[Axhandle]

Just out of curiosity, does this generosity with awards remind anyone of the leftist emphasis on self-esteem in schools today?

[highball]

Yes, it does.

The thinking went that if we give all Soldiers a symbol of excellence to wear, then it will impact their performance - they will feel excellent and thus strive to achieve excellence.

That's absurd. It's like giving A's to all students to inspire them to study, or awarding a batter third base to inspire his swing.

I expected this from Clinton, and am disappointed that Rumsfeld would pull this kind of feel-good stunt.

[Old Sarge]

It does, indeed.

As I head into theater this month, the talk in the tent cities is about this subject.

Most of us don't give a hang about the new awards. We despised the Lewinsky hats. And we also know there are a bunch of goofballs who jet into theater, stay for the requisite 60 days, and leave with a "pain patch".

[PzLdr]

I was a tanker in the Army, MOS 1203. I did a tour with a leg Inf. outfit on the DMZ in Korea. Even got shot at a couple of times in '69. I was a MACV adviser to an ARVN tank squadron in 'Nam in '71.My Dad was a Combat Engineer in WWII. Did Utah Beach, Cherbourg, the Huertgen Forest [They sent his unit out to break out a trapped Inf. unit]I have a great deal of respect for the Infantry. Having said that, I've always found it a bit odd that they are the only Combat Arm in the US Army authorized a Combat Badge. The other branches don't fight?. Tell that to my Pop. Tell it to all the tankers who burned to death in the Bocage at Normandy or later.