Last month, it was announced that the Air Force will now be awarding a combat action medal. Always on the lookout for new medals, I was immediately curious what the criteria are. According to Air Force Personnel Command, “The principal eligibility criterion is that the individual must have been under direct and hostile fire while operating in unsecured space (outside the defended perimeter), or physically engaging hostile forces with direct and lethal fire.” I had hoped I’d be eligible after my time in Iraq, but I was never fired upon whilst outside of a defended perimeter and I also never helped to defend said defended perimeter. Oh well, guess I’m not eligible.
Here’s what makes me a little miffed: Air crew are authorized award for this medal based on the following, “Individual must be flying as authorized aircrew members on aeronautical orders in direct support of a combat zone and in combat.” What this means is that anybody on aircrew orders that’s in a plane, cargo/fighter/bomber, that takes fire or issues fire, is automatically eligible to receive the medal. How are these aircraft that are flying at 10,000-30,000 feet in any more danger of getting shot than I was when I was in Baghdad and taking fire? They already receive medals after flying 20 combat missions, why do they need another medal for the same thing?
I applaud the Air Force for creating a medal that can be awarded to our personnel that are on the ground and engaged in combat. This is something I have really desired to see. I just can’t understand why we feel the need to again award our aircrew for something they’ve already been awarded for. I know I know, we’re the AIR Force, but come on!
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