Dolphin_Hunter said:
I wish they would rework this formula. The 1 sortie = 1 day calculation. It took almost 3 months to get 30 flights and I bet the bulk of the guys/gals delivering presents to those asshats didn't get their 30.
Ya, considering all the factors, the 30 doesn't seem right considering who was doing what on their missions. If someone did 28 airstrike missions, half of them in Syria, they wouldn't get a ninja star. Doesn't seem to accurately reflect 'mission contributions', does it?
In comparison to the GCS-Exp, there is the
General Campaign Star – ALLIED FORCE (GCS-AF):
The GCS with ALLIED FORCE ribbon is awarded to fighter pilots and AWACS crew members who flew at least 5 sorties during Operation ALLIED FORCE from 24 March to 10 June 1999 in the theatre of operations which consisted of the airspace over Kosovo and other territories of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the Adriatic and Ionian seas.
PuckChaser said:
As opposed to those sitting in country for 6 months that wouldn't be entitled to a rotation bar (need 6 months after initial 30: days to qualify), or even a second medal?
This as well. There will be some folks who get the GSM with rotation bar from doing a single ROTO (I know a few who did) but I don't think the rotation bar requirements will change. 210 days is a lot of time, it's even more time for aircrew who have to do 210 sorties/missions. Someone could do 6 ROTOs, max their hours out each ROTO and still not qualify for a 'rotation bar'. So, the name 'rotation' bar does not seem to fit IMO.
Quirky said:
Nice to see people that came into a setup camp are receiving their medals. Meanwhile roto zeros that built everything from the ground up have seen squat. :
I hear ya. I don't know what the method to the madness is WRT this. I've heard of some ROTO 1 and 2 LRP Det folks getting the GSM already, while ROTO 0 folks haven't seen it. I don't know of a single GCS being given yet to the guys who were boots on the ground Oct 14.
I know of at least 1 pers who has their 3rd ROTO in their log book and...nadda. Log book copies weren't requested until well after a year into the op.
Not that gongs are the most important thing, I know, BUT folks should also have their contribution recognized in a timely manner; it is supposed to be the whole reason for the Honours system isn't it?