Veterans: Which of your Awards or Decorations means the most to you.

[RNajarian]

There is a thread in PARF about a service ribbon being considered for members of the National Guard Deployed for the Capital riots.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-politics-religion/1087955-service-ribbons.html

After 26 years of service and five rows of awards and decorations, my wife once asked me “Which one is the most important?”

Technically the one on the top is the one with highest precedence, and technically the “most important.” However, in my case I pointed right to the middle of my ribbon rack to the Air Force Short Tour ribbon.

She asked “Why?”

The answer was easy, “Because I managed to survive the entire deployment and do my job.”


That was important to me because I was senior leadership in an EMEDS (Expeditionary Medical Support Squadron - a modern day MASH) and our hospital was a level 2 facility. We were there for our servicemen and women right as they were taken off the battlefield. I was proud to be a part of the team.

Comparatively I had it easy to those regularly getting shot at, but it meant a lot for me to be there supporting our guys and gals. They are an amazing bunch.

I was like the water boy on a winning Super Bowl team. I didn’t make any touchdowns, but I carried my own weight and contributed.

There is no medal for this service ribbon, but it means the most to me out of them all.



. . . so what is your favorite and why?

[E38Driver]

When I was in the Army (1977-1980) They did not give out awards like they do today. I did receive a Commendation medal for my outstanding knowledge of OH-58 helicopters.

Other than a good conduct medal that was all that was awarded to me during my time in service. Suffice to say that the Commendation medal is the one I am most proud of.

Dave

[craigster59]

^^^^ I was one year behind E38 and pretty much only received "letters of commendation". Probably the one I'm most proud of is when we went in and kept one of the local West German small towns from flooding.

We were Combat Engineers with bucket loaders, dozers, graders, etc. But we still did a lot of sand bagging and shoveling.

The town threw a little "Thank You" celebration for us once they dried out. Lots of bier, roasted whole hog and pretty German farm girls, yeah we had a good time!

[dheinz]

My DD214 and Honorable Discharge certificate...

[Seahawk]

Very interesting question, one I had not thought about before.

I have six full rows of ribbons and awards....mainly related to multiple cruises where we did some neat things and the first PGW, which was a ribbon fest, especially since I did some direct work with the Kuwaiti Navy leading up to the Army and Marines doing their thing.

For me there are two. Let me explain.

For me, my Sea Service ribbon with multiple stars meant I went to sea a lot, which I guess was the whole point of becoming a Navy pilot. But I did it, pulled the load and always did what I thought was the right and honorable thing.

The second are those awards I got for the enlisted folks in the various Divisions, Departments and Command I had.

My Grandfather was a Warrant Officer Electrician in the Navy, joining after Pearl Harbor was attacked. Two of his older brothers were already Navy Chiefs at the time, serving on destroyers in the Pacific.

Their mantra to me was always, "sailors first and last", which didn't mean be nice, trust me.

But for the enlisted men and women that worked for me awards matter for promotion points, resume and, frankly, recognition...so I worked it, hard.

That and CAP: Command Advancement Program. Navy guys will know. I always busted my ass on CAP if I had a deserving sailor and I always prevailed.

[rcooled]

Expert marksman w/rifle (M16)

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by rcooled

Expert marksman w/rifle (M16)

I had the same and also for grenade (I had a pretty good arm in those days).

I probably could have gotten one of these also.....

[cassisrot]

BSM, ARCOM, Combat Leader Tabs. Duty, Honor, Country.

[Skytrooper]

Good Golly, I received so many during my career. I am blessed to have been Honorably discharged from two different branches of the U.S. military. I am extremely proud of those. The MSM was the biggest surprise of all. I had no idea I had been "put in" for any kind of medal.

[BK911]

Dd-214

[BK911]

Originally Posted by dheinz

My DD214 and Honorable Discharge certificate...

Yea, forgot about the HDs. One navy and one army.

[ckissick]

Nice to see another highly decorated Armenian American. Thank you for your service.

My wife's late uncle, Colonel John Kizirian, was awarded over 70 medals. I'm pretty sure the one that meant the most to him was the Distinguished Service Cross. It should have been a Medal of Honor, but he was a bit of an independent thinker and PO'd a lot of Generals with his honest, no-nonsense talk. But some Generals loved him. A certain General Hamlet told my wife at her uncle's funeral that Col Kizirian was the greatest American hero nobody ever heard of. He is the most highly decorated officer in Army Intelligence. He was a great guy, and we miss him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Kizirian

[RNajarian]

Ckissick,

Thank you for the compliment but there is no way I could (or should) be mentioned in the same breath as Colonel Kizirian.

I read his bio. Impressive, he was the greatest American Hero I’ve never heard of.

Your family should be very proud. He was an incredible patriot.

[ckissick]

Originally Posted by RNajarian

Ckissick,

Thank you for the compliment but there is no way I could (or should) be mentioned in the same breath as Colonel Kizirian.

I read his bio. Impressive, he was the greatest American Hero I’ve never heard of.

Your family should be very proud. He was an incredible patriot.

We are very proud. After 9-11 he couldn't stop complaining about how the US had been handling the Middle East. He spent a lot of time there and was The Shah of Iran's favorite chess partner. We told him to call President Bush with advice. (He had worked closely with the elder Bush.) "Nah", he said, "They won't listen to me." Too bad.

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by craigster59

I had the same and also for grenade (I had a pretty good arm in those days).

My cycle did not qaul for grenades. Only rifle, and then only given enough rounds to qualify once with just enough to get the check mark. The BO days.


I have a certificate of achievment that was cool, but to me the ribbons are a gwot political circle jerk given to upper E/O's.

[wrpeterson]

https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Presidential_Unit_Citation_(United_States)

X2

[tops911]

I would have to say my Ranger tab and Master Parachutist wings mean the most, I was a cannon crewman and not many of us earned a Ranger tab.

[bob deluke]

My Dd-214 honorable discharge, Viet Nam campaign ribbon with 3 stars, couple other good gedunk ribbons.

[Wetwork]

When I got my Commendation Medal for Heroism it was really just a fluke. The Group Commander and his relief, and the tug boats that follow them around were doing a south fam. Two car full's of brass. Just driving south checking into units under their command and soon to be under their command. In the GV they were cruising in, they heard the radio go off about a car that had driven off into a bay, just as they happened to be driving by.

As they pulled in to see if they could help or something (bare in mind these are wing-maggots not boat people) they see yours truly, in uniform, soaking wet, dragging a guy up onto the beach, next to his soaking wet girlfriend, right as the of the local FD and EMT's came roaring in. As the full bird captain walked up to me I saluted and promptly puked salt water on the rocks off to the side.

He said, "Jesus kid", and I kid you not I said "Sir, I lost my knife, and my smokes are wet." And like the parting of the Red Sea, somebody handed me a Camel non-filtered.

For the first time in my early career (had only been a Coastie four years) my folks got to come see a real military pomp and circumstance ceremony in person. The big brass walked up to my Stetson cowboy hat dad and my fancied up, beautiful mom and thanked them for raising me...

It wasn't the medal, it was BS anyway, should'a been a bit better, but whatever...it was the faces of my parents. I'd finally done it to my dad, I'd made him proud in pubic. For the rest of my 16 years I did way cooler stuff, did way more impossible saves, and risked my life and my crews in horrific storms and got zero chest salad. The crazy 9/11 stuff I got thrown into in Seattle working with the dimwit Squid's with me protecting the Abe Lincoln with a motor-life boat was pure crazy town. Those bastards almost lit me up, stupid Navy. But that one tiny BS medal that made my mommy tear up is the one that ment the most to me.

Now before you all, down check the US Coast Guard, do a little Wiki or google, you have no idea what we or I had to do, or prepare to do. No service wears more hats with so few. Been in all the war's, we are older than the Navy. So's before you poo-poo CG medals read up. -WW

ps. Today 13 years after retirement, I pulled a frozen black angus calf into the back of my Suzuki Sami and drove around til he was warm and found his mom. The old cow was pretty shocked when her kid rolled out of the Sami at her feet. Another life saved...Life is but a dream shaboom shaboom..

[flatbutt]

Col. Kizirian...Just look at these Awards! 4 Silver and 6 Bronze Stars! 24 V devices in total!

Combat Infantryman Badge
Parachutist Badge
Distinguished Service Cross
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star Legion of Merit (4 awards)
Distinguished Flying Cross
Soldier's Medal
Bronze Star Medal with V Device (6 awards)
Purple Heart (3 awards)
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with V Device (14 awards)
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal with V Device (4 awards)
Navy Unit Commendation
Army Good Conduct Medal Army of Occupation Medal
World War II Victory Medal
American Campaign Medal Army Overseas Service Ribbon Army Service Ribbon Korean Service Medal Republic of Korea War Service Medal
Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal Vietnam Gallantry Cross
with Gold and Silver Star Vietnam Army Distinguished
Service Order (2nd class)
Vietnam Service Medal Vietnam Campaign Medal Vietnam Hazardous Service Medal Indonesia Yudha Dharma Medal
Uniform right side:
Republic of Vietnam Parachutist Badge
Presidential Unit Citation Korea Presidential
Unit Citation Vietnam Gallantry Cross
Unit Citation