Opinion: Stop Issuing Bronze Star License Plates
Categories: Opinion, Outdoor
Of the roughly 180,000 Bronze Stars awarded during Iraq and Afghanistan, less than 3% were awarded for valor.
In Colorado I saw a man driving a car with a “Bronze Star” license plate without the combat “V” device. After going to the DMV and looking through their veteran license plate selection, I knew that there were two Bronze Star plates available : one with a “V,” and one without.
It wasn’t the last time I saw that plate, and every time I did, the car attached to it was usually driven by a middle-aged man or woman, whom I assumed probably received the award during military service in the last few decades.
To someone unfamiliar with the military’s award system, the Bronze Star might represent heroics: dragging comrades to safety, killing enemy fighters while wounded, stabbing insurgents with an MRE spoon.
To service members, however, we know the difference: the Bronze Star medal is a common end of tour award for Staff NCO’s and officers, while a Bronze Star awarded with a “V” device denotes a single instance of combat valor.
The reality is that the vast majority of Bronze Star awards are awarded as a matter of course. From June 2014 to December 2015 the United States Army awarded 17 Combat Infantryman Badges to troops involved in Operation Inherent Resolve, the military’s name for the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
During this same period of time, for the same operation, the Army awarded 907 Bronze Star medals, without the “V”.
Afghanistan and Iraq have similarly disparate rates of Bronze Star awards. Operation Iraqi freedom saw 99,886 Bronze Stars awarded without V, and 2,461 with the V, and around 40,000 Combat Infantryman Badges awarded. Afghanistan had 66,040 Bronze Stars for merit and 2,055 for valor.
Bronze Star Format Changed Over Time
It’s clear that the Bronze Star does not hold the same meaning that it did in World War 2, when it was created as an equivalent to the Air Medal for infantrymen. General George Marshall wanted an award that would reflect the reality on the ground, where infantrymen “lead miserable lives of extreme discomfort and are the ones who must close in personal combat with the enemy.”
A year after the medal was introduced in 1944, the “V” started to be given out for acts of heroism or valor, which distinguished the two versions of the Bronze Star and made them vastly different. A Bronze Star without a “V” is now a more common award than a Combat Action Badge or Combat Infantryman Badge.
Nowadays, the medal is given out to financial analysts in Afghanistan who train “68 operational fund teams,” or develop financial processes for a command, as one Air Force comptroller did for her Bronze Star.
Do we really need a license plate for every single award?
If you’re one of the roughly 170,000 troops awarded a Bronze Star without a “V” in Iraq or Afghanistan, Motor Vehicle Divisions across the United States will let you choose from a variety of different license plates to display your personalized contribution to the military.
Some of these make sense to the layman: a license plate for Vietnam Veterans, Marines, or Purple Heart recipients can’t be misinterpreted for anything other than what it is. A license plate for a Silver Star, a Service Cross or a Medal of Honor are similar in that they can only be awarded for combat heroism, not meritorious service.
So why do states have two separate plates for Bronze Stars with and without the “V” device? Pennsylvania does this. So does Virginia, and Colorado, and Maryland, and other states. And yet few, if any of these states have other merit awards on their list of veteran license plates.
Where does it stop?
At what point do we draw the line for merit awards? Should we have a license plate for my Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medal? What about my four letters of volunteer service, or the Presidential Unit Citation I received? What about my Marine Corps Martial Arts Grey Belt?
If a state is to include the Bronze Star for merit, maybe it should also include the Legion of Merit, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Soldier’s Medal, and the Distinguished Service Medal, all of which rank higher than the Bronze Star.
Where does it end? When, in the words of Sebastian Junger, will we stop “over-valorizing” veterans, rewarding them for every little thing they did in the service? Why do governments issue a Bronze Star license plate which is sure to be misinterpreted by many as a valor award for heroism in combat?
Civilians don’t know the difference between a Bronze Star awarded at the end of a Master Sergeant’s year in an Afghanistan motor pool and one awarded for repelling an ambush “with complete disregard for his own safety and in spite of wounds sustained in combat.” Bronze Star license plates are misleading, and state governments should consider getting rid of them.
Going in to Walmart one day my wife saw a car with bsm license plate and said that’s pretty good right.? I said yeah if he was an E-5 or lower, but he was probably just an E7 or higher or an officer that sat at a desk for the whole deployment. She asked if I was serious, cause guys that really earn it don’t flaunt or display it. My platoon sgt had to fight tooth and nail for my squad leader to get a bsm because he really truly earned it, he did eventually get it but too many damn politics.
