Why?
If the missile is targeted at the ship (which can take a little figuring out after the fact), everybody is under fire.
Ridicule on what basis? Being shot at with a weapon that could result in significant number of casualties on the platform? If people in a HMMWV get shot at with an RPG and they return fire, would they rate a ridicule-free CAR?
I don't really know how I feel about this, either way. But for the record, real GQ due to hostile fire, is not super normal. As in nobody was probably "chilling" like they would be during a GQ drill. Don't get me wrong, I love to hate on boat donkeys too, but this might not be the best example of whatever the Marines want to hate about.
Curious how you would define that on a ship. Is it just the people engaged in specific functions (driving the ship, fire control, etc.) or is it anyone at their workstation at the time? Once you define it how would you validate it? Or do you just say this is too hard no one gets anything?satisfactory performance and active participation
This is the thing. After ODS no fewer than 46 USN ships (entire crew) were awarded the CAR by the SecNav as were some members of HM-14 and a Det of VC-6. In the end, if the decoration is awarded by competent authority then slap it onā¦there will always be some other hero who thinks you donāt deserve it.Curious how you would define that on a ship. Is it just the people engaged in specific functions (driving the ship, fire control, etc.) or is it anyone at their workstation at the time? Once you define it how would you validate it? Or do you just say this is too hard no one gets anything?
Iāve only seen it from the CVN standpoint but to successfully engage a target, there are a ton of moving parts, each with a sailor (or whole shop) that have to work right the first time. Are the guys in aft steering doing anything? No, but for the most part nearly every person on the boat is either pushing the buttons or supporting those that are in some way.
Most importantly, though I think the big difference is that if the boat donkeys donāt perform well, and a vamp gets through and hits the boat EVERYONE is going to have a bad time.
Well please make sure you let them know of your disapproval. I mean, the entire DoN does hang their self-esteem on whether some devil dogs consider them sufficiently badass.
Jesus, some of yāall talk like unless you were bayonet-charging machine gun nests on Iwo Jima, nobody rates anything. They took hostile fire, the Secretary decided they rated the ribbon, and nobody thinks a CAR is a Navy Cross or whatever. Calm down.
I recall reading somewhere on here that the DFC was a typical award for an air to air kill.I hope the HSM bubbas got AMs out of it.
Awards boards with everyone moaning about āawards inflationā
+1 on this - I write awards for our reservists and see it everyday. That and for AF pilots, Reserve and AD, O-5 is almost an entitlement. Its a rarity to see a rated aircrew without an Air Medal.I recall reading somewhere on here that the DFC was a typical award for an air to air kill.
I agree on the AM, but since this was the first ever actual hellfire engagement (I think), I could see someone arguing for the DFC.
You wanna see awards inflation, come take a look at Air Force awards. My first award I wrote I recommended an AF achievement medal for a first tour O-3 about to PCS. The squadron commander came and gave me a long talk about it.
No exaggeration, the size of my ribbon rack doubled when I swapped over just because I existed and therefore qualified for a bunch of AF awards.
An entire ship getting a CAR is a ridiculous notion. Yes, I realize it has been done before....Not a single one of you guys here can say with a straight face all ships company were active participants. However, I realize this is a cultural gap with ships and lack of recognition for a specific event. Throw in a little awards inflation, poor SWO morale, and everyone gets a trophy mentality - Not surprised. Willing to hear counter-arguments, but no one is going to change my mind on this so we can agree to disagree. I hope the HSM bubbas got AMs out of it.
There is no awards inflation with the CAR, it was awarded in line with how it has been awarded since it was established. As other folks have already alluded to, bases can't sink. As much as I, like many here, like to rag on SWO's they have been doing a pretty damn good job in the Red Sea the last few weeks, even if they aren't facing a 'near peer'.
From personal experience I've known plenty of folks who have gotten CAR's, CAB's, CAM's and even CIB's from every service (yes Virginia, even Marines) that did very little compared to some of their peers who earned the exact same award. As someone already pointed out, same with the Purple Heart as well. It is what it is, life ain't fair.