Does a getting a award, ribbon or medal define ones career. Does having a chest full of ribbons make you a better soldier ?

No it does not

I remember back before I entered the AF
Reserves I was apprenticed under my Gr.
Aunt who was a certified/degree’d Chef..
when I received my certificate, she awarded me with a brush plated crossed
Chef knife, Chef Fork and a Chef steel through the center. It had a pin and hook with a lockover. Technically I couldn’t wear it on the AF uniform itself.. we kept our kitchen cool in the winter mainly I think because the boiler wasn't That good. Most heat was projected to the dining room for our “guests”...( a bit of sarcasm there, eh?). I picked up another set of utility uniforms and put new tapes and chevrons and command logo and I wore the other under my whites to keep me warm.. later as the heat scale went up the shirt went in my locker with my Chef pin.. I decided i needed it .. went and fastened inside my shirt pocket flap.. It was my good luck emblem.. seen me through a lot of sitreps.. the way it was designed I needed a backdrop oval piece to put it on.. I consulted a guy at base hobby shop.. we went to the automotive shop and he affixed it to a oval piece that was perfect and made it so it wouldn’t come off.. had it a long time. I Gaza’s it on my civilian jacket collar and was on a transit bus headed back to Morristown and then to the base at McGuire.. I got confronted .. (not in a mean way but inquisitive.. Asked where I got my pin and I told him and the apprenticeship I done for 3,years with my Great Aunt and how a U.S. Chef org questioned my apprenticeship because they felt she may have given me an easy ride.. I told him it was anything but easy.. she had 4 other apprentices.. I think they got easier rides than I did.. but I learned a lot with her.. This guy asked me what a blonde sauce was and I explained it and what brown sauce was., it had a nuttier flavor., .well he asked so much he almost missed his transfer point
We shook hands and he went on his way.. He asked where he might reach me and I
Told him at McGuire AFB.. at the Airman’s Dining Facility .. you are in the AF, Oui? I
Answered him .. He came when I was TDY at Fort Lee in, Va. left me a nice note. . Said he had met my Chef Lt. And Chef CMSGT and others. Said they all said positive words.. He had Lunch and left.. He didn’t say anything then.. he told me in another note.. The Lt had readit and found it quite informative..and copied some info from it.. We soon used it later..
He wrote some other ideas .. she liked them.. and copied them.. If there were any complaints he didn’t say.. I only had a month left and went on leave before going
O’seas.. He had shown me a certificate he gof in the French Army. He had gone to a Chef school because they thought he had shown promise.. He asked me what rate I held, I told him A1C which is 2 stripes, He took that to mean corporal.. I said that is Army.. A1C is E-3.. He seemed confused a bit .’..but got over it.. Well the responsibility was there, at least for me. I had taken and passed a SKT test.. I had the $30 extra a month and responsibility like a Sgt.. just not the chevrons . I was proud to be picked for that test and responsibility and the pay .

They don't define a career, I'd say they visually illustrate it... Your rack is functionally your "resume". It's a visual representation of your career.

Awards and ribbons by themselves man nothing. Its what's behind those ribbons that may (key word) indicate the kind of soldier you see before you.

We have the ability to send graduating OCS candidates to air assualt school before they head off to their BOLC. All it does is give them a cool guy badge before they became a leader.

I know a lot of people with a lot of ribbons and they are still mediocre leaders.

Better Soldier, opens up a world of crap, the whole move up or move out doctrine sucks. I liked my job as an E-6 and I did well at it. But it was up or out for me, so I have to get my picture taken so some POG can count my ribbons and get promoted to a job I hate. They could just leave me alone to do a job I enjoy and I am good at

I think it souly depends on the awards you have. If you have all these pointless awards that anyone can get then no. But if you have awards from combat missions or what not then sure your awards can define what type of service man/woman you are.

I have always looked at awards and decorations a visual on how well I was doing in my career. In the case of enlisted folks all medals and ribbons below the good conduct medal were the sort of "everyone gets a medal, medal". the kind you get for serving, deployments, etc. Those above that defined how you excelled, or not. I fell into the "or not" category. I was never an exemplary Airman or NCO but I got the job done. In my days, during Vietnam, I seldom saw anyone with more than 5-6 rows of medals. Nowadays, and I mean no disrespect, it appears that everyone has a rack of "fruit salad" reaching to the point of what we use to call a BX War Hero.

I believe that medals and ribbons are necessary to recognize achievement but to what end? Perhaps a look at what is being awarded service wide needs a review. As an example, the USAF and USN award medals (ribbons) for marksmanship where the USA and USMC award a medal to be worn below the ribbon rack. All are currently being awarded the NDSM. During the days after Vietnam the USAF created a "training ribbon" awarded at the completion of basic. Why?

Loaded question -- getting an award doesn't define one's career. However, often times the actions taken to deserve that award do. Ribbons and medals don't define who we are/were as soldiers, but they tell a history of the successes we had/have during our time in service.

Having more ribbons and badges don't make us better soldiers, but going through the trials and tests to earn those badges certainly do.