I would probably say the same thing about Disabled Veteran License plates. The requirement in most states is a disability rating of 50%. If anyone tracks that system someone with sleep apnea qualifies. I know Texas also allows anyone with these plates to park in handicapped parking spots. I honestly think they should get rid of all the military plates. Before you ask, yes I served 30 years in the Army.
“…cause guys that really earn it don’t flaunt or display it.”
Well that’s complete BS.
I agree that the depth of choices that a DMV allows is ridiculous. I am a vet of two separate campaigns in two separate services and two separate millenniums (1991 & 2009) I’m old, but not that old! I resisted for the longest time to getting a vet plate. I am still undecided if I got the right one. I am one of those awardees of the Bronze Star, I conducted route clearance in OEF9-10. My area was mostly hard pavement. So we were not as pushed as some of my friends that had to navigate through waddies and dirt roads where their pistols got hit almost daily. My company commander took the guidelines given to him; staffers get the MSM and leaders going outside the wire get BSA. I had no choice on the matter. All I did was take my guys out, kept a tab on my equipment and went on Sunday drives. To this day, I revere my friends who took blasts daily more than I did. I still believe that service should be honored, civilians or State governments may never get it. Great OpEd!
Great comment.
Sentence on my friends in waddies and dirt roads, please edit when you moderate it to past tense ‘had’ instead of ‘had’ and replace ‘pistols’ with ‘patrols’ please. That is, of you publish it!
Thanks.
I understand the point you are trying to make. I have never received a bronze star. It’s a lot harder in the air force unless you are an officer. However why do we always have to undervalue someone else. I understand your frustration I agree that most civilians will look at the plate differently then us active duty people. However who cares? If someone legitimately earned it then good fir them. If they get upset about the fact that somebody didn’t then maybe we need to check the egos. A lot of stuff in the military that happens is political bullshit. We need to stick together and help each other instead of trying to find every little detail that ticks us off.
I agree!
Your rationale and argument are flawed. Anyone that is in receipt of the Bronze Star should be proud of the fact that they were awarded the medal. Your cavalier attitude about who receives the award and who doesn’t is based on your own speculations. Leave it to commander’s to decide who receives the award. Stop your bellyaching.
Rob, I have to disagree, he is spot on. I have served in 4/ wars, from the not so war Desert Storm to my Last Depmoyment in Afganistan before I Got Injured . i have seen desk jockies get a Bronze Star and I have a friend that was In a battle in Kandahar, he got a Army Com Medal with a V ! I was soly Pissed, but by the time I could do anything, got hit in Jalibad, I didnt receive a PH nor a Bronz Star, those were only for E-6’s and above for keeping the towers fully employed and making sure Mail was delivered ! I seen it all ! I myself have a DAV plate on my vehicle, i have had 13 surgerys on my left leg, 8 surgeries on my left arm and 3 heart attacks ! 1st Heart attack was when I got Medivac To Lunstol Germany , sorry for misspelling, but now I wear glasses cause of coronary Artery Disease due to the Army never telling me I had High C. I am a 100% Perm Total Disabled Vet 2 times over ! So in me saying this, yes Bronze Stars are giving to good ole boys that sits in Garrison ! I am speaking of Bronze Stars With out the V device !! Thank you all for your service and God Bless America ! # MAGA !
Hard to believe you didn’t receive a Purple Heart
I love that Texas is such a strong supporter of the military, and 2nd Amendment rights as well. But they have GOT to get the number of military plates available under control! Army Commendation Medal? SERIOUSLY?!
http://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/license-plates/specialty-license-plates/itemlist/filter?category%5B%5D=61&moduleId=185&Itemid=145
I think it should be limited to MOH, DSC, Silver Star, DFC, Purple Heart, Soldiers’ Medal, and any award with V device; and DDSM/ADSM, DSSM, or LOM for administrative awards.
Dude, they’re just license plates. Get over it.
Damn right! For those who have earned their medals of valor, it is a personal judgement call to advertise that or not, and if they do, it is perfectly fine for a variety of reasons, including what should be an automatic garnering of respect from fellow motorists on the road. Those who choose not to advertise their valor are equally right in their choice. In fact, I would bet good money that most MOH recipients are not driving around with MOH plates, as those individuals are among the most courageous people on this planet and I would assume (as I can only guess) that they would not feel a need to do so — but certainly have every right if they so choose, perhaps even for reasons I might not have considered or understood myself. My personal two cents is that the government should give a million dollar vehicle with any plates of any kind to each and every MOH recipient. And every other plate category for valor should also be respected in kind. But not commendations based on something else than heroism in combat. That’s just my opinion, but I think it’s the right one.
