DEMAND FOR A NATIONAL DEFENCE MEDAL

[Chas]

Please support this concept.

The National Defence Medal not to be confused with the UK Defence Medal 1939/45 would be similar to the Australian Defence Medal.

This medal would encompass current, regular servicemen and women, short service, national service and reserve service.

It would be very visible unlike the Veterans Badge.

Bling and unofficial medals would then become part of an unhappy past.

Contact your local MP or Derek Twigg, Minister for Veterans.

Visit : http://nationaldefencemedal.webs.com

We need your support- THANK YOU.

Chas.

[sportbilly42]

Hmmm.......Don't know how much whole-hearted support to give this one in truth..... Is it being sponsored by 'someone in the miniature medals industry'? I've got a couple of mates who joined up with me in 1977 and are still in (Come out Al your time is up.... dinnae be feared!! ) and one in particular is starting to look like one of the Russian Generals during the Cold War. (Or an american GI ..........take your pick (Honestly ...medals for flying over Northern Ireland I ask you ..sheesh!))

Anyway, whole ROWs of coloured ribbon everywhere on his chest! When he gets the big gongs out for a parade he needs reinforced shoulder straps to stop the front of his jacket being ripped off! Would be reluctant to be bringing in something that could be seen by those civvy-types as just a throwaway medal on top of the Long Service Never Got Caught medal… kinda devalues the existing bling dontcha think? A medal for medal’s sake maybe?

The chocolate has gone from the middle of my Kuwait and Saudi medals, but they still look OK as tatty bling in a frame on the study wall mind you.

[Tab]

Its a nice idea but can you see the Government lashing out to give everyone a medal that has served in the forces when they wont even allow the lads to wear the Malaysian medal.

[SupFAC]

Sorry but I dont agree at all.People dont deserve a medal for having just been in the armed forces.In this current climate where lads are in contact everyday in Afghan,it cheapens it when ''cold war warriors''bleat about having a medal.Sorry I dare say not all are cold war warriors but you know what I mean.We have a damn sight more to ask the goverment for way way in front of this medal.

[owdun]

Cold War Warriors,just what is meant by that expression? I served during the Cold War period,In Palestine,Cyprus, The Canal Zone,to name but a few,suggest you look at the Britains Small Wars site,the casualty lists are endless.


Owdun.

[anglo-saxon]

Canadian Government decided to bring out a medal called the "Special Service Medal", for anyone who had served a certain number of days in any given theatre. Translated into guys who already had medals (such as UN) getting another one. Absolute bollocks! Guys were getting them for Germany FFS!!!!!!!!!!!

It should be called the "medal for anyone who hasn't acually got a medal yet, uh, erm, ... medal" Utter nonsense!!!

Personally, I am not into tin, unless its Gucci.

[JR]

When you consider that a lot of these 'cold war warriors' were national service men who through no fault of their own were sent to serve in foreign campaigns and some failed to achieve the number of days for the campaign award.
There are of course plenty of dealers who turn out these various commemorative medals at a price I know of some who purchase these medals just to let people know that they also served.

And to be quite honest I dont think the tight fisted goverment would recongnise any of the past achievments of the 'old soldiers',It took them some 50 years to issue a clasp for the Canal Zone.
The Malaysian government decided to award the Pingat Jasa Malaysian medal to all who had served during the Indonesian period there is now a confrontation going on for permission to wear the medal.
So dont begrudge all those who have no recognition of service undertaken.
some decorations and awards remind us of the friends we left behind in some foriegn field.Aye jr RM 1947 1972

[Tab]

If they want to go down this path then why not have special medal like the Americans who have a Long Rifle on a blue background to show that these soldiers were in front line. During the first Iraq war Airmen were awarded the medal for the Iraqi conflict in Cyprus as they had refuel the planes going in to the combat zone. Now how many sailors these days have been fired upon or heard a shot fired at them in anger yet they all get the same medals as the lads who are getting killed in the front line.

[Wholley]

Unfortunately you can buy these on E-Bay for $50.00.
http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-badges/combat.htm

[Chas]

Certainly one aim is to to obliterate Bling.
It does not support any of the Medal
Manufacturers or seek their assistance.
They have created a massive problem
with commemorative medals.

This medal would be in line with the Australian
Defence Medal and in this respect Australia leads
the way.

Current members of the Armed Forces gallantly
fighting in combat of course would be recipients.
Likewise the others listed. Soldier magazine in
December stated that 75% of readers believed
that NS men should be recognised and I suggest
any 'doubters' do read the articles on 'Bling.'This
indicates massive support for recognition other than
the Veterans Badge for ALL servicemen and women,
regular, short service, national service and reservists
from all arms.

