Afghan Roto in Aug 06

[armyvern]

Armyvern, the first case cited would have gotten two medal as well, had the GCS existed in Apollo's day....but it didn't.

AFAIC, if Auntie Liz says you're entitle to something by her own rules, you should get it.

- 30 days in theatre or 90 days in support is what it takes to qualify for SWASM with bar.
- 30 days cumulative in theatre for the GCS w/ ISAF bar.

...easy to do in 4 1/2 months.   This is sequential, doing one after the other, not like th ecase of the GCS and the NATO non-Art 5 ribbon of earlier ATHENA rotos.

Cheers,
Duey

I agree with you...but here's what confuses me.

Troops from 2RCR who came into theatre on the Op Athena TAT 3.5 months after we got there and who left theatre approx 1.5 - 2 months before we left were awarded the GCS/GCM as applicable.

Therefore, although announced after their time in theatre (which co-incided with those who did Roto2 Apollo /TAT/ and Roto Zero Athena) it was made retroactive to include them. Why did it not include all who participated under the new Op tour and mandated missions? We were told we weren't being awarded it as well because you can only have ONE medal per deployment despite the fact the mission/mandate had changed. And really, I am really OK with that.

So really the question is, why is it happening now for this tour? What new precedence has been set by this tour that was not set by the Apollo/TAT/Athena personnel?

???

 

[Good2Golf]

Hmmmm...can't answer that one.  The "retroactive" thing does sound questionable to me as it is not consisten with the qualification for medals as they existed during the period that service was rendered.  I still figure the Roto4 CM/KAF folks getting GCS & SWASM is consistent with the qualifying policies...just the earlier example is dodgy IMO.

Cheers,
Duey

 

[Armymedic]

Let's not even start to compare tours buds....last time I heard no one from your sqn was engaged by RPG fire or hit with IEDs. Was the camp rocketed...nope.

Franko,
reccecrewman's been whining about his medals since he got back. But that doesn't mean that Roto 3 didn't have some of the "excitement" that the tour you are on has. BTW, with the work being done to move...there are people who are definately EARNing the right to get and wear 2 medals.

Ok...ENOUGH ABOUT THE GOD DAMN MEDALS.

Deep Breath...
OK, back on topic...

1 RCR lead in the BG. 2 RCHA with help is doing up the PRT. There is a group going to Kabul to carry on advisor roles and the Ca NTC (OP Argus), and another which will resume the ETT group in Kandahar area.
The TO & E is still as per Roto 1 and will be amended as required until after BTE in Wx end May.

 

[Good2Golf]

Minor detail, but ANTC(CA) and SAT-A (Op Argus) are close but seperate entities...we do get along, though!  ;D

 

[Bartok5]

Let's get back to the medals.  MEDALS, I say!  Lets just admit that at the end of the day, it is ALL about the "BLING, BLING!!!"  Nothing else matters.  BLING, BLING, BLING, BLING!! 

I mean really...does anyone actually serve overseas for anything other than the chest-candy and bragging rights? 

Oh, wait - you mean to tell me that some of us actually serve for the sake of serving?  You mean to tell me that some people actually deploy on new missions with no idea of what sort of fiscal compensation or institutional recognition they might (might) receive?  I simply can't imagine.....

Here's a well-intentioned "hint".  What we collectively do on behalf of Canada is a calling, not a Mcjob.  Self-interested whiners with nothing more important to consider than "what they will receive" ought to be looking for meaningful employment elsewhere.  I've heard that Burger King offers fiscal incentives for overtime...

Really.  Where I currently serve, we have a bunch of folks who served on Op APOLLO with no clue as to what recognition (if any) they would eventually receive for their service under rather "austere" conditions.  At that very same place of work, we now have numerous soldiers dispatched on short-term deployments who receive the exact-same SWASM with Afghan bar as the Op APOLLO guys were awarded.  Is anyone complaining about "dues paid"?  I don't think so.  We all celebrate and recognize those who qualify for the formal recognition on an equal basis.  Nothing more, and certainly nothing less.  I've yet to hear any whining from the Op APOLLO crew.....

