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I didn't realize this about our kinder, gentler Navy until today.

Dobbinsky

Custom
I was quite proud to have been able to wear my gold Navy chevrons and sleeve hash marks. It was once a sign of good conduct. That no longer applies. Now gold is a participation prize, no matter if the sailor participated half-azzed and in trouble, or if they excelled. Failure to reward the movers and shakers too often makes motivated workers a bit less motivated and more apathetic, especially when the no-loads and the professionals are treated alike. Yes, achieving better positions, higher rank and pay are motivational factors, but there are other motivational factors to consider. The Navy removed a big one. We can't be divisive or create hurtful feelings, even if the individual brought it upon themselves, now can we? :mad:

U.S. Navy sailors authorized to wear gold rating badges (chevrons) and service stripes (hash marks) wear them together, representing 12 years of cumulative service. As of June 1, 2019, this is no longer based on good conduct but on 12 years of service, allowing them to wear gold chevrons and gold hash marks together on Service Dress Blue
 
Nothing new…I went to Artillery School as a Marine Lt. EVERY Army officer I saw had a Bronze Star ribbon. I had only seen one in the Corps. Turns out that the Army awarded a CIB to Infantry types after 3 months, an Army Commendation after 6 months and a Bronze Star, without V, as an end of tour award. Marines, you earned a Combat Action Ribbon, if you were in combat, and that was it. Jealous? Yes? Took me weeks to understand I was not in the company of hundreds of heroes!
 
Nothing new…I went to Artillery School as a Marine Lt. EVERY Army officer I saw had a Bronze Star ribbon. I had only seen one in the Corps. Turns out that the Army awarded a CIB to Infantry types after 3 months, an Army Commendation after 6 months and a Bronze Star, without V, as an end of tour award. Marines, you earned a Combat Action Ribbon, if you were in combat, and that was it. Jealous? Yes? Took me weeks to understand I was not in the company of hundreds of heroes!
Hell, I felt a bit embarrassed to wear the National Defense Service Medal. All I had accomplished at the time was graduate from basic training in 1974. I earned the others.
 
Got out as an E-8 in 1998 after 21.5 years
Never had the gold ones 😆
Hell, I made E-6 3 times before it stuck
We retired the same year! I did 24. You did well. Pissed off the old man and still made Senior Chief! Me? Made Chief is all. Did that in 10 years, then MAYBE one E-7 in my NEC was promoted throughout the entire Navy. Oh well. Still would do it all again.
 
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We retired the same year! I did 24. You did well. Pissed off the old man and still made Senior Chief! Me? Made Chief is all. Did that in 10 years, then MAYBE one E-7 in my NEC was promoted throughout the entire Navy. Oh well. Still would do it al again.

My last 12 years was at Little Creek VA. They loved me as I made it so their cool toys work well. And made sure their toys actually worked when they needed to work. I wasn't anybody special, just a grumpy mechanic that fixed things.
That's where I made E6 again, E7 and E8 ....
 
Nothing new…I went to Artillery School as a Marine Lt. EVERY Army officer I saw had a Bronze Star ribbon. I had only seen one in the Corps. Turns out that the Army awarded a CIB to Infantry types after 3 months, an Army Commendation after 6 months and a Bronze Star, without V, as an end of tour award. Marines, you earned a Combat Action Ribbon, if you were in combat, and that was it. Jealous? Yes? Took me weeks to understand I was not in the company of hundreds of heroes!
I'm not sure what the time period was or where you saw this, but the Combat Infantrymen's Badge was awarded for being in direct combat with an infantry or SF MOS with the rank of COL or below in a unit of brigade/regiment or smaller. There was no 3 month time period. There were a lot of sour grapes on the part of armor/armor cav types who (especially as advisors in VN) who would be in the stuff and in the same foxholes as the grunts. Later, the Combat Action Badge came about to correct this. The Expert Infantry Badge (EIB) is also for infantry or SF MOS and to be eligible one must pass rigorous testing requirements IAW Dept. of the Army regulations.

I have heard of soldiers receiving an awards "package" at the end of tour in VN, but I wasn't there and again, there were no "six month and get an ARCOM" protocol nor get a Bronze Star at end of tour on my experience unless you are referring to VN era. Even to get a Bronze Star without V had to be meritorious service in a combat zone.
 
I guess all of us would be surprised how much the military has changed since we were in. From what I see it's not good. They have gotten soft on everything and I doubt if put to the test most of them will fail. This is just my opinion.
 
I'm not sure what the time period was or where you saw this, but the Combat Infantrymen's Badge was awarded for being in direct combat with an infantry or SF MOS with the rank of COL or below in a unit of brigade/regiment or smaller. There was no 3 month time period. There were a lot of sour grapes on the part of armor/armor cav types who (especially as advisors in VN) who would be in the stuff and in the same foxholes as the grunts. Later, the Combat Action Badge came about to correct this. The Expert Infantry Badge (EIB) is also for infantry or SF MOS and to be eligible one must pass rigorous testing requirements IAW Dept. of the Army regulations.

I have heard of soldiers receiving an awards "package" at the end of tour in VN, but I wasn't there and again, there were no "six month and get an ARCOM" protocol nor get a Bronze Star at end of tour on my experience unless you are referring to VN era. Even to get a Bronze Star without V had to be meritorious service in a combat zone.
Went to Sill in 1968. Sure must have been a lot of meritorious Captains then! Read about the 3,6 EOT awards in some official publication years later. Just look at the fruit salad on any flag rank officer. Farther away from combat the more of the “meritorious” ribbons you see.
 
Hegseth is the worse thing to happen to our military since MacNamara, wait, I take that back, since King George.

I don't talk about those who gave all, nor about awards earned or given. My days in the Army were mostly fair, sunshine and partly cloudy, they seemed seasonal with a few severe storms, the thunder was concerning but the lightning was painful. Climb To Glory!
 
Hegseth is the worse thing to happen to our military since MacNamara, wait, I take that back, since King George.

I don't talk about those who gave all, nor about awards earned or given. My days in the Army were mostly fair, sunshine and partly cloudy, they seemed seasonal with a few severe storms, the thunder was concerning but the lightning was painful. Climb To Glory!
Do you vote blue and champion global intifada?
 
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