The new Medals & Awards manual has finally been put out, and while scanning thru it a question came to mind.

Recently in the Bering Sea, the Alaska Ranger went down, with loss of life, but while reading the articles, the AST that went into the water did one helluva job and recieved a decoration, the Air Medal. My question is, did he receive the wrong decoration just because of the nameof the decoration.

The aircrew flew him out to the scene, then " threw him out of the helocopter" that term meant as humor. Once in the Bering Sea that Coastguardsman was on his own to perform the deeds that he accomplished. His involvement in aerial flight ended when he went into the sea.

The name Air Medal holds the connotatiion that it is an all encompassing aerial award. After reading other criteria, I wonder if whether the AST should have been considered for other specific awards, for example;

Coast Guard Medal - an equivalent to the Gold Lifesaving Medal

Meritorious Service Medal - an equivalent to the Silver Lifesaving Medal

Coast Guard Commendation Medal - awarded also for heroism, but to most here, seems to be trivialized down to an attaboy type geedunk decoration today.

Watching the videos of the Alaska Ranger, the weather was sloppy, but typical Bering for that time of year. The AST was on his own, in the water performing heroically.

Although on the crew list, once he was in the water, it had nothing to do with aerial flight.

Are the individual acts of the rescue swimmer being recognized with the wrong decoration, any ideas ???

I'd say Coast Guard Medal, but that's just me.

I have a question, does the USCG use the "V" Device on the Commendation Medal like Army does on it's Commendation medal for a Heroism award?

If so, then it isn't a "geedunk" award if there's a "V" Device on it.

quote:

His involvement in aerial flight ended when he went into the sea.

Based upon Coast Guard tradition, this is a normal award. Look at Air Force personnel involved in rescues. Much the same awards; Air Medal, DFC, etc. The swimmer did not swim over from a ship or boat, he was part of an aircrew involved in a rescue. Also, his actions probably did not end once he was back aboard the helo. Then the EMT duties begin!

Although, depending on the situation, something higher than a DFC could be awarded.

quote:

Based upon Coast Guard tradition, this is a normal award.

And that's what got me wondering again about the awards system of the Coast Guard in particular. I believe that military decorations, unit commendations, sewrvice & campaign medals are all an integral part of the service culture.

As these boards have been flaunted by many, as the "pulse of the CG today", and gathered from you folks, the Coast Guard of today, there seems to be an overall pervasive feeling that awards all just ammount to "fluff" "chest candy" : geedunk ribbons" on and on.

A continuing theme seems to be the over awarding of some decorations for seemingly trivial occurances somehow has had them de-volve down to the level of trinkets.

This petty officer in the Bering sea has caught my interest. The CG tradition has it that because he arrived as a part of a flight crew, then an "air" type decoration is somehow warrented.

I don't think that is an appropriate decoration for those individual actions that took place in the ocean, and accomplished by the ASM. It would seem to me that a MSM or CG Medal was more in line.

As it appears in the press, there was nothing really noteworthy of the flying out to the scene, just typical crappy Bering Sea wx for that time of year, but nothing to make the FLYING particularly noteworthy. The MISSION was one helluva rescue.

And this is the crux of my observation. There is a " Meritorious Team Commendation " in Chap 3-B-7 of the awards manual that appears to be appropriate for these type missions.

"CG Medals & Awards Manual
Chapter3–B-7.
Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendation (MTC).

The MTC may be awarded to groups or teams not identifiable by OPFAC as a Coast Guard unit. To justify this award, the individual members of the group must have performed service that made a significant contribution to the group’s overall outstanding accomplishment of a study, process, mission, etc. The service performed as a group or team must be comparable to that which would merit the award of the LOC or higher to an individual. The award of the MTC does not preclude individuals from being recognized with a personal award for the same action/period recognized.

I can see where this should be going to boat crews and air crews that as a CREW pull of a great rescue, mission, parts run, what have you. Decorations to the individual that pulled the heroic stuff.

Restore the individual decorations to those instances of noteworty PERSONAL action.

The cynic see one drawback. Decorations in the heroism catagory could become the realm mainly of the enlistedman.

On second thought,re-reading the post just preceding this entry actually hit the nail on the head, and answered the question.
No sense wasting anymore space with this topic.
Case closed.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mastersmate,

Take note of Enclosure 22, six pages of Order of Precedence for awards from all five services.

WE'VE GOT HARD COPY!

Can anyone explain to me why the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal and the Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal are placed way below the Coast Guard Reserve Good Conduct Medal, the Naval Reserve Meritorious Service Medal and the Organized Marine Corps Reserve Medal when they are all the same medal, a Reserve version of the Good Conduct Medal?

Gotta take care of our other maritime buddies first!

probably has to do with precedence...of course ours comes first since that is the service you're in, then probably since they are the other naval services and probably the most likely we would serve with or get folks from and then the air and army services.

