It is official: we are the North Korean Boy Scouts

I am seriously trying to find something positive or programmatically interesting to post on - well, one is on the way - but the FOD around the deck this week is off the hook.

Judging from my email, most of you think so as well

We've hit on this subject before, and it is time again - it is getting worse. We give out WAY too many ribbons, medals, and "warfare" pins - and have diluted those that we have. From "good bowel movement NAMs" to "Bronze Stars for all my friends (combat V not included)" to the "haven't deployed EVER but am at 1.5 rows ... it is just pathetic.

It is patronizing to the individual, it hides true accomplishment, and to the outside world - we start to look buffoonish. Not everyone deserves a trophy, and "you pick your rate - you pick your fate."

Just look at Rear Admiral Woodward, RN right prior to taking his Task Force to retake The Falklands Islands. Who is the real professional warrior - the Brit with one ribbon, or the North Korean gangsters?

This is seriously becoming self parody. A lot of people thought this was from The Onion or Duffleblog, just not funny enough.

This is just pathetic to the extreme.

The Pentagon is creating a new high-level military medal that will recognize drone pilots and, in a controversial twist, giving it added clout by placing it above some traditional combat valor medals in the military’s “order of precedence.” The Distinguished Warfare Medal will be awarded to pilots of unmanned aircraft, offensive cyber war experts or others who are directly involved in combat operations but who are not physically in theater and facing the physical risks that warfare historically entails.

What insecure little man-child came up with this idea, and why did no one up the chain stop it?

It is nothing more by an award created by insecure people, approve for insecure people, to be issues to insecure people. Sorry .... but we have awards that exist that will fit the bill fine for doing what you are doing in your chair - no need to clutter things up.

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