Seeking a medal for a navy mom

[geo]

I really can't see someone complaining that she was being discriminated upon.

Ummm... regardless of wether it is right or wrong to present the cross to families for deaths which happened within Canada, someone DID complain about being left out.



Just wait - I can see the spouse or mother of a person who died of a coronary asking to be included in the medals parade.  Hell, her son/husband served in the CF for XX years and that's gotta be worth something - shouldn't it ?

 

[chrisf]

Well... there isn't a way to distinguish the difference.
The wife of the driver who killed himself by rolling his truck in Toronto's Spandina trench will get the same silver cross as the mum/wife of the fella who was on the receiving end of an IED.  Both ladies will be on an equal footing when seen by the general public.

Should the Toronto driver's mum be considered for the honour of being silver cross mother on November 11th ?

Here's an alternate question, would you consider the mothers of the 7 airmen buried at the end of the CFS Alert run way to be worthy of memorial cross?

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Here's an alternate question, would you consider the mothers of the 7 airmen buried at the end of the CFS Alert run way to be worthy of memorial cross?

IMHO since they where part of Operation BOXTOP then I would say yes.

 

[armyvern]

IMHO since they where part of Operation BOXTOP then I would say yes.

Folk are burried at the end of the runway in Alert, those who perished in Boxtop 21 being none of them. Alert has seen more than it`s share of air crashs since it`s inception.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Roger that.

 

[geo]

Sig Op,
I see a distinct difference between
1) People who die while on operations - seamen while at sea, Airmen while on an operational mission & soldiers in the field
VS
2) Soldiers doing day to day admin/PT/mtce... even if they were on duty.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Yes.

If you believe a commemorative medal is justified for an MSE Op driving his truck into a wall in Wainwright, then why not for some taxi driver in Toronto, or a postal worker who gets run over in Ottawa?

Because they aren't military?

If it's not attributable to a military operation, it's no different than the death of any other person. Sad for the spouse/parent, but not remotely worthy of a medal.

On exercise/tasking/course/training in Wainwright is not a military operation? 

 

[George Wallace]

Oh my God!d  I got Carpaltunnel syndrom typing in this post, and a paper cut..........should I get one too?

 

[geo]

Eye in the sky.....
replace
Toronto taxi driver by: Base bus driver
Postal worker by: Base postal clerk

Training in wainright is one thing.... how about the fella who is posted there & is just driving the truck that delivers "blue rockets" into training areas ?

There HAS to be a difference between the person who dies while accomplishing a mission VS the person who dies while taking care of day to day admin.... else, we might as well discontinue the entire memorial cross program altogether... cause it becomes IMHO meaningless.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Geo,

I can see your point with that.

In the case of Lt (N) Saunders, a fire on a sub in the middle of the drink is about as real as it gets...there should be no question.

I think that Cpl Bloggins who dies on Ex in Wainwright, well...he/she did die in the service of Canada as well. 

I don't know, I can't see any solution to this where the majority of serving members would be happy.  Personally, I think the Memorial Cross should cover death during the performance of military duties.  Cpl Bloggins shouldn't get one for slipping on the pizza box in his shacks and falling down the stairs. 

If a Sea King thunders into the inner ramp today here on 12 Wing and the whole crew is killed, but its a training flight, did they not die in the performance of their military duties? 

 

[geo]

I think that, Cpl Bloggins dying on Ex in Wainwright, well...he/she did die in the service of Canada as well.

replace the base - say it's Longue Pointe - CFB Montreal & Cpl Bloggins wanders into the 25 CFSDs yard & has a seacan dropped on top of him.... Mrs Bloggins has suffered the death of his son... but it just isn't the same thing.
On Ex - Yes
Not on Ex - NO

 

[CountDC]

Thank you for expressing the obvious.

reading through all the posts - this was not obvious and your post gave no indication that you understood this.

However, much like you saying you'd like to see this waste of defence budget now come in multiple colours, I was merely expressing the opinion that I disagreed with it being awarded for any non-operational deaths.

Yeah - big waste of defence budget,  I could have used that money to buy another box of pens. The amount for these medals does not even count as a drop in the bucket when it comes to the defence budget.

To set the record straight - I have not said I support the program, just if they are going to have it then recognize everyone and use a slight change to distinguish between those that fell in combat and those driving on the range in Canada. Personnally I feel it is a program that should never have been started as it was nothing more than a political feel good scheme. My wife has already stated she doesn't want it as she considers it an insult - "sorry your husband died, here you go, a pretty trinket to make you feel better. Like a stupid little cross will do anything for me, now a million dollars...". I should mention my wife is not a big fan of crosses - something to do with her being Jewish.

 

[mariomike]

Personnally I feel it is a program that should never have been started as it was nothing more than a political feel good scheme. My wife has already stated she doesn't want it as she considers it an insult - "sorry your husband died, here you go, a pretty trinket to make you feel better. Like a stupid little cross will do anything for me, now a million dollars...".

My grandmother used to hold her Memorial Cross like she was holding a baby.
She didn't get any money from the government. She wasn't able to visit my uncle's grave until 1954.
Growing up, it wasn't uncommon to see older women wearing them on Sundays.
In my opinion, if it gives a grieving mother some measure of relief, I wouldn't have the heart to deny them one.

 

[mariomike]

Her son Lieut. Christopher Saunders, a combat engineer, died on amission that seemed routine - the maiden voyage from Scotland to Halifax of a diesel-electric submarine, one of four Canada had bought from the United Kingdom.

06/2/2016

School named for submariner who died after sub fire opens in New Brunswick
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/school-named-for-submariner-who-died-after-sub-fire-opens-in-new-brunswick-381622291.html
QUISPAMSIS, N.B. - A new school in New Brunswick has been named in honour of a Canadian submariner who died following a fire on board HMCS Chicoutimi.

Provincial officials, students and staff held a ceremony Wednesday to open the Chris Saunders Memorial School in Quispamsis.

See also,

Lieutenant Christopher ( Chris ) Saunders
https://www.google.ca/search?q=site%3Aarmy.ca+Chris+Saunders&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-CA:IE-Address&ie=&oe=&rlz=1I7GGHP_en-GBCA592&gfe_rd=cr&ei=4qxQV_yfAoKN8Qe6v76YDQ&gws_rd=ssl#