[LongWire]

Most of the posts in this thread seem to address the real problems that are down at the ground level as far as awards go, I would like to address one other scenario that I believe is adding to this.

Thanks to the advances in technology Commanders have a tremendous advantage that they have never had before. In all theaters of conflict, we now have overhead ISR platforms showing what is happening on the ground in real time. Forget the fact that there is no running dialogue or soundtrack unless the FOB has those piped in to the endless number of feeds that they may be looking at. So what happens in the absence of sound? We make up our own soundtrack, we critique, and we judge what is happening as we are watching, without knowing specifically what the hell is actually happening.

Think not? I've been witness to this phenomena played out in a few different FOB's AOB's and the like. How many times have you seen it? Some one walks in the room, looks up at the screen, "whats going on there?" "Yeah I dont know, but its fucked up!" "Yeah why the hell are they doing that?" "Yeah I don't know, but its fucked up. They were supposed to go over there." "Look at that guy running!" "Wow, they aren't even chasing him!!!" "Yeah I Know"

Had it happen....AOB doesn't read the CONOP and all of a sudden they are taking over on the radio and you end up chasing your shadow around, cause someone up there thinks that every dude running away Has To Be Bad?!!!!!! WTF??

I'm thinking that if they wanted a hero, that they think, they would have seen one on TV by now, but thats just my $.02.

Until then we will continue to follow their award guidance, remembering to submit it at least 6 months out from redeployment, which means about 2 weeks in country we should be starting to put guys in for stuff so that they can get them downgraded to Certificates of Appreciation with V.