On the Toxicity of the ‘Warrior’ Ethos

[dapaterson]

The fundamental problem with most H&A is that the CoC ability to write is more important that the act in question

 

[MJP]

The fundamental problem with most H&A is that the CoC ability to write is more important that the act in question

The insane minutiae involved to nominate anyone is just nauseous as well

 

[rmc_wannabe]

The insane minutiae involved to nominate anyone is just nauseous as well

I remember seeing about a year ago they created an H&A module Beta within Monitor MASS that would auto generate tombstone data, had guidelines for each award level and criteria, templates for Witness Statements, and even had a nifty "Recommend, Approve, Submit for review" approval process.

Amazingly... it was quickly kiboshed... for.... reasons?

 

[Good2Golf]

Amazingly... it was quickly kiboshed... for.... reasons?

Because MM still remains a non-life cycle managed experiment turned pseudo-official buckshee app?

 

[dapaterson]

Because MM has lack of privacy protection baked in from day one?

 

[rmc_wannabe]

Because MM has lack of privacy protection baked in from day one?

You could say that for any GoC system in place. Caveat based access and classification of data is only as good as the users accessing that information. The problem is the vast majority of users are complete morons, and administrators give away the keys to the kingdom for no reason. We house tons of Prot B data on MCS based apps, but where there is proper access control, boom... it's efficient.

But alas, we'll continue to take 4 years and a ton of paper to get personnel recognized (or not recognized, because we suck as an organizationat admin) because of poor application management

 

[PuckChaser]

If it's good enough to hold Pro B medical information on vaccination status, probably should be fine for H&A noms. Or is some Pro B more Pro B than other Pro B?

 

[rmc_wannabe]

If it's good enough to hold Pro B medical information on vaccination status, probably should be fine for H&A noms. Or is some Pro B more Pro B than other Pro B?

Technically not. The "Prot B (Honours in Confidence)" is a deviation from the NDSODs that we haven't seemed to shake.

 

[dapaterson]

I've had interesting exchanges with MCS pers on their visualization tool and the lack of basic consideration of privacy when they implement new views.

 

[Booter]

Getting some commendations through this year was an eye opener. I had seen them for some pretty ridiculous things- so I wasn’t initially prepared for the level of detail I’d have to get in to for like what was a genuine heroic risking of ass.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

I've had interesting exchanges with MCS pers on their visualization tool and the lack of basic consideration of privacy when they implement new views.

I bow to your personal experience with MCS. My main assumption is that, like most things within MCS/ASST, they design views and portals with the belief (right on wring) that no one without a need to know is getting access to those views or privileges.

 

[Gunplumber]

I took over the job of preparing and mailing the Memory boxes for the family's of fallen soldiers. It was backlogged a year as nobody was working on it (they did not have anyone doing it on a regular basis) It was a cheap box from the Bombay Company that had some 4 x 6" photos thrown in and a couple of news paper articles printed and put in. This is what the families got. I thought it was disgusting. On my own I found a hardwood box that I got the soldiers cap badge and name laser engraved on (for slightly cheaper than the crappy box, in part thanks that the guy who made them was ex military). Did the 3 quotes and all that and got it approved even though I'm not a supply tech, and got a professional printed picture book with the ramp ceremonies etc. , found articles and comments about the troop and had them bound together in a commemorative booklet.

Made the Memory Box into something that I (and hopefully others) was proud of. At end of it, not even a thank you, a coin or an atta boy or anything. I don't really care as I was proud to have worked on it but when I read about all the Snr Officers and CWOs etc getting medals for "doing their jobs' it pisses me off. But I am a Corporal and really should know my place.........

I know one gentleman on this site who got one of my boxes and I hope he is happy with the effort I put into it.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

I took over the job of preparing and mailing the Memory boxes for the family's of fallen soldiers. It was backlogged a year as nobody was working on it (they did not have anyone doing it on a regular basis) It was a cheap box from the Bombay Company that had some 4 x 6" photos thrown in and a couple of news paper articles printed and put in. This is what the families got. I thought it was disgusting. On my own I found a hardwood box that I got the soldiers cap badge and name laser engraved on (for slightly cheaper than the crappy box, in part thanks that the guy who made them was ex military). Did the 3 quotes and all that and got it approved even though I'm not a supply tech, and got a professional printed picture book with the ramp ceremonies etc. , found articles and comments about the troop and had them bound together in a commemorative booklet.

Made the Memory Box into something that I (and hopefully others) was proud of. At end of it, not even a thank you, a coin or an atta boy or anything. I don't really care as I was proud to have worked on it but when I read about all the Snr Officers and CWOs etc getting medals for "doing their jobs' it pisses me off. But I am a Corporal and really should know my place.........

I know one gentleman on this site who got one of my boxes and I hope he is happy with the effort I put into it.

I can assure you, your efforts will live on within the generations of that member's family and I personally would hope the same care and effort would be put into my own commemoration if I buy the farm on operations.

I have to agree, however, that reviewing the Honours and Awards CANFORGENs are neither inspiring nor encouraging for pers below the rank of Capt/MWO. It smacks of cronyism and elitism seeing "MSM- LCol Bloggins- For dedication and exceptional leadership as TF Comd Op REASSURANCE from Jul-Dec 2020." I imagine that part of the reason this LCol was appointed the TF Comd was because of their exceptional leadership. It's part of the reason they're getting paid 6 figures tax free with FSP/HA/RA to do it. It's a routine task.

