Good Conduct Medal award elimination explained (USAF - has got to be kidding,.. nope.)

Air Force Links ^ | Feb 17, 2006 | Master Sgt. Mitch Gettle

[SandRat]

2/17/2006 - WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- The Air Force Uniform Board announced Feb. 6 that the Good Conduct Medal will no longer be awarded.

The Air Force director of Airman development and sustainment recently explained the reasons behind this decision.

"The quality of our enlisted personnel today is so high, we expect good conduct from our Airmen," said Brig. Gen Robert R. Allardice. "It begged the question, ‘Why do we have a Good Conduct Medal?’"

"Having a medal for good conduct is almost to say we don't expect Airmen to do well, but if they're good we will give them a medal,” he said. “It's kind of insulting in our Air Force today."

One must look at the history of why the medal was created in the 1960s. The military was using the draft and involved in the Vietnam War. The Air Force didn't have any other method to recognize Airmen. Today, the Air Force Achievement Medal recognizes outstanding Airmanship.

“When we looked at that history it was clear that the Good Conduct Medal has outlived its usefulness," said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray. "Today’s all-volunteer force is committed to serving honorably, and good conduct is what we expect from every Airman -- officer and enlisted.”

“We live by our core values,” Chief Murray said. “When members of our service stray from those values, they do themselves and all Airmen a disservice. When that happens, commanders have the tools they need to evaluate the situation and the individual's worthiness for continued service.

"If a commander deems their conduct does not warrant discharge, then they remain a valuable Airman to our Air Force, and we expect them to continue to serve honorably,” he said.

General Allardice said that it is the uniform, not the Good Conduct Medal, that represents what Airmen are all about.

“In today’s Air Force, our Airmen understand that the uniform they wear represents good conduct,” he said.

Airmen who have previously earned the Good Conduct Medal are still authorized to wear it.

[Rokke]

"In addition to suggesting the Air Force was subject to the draft, it also said the good conduct medal was created back in the sixties, during the Vietnam war."

Here's what the article says..."One must look at the history of why the medal was created in the 1960s. The military was using the draft and involved in the Vietnam War. The Air Force didn't have any other method to recognize Airmen." And according to this site ( http://www.gruntsmilitary.com/afgood.shtml ) the medal was authorized by Congress on 6 July 1960, and the medal itself was not created until 1963. I'm not sure how you got one in 1959 unless it was awarded retroactively. Interestingly, the medal design is the same as the Army's Good Conduct Medal, which again raises the question (which nobody seems to be able to answer)....why is the Air Force receiving ridicule on this topic? Is it because it has the same medal as all the other services, or because it is getting rid of it?

[digitalbrownshirt]

Thanks for the information.

[ExGeeEye]

Service-related ping

[jim-x]

You are welcome. My dad told me veterans can get free replacement medals a few years ago. I lost mine in a move somewhere. Someday I will fill out the forms and get them replaced but I'm in no hurry yet.

[darkwing104]

Is it because it has the same medal as all the other services, or because it is getting rid of it?

The Air Force now believes that Good Conduct is an expected acceptable behavior and there is no need to award a medal for it. I figure sometimes in the late 70's it lost it's meaning of Good Conduct and became a place marker for serving three years without screwing up. Before I retired it was a hassle to not award it to an Airman. It pretty much denied them the chance to re-enlist

I believe the General and the current CMSAF have too much faith in the current rating system, which in itself is a very flawed system.

[Seaplaner]

Dog, nice list of ribbons, but it seems to be missing one.

The Distinguished Floor Buffing Cross.

.

[Rokke]

Well I appreciate the response, although I suspect there is a little more substance to your reasoning than that of most of the posters here. However, I'm not sure why keeping a medal with screwed up justification helps straighten out the flawed rating system. As far as I'm concerned, both should be dumped.

[VeniVidiVici]

This makes sense because I think they are issuing a bar to reenlistment for anyone with derogatories (Article 15, etc).

Kinda gives no leeway for youngsters to screw-up let alone get a GCM.

