From: Ed Rasimus
Date: 9/8/2004 10:19 AM Central Daylight Time
Message-id:

On Wed, 08 Sep 2004 13:12:56 GMT, "Steven P. McNicoll"
wrote:


wrote in message
. ..

Here's a photograph of George W. Bush wearing a medal he didn't earn:

http://www.bluelemur.com/index.php?p=276

It beats the hell out of me how some twit in the UK becomes a
commentator on US military awards, but apparently the DNC network has
long tentacles.

There are two ribbons displayed---neither of them is a MEDAL. One is
the AF Outstanding Unit Award, a recognition of a unit's performance
not of an individual. A USAF member (and AFRES/ANG) at that time was
entitled to wear as many AFOUA awards as the unit to which he was
assigned had received. Upon reassignment, the individual could wear
only those that had been awarded to the unit while he was a member of
that unit.

Check pictures of the F-102 of the TANG while Bush served and you will
see the same ribbon painted on the vertical fin.

The second ribbon is the Small Arms Expert Markmanship Badge--in the
AF, unlike the Marines, the award is a ribbon (not MEDAL). You get one
by qualifying as expert during annual small arms training. For
aircrews at that time, you trained in the Smith & Wesson .38 revolver
and the M-16. Qualify as expert in either and you get the ribbon. In
later years you could get an oak leaf cluster if you qualified in
both.

No MEDAL, no unearned or unauthorized.

Now, stay home and worry about parliament.



Ed Rasimus


Ed, the device for second award of marksmanship is a star, not oak leaf
cluster. Other than that your post was correct.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired