Stars & Rankings are off...

[Ken Massingale]

Good decision, Sam. Probably should have been done a while back.
But, I just can't live without mine.
Ken


knothead, 1,000,000 posts











Very funny, Scotty. Now beam down my clothes.

[MSGHBS]

Towards the end of Desert Storm, 1991, the Colonel I worked for came to me one evening and told me to write down all the awards I wanted for my participation in the "Storm". I asked him for clarification. It seemed our Headquarters had been allocated "so" many Bronze Stars, "so" many Meritorious Service Medals, "so" many Legion of Merit Awards, and "so" many Army Achievement Medals. What irked me to the bone was that they were beginning at the top three grades and what was left would be given to the E-1 through E-6 soldiers. What it worked out was that there were plenty of awards, its just that HQ wanted the top awards to go to the top three grades, or the "enlisted lifers" like myself. Hearing this I said----"OK Sir", you will have my list in the morning. I tore off a blank sheet of paper out of my journal, folded it, and placed it in an envelope and sent it to the COL the next morning. I put my name on the front of the envelope, and the word "Awards" on it as well. Next evening at chow, the old man avoided me completely until dark----then he asked me what the **** I was doing by turning in what I did. I answered him that if I could pick my awards like that, I didn't need ANY. Sorry for getting on this roll, but the stars thing brought that back to me. I like getting awards that I EARN. I prefer giving awards to those that earn them as well, the men/women under my supervision.
I did enjoy the stars for my posts---but its no biggie we dont have them anymore. (Incidentally----a few units in the gulf totally refused to take ANY awards for Desert Storm---just told the leadership to shove them.)
Cheers
Herb

Herbert B. Spencer