Canadian Combat Action Badge - Now A Dead Idea (Merged Threads)

[PB]

Combat Badge.....or no combat badge...
Any recent news / updates on this one?

 

[Command-Sense-Act 105]

Oh, let's not start this one again... 

 

[PB]

Thanks for the negative reply, not helpful at all, actually kinda rude.
I am not trying to open up a "He said, She said"  volley, just wondering if anyone had any recent news/updates.
I reread Marauder's post, which I'm happy you found someone who share's your thoughts and ideas, they just seem a little narrow, and by the sounds of it, formed "Inside the wire, at best."
To clarify, anyone hear anything new on this topic ( Combat Badge ) 2nd half of 2007or 2008?

 

[Franko]

The final design has not been approved yet.

Regards

 

[George Wallace]

......And with that answer......LOCKED!

 

[The Bread Guy]

Mod squad:  feel free to merge if you see fit.

Remember this debate?
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/43829.0/all.html

According to CanWest News Service, it's over:

A coveted military badge that was to have been presented to troops who saw combat in Afghanistan won't be issued after all, the Canadian Forces has decided.

The combat action badge, promised by former Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier, was long awaited by those troops who had been involved in intense fighting in Afghanistan.

But last fall, the military leadership decided not to proceed with the badge. They, however, didn't bother to inform military personnel about the decision, Defence Department insiders confirm.

Worried about an upcoming Canwest News Service article on the badge, the Canadian Forces hurriedly issued a military wide message Friday from Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Walter Natynczyk, finally informing the troops they won't get the award ....

More on link

 

[CadetMez]

One of the reasons i am on here, is because i don't know much about the military, so i'm just going to ask now, what do the troops get for seeing combat in Afghanistan?

 

[392]

Hmmmm......interesting....especially considering I recall hearing in multiple O Gp's back in the fall that the Combat Action Insignia was officially dead.....

 

[armyvern]

Hmmmm......interesting....especially considering I recall hearing in multiple O Gp's back in the fall that the Combat Action Insignia was officially dead.....

Interestingly, me too.

 

[RHFC_piper]

One of the reasons i am on here, is because i don't know much about the military, so i'm just going to ask now, what do the troops get for seeing combat in Afghanistan?

Nothing if they're lucky... a wound stripe if they're not.


I have a feeling there are going to be some very upset people over this... especially when the former CDS promised this to troops while visiting them on the battlefield.

Personally, I don't need a badge to tell me where I've been.

 

[royalnomad]

my opinion.  "the whinners win again"

 

[brihard]

One of the reasons i am on here, is because i don't know much about the military, so i'm just going to ask now, what do the troops get for seeing combat in Afghanistan?

For seeing combat specifically, nothing except some stories they may or may not choose to tell after a few drinks. If they're unlucky, they may get a sacrifice medal- the replacement for the wound stripe.

Everyone who serves in Afghanistan for more than 30 days gets the General Campaign Star; a tour medal.

There is no recognition or honour that differentiates those who have served in combat from those who haven't. Besides, in most cases, the majority of people whose opinions matter are going to know anyway.

A combat action badge just would have fostered more bling-hunting. We already had a big problem with 'combat tourism' by people who had no business being outside KAF, yet insisted on sitting in the back of a Bison on a convoy or two just so they can say they went outside the wire. Imagine how bad it would get if you had people hoping they could get a combat badge by being present when another vehicle got IEDed... It's been a big problem for the Americans.

The guys who've been in the real scrapes know it, the rest of us know it, and not device on a uniform can either add to or take away from what they've been through.

 

[armyvern]

my opinion.  "the whinners win again"

Just remember, some of those supposed-"whiners" have seen combat.

Do you feel better now that you have your useless comment off your chest? Opinion is one thing, but denigrating those who "earned it, but don't want it" as "whinners [SIC]" is pretty whiney itself no? I'm guessing you wanted one?

 

[royalnomad]

me wanting one is irrelevant. and saying that i was denigrating people. i never said that so please dont put words in my mouth. 

and i didnt bash any one specifically as you bashed me personally.

 

[Jammer]

Pleeease can we put this to rest finally?
(sent on my new MacBook Pro)

 

[RCR Grunt]

Just remember, some of those supposed-"whiners" have seen combat.

Do you feel better now that you have your useless comment off your chest? Opinion is one thing, but denigrating those who "earned it, but don't want it" as "whinners [SIC]" is pretty whiney itself no? I'm guessing you wanted one?

STOP! STOP! STOP!

Check your fire from both sides, lest this quickly spiral down the crapper.

Royalnomad, be aware that expressing one's opinion, especially with little substantiation, usually results in hurt e-feelings.  Your opinion is valid, however you should have elaborated on why you feel as such.  A short one-liner leaves a lot of room for interpretation.

