Yep, same as the AF was for good conduct medal. AF Air Crew wings take a while too, but I don't know exactly how long it is nowadays. AF gives a ribbon for small arms expert instead of the metal ones the Army and USMC get, but it is earned. Anyone who enlists now, regardless of branch of service gets the National Defense medal. I think over six months of intense training for the Intel skill badge is earning it. It may be more mental than physical, but some don't make it and they are kicked out of the AF. I think it is ridiculous to get a ribbon just for completing basic training, though. I guess it was cheaper than giving them a stripe. I have great respect for the Marines, but I would not say that they are the only branch that EARNS ribbons, medals, and breast insignia. Being a Navy brat and growing up around Sailors and Marines, I respect them. Having served in the Air Force and Army, I respect them, too.

I hear you HD, I have respect for all five branches. I was just referring to the whole ribbon for comlpeting basic thing. We did get rifle badges straight out of boot camp (marksman, sharpshooter, and expert), but that's all. Everyone except for a few graduated as an E-1. For the Marine Corps that's a slick sleeve. You leave basic with a rifle badge and nothing else. I understand that everyone rates a national defense now, but that's because we're at war. I think being awarded a ribbon for boot camp would just cheapen the award for me. What's the point of getting an award if everyone in your branch of the service, no matter how green they are, has the same one. I will say that, with the exception of the national defense, all things awarded to Marine have been earned. It is possible that things have changed in the eight years since I was discharged, though.

My next door neighbor's son is a young Marine. I have known him for several years. He was in Marine ROTC in high school. When he came back from all his training, he was a changed man, a boy no more. I mean he looks like a poster Marine. He just got to Afghanistan as a Lance Corporal. The Marines do that better than anyone else, for sure. I have served with Marines stateside and overseas, and have always been impressed with their pride, discipline and esprit de corps. In my mind, the entire USMC is an elite force. You EARN that eagle, globe, and anchor. That emblem means a heck of a lot more to me than any ribbon for basic training.

I remember you posting about him. I believe he's the one you gave a Regulator to. Your daughter got one too IIRC. I am grateful for the service of both of them.

The EGA means alot to me. It gives something tangable that I can associate my sense of accomplisment to.

I have nothing of similar significance. All I have is generic stuff. Some silver Lieutenant bars, US, Armor Branch devices, some ribbons. I used to have a Viet Nam Service Medal, but my oldest daughter lost it in a sand box around 1975. I have various pieces of paper that said I did this and did that. I was an Air Commando, which only means I served in an Air Force Special Operations unit. Serving in the 56th Special Operations Wing was the only thing of significance I ever did in the Air Force. We got no badges, tabs, or anything special for that. I got out as a SSGT. I am so proud that my 19 year old daughter has been selected for a Special Operations unit. She will be my legacy. In the mean time, I will gaze upon that shiny munitions maintenance badge I got from that pathetic airman who had no pride at all in his branch of service or his specialty. How sad. Somebody's got to get those bombs ready!

You have GOT to be kidding!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> I got bitten by a centipede while squatting to "do my business" -- that sucker really stung and the centipede was only about two inches long! I was concerned because at the time I thought they were poisonous. When I told the Corpsman about it he just looked at me and said " so what do you want me to do about it"? I would have never even considered putting in for a Purple Heart - that's for wounds in battle!

I AM very proud of my Eagle, Globe, and Anchor! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

As well you should be, Tom. Being a Marine grunt in Viet Nam is about as hard core as it gets. The Marines have a great tradition. The Air Force is still working on one. While they took tremendous casualties in WWII, they were still part of the Army then. The only AF unit I ever served in that had any sort of esprit de corps was the Air Commandos (now called Special Operations).

At the end of the Iranian hostage crisis I was onboard the USS Saipan in the Arabain Sea.We were standing by to evec the hostages,but they decided to evac them to Germany instead.After we got home we learned we were awarded the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal.???We didn't set foot on shore!
Before that & right after the hostage crisis started,we (the US) discovered Russian troops in Cuba,so Jimmy Carter sent a bunch of Marines down for a show of force.I was attached to the squadren that went down.The squadren flew so many hours & was always in the high 90 percentages mission capable wise,that we got a Meritorious Unit Citation,which is a ribbon.I worked night crew,4pm-midnight.All we on nights did was snorkel & cliff dive during the day,& if there was a good movie playing at the outdoor theater we secured to go watch the movie which started at 7:00.It was a 2 month vacation for me,but I got another award I didn't earn & am not proud of.The air crews sure earned it though. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />
All that just to show that the M.C. does give out unearned awards too.Even if a Marine got busted,fined & lost a stripe,they still got a Good Cookie Medal geeze!It is part of the government after all.I did earn my eagle,globe & anchor and my stripes though & am very proud of them.

Yes, those of us who have served know that all the armed forces are monstrous bureaucracies capable of most any kind of foul up any other government agency can do. Maybe we should get medals just for putting up with it all. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I thought and still think that getting a ribbon for going through basic training is a joke. And Yes, I know that the Air Force one is NOT as hard as the others, but I mean Gee Whiz, what's special (from everyone else in the service) about finishing basic!

I had the generic good conduct (several, every 3 or 4 years) and longevity (every 4 years) overseas service ribbon (another whut fer ribbon) and several others that don't really mean anything WORTH BEING SINGLED OUT FOR SPECIAL RECOGNITION). And I've got a couple that actually DO mean that I actually did something worthwhile, but the citation accompaning them is classified TS so only a few will ever know what I did. Go figure!

Vic, Yeah, maybe (specially now) they should give out an "I SURVIVED THE BS RIBBON"! (OH and congrats again on your daughter going Spec Ops)! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> I ALWAYS respected those folks.

They just announced a new series of ribbons and commendations for the Army, here's the link

http://www.strategypage.com/humor/articles/20020504.asp