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Challenge coin

Fritz_Brown said:
Awww, now you're just bragging. ;)
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I got a call up for a year out of the Army Guard. I had more ribbons than I knew what to do with.

Afterwards I had my one and only Class A inspection in the Guard. I only wore my Marine ribbons. The Bn CO took the bait and asked why. I told him I only wore the ones I was proud of.

No joking, though, ribbon inflation was in full effect. I got one AAM for staying awake on duty, and one for giving a ticket to an ASG commander (Col garrison CO)
 
I teach university, and recently there has been an influx of vets from all services. I am also an Army vet from the 80's.

They looked at me like I was some sort of head case when I said I didn't have a coin and hadn't heard of them. Apparently they have become as overly prevalent as Fruit Salad inflation was/is.

Edit: The CIB only counts for you mud rollers. We armor people have the CAB.
 
rancke said:
We're drifting from the topic, meeseems. Though I suppose players could get some fruitful role-playing out of disagreements over which one is the only one that counts.
Hans
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I think you will find those who earned it will agree on the CIB. Believe me, you earn that one.
 
rancke said:
But is it still being handed out and do you still earn it just as hard in the Classic Era?
Hans
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Seriously Hans, that one isn't just handed out. As for the Classic Era? I'll get back to you on that in a few thousand years! ;)

I do think as long as there are Infantrymen and Wars, the CIB will be around.

Michael
 
Vladika said:
Seriously Hans, that one isn't just handed out. As for the Classic Era? I'll get back to you on that in a few thousand years! ;)
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I'm sorry, I guess I was being too oblique. My piont was that unless you happen to be running a Traveller game set in the 20th/21st Century, discussions about 20th/21st Century awards seems off topic for this forum.


Hans
 
Vladika said:
I think you will find those who earned it will agree on the CIB. Believe me, you earn that one.
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There have been some individuals who have "paper" CIBs... that is, it is apparent from the rest of their salad-pile that they don't shoot well, and essentially marked time in the right theater with the right unit. I realize there are a lot of skills supposed to be tested to earn it (and the CMB, as well), but some units have been lax in testing standards.

The main problem being that various awards are being given out willy nilly in the name of morale.

Campaign ribbons make excellent sense - but ArComs and such are all too common. (Some boots at Ft. Dix got them, in 87...) PH's aren't, but there have always been certain REMFs who pushed the definition well past the intent. Tho', imo, far too many are earning the PH...

Challenge coins, according to a DOD note I read a few years back, were supposed to be used in place of decorations for "morale improvement and motivational rewards"... General officers are supposed to carry a couple extra for on-the-spot rewards of specific troops, and major commands are supposed to have distinctive reward ones as well for more formal "atta-boy" use.
 
aramis said:
There have been some individuals who have "paper" CIBs... that is, it is apparent from the rest of their salad-pile
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The Ring Knockers have their share of REMFs. The worse CF I can think of was Grenada. More medals issued than troops on the ground. Many never left the states. Still, when I see the CIB I have every reason to respect the wearer.
 
I was in the Navy from '75 to '79 and I never saw one of those coins.

IMHO, going back to the original intent, I would prefer a local - i.e. Sector - approach. Would allow more flavor to the process.
 
I tend to favor the idea of an implant; at least at the Imperial Marines/Navy/Scouts &c. level. Something in the back of the hand, maybe, that only shows at certain times (or in the presence of at least one other implant). I can see the Scout services being particularly interested in these (and particularly smug: "Oh, when I served we didn't have 'fire support.' Just me and a stick.")...

On a side note: "She later shared her feelings that Marines are extremists" -- Garyius2003. I have never served, but I was raised by a Marine who was in Korea, and know several current and veteran men and women from the Corps. I have a question: Did she not realize that "extremes" are kind-of what the USMC is for?
 
I vaguely remember an sf story where certain emotions could trigger a skin color change showing a small area that looked like the Pleadies, Seven Sisters. I think it was in an Andre Norton story many years ago. Seems like it was First In Scounts that could do it, or maybe in her Time Traveller series. It showed for just a few seconds and, according to the story line, couldn't be faked.
 
TomeGnome said:
I tend to favor the idea of an implant; at least at the Imperial Marines/Navy/Scouts &c. level. Something in the back of the hand, maybe, that only shows at certain times (or in the presence of at least one other implant). I can see the Scout services being particularly interested in these (and particularly smug: "Oh, when I served we didn't have 'fire support.' Just me and a stick.")...

On a side note: "She later shared her feelings that Marines are extremists" -- Garyius2003. I have never served, but I was raised by a Marine who was in Korea, and know several current and veteran men and women from the Corps. I have a question: Did she not realize that "extremes" are kind-of what the USMC is for?
Click to expand...

She was willing to debate with me in front of a crowd about Byzantine to Hapsburg East Europe, so I suspect she expected the same open and wide raging debate with Veterans of my Beloved Corps.

Our First Sergeant was surprised by her during/after our debate. A fellow Guardsman who was a civvie cop would jump in when I faltered, pointing out the timing of the Clinton invasion and the press coverage for the election. Top came up afterwards, after the aide de camp Col asked for our names and units, to assure us he would lie about the punishment detail assignment which was sure to follow. Turns out they wanted our names for coin awards.

I think she really didn't know. She does now.
 
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