[darkwing104]

In 1947, when the Air Force became and independent service, Gen Eaker, The First Air Force COS, wanted promotions and medal to be awarded on merit. That how it stayed in the 60's under General Lemay.

Sometime after that, the promotion, medals and evaluations became more political then merit based. I am not sure when and how but it did but I believe it happened during the Vietnam war or shortly there after. I am not only talking about Officers I am talking about Senior Enlisted also.

Gen Eaker would be disappointed at the current system but would be proud that most of the people wearing Blue today are still the professionals he expected to serve in his Air Force.

[MikefromOhio]

I'd believe it.

I work directly with the Air Farce now.

the airmen and most of the junior officers are great people.

The idiots in the "leadership" aren't exactly quality.

[billhilly]

Maybe you had to have been there. I am looking at this moment at a DD214. It says, Good Conduct Medal, 21 Feb 59. Since this DD214 was dated 20 February 1960 It could not have been postdated.

Now you can sit there in your arm chair and pontificate all you want, but it seems as if your research and the author of the article could use some improvement.

[MikefromOhio]

I'm Saving That!!!!

[darkwing104]

Hey! I may know some of those idiots!

[MikefromOhio]

LOL

I feel sorry for you :)

And it isn't every one of them either. But unfortunately the guy in charge overall......

[Rokke]

"Now you can sit there in your arm chair and pontificate all you want, but it seems as if your research and the author of the article could use some improvement."

Hmmmm. I went right to the source on the Air Force Personnel Center website. Here is exactly what it says..."This medal (pictured below) was authorized by Congress on July 6, 1960, with the creation of the other medals of the Air Force. The medal was not created until June 1, 1963 when the Secretary of the Air Force established it." I guess the Air Force Personnel Center should have contacted you first before publishing facts of history. Of course, as I suggested in my previous post to you, it is possible that the medal was awarded retroactively which could explain why you have it listed on your DD214. Just to clarify for you...that isn't a bad thing and it doesn't mean you weren't entitled to or actually awarded the medal. So put your hackles down and relax.

[ExpatGator]

I think that it is because the Air Force appears to have the leisure and time to dwell on subjects so important to our national defense, especially during a time of war.

Did that clarify the point at all?

[JRios1968]

I am working on 2 1/2 already...something about telling 2 of my previous commanders the ugly truth didn't quite help me. But, I think this is my year, in the Reserves.

[darkwing104]

Billhilly is correct he was awarded the Good Conduct medal. At the time the Air Force was still using a lot of Army stuff. Uniforms were beginning to change, Enlisted ranks were changing to the current ones you see today. The Good Conduct was awarded but still using the Army's medal.

The Air Forces' GCD was not created till 1963 but it was retroactive to replace the Army decs still being used. A good rule of thumb, always believe a DD214.

[Rokke]

"I think that it is because the Air Force appears to have the leisure and time to dwell on subjects so important to our national defense, especially during a time of war."

So the Air Force is being ridiculed for getting rid of what amounts to an obsolete administrative nicety that uses up resources it could be using elsewhere? And that indicates it has too much time on its hands? If that is really your point, you counter your own argument. Apparently, it is the rest of the services that have plenty of "leisure and time." So much that they still have the resources to commit to filling out the paperwork and bureaucratic details to award thousands of medals each year for the vast majority of sailors, soldiers and Marines who play nicely with others. I think the Air Force is the service exhibiting the proper priorities in this case.

"Did that clarify the point at all?"

No.

[billhilly]

I don't know why I bother, but the Air Force and the Army shared the same GCM medal for some time.

The last of the Good Conduct Medals is the Air Force Good Conduct Medal which was authorized by Congress on July 6, 1960, but not created until June 1, 1963. Between 1947 and 1963, Air Force personnel were issued the Army Good Conduct Medal. For those serving both before and after 1963, both the Army and Air Force Good Conduct Medals could be worn simultaneously on an Air Force uniform. In 2005 the medal was discontinued by the 97th Air Force Uniform Board, and is no longer issued. However, medals that are a matter of record may still be worn