Vern, just because someone has blamed the death of this "thing" on "whiners" doesn't mean they were pointing at a specific trade or element.

We are all aware that support trades went out and got into the mix just like the infantards and friends.

An ad hominem attack is not required.

As for the death of the combat badge, it never had a chance.  A lot was promised by uncle Rick, like a SWASM to go beside the GCS, but that never materialized either.

 

[armyvern]

me wanting one is irrelevant. and saying that i was denigrating people. i never said that so please dont put words in my mouth. 

and i didnt bash any one specifically as you bashed me personally.

Didn't you post "the whiners win again?"

Read the links provided earlier in the thread ... and a post right before your original ... and you'll find that you've called people who've "earned it, but don't want it" ... "whiners".

There's a couple of groups involved and it all depends what side of the fence you're sitting on ...

1) Those who've earned it, and want it (who will be disappointed with this decision not to issue it); and

2) Those whov'e earned it, but don't want it (who weren't in agreement with the decision to implement it when it was first announced).

I wouldn't classify either group as "whinners".

 

[GregC]

A combat action badge just would have fostered more bling-hunting. We already had a big problem with 'combat tourism' by people who had no business being outside KAF, yet insisted on sitting in the back of a Bison on a convoy or two just so they can say they went outside the wire.

Nail hit on head. When I heard about this badge when I was overseas in 2007, I heard about there being 3 levels of the badge (bronze, silver, gold). Immediately you could tell how vague the conditions were for being awarded this kind of thing.... by the definitions I heard 2 years ago the KAF dweller present during a rocket attack somewhere on the airfield would be entitled to the same as an infantryman being mortared in a COP, PSS, or Strongpoint.

You could quickly see how tough it would be to sort through who truly deserved a combat badge, and who was telling tall tales to get another shiny piece to their DEU's.

I've always liked the fact we don't flood our dress uniforms with qualifications, medals, and ribbons. Brihard has it right, those who walked the walk don't need something to remind everyone of that.

 

[armyvern]

STOP! STOP! STOP!

Check your fire from both sides, lest this quickly spiral down the crapper.

Royalnomad, be aware that expressing one's opinion, especially with little substantiation, usually results in hurt e-feelings.  Your opinion is valid, however you should have elaborated on why you feel as such.  A short one-liner leaves a lot of room for interpretation.

Vern, just because someone has blamed the death of this "thing" on "whiners" doesn't mean they were pointing at a specific trade or element.

We are all aware that support trades went out and got into the mix just like the infantards and friends.

An ad hominem attack is not required.

As for the death of the combat badge, it never had a chance.  A lot was promised by uncle Rick, like a SWASM to go beside the GCS, but that never materialized either.

Wow. Where are you getting support trades comments from? Not me.

Specificly, RHFC_Piper posted right before he did ... and the link earlier in the thread to the kerfuffle that first came about with this announcement of a CAB on this site clearly shows that there are zero trade troops who've "earned it, but don't want it."

This has SFA to do with support trades - and I never said it did. And, the "ad hominem" attack comment is priceless too ... the guy who just said "the whinners win again" is going to be upset that I pointed out how whiney his own comment was? Ironic that isn't it? Hello pot ... this is kettle over.

 

[X-mo-1979]

I was instructed when I got into theatre last August to start writing up reports on every action.It was a specific sheet that had to be done on top of field event notes.
Everyone in the unit we were replacing had the Gold standard,and by november everyone in my small group (the drivers received it as part of a crew) had been fired at and returned fire killing the enemy.However at the end of September IIRC they told us to just stop writing up the reports as it was a dead idea.

Nail hit on head. When I heard about this badge when I was overseas in 2007, I heard about there being 3 levels of the badge (bronze, silver, gold). Immediately you could tell how vague the conditions were for being awarded this kind of thing.... by the definitions I heard 2 years ago the KAF dweller present during a rocket attack somewhere on the airfield would be entitled to the same as an infantryman being mortared in a COP, PSS, or Strongpoint.

You could quickly see how tough it would be to sort through who truly deserved a combat badge, and who was telling tall tales to get another shiny piece to their DEU's.

The bronze was a "give me" medal no matter what.It didnt matter if you heard an alarm in KAF or a rocket blew up your bunkspace in a FOB.The silver was for being shot at and not returning fire,and the gold for getting in a TIC type situation.And shooting people.However no matter what trade if they were engaging the EN they would have had the gold.

My guys got the same pay as anyone inside the wire.He wore the same uniform there etc.I sympathized with my guys wishing they had something for the hard work they did.But alas as I said to them our cap badge is enough of a medal.My campaign star with my capbadge says enough.And then we had something made out of our expended ammo that we engaged with for all to wear daily in lieu of a normal piece of army kit.While no one would ever know the difference we know what its made out of.