, bronze stars, silver stars, Combat V, Combat E and others signify a good body count.

 

[thebuttonpusher]

some do but most do not, if you really want to enlighten yourself look up service medals and ribbons online and you can see exactly what they are awarded for. i think they pretty much have an award for everything these days, i think the marines even give one out for wiping your ass correctly.

you're welcome andar

They give it out only after you have your Frontal Lobotomy at Staff NCO school. I don't know how many friends I lost to that school, its a special boot camp for enlisted people on the fast track to Marine Corps nirvana. I called it "Brainwash power setting 10".

 

[thebuttonpusher]

Semper Fi Man. I could give a shit about my ribbons and medals. Funny though how all those green assed butter ball Lt's would gawk at you. Made me want to punch them in thier pasty assed faces.

LOL I used to Salute them with my left hand and watch the confused look on their faces. It was all in jest though and they knew that.