Distinguished Warfare Medal

[Flying Pig]

So its happened ladies and gents.......

The Marines, who have long been known for their lack of any specialty ribbons and medals have created a UAV Operations Medal.   I was in the Marines when they came out with the Drill Instructor ribbon, MSG and Recruiter Ribbon.   The uproar, believe it or not, was that those ribbons were not needed at all.   This medal is not a UAV service medal, its actually a medal for actions while being a UAV crew, and it ranks above the Bronze Star Medal.

Interesting new world.   I would like to see a medal for the supply tech who filled out a form to make sure the .50cal ammo made it to the front lines!!!

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/mobile/news/2013/02/military-new-medal-for-drone-pilots-outranks-bronze-star-021313

[Pylon]

Just to be clear, the Marines didn't create this.  You should know as well as I do that the Corps hates extra bling.  The DoD created it and it's for all service branches, not just the Marines.  It's also not specific to UAV's -- it's for actions where the individual's life was not at risk (I can't in good conscience say "combat operations"...), so UAV's and Air Force Cyberwarfare and the remote launching of weapons are included according to the Pentagon.   

We're already giving bronze stars to spreadsheet jockeys in theater, so why not make special "combat" awards just for them, too? 

Doesn't change anything for me.  We all know that the grunts in the line companies rarely earn any awards whatsoever, certainly no achievement or commendation medals, for being proficient at their trade while their POG counterparts are much, much more often recognized with awards, masts, and promotions.  And it doesn't matter to us because we know which awards truly matter.  The CAR, the PH, anything with a V on it, Silver Star, Navy (service) Cross, and MOH.  You see somebody with a few ribbons but they include a CAR and a NAM-V, they're likely to get way more first-impression respect than a guy with a stack of 20 ribbons and nothing of note.  So creating these ribbons doesn't change much of anything in my view.  It just perpetuates and exacerbates the situation where grunts get very little recognition and the support roles clean up the awards, meritorious masts, meritorious promotions, lower cutting scores, and the recognition.

Side note: In addition to being a grunt, I am also a small UAV systems operator (RQ-11 Raven-B school graduate).  So I have a tiny bit of the view on both sides of the coin here.

[sardak]

Here is the memo for creation of the award and the criteria for award: http://www.defense.gov/news/DistinguishedWarfareMedalMemo.pdf

From the memo "For extraordinary achievement, not involving acts of valor, directly impacting combat operations or other military operations..."  "warranting recognition above the Bronze Star."

"The award may not be awarded for valor in combat under any circumstances."

The medal and ribbon are shown at the end of this release: http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=119290

Mike

[Devil Doc]

I do not mind this Ribbon Persay, but should it be rated above a Bronze Star? Let alone a NAM w/V? I think it should be rated at the same scale as a Achievment Medal. Maybe if they were Outstanding like flew way more hours than there counterparts, maybe same scale as a Commendation Ribbon. But I do not agree with being ranked above the Bronze Star.

[Brad]

So not for valor in combat, but still above the level of the Bronze Star, when the Bronze Star has a provision specifically FOR valor / heroism in combat?!

I....I think I just felt my brain lose some cells...

[Flying Pig]

Hmmm, so to read it again, it actually appears that the medal could be for a whole list of things, not just UAV ops? 

As far as the spread sheet jockey.....  man..... I know the BSM without the "V" is basically a Meritorious Service Medal, but still......  Its just wrong in a wrong sort of way. 

[Devil Doc]

Yes a Meritorious BSM still means they get the cool license plate, just dont think it is right. I do know this my BSM w/V got demoted to a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal w /V to a NAM w/V. Got Demoted Twice, so for them to get this, it puts a pressure and twitch in my eye.

[SARDOC]

DevilDoc...don't worry about the order of precedence.  If you had the BSM without the "V" and this UAV medal even the legion of merit above what you display on your profile....I wouldn't give a crap.  It's the Purple Heart , CAR and the NAM"V" that gets you my respect.  Don't worry about the POG awards. 

The Entire Awards process is twisted and needs to be corrected, but in the meantime, I recognize the awards that I know take the "work"   Thanks for your service.

[Flying Pig]

The medals are nice..... but its the fact that he is a squid who had to live with Marines that makes him special. 

[Devil Doc]

Ya what NAVY guy in there right mind,  would go play with the MARINES? This guy!!! 3 Hots and a Cots, Oh wait, 3 MRE's and maybe a hot meal every now and then, a Poncho Liner, Sleeping Bag, and Green sleeping Pad to sleep wherever you can to not get wet or shot at.

[lordmonar]

So not for valor in combat, but still above the level of the Bronze Star, when the Bronze Star has a provision specifically FOR valor / heroism in combat?!

I....I think I just felt my brain lose some cells...

I think the real problem is that people don't really understand what the BSM is awarded for.

It is awarded for Meritorious SERVICE in support of combat.......and post Kosovo you must he in a "combat" zone to get it.

It is NOT in and of itself a VALOR medal.  Hence the V device for those who do show valor while earning their BSM.

Since congress took away the ability of DoD to award BSM's to people who directly support combat but are not themselves in a combat zone......the DoD need a way to reward those who DO a great job fighting and winning the war but are outside of the combat zone.

Hence the "above the BSM".   You can get a BSM for pushing papers, and stetting up tent cities in a combat zone (and the combat zone can be pretty safe some times......Italy was declared a combat zone during the Kosovo War).

