Is the awarding of the Meritorious Service Medal being watered down due to lack of standardization across the services?

I retired in 1996 and thought at that time the MSM was being over awarded. As much as things change they seem to stay the same.

I agree no way a Ssgt should be sporting a msm

I received this award at retirement (25 years in 1985). Until this article, I never saw it awarded an enlisted before 16 years service. Usually at retirement.

The Bronze Star has really been watered down since it became an "I Was There" award where an MSM (Non-combat) would be more appropriate.

When you said what branch that tells the whole story. I had a clean 22yr. career and got out as a E7.

Yeah. Guess so. But when you have earned that inner peace because you know you did more than you thought you were capable of, and you know your buds and the people you were leading know the same thing about you, you just realize - internally and silently - that you don't need the medal, and you don't need anyone else to have this or that medal to appreciate who they are and give them the right respect. Usually a nod, a handshake that has that extra energy that says, "I get you, and I got your 6."

I did 6.5 years in the USAF. I am a retired E4 with joint combat experience. I have seen AF E7s that have done nothing on a deployment. *AND I MEAN LITERALLY NOTHING* and get awarded an MSM because they were up Commands ass so far that i guess they felt sorry for them. I have been in situations where I have seen these awards being handed out like candy based solely on rank. It makes me sick. At the same time Ive done more than any of these "desk pilots" in the field and have received an ARAM and an AFCOM.

Cmon gunny!... this award is prestigious in itself.. and for those awarded it I'm sure it didn't come across someone's desk to say, "oh yea, he or she gets one too"???.... meritorious SERVICE ... is exactly THAT!... you were distinguished in your duties... plain and simple... SSgt Mike Raysses, USAR-Ret.... HOOAH/OORAH, Gunz!...

I was awarded the MSM at 9 years of service in the Air Force. It is NOT a common award. It also has no time in service requirement. I’ll bet the guys you saw did something extraordinary.

took me 36 years to get mine

Any award is nothing more than a strip of ribbon and chunk of metal poured into a die. That said its value is what we put on it. I would worry more about the service that isn't awarding it. What criteria are they using. If the MOH can be given to a private, why does everyone make a big deal about every other award out there? Should all awards be one why have so many different awards? The Air Force came out with a Nuclear Service Medal, is the Air force the only people who ever worked with a Nuc? We all know that is not the case, should not every service issue that to anyone who worked with them? Why should some Whiney Officer get a medal for sitting in a silo when Nuclear weapons were at sea, under the sea, on the ground, in forward locations damn near up the Soviet Bloc sphincter muscle. Sorry Duty in Minot sucked, try it in a 60 Man Artillery Detachment in Turkey. My Brothers in Nuclear Artillery just loved that duty station. Commands do weird irrational things, some based on how it was when I was a Private or 2LT.