Do Your Awards Still Mean Something To You After Leaving The Service?

Pride is dependent on the individual.

Pride is dependent on the individual.

As a retiree my awards mean an awful lot to me. I haven't done the shadow box thing yet. For me, they serve as mile markers for my career. I wear my uniform once a year on Memorial Day and on July 4th and Veterans Day I wear my mini-medals.

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I received my first NAM for filling a Gunnery Sergeant's billet as a Lance Corporal for a year and a half. During that time, I took a unit that failed every command inspection and revamped it. When I talk about my successes as a Marine, I go back to that time when I was the sole financial manager supporting 10+ individual accounts. I knew I did good, and I'm proud of that.

My second NAM was for an audit shot down from GAO. I fulfilled every request (50+ accounts) they gave me in two days. Little I knew that I had over a month to complete it. I thought I was just doing my job.

My medals, though as few as they are, were results of my hard work. No one can take the pride of that away from me, and it makes it easier when negotiating job offers when I have proof of my accomplishments.

Other than the " I was there" or the" I kept my nose halfway clean", the only awards I received were the ones that my men busted their asses and they gave me a Navy Achievement Medal. As soon as the Skipper pinned it on, I saluted, turned around and told my mechanics that the award was as much theirs as it was mine. I tried to do the best thing for them in their evals. A letter of appreciation from the command meant more. When I retired, I only asked that the ceremony be held at the "eternal flame" outside the gate at Oceana. The other 1st class pitched in and got a shadow box with my Army ranks on the left and the Navy ranks on the right. Right below the flag, they put both Army & Navy medals as they were on my uniform. They also flew the flag over the POW/MIA Eternal Flame before they presented it. To be perfectly honest, I had more pride in my men and fellow NCO's and Petty Officers, than I did in medals. My heart will forever be with the 58,397 who did not come home. Their families are always in my thoughts and prayers.

They don't especially when they withhold a Meritorious Service Medal from E-4 and below. The ones recommending awards act like they're paying for them out of their own pocket.

I didn't join for medals or for college money. Those that do are an insult to the military. The only one I am proud of getting is my Combat Medical Badge. I didn't even know it existed until I had earned it and my LT came and told me I was getting it.
It's unique to my MOS and shows the difference in Medics who've been in combat and treated wounded people and those that have not. Some of you may be a "Combat Medic" by title but you're not a Combat Medic. You don't have to get the CMB to be considered one; it is a bonus that we should be proud of should be get awarded it. No combat experience, not combat.

I fully understand the lack of pride someone have surrounding of the awards they have received. During my career, I was the recipient of 11 Army Achievement Medals, and Army Commendation Medals. All of these downgraded from higher recommendations, as I put it, attendance baubles. But, what I remember is those I served with when I received them. That is the pride comes from. I have been, nor will be, a person that seeks recognition. Just let know I am doing a good job, give me my pay and leave me alone my off time.

I am still active so I can only speculate but I think I will be just as proud if not more when I'm retired for the simple fact that I have completed that chapter in my life. Some awards more than others. Believe it or not an AAM I received from General Cucolo, he was my Brigade commander back then, means the most to me. I was extremely lucky to have such an amazing Brigade commander at my first duty station. He definitely set a high standard for me to compare to the last 16 years.