Honours & Awards (merged)

[Ex-Dragoon]

Hang on.....you were infantry AND armour......yet ended up being a sailor?    ???

Not to mention an Air Cadet.

 

[cupper]

Not to mention an Air Cadet.

Holy multiple personalities!

 

[Canadian.Trucker]

Always nice to see a feel good story, excellent job.

 

[Thompson_JM]

Bravo Zulu to Cpl Harris, 

I take a little extra pride in posting this as he is an MSE Op, and its always nice to see someone in your own trade do well...  (Though I'll always say that ALL the trades are important!)

Below is the link to the article with a select few excerpts from it....

Full Story on link....


http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/12/12/reluctant-soldier-unhesitating-hero-corporal-tony-harris-to-be-awarded-the-medal-of-military-valour/

Tony Harris was a kid without a plan. His mother will tell you he was going nowhere, fast, just spinning his wheels through post-high school life in Pennfield Ridge, N.B....

...“I had no direction,” says Tony Jr. “I think I always knew that I was going to join the military. But when it came time I needed a push from my Dad.”

Tony Sr., a former air force man, describes the push as more of an ultimatum. “He had no option, not with me he didn’t.”...

...The corporal was a lowly private then, in a motorized support unit. His job, each day, was refueling the vehicles. Task complete, he retired to the mess tent and grabbed a plate of noodles.

Then he heard a “boom.” And then he heard screams. And then he started running. Not away. Toward the blast....

Apologies if this was posted elsewhere... I did take a good look and could not find it anywhere...

Cheers,
    Tommy.

 

[PuckChaser]

Great story, BZ to Cpl Harris! 

 

[VIChris]

Excellent work, Cpl. Harris, BZ indeed!

 

[jollyjacktar]

There, walks a man. 

 

[dapaterson]

Here's a question:  We're still seeing H&A coming out of deployments in 2009 - two years ago.

This compares poorly to historical precedent. LCol Merritt was awarded the VC less than two months after his action - the raid on Dieppe was on 19 August 1942, and his award was gazetted on 02 October 1942.  That's about 45 days turn-around; why does it now take us two years or more?

 

[PuckChaser]

There seems to be a quota for each award each year, and quite a few nominations have gone in. These awards (no less important), perhaps didn't make the first cut in the year of the deployment.

I'm still surprised we haven't seen a VC awarded yet for Afghanistan. With all the MMVs, MBs, SMVs awarded, we have had soldiers doing heroic things under heavy enemy fire and some sacrificed their lives for their comrades. Perhaps the bar was raised way too high.

 

[Infanteer]

dapaterson has raised a good point.  The time it takes for proper recognition of meritorious service or gallantry is unacceptable.  This isn't a problem unique to the CF, as I've seen journal articles in U.S. and British publications on the over-bureaucratization of the H&A process.  Paperwork and committees are the primary culprit for slow returns - I've seen things delayed at the formation level and I can only imagine what happens at the command/national level; despite have staff officers dedicated solely to H&A, each level has a chain of command has to sign off on anything of significance.

If the chain of command receives a Redress of Grievance or an harassment complaint, policy lays out a clear timeline on when certain things are to be completed.  Why does our system of honours and recognition (short of the OMM) not have similar guidelines in place?

 

[aesop081]

The time it takes for proper recognition of meritorious service or gallantry is unacceptable. 

Seems to work fast for some people though.

http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=14337

The last bomb had barely done it's detonation.............

 

[daftandbarmy]

Seems to work fast for some people though.

http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=14337

The last bomb had barely done it's detonation.............

Even though I'm a ground pounder, I don't begrudge the Brylcreem Brigade finally getting some recognition. But yes, the bodies are hardly cooling...

 

[aesop081]

Even though I'm a ground pounder, I don't begrudge the Brylcreem Brigade finally getting some recognition. But yes, the bodies are hardly cooling...

At the very least, it should have been presented at the same time as the medal for the troops. At this time, what the medal will be for OP MOBILE has not even been announced. I don't debate the merit of his MSC, just the timing.

 

[Journeyman]

...the Brylcreem Brigade ...

  :rofl: 

Damn, you are old  ;D

 

[The Bread Guy]

Seems to work fast for some people though.

http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=14337

The last bomb had barely done it's detonation.............

I wonder how much it helps when there's political support for sharing what is considered damned good news quickly and broadly:
http://pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?id=4484
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?id=3994
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?id=3993
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?id=3992
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?id=3991
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?id=3988
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?id=3978

 

[Haggis]

Seems to work fast for some people though.

Maybe the nomination was submitted with his DAG forms in the expectation of a job well done?  Had he not lived up to that expectation, the nomination could be cancelled.

We all know that it's easier to turn something off than on.  ;D

 

[jollyjacktar]

We all know that it's easier to turn something off than on.  ;D

Oh, you know my wife then?

 

[daftandbarmy]

  :rofl: 

Damn, you are old  ;D

Yes, so old that I have no use for Brylcreem anymore! (although a little dab will do me on my back).

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Yes, so old that I have no use for Brylcreem anymore! (although a little dab will do me on my back).

Switch to Butch Wax

 

[armyvern]

why does it now take us two years or more?

Non PC answer:  "Job Protection".

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