Too many medals spoil the effect

Too many medals?

It used to be that Aussies would sling off at the Yanks for wearing a chest full of medal or service ribbons before they came out of recruit training. It was and is nearly true.

I was reading about one USAF female recently who is not yet 30 years of age and has 13 medals or service ribbons. What is her job? She plays the flute in the Air Force Band.

Australia is now going down the same path. Medals were recently issued to men who did 94 days training at Wacol near Brisbane in the 1950s.

Medal entitlement to other medals has been relaxed so much that many, including me, feel that medals are losing their value.

My Grandfather, 40 years after his death, my uncle 14 years after his death and myself, 32 years after my service all recently became eligible for the Australia Service Medal 1945/75. It does not make sense to me.

Maybe some Yanks think that we have all gone overboard too. I pinched this from a forgotten American site to show a couple of mates, not intending to reproduce it but then decided to share the joke.

Sir, I'm in full agreement with you about the number of service ribbons that the U.S. issues. I have a brother-in-law who spent 21 years in the Air Force and never came near combat. The few times he was posted outside the U.S. he had his family with him. To see his uniform you would think that he was a Russian General. I think the only ribbon he did not get was not getting the crabs in the out house.

If you have to buy it you didn't earn it. I came back from Vietnam four ribbons and 100% disabled, so I think I have the right to speak up. Thank you for your web page. I'm going to print it out and pass it around the VA Hospital the next time I go. Eddie *****