Combat Action Ribbon

[hussaf]

Well I'm still in, so I guess I'm thinking in those terms for non-combat related PTSD. I can see how post IRR guys could have a heck of a time getting non-combat PTSD diagnosed then certified through VA.

This just came to me as two people in my life (cousin, brother in-law) got diagnosed with PTSD (they are civilians) related to medical complications they had.

My cousin had post-partem myopathy...meaning the birth of her child almost killed her and she needed a heart transplant at the age of 28 and almost died on a constant basis for about 1.5 years. She still has fluctuating levels of organ rejection, and was extremely bloated from medicine that fought infection for such a serious operation...it took her a couple years to loose all the weight the medicine caused, if she didn't exercise as much as she did before she gave birth she would be dead.

Brother in-law was hospitalized, in a coma for 11 days, hospital for 3 weeks, serious infection in his lungs...lost part of a lung due to scarring, got extremely sick and doctors can't figure out why. He pulled though and has been released, but has reoccurring symptoms similar to those that hospitalized/almost killed him, which bring on anxiety and was diagnosed as PTSD.

The whole PTSD thing is very new to me, and its something I hadn't really heard of outside military-related activities...and then not heard of at all until probably 2003/2004. PTSD has always been a taboo subject, if not looked down upon, in the Corps in my experience....until your buddy gets it and then everyone understands and becomes really supportive.

[Assaultdog0351]

There are only a few cases of PTSD I have seen that were legitimate, most of them the puple heart recipients. Other than that it's a wast of resources. Anyone that tries to suck off the tit of this nation for having a hurt feeling is a wast of space. Save the help for the ones that rate it! BAS will be standing by with straws for everyone else.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Good the frack for you. Hopefully you can still say that when you are in your declining years.

I used to think the same way you did, all badazz and whatnot, back when I was young.

Hopefully, you'll never have to deal with the sheet. And I wouldn't wish it on you, either.

[egbutler1]

Its just a ribbon man you know what you did, but in order to get it you someone from your old head shed has to put you in for it.

[egbutler1]

oh forget it

[terran1996]

Good the frack for you. Hopefully you can still say that when you are in your declining years.

I used to think the same way you did, all badazz and whatnot, back when I was young.

Hopefully, you'll never have to deal with the sheet. And I wouldn't wish it on you, either.

[Assaultdog0351]

I think everyone is talking up this whole PTSD thing is partially to blame for it being such a big problem. There's a diference between combat stress, PTSD, and being a b!tch. Of course it may take some time to get used to home upon return and you may have some hard times. What the hell happened to having some self pride and realizing when you sign up to go fight the good fight you may just bring back more than you left with... Be a man (or woman) and suck it up.

[GolfTwoFive0311]

Just to clarify, I don't want a CAR for benefits or PTSD claims. It's just a pride issue...

[egbutler1]

I think everyone is talking up this whole PTSD thing is partially to blame for it being such a big problem. There's a diference between combat stress, PTSD, and being a b!tch. Of course it may take some time to get used to home upon return and you may have some hard times. What the hell happened to having some self pride and realizing when you sign up to go fight the good fight you may just bring back more than you left with... Be a man (or woman) and suck it up.

its not someones choice weather the get it or not. Don't make anyone less hard, try telling all the Nam vets that their ptsd is cause they are a *****. Just cause your one hard ass mother and don't have it (yet) don't make any other Marines a pussy just cause they chose to get help, and your going to sit here and tell me ptsd isn't real when 3 of my Marines i was in charge of in Iraq that killed themselves after the war are pussies cause they had problems? Just my two cents. Oh but on the other hand yes there are people out there milking the system but i'd much rather have a few of them than someone who has a legit problem not go get help and kill themselves just cause of people like you saying this ****.

[Assaultdog0351]

Well it I guess it all comes down to knowing your Marines to be able to tell when it's legit... And as for killing themselves... Don't get me started on that.

[fpdesignco]

http://www.marines.mil/news/messages...%20RIBBON.aspx

ITEM: IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES
(1) CRITERIA: DIRECT EXPOSURE TO THE DETONATION OF AN IMPROVISED
EXPLOSIVE DEVICE (IED) USED BY AN ENEMY, WITH OR WITHOUT THE
IMMEDIATE PRESENCE OF ENEMY FORCES, CONSTITUTES ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
IN A GROUND OR SURFACE ENGAGEMENT. QUALIFICATION UNDER THIS
CRITERION IS RETROACTIVE TO 7 OCTOBER 2001.

[AAV Crewchief]

Yea, I read that but the wording is slightly ambiguous. It says:

The principal eligibility criterion is that the individual must have participated in a bona fide ground or surface combat fire-fight or action during which he/she was under enemy fire and his/her performance while under fire was satisfactory.

I (1) "participated" in a bona fide ground or surface fire-fight or action, (2) was under enemy fire, and (3) performed satisfactorily.

I dunno...guess I should just forget about it. Damn green-weenie strikes again...

It's funny....how the Air Force now has what they call a Combat Action Medal and the criteria that it takes to be earned. I see, more often than not, extraneous amounts of aircrew awarded this medal when they are eligible for everything else in the book and the airmen not actually out engaged in combat cannot earn the award for coming under SAFires, rocket, or even mortar attack, yet if I am sitting on a plane taxiing down the runway and come under fire I am 100% eligible.

I had friends in Lebanon who earned the CAR in the Corps for coming under attack during their deployments there when rockets from the Shouf Mountains were raining down and mortars out the wazoo, yet the AF has now made it to where you have to: 1) be engaged outside the wire looking for the enemy (considering airfields are encircled by the enemy for the most part this is ludicrous) and 2) come under fire from the enemy (guess incoming rockets, mortars, and SAFires). Again, how rocket attacks, mortar attacks, and SAfires don't fit into that category is beyond me. It seems now as if it is harder to get the AF Combat Action Medal than to earn a Marine Combat Action Ribbon. Makes no damn sense to me at all.

I wrote a letter to the AF Times about this. Got called out on it big time by some officers, but when I pointed it out how rockets, mortars and SAFires were indiscriminate about who they killed, it made sense to them.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Well it I guess it all comes down to knowing your Marines to be able to tell when it's legit... And as for killing themselves... Don't get me started on that.

EG, agree 100 percent.

So, there, killar, you have the training to know who is faking and who isn't?

Impressive to be sure.

Ahh, to be young again and 'know'.

[FistFu68]

The most Precious Medal or Ribbon this Mud Marine ever received was seeing the Smile of My Fellow Marines Faces after a Battle

[Assaultdog0351]

Only on the ones that ended with no serious casualties.