What do the ribbons mean?
- Thread starter jwsteele
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They're called undress ribbons and they represent the medals that the mbr has earned over their career. These are worn on occations where the full medals are not required.
As for why the lower ranks seem to have more, usually it's just a case of more deployments more often
As for why the lower ranks seem to have more, usually it's just a case of more deployments more often
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Go to www.forces.gc.ca/admmat/dglepm/badges-insignia/ribbons_e.htm for a list of specific ribbons. In Canada a ribbon is a direct representation of a medal awarded whereas some militaries issue just a ribbon.If you think back 15 years ago, there were not alot of overseas missions. Cyprus and golan heights were about the most common but as you can imagine, those that were of a lower rank back then were otherwise employed and maybee chose not to take more modern tours because of other commitments.
Its not the ribbon/medal that makes the soldier though so its best to never base your opinion of someone on their fruit salad.
Its not the ribbon/medal that makes the soldier though so its best to never base your opinion of someone on their fruit salad.
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well its not always wise to base an opinion on the bars that they have . some of the medals are gimmes some are given out unevenly some are just randomly scattered throughout the cf . there are some that in the right time in the right place and you get one . some are cf wide but for completely different things . take the SWASM southwest Asia service medal . the infantry got them for the service in Afghanistan , the navy got them for service around the gulf and the air force got them for servicing the troops that where there. now if you go and look its all the same medal with the same ribbon but there was a large separation of duties. but youl never know until till you ask them . as im now inthe navy the only difference between my medal for being in Afghanistan and the one that was given to the navy is none. you have to look to see the CinC award . even then it kinda blends in if you really want to know use the web to look up what it is and then maybe go ask the person what it is and what its for . i saw this happen with a ww2 veteran and a young couple as they saw the France and ww2 victory star on the veterans chest. they took the time to ask . he was even able to tell em a little about it that wasn't in the books .
http://www.forces.gc.ca/hr/dhh/honours_awards/engraph/med1_e.asp?cat=3
heres another webpage that may tell you more about the more recent ones being awarded. hope it helps
http://www.forces.gc.ca/hr/dhh/honours_awards/engraph/med1_e.asp?cat=3
heres another webpage that may tell you more about the more recent ones being awarded. hope it helps
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jwsteele said:
You should note, a Sergeant is not a low rank, it's just not a commisoned rank, and corpral is one of those ranks that you can spend your entire career at if you've got no leadership ability or just no desire to progress...
reccecrewman
Sr. Member
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To add to an answer, let me put it this way for you. There's a tour going overseas & theres 1,200 positions on it. Stop and think how many Captains & Majors are in that number compared to the number of Privates & Corporals. Basically, there's alot more positions open on any given tour for enlisted men and only so many for officers. Another factor to consider is this; In the Armour Corps (Probably similar for the Infantry) an officer comes to the Unit as a 2Lt. & is given command of a Troop (Platoon). This is usually a 1 or 2 year assignemnt for them and then they are quite often sent to some staff position as a Captain. Now, if the Squadron (or Company) never did a tour while he/she was a Troop/Platoon leader, then he's out of luck and has to wait to be selected to go overseas in some other capacity. Meanwhile, junior and senior NCM's have many more opportunities to go overseas and extend their racks quite nicely. ;D
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Just a Sig Op said:
I really take exception to your post, and the tone in which it is presented. It's not just an expression, the Cpls are the backbone of the army.
Michael Dorosh
Army.ca Veteran
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Kat Stevens said:
I had a fellow corporal in my office on Wednesday night; between the two of us we had 34 years of experience with the Regiment. We talked about how quickly time flies.
He has many more medals than I do, too, incidentally.
Haggis
Army.ca Fixture
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Just a Sig Op said:
Many Cpls, particularly in the specialist trades (like the 500 series Air trades), earn a fair bit more than an IPC 4 Infantry Sgt (with a heck of a lot less wear and tear on the body).
See: http://www.forces.gc.ca/dgcb/dppd/pay/engraph/NCMRegFPayRate_e.asp?sidesection=3&sidecat=28 for proof.
