Question for you military types...

[Donquix]

I know there's quite a few military folks kicking around here, so I thought I'd ask this..

how prestigious do you consider the Silver Star military award? Just came up and i'm curious on your opinions of it. I've done what reading I can online for it, but just like some direct opinions from actual service men/women (or their families, random basement dwelling military fanbois, etc. :))

[Joseph]

During my time in the navy I developed the opinion that chest candy is just that. Medals / Awards are mostly given out due to filling the correct billet at the correct time. I think that the simple fact that someone serves their country is .. "prestigious" enough.

[Drevihyin]

Most military awards share one thing in common some were earned while others were just handed out. The Silver Star usually is not an award that is based on the handed out scenerio.

[Drew]

During my time in the navy I developed the opinion that chest candy is just that. Medals / Awards are mostly given out due to filling the correct billet at the correct time. I think that the simple fact that someone serves their country is .. "prestigious" enough.

I don't think this applies to the Silver Star.

[Joseph]

I don't think this applies to the Silver Star.

Your opinion differs from mine, most of the people that serve will do their jobs when put in a situation where the silver star will be awarded as a result of said situation.. and not everyone that does is awarded one.

[Fallen]

There are awards you can receive outside of combat, and those that can only be earned in a combat scenario. A silver star is one of the latter. I believe there is a fairly involved process in being awarded that medal. The particulars of the situation are investigated. I wouldn't take the medal lightly.

Edited to add: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Star

I'm sure that can provide you with more info.

[Donquix]

There are awards you can receive outside of combat, and those that can only be earned in a combat scenario. A silver star is one of the latter. I believe there is a fairly involved process in being awarded that medal. The particulars of the situation are investigated. I wouldn't take the medal lightly.

Edited to add: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Star

I'm sure that can provide you with more info.

Yeah i checked the wiki and some other places. Just knew there's a fairly strong military contingent here so i was curious from a "man on the street" point of view.

If anyone was curious as to why i asked, it was in regards to my father. He recently passed away (Dec 22 of last year) and yesterday my mother was going through some more of his things he left behind in his office.

She found a file that had all of his commendations and awards he received from work (government employee for 40 years) and his time in the military (vietnam veteran)

He NEVER spoke about his time in the military, at least the actual combat parts. He would share some funny anecdotes about time on leave in Seoul, or on base, but that was the extent of it. All we knew is he was awarded a purple heart for taking a bullet in the ass (side of the ass, so he wasn't running away :P)

She found a letter which detailed an encounter where he, along with 5 other men (4 of them posthumously) were awarded the presidential unit commendation, and he was individually awarded the Silver Star.

It detailed the events that justified the award, if you're really curious i can get the entire letter but some highlights included "while outnumbered 4 to 1", "under extreme munitions and mortar fire", and my personal favorite... "with little to no regard for personal safety"

Knowing next to nothing about his service before reading that, it was pretty eye opening.

And it once again proved my theory, that the badass gene skips a generation :)

[Fallen]

You should be damn proud of him. You don't need an award for that, but it sounds like your grandfather was a bona fide war hero.

[kgolfer]

Most combat medals that are given for valorous actions (MOH, DSC, SS especially) where given to soldiers who
1. where in the right place at the wrong time
2. were lucky enough to make it out alive (hopefully)
3. experienced said events that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

I do believe that most soldiers will act according to how they were trained, even given the unsurmountable situations some are put in.

With that being said, I've seen the BSM-V, BSM, and ARCOM-V given out for situations that I feel have watered down the awards, given wars in the past and criteria for being awarded them. That is not saying some were not warranted, just not all.

AK

[kgolfer]

BTW, I've always felt that awards and decorations don't define the person. Also, most true soldiers that do what we do don't flaunt or brag about where we've been or what we've done.

Some that are in the military that are in the GS community, you may only know that we've been in the military by our "frequent" breaks from the game.

AK

[Donquix]

You should be damn proud of him. You don't need an award for that, but it sounds like your grandfather was a bona fide war hero.

Father, not grandfather. And we are, regardless of military service :)


Most combat medals that are given for valorous actions (MOH, DSC, SS especially) where given to soldiers who
1. where in the right place at the wrong time
2. were lucky enough to make it out alive (hopefully)
3. experienced said events that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

Seems accurate. It wasn't something he bragged about it the least, as again we had no clue he was even awarded the star. Can't find the actual awards anywhere, just found the letter that accompanied it.

And #3 seems quite accurate. My mother mentioned the first year or so after he got back he had TERRIBLE nightmares. Don't think they ever totally went away.

edit:nightmares, not night mares. Damn gemstone!

[Gelston]

I've seen the bronze star handed out like candy to senior officers and staff NCOs but I've only ever seen the silver star go out for combat actions. And it was always for some good actions, that with a different board might have awarded a navy cross. Definitely not an award given out lightly.

[kgolfer]

Yeah, the BSM can be given for combat actions (V device) or service in a combat zone. SS, DSM, and MOH/NC are only given out for combat related/valorous actions (that is why there is no "V" device for those awards).

AK

[elcidcannon]

Silver Star is definitely legit. As an active duty Naval officer, I've got a fresh pulse on that stuff.

There are plenty of awards that have become norm to give as an "end of tour," such as NAMs, COMs, etc. depending where you are in your career. I've got four Air Medals, but only by the fact I've flown so many times over Iraq....not due to any valor on my part.

Bottom line...in some cases awards are handed out like "candy," but I don't see the SS as falling in that category at all.

[4a6c1]

I've seen the bronze star handed out like candy to senior officers and staff NCOs but I've only ever seen the silver star go out for combat actions. And it was always for some good actions, that with a different board might have awarded a navy cross. Definitely not an award given out lightly.

What he said

[kgolfer]

Agree with Elcid and Gelston, anything above a BSM IMO is a legit award. Many who have been awarded such "awards" never thought they deserved or in fact wanted them; due to they "were just doing their job!

AK

[Lord Orbstar]

I know there's quite a few military folks kicking around here, so I thought I'd ask this..

how prestigious do you consider the Silver Star military award? Just came up and i'm curious on your opinions of it. I've done what reading I can online for it, but just like some direct opinions from actual service men/women (or their families, random basement dwelling military fanbois, etc. :))


The silver star is a Big award and it is not given out except under rare, and deadly circumstances in combat. single handedly rushing a bunker, being shot, then taking out the bunker that saved the lives of your platoon...that is a silver star. Maybe.

Silver star is a medal I do not want. Me or my friends will have been shot, mutilated or may be dead. If you earn it, it is an experience you will prefer to forget.

I will take my MSM/bronze star and be happy with good, solid service that ended with no one I personally know dying.

[AnticorRifling]

Awards that are earned are awesome. Awards that aren't are for the chest thumpers. Your grandfather doesn't sound like he's a chest thumper. Often great things go unnoticed and/or unreported and unfortunatly sometimes when they are noticed or reported they are overlooked. When they are taken care of it's a good feeling.

[Donquix]

Father :)

Appreciate the input all.

[Lord Orbstar]

LoL at the guy that gave neg rep and called me a "pussy" for not "sacking up" and striving to "win" a silver star. I have seen more death than you have seen men going into your mothers bedroom at night, I am sure.

Heroism is not something you "try to do" or "win an award for". When it happens, you will do what you have to do to kill them and keep you and your friends alive. Save the posturing for your fantasy life in video games; wanna be heroes get people killed. Professional soldiers just do their jobs (like the original poster's father)

[AnticorRifling]

LoL at the guy that gave neg rep and called me a "pussy" for not "sacking up" and striving to "win" a silver star. I have seen more death than you have seen men going into your mothers bedroom at night, I am sure.

Heroism is not something you "try to do" or "win an award for". When it happens, you will do what you have to do to kill them and keep you and your friends alive. Save the posturing for your fantasy life in video games; wanna be heroes get people killed. Professional soldiers just do their jobs (like the original poster's father)


I lol'd

http://namecriticscam.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/irony.jpg

[Tsa`ah]

LoL at the guy that gave neg rep and called me a "pussy" for not "sacking up" and striving to "win" a silver star. I have seen more death than you have seen men going into your mothers bedroom at night, I am sure.

Heroism is not something you "try to do" or "win an award for". When it happens, you will do what you have to do to kill them and keep you and your friends alive. Save the posturing for your fantasy life in video games; wanna be heroes get people killed. Professional soldiers just do their jobs (like the original poster's father)

I tend to use relatives that have served in combat as a rule of thumb. They don't talk about the death they caused, the bodies they have seen, or the horror of what they witnessed as candidly as you do.

I also tend to use people like you as a rule of thumb as well .... those that chat up their service and "war time" experience tend to be full of shit and an embarrassment to the uniform .... if they ever wore one.

[Lord Orbstar]

Good point, inaccurate in this case, however. Cun_.

Looking back at what I wrote...i can see it does look self-serving. wasnt my intent. /bash myself

I take back the "cunt" comment (mostly), so I will just leave part of the word.

Strayrogue, nope. Just doing a job.

[StrayRogue]

Wow you're a true war hero.

[Lord Orbstar]

Stray, when you give neg rep..spell it right. "Moron" is correct. "Moran" is something other than correct. :D

[StrayRogue]

I sign my neg rep, sorry.

[Gelston]

Stray, when you give neg rep..spell it right. "Moron" is correct. "Moran" is something other than correct. :D

I've been getting a lot of neg rep from a guy that spells it the same way.

[Gelston]

I tend to use relatives that have served in combat as a rule of thumb. They don't talk about the death they caused, the bodies they have seen, or the horror of what they witnessed as candidly as you do.
.

Thats not always true. I know a lot of people that are loud and boastful about their kills and the shit they've seen. Me, I have to be drunk first.