Ben Shotalot's Rack

[Ben Shotalot]

Here's my rack

[gjones]

Wow, nice rack! I do not recognize the bottom three. What are they?

[Ben Shotalot]

NATO (for Bosnia), Louisiana Emergency Service Ribbon (for Katrina), Washington Army Nat. Guard Service Ribbon (given every 5 years based upon your PEBD).

[Ben Shotalot]

I am a Mexican General! (no offense to any real Mexican generals here.) My highest award is a Army Ach. Medal. Looks good from across the room though.

[mechinfantry]

Are you still in the WA guard? If so what unit?

[Ben Shotalot]

A/1/19th SFG(A)

[SgtArky]

hey ben, did get orders on the louisiana ribbon? I havent got orders on mine yet. I also should be getting another diamond on my arkansas emergancy ribbon. btw we could rate humanitarian service or armedforces service medal or both.

I guess you went to the sandbox but I dont see the armed forces reserved medal with M device....or an arcom, should gotten at least an arcom for going

[mechinfantry]

Check your iPERMS in AKO some of the guys in my unit recieved their orders already. if you were in LA they got Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Global War On Terrorism Medal, and the LA NG Emergency Service Ribbon. I might be able to get a copy of the order without the personnel roster and post it for you to see.

[Ben Shotalot]

Apparently the state has the certificates but they have not been scanned into iPERMS or dulled out to the soldiers yet. Washington National Guard did write up a letter establishing who rates what for the Katrina disaster. So the answer is "yes" I have something from Louisiana but I do not have it in my hands yet but I do have something from state that says to wear it.

My state did not issue a ribbon for the emergency. I don't know if your state will.

You will not rate both the HSM and the AFSM. One or the other unless you meet the criteria for both (served in different areas for Katrina). There is a set of orders prescribing how that is done. You may want to get online and find it or ask your unit. If you can not find it I may have an electronic version somewhere. I'll look if you want.

I rate the HSM as I was in the 9th Ward. Those who stayed outside New Orleans (like Fort Polk or that airport we flew into) would get the AFSM. So do those in my state who were put on orders to support the movement of our task force.

I have not been to the sandbox (yet). I have been sent elsewhere. I am in a unit that goes to many places on short tours. The last one I went on I got the GWOT-E. The lowest ranking guy there was a SSG. I am a SFC, as were about 50% of us, and I got an AAM. The majority got nothing. I do have a AFRM with M device.

I don't agree with getting medals just for showing up, but I guess some units hand them out like candy for going to Iraq or Afghanistan. Doesn't make the medal worth anything then.

I have been put in for the ARCOM for serving as a 1SG (in another unit) for 3 years but the admin guy there lost the paperwork and the CSM is getting a new one written up.

I have been in the Army (both reserve and Guard) for 5 years, going on 6.

[SgtArky]

doh! i missed the afrm :p
I have the memo, I posted it somewhere on this board. I was at Murder--eer meadowcrest hospital in Gretna. couple of my guys stayed there the duration. I only did a month.

[mtnsldr]

So that LA ribbon is for all the guys who went to Katrina (in LA?) I have to check and see, but none of my guys who went down have gotten anything yet. I work in MILPO during the week, and I haven't seen anythign there either...

[Ben Shotalot]

I sent you a PM about the GCM. It has my email address in it. Send me yours and I will email what I have been given on the LA ribbon.

[davedove]

I don't agree with getting medals just for showing up, but I guess some units hand them out like candy for going to Iraq or Afghanistan. Doesn't make the medal worth anything then.

I don't agree with giving out decorations just for showing up. That's what service medals are for.

I have been in the Army (both reserve and Guard) for 5 years, going on 6.

How many total years of service do you have? I see you have the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal with a second award.

I only have 5 years total military service, 3 active Army and 2 Army Reserves, and it was all stateside with no deployments, so I can't complain about my rack.

[Ben Shotalot]

How many total years of service do you have? I see you have the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal with a second award.

I have over 18 for pay. 9 years active federal service towards an active duty retirement (if I went full time active duty again) and I have 14 good years for retirement in the reserve.

7 years active Marine. 7 years reserve Marine. 4 years reserve Army. Just started my 2nd year in the Guard. (All numbers are rounded up).

I had a "bad" year towards retirement (due to an injury) while in the USMCR so I did not get a second Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal.

[wayde]

You will not rate both the HSM and the AFSM. One or the other unless you meet the criteria for both (served in different areas for Katrina). There is a set of orders prescribing how that is done.

The criteria are:

2. CRITERIA FOR AWARD OF THE HSM: THE HSM IS AUTHORIZED TO PERSONNEL SUPPORTING IMMEDIATE RELIEF OPERATIONS IN THE AREA OF ELIGIBILITY (AOE) OF ALABAMA, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, AND TEXAS (EAST OF 96 DEGREES W LONGITUDE-HOUSTON, TEXAS) FROM 29 AUGUST TO 13 OCTOBER 2005. PERSONNEL MUST PROVIDE AT LEAST ONE DAY OF DIRECT SUPPORT IN THE AOE TO QUALIFY FOR THE HSM.

3. CRITERIA FOR AWARD OF THE AFSM:
A. PERSONNEL IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF THE OPERATIONS FOR HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA FOR 30 CONSECUTIVE DAYS OR 60 NON-CONSECUTIVE DAYS IN AN AREA ENCOMPASSING THE US FROM 27 AUGUST 2005 TO 27 FEBRUARY 2006, LESS THE SPECIFIC AREA AND TIME PERIOD DETAILED FOR RECEIPT OF THE HSM.
B. PERSONNEL WHO RECEIVED THE HSM MAY LATER QUALIFY FOR THE AFSM IF THEIR DIRECT SUPPORT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE DATES AND ACTIONS USED IN RECEIVING THE HSM.

This is from the Air Force message, but the criteria are the same for all services as they were determined by DOD.