New ribbon?

pknguyen44

USNA '13, NAPS '09
10-Year Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2007
Messages
199
I saw a few mids with another ribbon added to their stack. Does anyone know what it is?
 
:rolleyes:So we're saying something the Naval Academy did warrents a Bronze Star level award...that's interesting....
 
That is sad, b/c it lowers the quality of the medal. Somebody in Iraq lives in a war zone for a yr and gets a Bronze, a cadet lives at the Academy and gets it too?

What was this commandant thinking when he sent it up the pipeline and what was the Navy thinking when they said YEP!

My favorite line
including hosting the 2007 Annapolis Middle East Peace Conference.

Can anyone please tell me who attended and what actually occurred, b/c the last time I checked Israeli's and Palestinians are still fighting, and they have also stated if Iran continues with the nukes they will be forced to take offensive action...so much for middle east peace!
 
Yes, it goes to everyone assigned to the unit at the time.

Yes, it makes little sense, but there it is.

A better award would have been a NAM or NCM to those Midshipmen/Faculty directly involved with the visit and such.

But hey, we all got a National Defense Service Medal for watching Gulf War I on CNN with the rest of America. :rolleyes:
 
We will typically hand out a Merrit. Team Comm. to those DIRECTLY involved with a project that resulted in a "good job".
 
Zaph, I recall that medal, in the AF we called it if you were alive during the Gulf 1 award. One of our friends knew he was going to do 5 and dive (actually 8 since he was a pilot), his true goal was to leave with only 4 medals and he was ticked when that medal came out b/c he would have 5!
 
In the Marine Corps, we called it the "Fire Watch" Ribbon :yllol:

Very appropriate! :yllol: :shake:

I still remember when we got it. I had earned a Pistol Sharpsooter ribbon and Rifle Expert Medal, and with the NDSM I ended up with a full row.

Throw in my enlisted Dolphins and Deterrent Patrol pin, and I looked like a for-real sailor before even graduating. . :rolleyes:
 
Okay folks...take a deep breath.

Better?

Okay...media likes to spin things BIG TIME. This is NOT a Bronze Star. This is a simple ribbon (NOT a medal) that is awarded acknowledging that a unit performed "better than expected/normal/required" during a certain period.

ALL THE SERVICES have these. And they're "oh so worthless" to all of us in reality. Pima...check Bullet's uniform: how many "Organizational Excellence Award, Outstanding Unit Award, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Award, etc., ribbons he has on it? All of us that have been in over 20 years have a bunch of those.

I refer to them as "I was there" ribbons; and they mean precisely NOTHING to me.

Several years ago the cadets at USAFA received the AF equivalent of this.

This isn't a big deal, except perhaps because the brigade of mid's got it. But it means nothing really. We have WAAAAY too many ribbons and medals today, but I digress.

It's NOT on the par of the Bronze Star or similar decoration. The comment that it would be like getting one for an individual...well, you have to realize that the Bronze Star is awarded in two fashions: for combat actions (those will ALWAYS have a V device for valor) and for "Meritorious Service in a combat zone." Instead of receiving a Meritorious Service Medal, the Bronze Star is often "substituted" in a combat zone for the same award.

Bottom line, IMHO, if a Bronze Star has a "V" on it: I'm impressed. If not, eh..."been there, done that, got too many ribbons" on my uniform now after 26 years.

Congratulations to the Mid's for reaching the achievement level to be recognized by the CNO; that IS an accomplishment! But don't let this be overdone.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
They didn't happen to release what they did, did they?

Certaily was for the Spirit Spots at the Army/Navy game...those were horrible this year.
 
They didn't happen to release what they did, did they?

Certaily was for the Spirit Spots at the Army/Navy game...those were horrible this year.

It was the Annapolis Conference, primarily.


It's NOT on the par of the Bronze Star or similar decoration.

You know, when I first read that way up top, I kinda scratched my head because it didn't quite sound right, so I left it alone. I'm glad you clarified it.

Heck, I earned a JMUC (Joint Meritorious Unit Commendation) for some work during the Drug War, and I CERTAINLY never regarded it as anywhere near a Bronze Star.
 
