Medal of Valor Association FB Group

[NorCal21]

I once read an anecdote about officers in Vietnam in the rear areas getting Bronze stars for admin work, and also for being in theater for 6 months or so. Could be apocryphal.

Could be but probably not. All one has to do is look at the DoD and the USAF to see that moronic medals are being designed and placed ridiculously high on the chart for doing nothing valorous. UAV handlers getting a valor award? For what? Not getting carpal tunnel while remotely piloting a drone from thousands of miles away in the safety of an air-conditioned room in the US?

[NorCal21]

The Bronze Star can be awarded for admin work.  Its totally legit.  Keep in mind, the Bronze Star is awarded in place of the Meritorious Service Medal when in a combat zone.  So the BSM with a "V" is a completely different medal than a BSM without the "V".   Similar to an Army Commendation with a "V" or Navy Achievement with a "V".   Thats why the Silver Star, Navy Cross, Air Force Cross and Distinguished Service Cross do not have provisions for a "V" device because they can ONLY be awarded for combat actions.  The Distinguished Flying Cross also has a "V" device because you can earn it when not in combat.  The Air Medal again, is similar.  It has a provision for a "V"

This comment isn't about you. Its about the possibility that someone can receive a Bronze Star for admin work. Whether there's a "V" or not doesn't change the fact that most people believe that a Bronze Star is for valor. There isn't one thing you can come up with, EVER, that would justify (at least to me) that any type of administrative work is worthy of a Bronze Star. To be honest I think the highest award should be Commendation or Achievement for admin work.

[lordmonar]

I once read an anecdote about officers in Vietnam in the rear areas getting Bronze stars for admin work, and also for being in theater for 6 months or so. Could be apocryphal.

Could be but probably not. All one has to do is look at the DoD and the USAF to see that moronic medals are being designed and placed ridiculously high on the chart for doing nothing valorous. UAV handlers getting a valor award? For what? Not getting carpal tunnel while remotely piloting a drone from thousands of miles away in the safety of an air-conditioned room in the US?

Point of order.  Neither the Bronze Star nor the Distinguished Warfare Medal are valor medals.

The DWM was rated higher then the BSM because it was going to be harder to earn then the BSM.

So don't get bent out of shape.

[lordmonar]

The Bronze Star can be awarded for admin work.  Its totally legit.  Keep in mind, the Bronze Star is awarded in place of the Meritorious Service Medal when in a combat zone.  So the BSM with a "V" is a completely different medal than a BSM without the "V".   Similar to an Army Commendation with a "V" or Navy Achievement with a "V".   Thats why the Silver Star, Navy Cross, Air Force Cross and Distinguished Service Cross do not have provisions for a "V" device because they can ONLY be awarded for combat actions.  The Distinguished Flying Cross also has a "V" device because you can earn it when not in combat.  The Air Medal again, is similar.  It has a provision for a "V"

This comment isn't about you. Its about the possibility that someone can receive a Bronze Star for admin work. Whether there's a "V" or not doesn't change the fact that most people believe that a Bronze Star is for valor. There isn't one thing you can come up with, EVER, that would justify (at least to me) that any type of administrative work is worthy of a Bronze Star. To be honest I think the highest award should be Commendation or Achievement for admin work.

And that is the problem.   What YOU think the award should be and what it really is are two different things.  That is why the DWM got all screwed up.   But bottom line....FACT.......the BSM is a combat award....but not a valor award.   Lots and lots and lots of people got it for doing their jobs in a combat zone or directly supporting combat......but were not actually "in" combat doing anything heroic.

[LSThiker]

This comment isn't about you. Its about the possibility that someone can receive a Bronze Star for admin work. Whether there's a "V" or not doesn't change the fact that most people believe that a Bronze Star is for valor. There isn't one thing you can come up with, EVER, that would justify (at least to me) that any type of administrative work is worthy of a Bronze Star. To be honest I think the highest award should be Commendation or Achievement for admin work.

What most people think the Bronze Star is awarded for is irrelevant.  What matters is what the regulations say:

b.  The Bronze Star Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the Army of the
United States after 6 December 1941, distinguished himself or herself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service,
not involving participation in aerial flight, in connection with military operations against an armed enemy; or while
engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a
belligerent party. Title 10, United States Code, section 1133, (10 USC 1133) limits award of the Bronze Star Medal to
service members receiving imminent danger pay.

c.  Awards may be made for acts of heroism, performed under circumstances described above, which are of lesser
degree than required for the award of the Silver Star.

d. The Bronze Star Medal may be awarded for meritorious achievement or meritorious service

the BSM is a combat award....but not a valor award

Just as a point of order.  The BSM is neither a combat award or a valor award.  It is an individual decoration, which may help to clear up this whole valor/non-valor/peace/war/blah blah problem.

1–13. Categories of individual awards
Individual awards are grouped into the following categories: Decorations, Good Conduct Medal, campaign and service
medals, service ribbons, badges and tabs, and certificates and letters.

Also, there are only five reasons for awards:

Achievement
Service
PCS
ETS
Retirement