It is "head out of arse time" for any self-indulgent whiners who would stoop to complain about fellow soldiers (in circumstances beyond their personal control) receiving multiple medals for a single tour.  The same goes for anyone who would complain about the particular recognition that they were awarded (or weren't) for any given deployment.  Look up "petty" or "self-serving" in the dictionary.  Chances are that you will find a photo of your own self-pitying mug. 

Such talk is simply pathetic.  Really.  Where the heck is your head-space, and what is your motivation for posting such tripe on a public discussion board? 

Think about it.....

 

[Infanteer]

This thread rocks!

 

[Haggis]

This thread rocks!

Screw the thread, Infanteer..  That Smiley ROCKS!

You should get a medal for that.  ;D

 

[Franko]

:rofl:

Mark.....I detect a hint of sarcasm.

Regards

 

[Good2Golf]

MarkC is bang on target!  Heck, I'm pushing to come back here in something big that goes wokka-wokka, and I don't think that would get me any more salad (SWASMs don't have numbers for multiple bars, right?)  It's the experience with your buds that makes it worth it!

Cheers,
Duey

 

[KevinB]

I thought it was for the money and great accomodations  :

 

[MacKenzie1NSH]

Medals and money, M&M all the way!

 

[Acorn]

Crap - if I get two medals I'll have another uneven row. If I got one I'd even out the top row, and I could retire. Now I'll have to stay in to get two more to even out the new row. Please tell me it's not two gongs!!

And yes Mark, it's all about the bling. I remember the guy back in 1980 who had 3, swing mounted (a big deal in 1980). They'd clink together whenever he marched or moved. The guy got more.....oh never mind.

It's also about the bucks. Don't forget how important the tax break is these days. Cut that, and see how many sign up.

A calling? I once thought so. I still have some hope that it is for many. The boggle eyes of my last boss when I told her that the tax free $70k (yeah, I have lots of points) wasn't enough to get me to deploy with her messed up org....priceless.

Acorn

 

[Britney Spears]

I say we get rid of DEUs all together. There aren't enough hours in the day to do PT and listen to Pashtun tapes, and they still want me to get boot polish and brasso on my hands? I bet that stuff causes cancer too.

 

[jmackenzie_15]

I say we get rid of DEUs all together. There aren't enough hours in the day to do PT and listen to Pashtun tapes, and they still want me to get boot polish and brasso on my hands? I bet that stuff causes cancer too.

Things you can encounter quite regularly in the CF that I suspect of causing cancer:

CLP
ELCAN optical sights
Freddychef/Wornick 'Food'
Decontamination sponges
Issued bug spray
Those glowing tree roots all over aldershot and some in gagetown.... how mysterious
The overall living conditions of the L-lines in gagetown ( okay they may not cause cancer, but for the love of god..)
and so on

 

[Scott]

Things you encounter on a daily basis in the CF that I suspect of causing cancer:

CLP
ELCAN optical sights
Freddychef/Wornick 'Food'
Decontamination sponges
Issued bug spray
Those glowing tree roots all over aldershot and some in gagetown.... how mysterious
The overall living conditions of the L-lines in gagetown ( okay they may not cause cancer, but for the love of god..)
and so on

Those tree roots in Aldershot are navaids aren't they ;D? And you forgot to mention the haybox meal, the water in the old tent city area of Aldershot and any trench dug in the training area.

 

[greydak]

Has anyone heard deployment dates for this Roto?

 

[George Wallace]

It is in eight months......If you aren't already in the know and on training, you won't be going.

 

[greydak]

Training starts 01-Feb-05 for me.. But I'm still not in "the know"

 

[Armymedic]

Training starts 01-Feb-05 for me.. But I'm still not in "the know"

Then, come 2 Feb, you'll be in the know. (end July to mid Feb would be my guess)

 

[Gouki]

And the odds for a newly trained Private to go on this tour are .. what?

I'm the new RMS for the RCD ROR. I've been told I do not have a good chance to go as I'm not in a Squadron yet, yet there are sometimes exceptions and thus remains a slight glimmer of hope.

Should I continue to look through my telescope at this glimmer of hope or should I just stop bothering for the time being?