silver and bronze star question

[eckerph]

Can you be awarded both the silver and bronze star for the same act? A customer at work is claiming he received both after rescuing two guys from a chopper in Vietnam. The only reason i care is because we gave him a free dinner and he later started asking for dessert and money. Even if everything he says is true i think he is crossing the line by asking for money after we fed him for free.

[caoboy]

WTF he asked for money?

[haiedras]

??? I doubt it, awards for valor AFAIK have to be awarded for discrete events. Might have done it, but it's either one or the other, it's highly improbable that he was awarded two awards for valor in the same instance.

[M47_Dragon]

The dude wanted money? WTH?
Anyway, it does sound fishy. See below for the criteria for each award. The Bronze Star is sort of second fiddle to the Silver Star (see bolded note), so receiving both for one single action seems unlikely.


Criteria: The Silver Star is awarded to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the U.S. Army, is cited for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force, or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. The required gallantry, while of a lesser degree than that required for award of the Distinguished Service Cross, must nevertheless have been performed with marked distinction. Soldiers who received a citation for gallantry in action during World War I may apply to have the citation converted to the Silver Star Medal.

************************************************** **********

Criteria: a. The Bronze Star Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the military of the United States after 6 December 1941, distinguished himself or herself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service, not involving participation in aerial flight, while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

b. Awards may be made for acts of heroism, performed under circumstances described above, which are of lesser degree than required for the award of the Silver Star.

c. Awards may be made to recognize single acts of merit or meritorious service. The required achievement or service while of lesser degree than that required for the award of the Legion of Merit must nevertheless have been meritorious and accomplished with distinction.

[Fjold]

When my Father in law died (WW II and Korea vet) we cleaned his house and found two silver stars, two bronze stars and four purple hearts.

He never talked about them when he was alive nor asked for a free meal in his life.

[eckerph]

When my Father in law died (WW II and Korea vet) we cleaned his house and found two silver stars, two bronze stars and four purple hearts.

He never talked about them when he was alive nor asked for a free meal in his life.

I work at the club on base so we get retirees, former POW's and spec ops people every now and then and this is the first time anyone has tried to get anything for free. Don't get me wrong, if i had it my way we would feed these guys for free but we just cant and i doubt they would accept it anyhow.

[Manic Moran]

In theory he could be awarded the SSM for valourous acts, and a BSM as an end-of-tour award or achievement award for a larger operation that the SSM mission was a part of. However, you won't get an SSM and a BSM w/ V for the same act.

NTM

[gn3hz3ku1*]

i gota friend who was put in for a ss but ended up wiht a bs even though everyone said he should have gotten a Bs... so i bought you get 2 medals for the same act.. then the CMH guys would have a chest full

[Rob454]

I doubt you can get SS and BS for the same act. Now you can be recommended for one medal and get a different one but to get two medals for one action highly doubtful. i guess its possible hell if it was in vietnam my stepdad used to tell me that the officers ( especially REMF) were putting themselves in for all kinds of medals just for going on a helo ride and having one VC shoot at them etc. Not sure if its BS or not. My dad had some medals and so did my grandpa. Neither of them talk abotu what they did. My grandpa once in a whike when we go hunting gets on a WWII tangent and starts barking and growling about the damn krauts but he usually had a few and we let him ramble till he gets tired and crawls in his camper and goes to sleep

[RandyD]

If an award is warranted, then the most applicable award is given, you don't get two similar awards for the same action.

His request for money is a clear indication of a character defect which justifies a closer look at his claim. Ask him to provide his DD-214, it will list a Bronze or Silver Star if it was awarded.

[4thSBCT]

These days they just hand out bronze stars like candy if you stay in a long time.

[chris]

the Bronze Star is handed out like candy in Iraq. most if not all officers get one at end of tour. and i have seen almost every KIA recieves one as well. this is just my observation maybe others have seen the same.

[eckerph]

Well check this out, i talked to some day shift people and this guy comes in once or twice a month doing the same thing! I guess he recently started asking people for money. I'm not sure what can be done but this guy is not getting anymore free meals when i work,and i'm going to start telling customers not to give this guy a nickel. If he really is a decorated vet he has better options than panhandling at my work. I hate being taken advantage of like this because next time someone really needs help i might have turn them down.

the Bronze Star is handed out like candy in Iraq. most if not all officers get one at end of tour. and i have seen almost every KIA recieves one as well. this is just my observation maybe others have seen the same.

Several years ago some guy from finance got a bronze star for managing some crazy amount of money and not losing any or something stupid like that. I think he went on convoy duty a few times but wth, the army does that all day,everyday and they get what? a com or achievement medal at the end of their tour. My wife has been screwed out of a few medals by those stupid boards, she really busted her a** this last deployment while other people sat at a desk and got joint comm medals.

[Fjold]

Look up the story of MOH winner Sgt York from WW-1. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross by the theater commander in October of 1918 and then in April of 1919 he was awarded the MOH by congress for the same event.

[ship12]

the Bronze Star is handed out like candy in Iraq. most if not all officers get one at end of tour. and i have seen almost every KIA recieves one as well. this is just my observation maybe others have seen the same.

It seems that way. My brother got one pretty much for providing cover fire in an ambush. I don't really have good details on the event, but pretty much he was the gunner on a humvee that got shot up and he kept firing back at the enemy. He got hit by a ricochet or something, and got a concussion and some amnesia. But a general saw the write up for the purple heart and decided to give him a BSV also. I think his company had 3 or 4 Bronze Stars awarded.