# U.S. Army - Chest Full of Ribbons



## Pencil Tech (16 Jan 2005)

I saw a picture of "Specialist " Charles Graner today - the guy on trial in the States over the Iraq prison torture business - and he had about four rows of ribbons on his uniform. Can anybody tell me why the U.S. seem to have so many ribbons? Do they all represent actual individual medals?


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## tomahawk6 (16 Jan 2005)

The majority of the ribbons represent medals. The highest decoration he has received is the Army Acheivement Medal. Reserve Components Achievement Medal and the 3d is the National Defense Service Medal. The rest are service medals.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050115/480/txlm10101151417


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## Infanteer (16 Jan 2005)

Just a practice of American Army culture.  They seem to like to give ribbons out for every recognizeable action (whereas Canadian soldiers would receive a certificate or coin for the same action).  Although I have my own views on this way, it's how they do things.


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## Pencil Tech (16 Jan 2005)

What kind of actions would they get ribbons for that we don't, for example?


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## Ex-Dragoon (16 Jan 2005)

Here is a good site from Google:
http://www.americal.org/awards/


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## atticus (16 Jan 2005)

hey, is it true that they get a medal for passing basic and for passing their rifle shooting?


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## 48Highlander (16 Jan 2005)

My platoon this summer served as a platoon within an american company for a 2 week exercise in Florida.  All of us received American medals for passing the m-16/m-4 qualification shoot.


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## 1feral1 (16 Jan 2005)

The US have a complete different award system compared to British Commonwealth nations like Canada, UK, NZ, Australia, etc.

Where ours are medals for UN tours, NATO service, theatre service, long service, etc, their's are for more common generic carreer things as stated in above posts.

Its still common for a CF member to do 20 yrs and only have a one medal, a CD. Where in the US Forces, you'd have a chest full.

So, its a different kettle of fish, and we really should not pass judgement on our American friends, as they have earned their awards as much as anyone within their own system, but just in a different way thats expressed.

Cold beers,

Wes


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## buckahed (16 Jan 2005)

I had a well lubricated USN type explain to me that his ribbons were his product bar code. People in the know didn't need to see his records, just looking at his ribbons told them where he'd been and what he'd done.


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## Infanteer (16 Jan 2005)

Pencil Tech said:
			
		

> What kind of actions would they get ribbons for that we don't, for example?



Well, just looking at some of the pieces of paper I've got over the last few years:

- I got a certificate for swearing into the CF.  In the US Army, I would have been awarded the National Defense Service Medal.

- I got a certificate saying that I successfully completed QL2/QL3 training. in the US Army, I would have been awarded the Army Service Ribbon (this is a ribbon only).

- Having got an "A" on my Basic Course Report, instead of a certificate, I would have been awarded the Army Achievement Medal.

- For Marksmanship, you are awarded a patch for the DEU sleeve, in the US Army, its a badge that goes on the breast pocket.

- Being in the Army during the Global War on Terror, I can feel happy knowing that their is an enemy for me to shoot at.  In the US, I would get a medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, to stick on my "salad bar" to remind me.

- In the Canadian Army, I got a gimme for going to the Balkans, the Canadian Peace Service Medal.  The US has a gimme like that as well, the Armed Forces Service Medal.

- I got a nice piece of paper signed by Jean Chretien (which I subsequently chucked) thanking me for an extended nature hike in Kananaskis during OP GRIZZLY.  I'm sure I would have got a medal in the US Army.

- All the CDS Commendations, CLS Commendations, etc, etc would be medals in the US Army.

Like I said, it is just the way the US Army does things.  I have my own view on how awards should work, and see too many "gimmees" even on our "salad bars", but whatever makes people happy, I guess.


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## tomahawk6 (16 Jan 2005)

You got it about right Infanteer. Sometimes I think we go a bit overboard with the fruit salad [decorations]. New medals were just authorized for service in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the old days this would have been covered by the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.


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## atticus (16 Jan 2005)

Infanteer said:
			
		

> - I got a nice piece of paper signed by Jean Chretien (which I subsequently chucked) thanking me for an extended nature hike in Kananaskis during OP GRIZZLY.   I'm sure I would have got a medal in the US Army.



What? What a joke he is... :rage: 

Anyways, thanks for clearing up the ribbon thing.


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## D-n-A (22 Jan 2005)

Infanteer said:
			
		

> - I got a certificate for swearing into the CF.   In the US Army, I would have been awarded the National Defense Service Medal.




You would receive a certifacate for swearing into the US Military, also. The National Defense medal you would be awarded after doing your basic training, becauase you are a serving member of the armed forces during a time of war.









On the topic, now it seems like medals in the US are a lot easier to get(like Infanteer said, a lot of gimmies also), an theres a lot more out there now than there was a few years ago. A Soldier who has been in for a few years without going overseas seems to get a fair amount of medals. My dad served in the US Army for 5 years an did a few tours in Vietnam an it seems like he has half the amount of medals compared to some troops now who haven't even been overseas, an to others who didn't even finish their tour an they spend most of it guarding POWs in a prison(Spec Granar).


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## Infanteer (22 Jan 2005)

Like pay raises and Black Berets, I think more medals may be a band-aid for more serious morale problems.


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## tomahawk6 (24 Jan 2005)

Decorations are worth promotion points for EM and NCO's. But I agree they are overly awarded.


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## Izzy (28 Jan 2005)

Has anyone here ever, or know how to go about, applying for a retoractive awarding of a Good Conduct Medal? I ask because when I was due to get mine, my unit was put on alert for deployment to Desert Shield / Desert Storm and we deployed a very short time later. I asked about it after we returned to the states and was told it would be looked into but then I ETS'd and never heard anything else. I recently requested a copy of my DD-214 to see if it had ever been appended to include the GCMedal but nothing else shows after my SouthWest Asia Service medal.


_The regs read:
4-11. Retroactive Award
a. Retroactive award to enlisted personnel and to officer personnel who qualified in an enlisted status, is authorized provided evidence is available to establish qualification. Where necessary, to correct conflicting or duplicate awards, previous general or permanent orders may be revoked and new orders published, citing this paragraph as authority. 

b. Requests for retroactive awards to enlisted persons which cannot be processed due to lack of information will be forwarded to Commander, U.S. Army Enlisted Records and Evaluation Center Fort Benjamin Harrison, IN 46249-5301, by the commander having command jurisdiction. Upon receipt of eligibility information from U.S. Army Enlisted Records and Evaluation Center (USAEREC), the commander can take action to confirm retroactive award of the AGCM by publication of orders, or by informing the soldier of findings of ineligibility. _ 

Per section B, a request has got to be made but I have no idea how to do this or whom I can ask for assistance in doing this.

Any help would be greatly appreciated up front as I am trying to put together a medals/ribbons display to hang on my wall so I can remember that I was once part of something more than what I am now. I feel my GCMedal was greatly earned as I busted my butt as a squad leader, a soldier who worked in an Emergency Action center, and generally as a soldier.


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## tomahawk6 (29 Jan 2005)

http://www.archives.gov/facilities/mo/st_louis/military_personnel_records/awards_and_decorations.html#army

To receive the GCM you need 3 years of exemplary consecutive Federal service. Receiving an ART 15 or being tried by Courts Martial
will disqualify a soldier. The above link is for the National personnel Records Center Medals Section. You can receive medals you have been authorized and request the issuance of a medal you never received. Good Luck !!


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## Izzy (31 Jan 2005)

Absolutely no trouble during my time in, only reason I never got my GCM was due to my unit being alerted for deployment. I guess that "measly" stuff got put on hold. Once we got back it was not a priority I guess. Thank for the link, I'll check it out in a few minutes.

Bob


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