Gongs! British Cold War Service... Good or Bad?

[mikepara]

Gongs! British Cold War Service Good or Bad?

I know this isn't WW2 but where else would be better to post it? Bartender please feel free to move it if you think of a more suitable area.

Nowadays in my Regimental Magazines I see young Soldiers proudly wearing up to 10 operational medals...and counting. [Not including Gallantry medals.]*

*PLEASE don't turn this into a debate on the politics of the Gulf, WOT etc.

In recent years there has been roughly about 10 different UN tours, 4 Nato tours, 2 Gulf Wars, 3 Occupation / War on Terror operations, Accumulated General service medals. All earned and reflecting a dangerous time to be a Serviceman [/woman]. Oh! and a Queens Golden jubilee medal for everyone still serving.


It seems most of my generation of Soldiers missed out on all the medals. I have some great friends who served over 22 years during the Cold War in the British Army and like me, came out of it with three medals, if they were lucky. These usually being:
GSM 1962 with clasp Northern Ireland.
UNFICYP United Nations Medal for Cyprus.
Long Service & Good Conduct Medal.

Queens Silver Jubilee Medal 1977. Issued one per rank per regiment. So all the Commanding Officers really and a token few.

The Falklands (South Atlantic) War 1982 was only really 3 Commando Brigade with a handfull of attached Guards, Para units. The vast majority of units where sitting still as BOAR in West Germany.

UNFICYP was the only real option for a UN tour then.

GSM N. Ireland one medal regardless of how many tours.(It was all very much bomb and bullet then.)

LSGC. 15 years Exemplary service. So quite hard to get really.

Sadly No Cold War, NATO, or BAOR Medal was issued regardless of how when or where you faced down the Soviet threat. [Which was quite real then.]

My point? Was the Cold War a good time to be a soldier? Or was it like the between the war's soldier who 'missed out' on WW1 and was too old for WWII? Is having a good service only defined by going to War?

Well I personally had a good Cold War with Multiple Tours of Cyprus, Tours of NI and a good crack at digging in awaiting the Red Army Advance in (West) Germany. A big whack of it in Aldershot and a score of adventure and career courses and loads of Parachuting. I earned my meagre medals but loved every second of it.

Would I like to be in the Service now? Oh yes! I'd join again tomorrow and wouldn't give a hoot for the medals. After all there just souvenirs right?

 

[John in Covina]

Good or Bad Luck

From outside the military, it might be said to have been in service and not to have been in combat (much) can be considered lucky by some. While it may be considered bad luck by others depending on their bent. For the proffesional soldier it is combat that defines the make of a man, how well his training helped, how he did during that tour of duty and therefore is at the heart of the service career. In many services those that have seen combat and did well will advance over those that have not.

 

[reetpleat]

Interesting question. I suppose it was a good time to be a soldier in EUrope and America and such that is, but they didn't know it at the time, because "they" had us believing we could be at war at any time with a standing enemy on our borders.

So I guess that soldiers may have constantly feared getting into dangerous situations, but in the end it was rare.

 

[Teekay44]

You serverd you country when it was needed. You did what was asked of you and more. You gave some of your life back to all of us. You defended freedom when it was needed. You did your job. I and many, many others do not look at that any different than those serving now. If needed you were there. I have the greatest respect for all who served in War or "Peace" past, present and in the future.

TK

 

[Story]

When I first enlisted, a million lifetimes ago as a tank crewman on the last of the M48A5 "Pattons", my Platoon Drill Sergeant at Knox (recently back from a career in the 11th ACR on the inter-German border) made certain that we knew exactly how short our life expectancy was - we'd be flown over as part of REFORGER, dumped into pre-positioned tanks and our platoons would be fighting T62/64/72 companies, at the least.

I don't need any medals for that - I'm just eternally grateful God skewed the cueball and that my phone never rang at 2AM.

 

[Harp]

After all there just souvenirs right?

There's the official paper record, but then there's the bar reputation.
...and only the bar rep counts, mate.

 

[TraderRic]

The cold war was a very important time to serve. In many ways it was more mentally taxing than serving today. We all believed that a mushroom cloud could present itself outside our window at any moment.

I was in the Berlin Brigade in '93-'94, just after the cold war. Many of my friends had been there since before the wall came down (I was there in '85, but as a student). The BB was expected to last about 10min. and was only a speed bump for the Soviets on their way to Fulda (we were surrounded after all). I have been told stories about Fulda soldiers who low crawled in the snow for nearly a mile to throw snow balls at the East-germans! You couldn't order somebody to do that now. There was a sense of dedication, of purpose that I just don't find today.

