I have always valued the service of our military chaplains but I do take exception to the casual attitude evidenced by the award of a Bronze Star as an “end of tour award”. I don’t care how meritorious support services are, some awards should only be for direct combat service - and the Air Force is infamous for award inflation. I got a Bronze Star too - for running into an open field while several machine guns were firing at me to rescue a badly wounded Marine. I dragged him 75 meters and was shot just as I got him to cover. I spent over a year in the hospital recovering but that guy’s alive today. Same medal. Just like a Meritorious Service Medal?
I agree, chainmail, that a medal for service should be different than a medal for valor. I have no idea why the military insists on the dual description for the bronze star, but they do. I would prefer the award for service be an MSM with some kind of device showing that it was for service rendered in a combat zone.
I have no idea why they don't change it. I truly wish they would.
IN the meantime, I also think it's also absolutely critical that support and service support troops get recognized for the work that they do in the war effort. We must not forget them. In fact, if my memory is correct, close to half or more of the KIA's in Iraq were support troops on various support missions.
Carpediem365 used "Lingo" when he referred to the award he received as an "end of tour" award. He's referring to a discussion that takes place as a soldier prepares to leave the theater. The discussion is in a soldier's command chain. The discussion is: "For the X months Jones was here, what does his entire body of work amount to in terms of our war mission?" If a review of that body of work shows it really does fall under the heading of sacrificial service, then an award is readied.
It is unfortunate that lingo gets used to describe a "body of service" as "end of tour" as if everyone getting to the end of a tour would get such an award just for being there. That is not the case. Nonetheless, a commander will get with his staff and commanders and say things like "Jones is nearing the end of his tour. Does he deserve an award?"
In shorthand, everyone begins referring to "end of tour" awards. Properly APPLIED (an entire body of work over a long period of time) there's nothing wrong with that. If anyone gets in the habit of just cranking our BSMs just as a "Jones was here" award, then they've cheapened one of America's most significant medals.