Sailors, Marines Now Eligible for New Award Devices

The only question I ask is who will be the first to have the coveted trifecta of a VCR award?

I have never liked the V device. I think it is just a way to give someone a lower award. Valor = actions above what is expected of a service member in combat. That means you went above and beyond what your fellow service members did. It used to be you were awarded a higher award. If others got a bronze star you got a silver star. There should be no commendation medal with V. You earned a bronze star if they want to give you that.

There should also be no distinction, either you were in combat or you were not. It does not matter if you are a drone pilot, a JTAC on a hill a mile away, a bomber pilot, a sub driver or a marine stabbing some guy with your k-bar, you are in combat if you engage the enemy in any manner today. Therefore you get a combat award if your actions are worthy of it. If you were not in combat then you don't get a combat award. That is what the achievement, commendation, and other service medals are for, recognition of non-combat superior performance.

Obviously some medals cross over between the two but that should be limited to the max extent possible. The biggest issue is the aerial medals which can really cover both combat and non-combat and there you could have a V or C device if you wanted but then again you could just use the service medals for non-combat flight achievement or develop a non-combat flight medal.