Another Forum had some interesting comments when this was first awarded. The comments went something like this:

Commander:

What is that MUC for Ensign?

Newly Minted Ensign:

Sir! During the period 1 June 2007 through and including 31 August 2008 I survived Plebe Summer, studied hard and made it from Bancroft Hall to my scheduled classes through many adverse weather conditions. During this time period I also continued to take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. Sir!:yllol:
 
POPCORN! Get your red-hot POPCORN!

Somebody get the beer. This is gonna be good! :biggrin:

:popcorn1:


To justify this award, the unit must have performed service of a character comparable to that which would merit the award of a Bronze Star Medal, or achievement of like caliber in a non-combat situation, to an individual.

OK, maybe I'm just a bit old-fashioned, but what non-combat achievement "of like caliber" to a Bronze Star awarded IN BATTLE can a Service Academy (actually) perform?

Maybe if another hurricane hit Annapolis and the Brigade single-handedly saved Crabtown by using their bodies as sandbags, but for a conference? Am I missing something? :confused:
 
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POPCORN! Get your red-hot POPCORN!

Somebody get the beer. This is gonna be good! :biggrin:

:popcorn1:




OK, maybe I'm just a bit old-fashioned, but what non-combat achievement "of like caliber" to a Bronze Star awarded IN BATTLE can a Service Academy (actually) perform?

Maybe if another hurricane hit Annapolis and the Brigade single-handedly saved Crabtown by using their bodies as sandbags, but for a conference? Am I missing something? :confused:

Nah...no "getting up the dander" on this one as it's a semantic game; he and I really do agree on the basic fact of too many of these "no real value" items.

I have no idea why the AFI's, USAReg's, etc., are written they way they are other than to give folks some semblance I suppose of a criterion for recommending awards.

The Presidential Unit Citation for example...I'm not sure if it still reads this way, but at one time it said that the "...uin performance had to rise to the level that would have called for the nomination of an individual for the DSC/NC/AFC, etc." Just a way to say "This is a REALLY high honor!"

Eh...I just find, as I get older, that I collect too many of these "I was alive and breathing" ribbons. Just makes it much more expensive to buy new sets of ultrathin ribbons!!
 
flieger, just wait until you retire...the final I love myself shadow box cost over 1K for Bullet:eek: (Okay lie, he had 2...one for the medals, and flag flown over the capitol and 1 for the scarves, visors and patches) I will say his was done in a very unique manner (guys were actually taking pics with their cell phones and wives were beaaching to me b/c now they would have to do it that way) One of the medals was $75, don't ask me which one, but I really felt like saying are you f*ing joking me...$75?

I agree now it is becoming ridiculous. I think it is almost like our school system, thank-you for behaving so here is a certificate and a coupon to Pizza Hut, never mind that you are failing, but you showed up so good on you!
 
Hell the damn Blouse alone was $150 a quarter sales.

I should probably post this on the other "uniform" thread, but do they even call it a "Blouse" any more? :confused: That was always the traditional term!
 
flieger, just wait until you retire...the final I love myself shadow box cost over 1K for Bullet:eek: (Okay lie, he had 2...one for the medals, and flag flown over the capitol and 1 for the scarves, visors and patches) I will say his was done in a very unique manner (guys were actually taking pics with their cell phones and wives were beaaching to me b/c now they would have to do it that way) One of the medals was $75, don't ask me which one, but I really felt like saying are you f*ing joking me...$75?

I agree now it is becoming ridiculous. I think it is almost like our school system, thank-you for behaving so here is a certificate and a coupon to Pizza Hut, never mind that you are failing, but you showed up so good on you!
:jaw: Oh do NOT tell me that!!! I have been "adding things up" lately...too many ribbons (9 rows!! AAARRRGGHHH!) that means I'm OLD as far as the AF goes (okay, 26 years this June 1st) and medals that don't mean much BUT MUST be in the display for the "I love me" room/wall. Then, as you put it, the flag...and associated badges, wings, accoutrement's, etc.

Suddenly, this is becoming something...well, HUGE!

And all CinC House has said is: "And WHERE do you think this will go?"
 
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