Kat Stevens said:
Bang on, Kat. Some folks who are "just Cpls" are quite happy and quite effective there.
My father-in-law retired a full Col (Air Nav) in early 90's, he only had a CD with 2 clasps on his chest. He was able to apply for the SSM after his retirement once it became available. He had a fantastic career, flew Argus and spent a lot of time in the Intelligence field. He was unconcerned with the colours on his chest and very proud of the stripes on his arms.
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I know this is a rather old topic now, but I never noticed the responses to my reply...
As a corpral myself (And likely a CFL), it wasn't meant as a slight to corprals, so much as to point out to the poster that it's entirely possible to spend one's carreer as a corpral if that's where one is happy... and that it's not at all abnormal for some corprals to have far more experience then their superiors.
As a corpral myself (And likely a CFL), it wasn't meant as a slight to corprals, so much as to point out to the poster that it's entirely possible to spend one's carreer as a corpral if that's where one is happy... and that it's not at all abnormal for some corprals to have far more experience then their superiors.
FormerHorseGuard
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i remember when the 125 medal came out, a few were given out to the Members of Parliment to give away to deserving persons, the Forces were given some too. A soldier in Petawawa walked into the local MP office It was Len Hopskins Lib MP and asked if he could get one, and Mr Hopkins arranged for him to get one of the medals. The solder was given the medal on parade. So medals are just give mes. I thought it was funny to hear a soldier would just ask for it and get one.
There was a time when most of the enlisted men wearing the most ribbons and medals were combat engineers. wonder what trade has the guy walking around with the most now?
There was a time when most of the enlisted men wearing the most ribbons and medals were combat engineers. wonder what trade has the guy walking around with the most now?
Michael Dorosh
Army.ca Veteran
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FormerHorseGuard said:
Wow, this defies description. Can you name the soldier in Petawawa who just asked for the medal? Or is this an urban myth.
I don't know about anyone else, but I got my CD by 12 years of dedicated service, no one "gave' it to me, I earned it and wear it with pride. I did a bit more more to "earn' it than a few others, and a whole lot less than about a gazlillion other people, but it doesn't diminish its value to me either way.
I sincerely doubt that "most ribbons and medals" were worn by combat engineers but that's a whole other ball of wax.
Maybe they didn't let the Horse Guards out of the armouries? Too bad, maybe mixing with other soldiers would have opened your eyes a bit. If you can honestly defend any of the silly and insulting claims you've just made, please do so.
FormerHorseGuard
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the 125 was a give me medal i think, you did not have to do anything special to earn or to wear it. you were picked by your unit and you got it. i read the story in the local paper I live near Petawawa.. MPs were giving away that medal to anyone who was around who they felt deserved it, usually people who worked for the party or did something to help with the election ( give money).
There are some medals that given out , I did not mean to insult your CD award or anyone elses. My grand father has one medal he was entitled to wear because he was serving at the time of the 100th Birthday of Canada. He did nothing to earn it, he never had it mounted like the rest of his service awards. He was just there and got the medal. That is is a give me medal.
CD you earn the hard way, you serve for 12 years, i left 5 years too soon to get mine.
please forgive me if you flet insulted over your CD, you earned it, you did the time. Congrats
There are some medals that given out , I did not mean to insult your CD award or anyone elses. My grand father has one medal he was entitled to wear because he was serving at the time of the 100th Birthday of Canada. He did nothing to earn it, he never had it mounted like the rest of his service awards. He was just there and got the medal. That is is a give me medal.
CD you earn the hard way, you serve for 12 years, i left 5 years too soon to get mine.
please forgive me if you flet insulted over your CD, you earned it, you did the time. Congrats
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Gunner98 said:
I gotta go with ... any support trade ... many of us do 6-7 month tours every 2.5 years. And quite a few pull 1 year tours out. I know a guy with 13....and 2 of them have post nominals.
And it seems like every tour I'm on it's like old home week... same siggies, same medics, same postie, same trucker, same RMS clerk and same CE guys.
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