Many MPs' of all persuasion have offered support
and a delegation will be going to the HoC to promote
this proposal and meet Ministers and former Ministers.

There is absolutely no commercial tie up with Medal
Manufacturers who promote ridiculous tin.

Chas.

[Tab]

The National Servicemen who qualified got their medals, and many served all over the place and got their fair share of medals. I have found there is more of a problem from Regulars that did not get any medals. The chairman of our local branch of the RBL looks like a cross between a French Admiral and a pox doctors clerk with all the bling he wears. When challenged about it he states he has served his country and is entitled to wear the medals which his children have bought as presents for him. Now he was in the RAF and did a short stint in Germany during the alleged cold war.

[Tartan_Terrier]

Cold War Warriors,just what is meant by that expression? I served during the Cold War period,In Palestine,Cyprus, The Canal Zone,to name but a few,suggest you look at the Britains Small Wars site,the casualty lists are endless.


Owdun.

I served during the Cold War too, but I did bugger all except for the odd trip over to BAOR to feed German slot machines with old five pence pieces.

I don't deserve a medal.

T_T

[Tab]

Tartan_Terrier.....Yes I know all about the Canal and Cyprus and some places as well in which I served. Yes we did get the GSM for those plus the bars. When talking about the cold war period it was the section of the British Army that was posted in Germany just in case the Russian decided to come south for their holidays that i was referring to.

[sportbilly42]

It's a case of 'how far do you want to take it' with medals before they lose their worth.

My sister was working in the FCO based in Jordan during Gulf 1 .........typing reports, .. filing her nails..... topping up her tan... that sort of thing. I was with 7 Armd Bde and did the whole shooting match bit. We BOTH ended up getting the same medal!! The only difference being that I got a tiny rosette thing to sew onto mine!! She was quite embarrassed about this at the time and has never taken it out of it’s box. But there will no doubt be desk jockeys who were also in her situation who are quite prepared to ‘wear them with pride’

There's also no doubt that there’s currently an imbalance between the risks faced by your average tom on the ground in Iraq/Afghan and you average matelot sailing round in circles off the coast of Bahrain. But that's only until such time as one of the tubs goes up in a puff of smoke (not wishing that at all btw) ....or a really UNIMAGINABLE situation occurs… such as being invited in for coffee without biscuits by a neighbouring country’s ragtag army and having iPods confiscated etc while the people of Britain gasp in shock.

While the odds are so heavily stacked in favour of your RN/RAF bod coming back with nothing more than a tan it does seem unfair that there’s nothing to differentiate the army lads from other services. But lets not kid ourselves, the army personnel out there will still include a fair share (small maybe) who will come back without necessarily being in harms way.

Like many others (including Tartan Terrier?) I also did several years out in BAOR waiting for the swarms of Red Army to come sweeping across the plains of Hohne etc. I certainly don’t think it was worthy of a medal as nothing happened. On reflection I’m far more grateful for the duty-free car, petrol coupons, extra few days ‘travelling time’ leave, duty free booze/fags……..

……………..(need I go on?)

I'm sure there are old soldiers out there whose service record may justify this 'National Defence Medal', but as every man and his dog would get one if it goes ahead, it would just end up being worthless tat on your chest (if you ever were misguided enough to wear it)

[harry hackedoff]

As an antipodean who watches these things from afar with slightly less interest than how the roo steaks smell so appetising as I sip my Cab Merlot, can I add my two pennorth?

Remember O-Levels?
Do you really remember them?
Do you remember the shit or bust effort that was required to pass O-Level?
A, B, C was a pass. Anything else was a fail.
Well that was good enough for me, I knew where I stood.
Not anymore though. Nowadays, we mustn`t judge on effort. Or ability. Those less qualified feel disadvantaged so our whole education system has sacked merit based testing. Same with sport. Why reward effort when fat lazy bastards can`t compete? We have so called educational qualifications which are meaningless as no-one fails anymore. The fact that they are not capable of stringing a simple job application together is immaterial. The whole socialist educational doctrine has finally proved that comprehensive education will reduce all to the lowest common denominator. George Orwell was so right. Welcome to the Proles.
Bear with me, I`ll get there in a mo
Since New Labour decided to show how it had resolved the paradox of world socialism versus Tone sucking Dubya`s hoop by sending more and more Troops into harm`s way, they have looked at the Awards system and decided it discriminates against those who do not meet the criteria.
For instance, how many disabled Asian lesbians have ever been awarded the V.C.?

At a stroke they "fix" the "problem"
A new medal to replicate GCSE results.

I shan`t be asking for mine.