I get the order of precedence: USCG, USN, USMC, USA, USAF.

But that doesn't explain why they're about six rows down in the pecking order.

If the order of the Good Conduct medals follows normal Precedence (USCG, USN, USMC, USA, USAF), why doesn't it apply to the Reserve versions of the Good Conduct Medals?

Joseph, are you in the USA?

You don't understand about the pecking order, and I don't understand why an Army Captain is over here worrying about such a trival thing as this....

Maybe you should ask some of your Army buddies... perhaps they could help you out...

Wray...

Wray, shuman14 is also a member of the Aux.

quote:

Originally posted by Wray:
Joseph, are you in the USA?

You don't understand about the pecking order, and I don't understand why an Army Captain is over here worrying about such a trival thing as this....

Maybe you should ask some of your Army buddies... perhaps they could help you out...

Wray...

Wray,

When I'm in an Army Uniform, my Decorations are in the Army's Order of Precedence.

When I'm in my USCGAux I wear my Decorations in the USCG's Order of Precedence.

Army Precedence:

Good Conduct Medal (in order: USA, USAF, USN, USMC, USCG)
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal
Naval Reserve Meritorious Service Medal
Organized Marine Corps Reserve Medal
USCG Reserve Good Conduct Medal

USCG Order of Precedence:

Good Conduct Medal (in order: USCG, USN, USMC, USA, USAF)
Coast Guard Reserve Good Conduct Medal
Naval Reserve Meritorious Service Medal
Organized Marine Corps Reserve Medal

Then 53 Decorations later:

Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal

In fact placing them below several USA and USAF ribbons which they are placed ABOVE in the USA's and USAF's own Orders of Precedence.

They are ALL the same medal, a Reserve version of the Good Conduct Medal.

I of course will comply with the USCG's uniform directives and wear my ARCAM in it's required place on my USCGAux uniform.

I'm just trying to understand WHY the USCG holds the Service of USAR and USAFR members in such low precedence.

Thanks for pointing out my "ignorance" of "such a trival thing as this".

I take great pride in my Decorations, as "trival" as they might be, sorry.

Don't you have something less "trival" to do then spot correct Army Captains in retirement?

I would think there's a golf course and/or a fishing boat with your name on it waiting for you Wray.

This may be slightly off topic - but the new "Medals and Awards Manual" was mentioned.

Looking through the newest version - seems subsequent awards of the CG Good Conduct are now noted using large Golds Stars on the ribbon/medal instead of the small bronze stars.

Anyone else notice any changes along these lines?
ag

that is an error...if you look at the chart it states the gold stars but if you go back to Chapter 5 it state the 5/16" bronze stars. One of my Chiefs brought it up and we sent it into CG 612 to get corrected.

I told them to keep wearing their small bronze stars until they get the screwup fixed. Usually campaign and service medals/awards are noted with small stars/oak leaves/etc while personal and unit medals/awards are with large gold stars. The GCM is considered a campaign/service award.

quote:

Originally posted by shuman14:
I have a question, does the USCG use the "V" Device on the Commendation Medal like Army does on it's Commendation medal for a Heroism award?
.

If the Commendation Medal was awarded for Valor in Combat, the Valor Device can be authorized.

I agree that the Coast Guard medal is most appropriate, both in hierarchy AND award criteria. The Air Medal is awarded to pilots and aircrew in the Air Force, Army, and Navy very liberally(comparable to an Achievement Medal).

quote:

Originally posted by rbrayman:
that is an error...if you look at the chart it states the gold stars but if you go back to Chapter 5 it state the 5/16" bronze stars. One of my Chiefs brought it up and we sent it into CG 612 to get corrected.

I told them to keep wearing their small bronze stars until they get the screwup fixed. Usually campaign and service medals/awards are noted with small stars/oak leaves/etc while personal and unit medals/awards are with large gold stars. The GCM is considered a campaign/service award.

Thanks Master Chief,
I wonder which is wrong - the chart in chapter 1 or the description in chapter 5 (that your referenced).
After ordering $50.00 worth of ultra thin ribbons - this is not the time I wanted to hear a mistake has been made in the manual.
I suppose I will wait for an alcoast to clarify which star headquaters wants us to use. In the mean time I guess either way will do.
This will be another chapter in the book I plan on writing, "Classic Coast Guard....",

ag

quote:

I agree that the Coast Guard medal is most appropriate, both in hierarchy AND award criteria.

That is how it appears/ed to me also.

quote:

That is how it appears/ed to me also.

Having reviewed the citations in the manual I see your point about the Coast Guard Medal.

Funny thing about awards involving rescues; publicity of the event plays a big part in the award process. So too who the players are, and if they "fit" with the chain of command. (Nuff said...my comments refer to things that have happened in the past)