You can only get this medal for directly supporting combat operations.....so no services guys will get it.....but UAV crews....and maybe maintenence guys who are "directly" supporting the combat ops.

YMMV.

[bosshawk]

I suspect that some Intel folks will be in line for this new medal: given that they often uncover intel that leads directly to some combat operation that might not, otherwise, be seen.

This said by a guy who devoted over 40 years to intel.

[BGNightfall]

I suspect that some Intel folks will be in line for this new medal: given that they often uncover intel that leads directly to some combat operation that might not, otherwise, be seen.

This said by a guy who devoted over 40 years to intel.

Bosshawk, since in most cases the "Cyber" domain is thought of as an offshoot of the Intel field, I'm reasonably sure you're right about that eligibility.

[LGM30GMCC]

I suspect that some Intel folks will be in line for this new medal: given that they often uncover intel that leads directly to some combat operation that might not, otherwise, be seen.

This said by a guy who devoted over 40 years to intel.

Bosshawk, since in most cases the "Cyber" domain is thought of as an offshoot of the Intel field, I'm reasonably sure you're right about that eligibility.

Maybe in some services. There seems to be no consistency one way or the other. In the USAF it's an off-shoot of comm. Defensive network operations are handled by the communications squadron on base. Offensive...well they are all very quiet but currently fall under AFSPC. Operationally cyber warfare falls under USSTRATCOM, tucked in with space operations and nuclear operations.

[lordmonar]

That's one of the reasons why the Cyber Command never really got off the ground.

a) No one know who is really in charge of it....is it INTEL, COMM or some other specialty.
b) What whelm of operations does Cyber operations fall?  Is it Global Strike Command, ACC, or somewhere in between?
c) Where does the defensive side of it fit in...and at what level? 

Some of the related problems is that with AFCC gone there is no Statigic level to control comm operationally.....all Comm Squadrons are a wing asset who only work on the Statigic level through DISA......with some (very little) control from AFCA.

I was a careeer comm guy.....on the maintenance side....and the cyber domain certainly falls into Comm, Intel and the purely Cyber side of things.

However.....going back to the orginal post that started this side bar.....I do see a lot of the Intel Operations guys falling into the areas that this new medal is supposed to go to.

I also see it going to stateside and os operators and supporters who conduct thier war missions from outside the AOR.
I use the B-1 strkes from Whiteman and F-15 operations from Ramstein specificlly as examples of how we can either do our wartime missions from home bases or forward deployed (but still not in the war zone) and of course all the combat missions we are flying from stateside bases through the RPA systems.

[cap235629]

my issue is the order of precedence.  It should be 1 step above the NDSM and GWOT but no further

[flyboy53]

So at a time when the DoD is facing severe budget cuts because of the antics in Washington, we create more bling.

Quess, I don't understand why the critera for an existing medal -- like the Air Medal or Bronze Star -- wasn't expanded to include cyber ops or drone warfare, but that's too much common sense.

Someone could have been a little more creative like a special device signifying the type of warefare.

Years ago in the Air Force, air traffic controllers used to joke about putting a battery operated light on top of their badge. You could put a little UAV on hte ribbon and launch it.....

[LGM30GMCC]

my issue is the order of precedence.  It should be 1 step above the NDSM and GWOT but no further

So you're saying it should be below the Commendation, Achievement, Combat Readiness and even the Good Conduct Medal? I can't get behind that. While it may seem strange for it to be above the BSM since so many BSMs are given out for meritorious staff support work it makes sense to have it sit where it does.

Especially since for enlisted guys this is something that can affect their promotions. I definitely think recognizing the guys that not only enabled operations to happen (since staffers do), but actually DO the missions is completely appropriate. How we fight war has been changing and we have a lot of people conducting operations and then going home at the end of the day. (This is actually causing a whole new type of combat stress that we are just starting to understand. It's hard for them to go from a combat mindset and visibly blowing up the bad guys, and then have to go home to dinner and grab a loaf of bread on their way. Psychologically that can do really weird things to people.)

[lordmonar]

So at a time when the DoD is facing severe budget cuts because of the antics in Washington, we create more bling.

Quess, I don't understand why the critera for an existing medal -- like the Air Medal or Bronze Star -- wasn't expanded to include cyber ops or drone warfare, but that's too much common sense.

Someone could have been a little more creative like a special device signifying the type of warefare.

Years ago in the Air Force, air traffic controllers used to joke about putting a battery operated light on top of their badge. You could put a little UAV on hte ribbon and launch it.....

The Bronze star was ammended by congress after the Kosovo war to be only awarded to those IN A DESIGNATED COMBAT PAY AREA.......the VFW got all up in arms when a Col and a CMSgt were awarded Bronze Stars for setting up and running a Tent City in Italy.

The Air Medal......is limited only to air crew.........this new medal is for all war fighters who fight from outside the combat areas.

Above the Bronze Star.....because the award critera for the Bronze Star is pretty low.   Your contribution to the war is very low...while this new medal says "direct contribution"...........So you can earn the Bronze Star being an Finance Person who did finance work while stationed in a combat zone.  You don't have to win the war, you don't have to save your buddy's life, you don't have cut checks while dodgeing bullets.    This new medal requires you to show how your actions help win the war (or at least win the battle).

[Pylon]

...you don't have to save your buddy's life, you don't have cut checks while dodgeing bullets.

Yeah, that wouldn't get the BSM-V at all.  That's more like an NAM-V or a Meritorious Mast and a pat on the back.