Posted on 02/18/2006 4:37:50 PM PST by 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.
I never once denied he was awarded the medal. In fact, I offered an explaination for how it could have been awarded. I was merely pointing out to him that the facts listed in the article that started this thread are factually correct. As is his DD214.
Clue ~ military costs are very high. Eliminating the ribbons will not reduce them by any appreciable amount.
I received my first USAF AGCM in 1958 - It was called the Army Good Conduct Medal. The next one I received was in 1961 but was awarded as the Good Conduct Medal. The Air Force dropped the Army name from the medal. Over my career I received 9 Good Conduct Medals with only one named Army Good Conduct Medal. Funny the basic medal did not change only the name. Back in 56 SAC had us doing setups, push-ups, and pull-ups. Had to do them every three months. Then added a three minute run in place to the items above. You did the test in fatigues (utilities) and brogans (work boots). This went to the way side and was replaced by a timed running in place. Then 1.5 timed mile was added along with a weight check in. You could do either the run or the in-place thing. In the 70's while in Korea our Commander a Maj ran the 1.5 mile right along side of us EM's. He was also your catcher for the softball team. In the 80's for the 1.5 mile you had the option of walking, running in-place or actually running plus the weight check in. All events had a specific time limit and weight limit.
You seem a little sensitive and wholly lacking any sense of humor. I'm guessing you were or are Air Force.
Its a good thing "Smart bombs" were invented - or the Air Force would have lost the job of bombing in areas where American troops were within a 30 mile radius.
In the our era -- there were different procedures for observing "Air Support"...
If the Air Force was coming --- we ALL retreated to the deepest bunkers possible..., buttoned up tight and prayed until the silence returned.
If the Navy was coming -- we would simply lay out our panels, but watch the incoming for entertainment from BEHIND MINIMAL COVER.
If the Marine Corps was coming -- we'd all go topside into the clear, lay out our "picnic", wave to our pilots who came down low enough to verify OUR positions and salute before getting the job done..
I personally NEVER heard of a friendly fire death from Marine Air the entire time in country...
Semper Fi
Hey, just so long as he doesn't demand flighsuits have permanent creases glued into the legs. Will we ever recover from McPeak?
Having been Enlisted and now being an Officer I agree with elimination of these awards. I would get rid of longevity awards but for the fact that at least they give distinction to years of service.
Most against this are on target. I expect nothing other than good and moral conduct from all in the military, Enlisted or Officer. Its an expectation I have and I see it as nothing but candy to give out when I give a medal out for someone just doing their job.
The medals I have mean a lot to me and since I was prior enlisted I wear the Good Conduct Medal so as to show other enlisted that I was once in their boots. I also make sure to wear my Maintenance Badge so they will see that as well. I would like all of them to aspire to Officership as it means education and wanting more out of their careers and life itself. And I can tell you something about it all...if I can go from lowly E-3 to become a pilot in the USAF....just about anyone can do it. There ar ebetter ways to motivate and reward people instead of meaningless pin-ons that are given just for being normal.
YES.
Semper Fi
Sometime, in about 10 years from now.
Actually, I'm just asking a simple question. Apparently, there isn't really an answer. And I normally have no problem recognizing attempts at humor, but I missed it in your last post. Which part of that post did you intend to be humorous.
"I'm guessing you were or are Air Force."
I served in both the Navy and the Air Force and am currently in the Air National Guard.
Some branches of service interchanged medals. For example, the Navy Cross can be awarded to Army personnel. Prior to 1960, the USAF may have used the Army's Good Conduct Medal to award to their own personnel before the AF had their own medal to award.
Such things are not impossible.
"I never once denied he was awarded the medal. In fact, I offered an explaination for how it could have been awarded. I was merely pointing out to him that the facts listed in the article that started this thread are factually correct. As is his DD214."
Bullshi-! You're just another google expert. The problem with that easy way out is that you quit when you find something that seems to make an argument that suits the moment.
Life demands much more of us than that. My 68 years are testament to that.
In 56 I was at Wheelus Air Base in Tripoli. Did you ever get there?
The Wart Hog is so feared by the sheetheads, that just arriving on station is enough to keep the sheetheads shitting themselves and laying low.
Semper Fi
Pretty much all of it was tongue in cheek. The Air Force is and always will be a point of aim for a laugh. I was merely carrying on a long tradition. Gyrenes are simple, Army is for ASVAB scores below 40, and the Coast Guard for folks over six feet tall. Us Squids are drunken smart-asses. The previous statements are generalizations that are used to great comedic effect. One thing about the previously mentioned services: they all pick on the Air Force. Get over it.
What are you talking about? In post 93 of this threat you latched on to two points in the article and stated "It is pretty clear that the author of this article doesn't know port from starboard." In my response to your post (post 101), I repeated the two points you said were wrong, and showed you why the author is correct. He is correct and you falsely accused him of doing poor research based on your DD214 which we have concluded indicates you were most likely awarded an Army Good Conduct Medal. I am pretty certain the article is talking about the Air Force Good Conduct Medal and the information provided in the article refers specifically to that medal.
"My 68 years are testament to that."
They are testament to something else too.
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