Each era has its own ways. Back then, we didn't expect a bunch of medals because there weren't many. I now have 22 ribbons on my rack and usually choose to wear only the top three. In some cases I have multiple medals for the same operation!

My experiences will long outlast the ribbons I have. I'm now an officer in the navy and still look back with fondness at my army years as a sergeant. Some of the stories I tell the new sailors, and even the younger officers, leave them speechless. I'll ALWAYS have the memories.

 

[Harp]

The cold war was a very important time to serve. In many ways it was more mentally taxing than serving today. We all believed that a mushroom cloud could present itself outside our window at any moment.

fftopic: ...years after I resigned, I met and fell in love with an
emigre Russian girl who happened to be an administrator at a university
where I interviewed for a position. She was on the review board, and had served
as a lieutenant in the Soviet Army Intelligence branch.
She spoke excellent English, of course, and was so lovely. She captured my heart.

 

[Pilotguy299]

it's providing a service to your country that counts!

My point? Was the Cold War a good time to be a soldier? Or was it like the between the war's soldier who 'missed out' on WW1 and was too old for WWII? Is having a good service only defined by going to War?

Anytime you can provide a service to your country is a good time to be a soldier, whether or not you see conflict or have to deploy. There are people who have earned medals for simply being at the right (or wrong) place at the right time. Much like there are people in civilian life who get awards for things that aren't that important (or in some cases even real).


Thank you for your service to your country when it mattered, which is always!!!

 

[cookie]

Old Chinese Curse

I know this isn't WW2 but where else would be better to post it? Bartender please feel free to move it if you think of a more suitable area.

Nowadays in my Regimental Magazines I see young Soldiers proudly wearing up to 10 operational medals...and counting. [Not including Gallantry medals.]*

*PLEASE don't turn this into a debate on the politics of the Gulf, WOT etc.

In recent years there has been roughly about 10 different UN tours, 4 Nato tours, 2 Gulf Wars, 3 Occupation / War on Terror operations, Accumulated General service medals. All earned and reflecting a dangerous time to be a Serviceman [/woman]. Oh! and a Queens Golden jubilee medal for everyone still serving.


It seems most of my generation of Soldiers missed out on all the medals. I have some great friends who served over 22 years during the Cold War in the British Army and like me, came out of it with three medals, if they were lucky. These usually being:
GSM 1962 with clasp Northern Ireland.
UNFICYP United Nations Medal for Cyprus.
Long Service & Good Conduct Medal.

Queens Silver Jubilee Medal 1977. Issued one per rank per regiment. So all the Commanding Officers really and a token few.

The Falklands (South Atlantic) War 1982 was only really 3 Commando Brigade with a handfull of attached Guards, Para units. The vast majority of units where sitting still as BOAR in West Germany.

UNFICYP was the only real option for a UN tour then.

GSM N. Ireland one medal regardless of how many tours.(It was all very much bomb and bullet then.)

LSGC. 15 years Exemplary service. So quite hard to get really.

Sadly No Cold War, NATO, or BAOR Medal was issued regardless of how when or where you faced down the Soviet threat. [Which was quite real then.]

My point? Was the Cold War a good time to be a soldier? Or was it like the between the war's soldier who 'missed out' on WW1 and was too old for WWII? Is having a good service only defined by going to War?

Well I personally had a good Cold War with Multiple Tours of Cyprus, Tours of NI and a good crack at digging in awaiting the Red Army Advance in (West) Germany. A big whack of it in Aldershot and a score of adventure and career courses and loads of Parachuting. I earned my meagre medals but loved every second of it.

Would I like to be in the Service now? Oh yes! I'd join again tomorrow and wouldn't give a hoot for the medals. After all there just souvenirs right?

My you live in interesting times - like now - when the cowards use roadside bombs and don't care if they hit a few of their own!

 

[Dan G]

Very interesting

You know, as a kid going in the Military, to say I didn't want to earn medals, or more 'define' myself would be silly. Of course I want to earn medals. Not so much for recognition, (though I certainly won't completely deny that aspect) but so I can look back with my grandkids or the neighborhood kids, and tell stories. Remember the 'good ol' days' if you will. I guess it's Pride, kind of.

I don't know that it makes one soldier or sailor better than another, just in the right place at the right time.[huh]