BA> Replying to a message of BOB KLAHN to BOB ACKLEY:

 BK>>>>  They didn't want you to get the ribbon???

 BA>>> They didn't want me (and the other 3 guys) to get credit
 BA>>> for having served in-country, which if we'd been there less
 BA>>> than 60 days they

 BA>>> wouldn't have to do.  It would move us a bit farther down
 BA>>> the list of those to be sent there.  The award of the
 BA>>> ribbon (ribbons, there were two) was irrelevant.

 BK>>  I would think both would be worthwhile to the recipient. Ok, the
 BK>> moving down the list immediately, the ribbon in the long run.

 BA> They're just "I was there" ribbons.  No big deal, really.
 BA> Many if not most ribbons are basically BS - outstanding
 BA> Basic Training graduate (really!),

  They really have a ribbon for that? I was an outstanding basic
  training grad. I'll have to check and see if I'm entitled to a
  ribbon. Or was that honor graduate? Hmmm... gotta look into
  that. When I get around to it.

...

 BA> Because ribbons were and are generally handed out like
 BA> candy color me unimpressed
 BA> by large displays of them.  Once upon a time they meant
 BA> something, today other than those noted above (and I may
 BA> have missed a couple) they're meaningless.

 Which is one reason some people have gone to wearing only the
 minimum number required. Six when I was in. I've heard some
 commanders don't like that. They want you to wear them all.
 Never was a problem for me. Even when I was in parades or
 anything it was usually in fatigues.

 BA> I should also note that in addition to devaluing the
 BA> meaning of ribbons, the military has (over the past
 BA> decades) devalued the meaning of rank.  Someone noted
 BA> years ago that there were more flag officers
 BA> (generals/admirals) on active duty then
 BA> than the military had during WW II, when it was about ten
 BA> times larger than it was
 BA> at the time.

 Oh I do believe I recall hearing that. Rank has more to do with
 pay than authority now days. Which is one reason I think the
 Army has the right idea with their spec ranks.

 I believe most of the shops I was assigned to had as many ssgts
 and above as below that rank.

 BA> When I was working at SAC there were 21 flag
 BA> officers assigned there,
 BA> apparently since the demise of SAC the number has declined
 BA> as I note that several
 BA> colonels and one *civilian* are now living in the
 BA> "Generals' Row" housing area on the
 BA> base (along "Generals' Row" the names of the occupants are
 BA> displayed on a small marker
 BA> in front of each house).

 Reminds me of the bit in the Reader's Digest long ago. A row of
 houses, popular with retired military. Had all these houses with
 signs out front, Gen so and so, retired. Col so and so, retired.
 And one house with MSGT so and so, retired.


BOB KLAHN bob.klahn{at}sev.org   http://home.toltbbs.com/bobklahn

... Your Honour, I wish to plead permanent insanity               .
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