Meanwhile, folks on the lower end are doing fantastically unique and almost herculean feast of heroism and are being tossed a CDS Commendation or being downgraded to Command Commendations or less. It's really disheartening to see. I think part of the problem is that our H&A criteria favour Snr Leaders in the sense that higher end criteria are based on national impact or organizational impact, vice the gravity of the act in question. Not many Cpl/Ptes are placed in roles where they have national or organizational impacts in their day to day. A TF Comd on the other hand....

I hope one day we actually provide quality recognition to our pers and that the "Coin Culture" we brought home from Afghanistan dies out soon.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I took over the job of preparing and mailing the Memory boxes for the family's of fallen soldiers. It was backlogged a year as nobody was working on it (they did not have anyone doing it on a regular basis) It was a cheap box from the Bombay Company that had some 4 x 6" photos thrown in and a couple of news paper articles printed and put in. This is what the families got. I thought it was disgusting. On my own I found a hardwood box that I got the soldiers cap badge and name laser engraved on (for slightly cheaper than the crappy box, in part thanks that the guy who made them was ex military). Did the 3 quotes and all that and got it approved even though I'm not a supply tech, and got a professional printed picture book with the ramp ceremonies etc. , found articles and comments about the troop and had them bound together in a commemorative booklet.

Made the Memory Box into something that I (and hopefully others) was proud of. At end of it, not even a thank you, a coin or an atta boy or anything. I don't really care as I was proud to have worked on it but when I read about all the Snr Officers and CWOs etc getting medals for "doing their jobs' it pisses me off. But I am a Corporal and really should know my place.........

I know one gentleman on this site who got one of my boxes and I hope he is happy with the effort I put into it.

Thank you for that. Just in case no one's said that enough!

It sounds like that whole, currently appalling, process could do with a massive AAR and course correction. I hope someone 'up there' finds out about how crappy it is right now and fixes it.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

I can assure you, your efforts will live on within the generations of that member's family and I personally would hope the same care and effort would be put into my own commemoration if I buy the farm on operations.

I have to agree, however, that reviewing the Honours and Awards CANFORGENs are neither inspiring nor encouraging for pers below the rank of Capt/MWO. It smacks of cronyism and elitism seeing "MSM- LCol Bloggins- For dedication and exceptional leadership as TF Comd Op REASSURANCE from Jul-Dec 2020." I imagine that part of the reason this LCol was appointed the TF Comd was because of their exceptional leadership. It's part of the reason they're getting paid 6 figures tax free with FSP/HA/RA to do it. It's a routine task.

Meanwhile, folks on the lower end are doing fantastically unique and almost herculean feast of heroism and are being tossed a CDS Commendation or being downgraded to Command Commendations or less. It's really disheartening to see. I think part of the problem is that our H&A criteria favour Snr Leaders in the sense that higher end criteria are based on national impact or organizational impact, vice the gravity of the act in question. Not many Cpl/Ptes are placed in roles where they have national or organizational impacts in their day to day. A TF Comd on the other hand....

I hope one day we actually provide quality recognition to our pers and that the "Coin Culture" we brought home from Afghanistan dies out soon.

Dude,

H&A are literally all about patronage. Most H&A only exist to make Senior Officers look more impressive than they really are.

Exhibit A:

Wow, 3 Star General Lawson looks pretty unimpressive for a CDS..... slap a few fake awards on him though:

BAM! Turbo Super Soldier Lawson! This guy must be a real killer! Lemme see your war face!

Our H&A is actually a perfect reflection of our society, fake and superficial!

 

[Good2Golf]

Dude,

H&A are literally all about patronage. Most H&A only exist to make Senior Officers look more impressive than they really are.

Exhibit A:

Wow, 3 Star General Lawson looks pretty unimpressive for a CDS..... slap a few fake awards on him though:

BAM! Turbo Super Soldier Lawson! This guy must be a real killer! Lemme see your war face!

Our H&A is actually a perfect reflection of our society, fake and superficial!

North Korea laughs at Canada’s pitiful attempt at patronage…

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

North Korea laughs at Canada’s pitiful attempt at patronage…

View attachment 73320

We just make it believable

 

[daftandbarmy]

Dude,

H&A are literally all about patronage. Most H&A only exist to make Senior Officers look more impressive than they really are.

Exhibit A:

Wow, 3 Star General Lawson looks pretty unimpressive for a CDS..... slap a few fake awards on him though:

BAM! Turbo Super Soldier Lawson! This guy must be a real killer! Lemme see your war face!

Our H&A is actually a perfect reflection of our society, fake and superficial!

OTOH, and I am open to be proven wrong, but I don’t think there are many more senior than Captain who have earned the MMV or SMV. That’s a good sign

 

[North Star]

Sigh. Every year I make it a habit to write up a non-succession planned SNCO who has done amazing things for the ORMM, and every year it goes nowhere. Reading this string makes me want to give up!

 

[rmc_wannabe]

Sigh. Every year I make it a habit to write up a non-succession planned SNCO who has done amazing things for the ORMM, and every year it goes nowhere. Reading this string makes me want to give up!

We saw the same thing happen with the QDJM. I read so many citations that were worthy of at least a CDS Commendation, but they were throwing people up for a "commemoration" medal because the criteria and process was so much more timely and it was much more likely the person would receive the recognition.

We are our own worst enemies when it comes to recognizing our people.