I served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Both were combat tours. Honestly brothers….I got blown up and shot at almost every day. I was actually offered valors after saving my entire platoon, but I turned it down. Reason being…we all did our job, and there were no casualties that day. Our Battalion Commander personally shook my hand, and then proceeded to blanket our entire platoon with ARCOMS. I got a whole shoe box full of medals, and there worth about as much as a two dollar hooker to me. I agree with the guys… real soldiers don’t flaunt it. you can only understand that if your a real soldier.
Leonard. Your totally right. Don’t listen to the POG’s.
So glad all you “real soldiers” know better than the commander’s who signed those awards, I don’t know what I’d do without your sage advice, Particularly about how I shouldn’t wear or display medals. having said that, I serve because I choose to, not for ribbons. I don’t display my 201 on a tshirt or my car…but, I choose to save the cost of an annual registration and get some free parking because it was offered to me, thats my choice not yours. Sounds to me like the author wasn’t one of those 180,000.
I agree, the BSM has become a cake award for higher enlisted and Officers. I was an Officer, and I remember other Officers getting BSMs. I was a 2LT at the time, didn’t know any better. I thought to myself, aren’t those given out for only combat and acts of valor? I think deploying to a hot zone is a big deal, but not BSM worthy if you don’t take fire. Anyway, good on the people that earn these awards. It isn’t my choice so say who deserves one and who doesn’t. On the other hand we have other commanders that piss me off even more when they don’t give an award that is due and say, “oh well you did your job”. I was a combat medic platoon leader (70B), we had medic save lives of his squad members, they all got BSM with Valor and my medic didn’t Commander and 1SG said, “He’s a medic, he was doing his job”. Like really! I’m medically retired, not by choice, I was told it’s my time to go. I put all my medals in award, the medals might not mean much when you are on active duty. Heck, I had to purchase them all again for my plaques I had madde. Shows you what I thought when I was on active duty of them! When you get out an you don’t have that military life anymore, they do end up having much more sentimental value. Don’t shun the awards while you are in, trust me. They may seem petty, but when you get out and your friends, family ect ask you about them. You have a story for each medal, even if it seemed petty at the time. You also have them to reflect back at the time that you were in service, especially when you get older. Now, license plates, I think that is in the eye of the beholder of the specific award. Heck, even if somebody wanted an AAM plate, is it my place to say this guy or girl can’t have this? No, some get AAMs for full tours of duty. An AAM might mean something completely different to another individual than it does to me. I myself wouldn’t put any of my medals on my license plate, because I really don’t care what civilians think and I really don’t need anybody that I don’t care to talk to about my service record bringing stuff up. Now, when I run into a veteran, my wife normally has to pull me away from talking my jaw off lol. Anyway, my two cents fellas and ladies. Thanks for being part of the 1% that raises their hand, even the National Defense Service Ribbon tells me about a Soldier. A. He passed basic. B. He did something 99% of Americans don’t do!
Purple Hearts are given to both individuals who had barely a scratch and those who lost limbs and worse.
Why aren’t you upset with “Grunt Style” selling T-Shirts that imply the wearer served? Or ADS for selling multicam ball caps to anyone off the street?
As a recipient of both a BSM and a BSV, I can tell you that in my instance, the BSM was harder earned.
Welcome to the U.S. Military – experiences may vary.
I dont care if you get one with an AAM on it is about to be proud for what you did and represent so stop complaining
If you served honorably and earned an award in the service in which you served then you deserve the award. If you disagree with your state;s license plate laws then contacte your local DMV and or elected official. You are not going to accomplish anything by whining about it on the internet Silly Wabbit.
I was a 1LT worked the IED alley three times a week in Iraq as a convoy escort officer. we got shot up and blown up. I recieved a commendation medal and CAB, and they told me I was too Jr for BSM or MSM. However, I also worked as a division staff in Afghanistan – 18 hrs a day 7 days a week. They gave me a BSM. I quickly realized that many staff guys produce 5x more work in an hour than I did in a day when I was at tactical level. On top of that, people die when they mess up. Don’t judge a man when you never walked in his shoe. Most BSM are somehow…well deserved.
An award does not define the service member. It may define acts in an event or period of time. Whatever the case, the context of the argument made against who’s bronze star is better that the other because of what thier job was or what rank they were is pointless. After 23 years in the infantry I can tell you I give 2 sh*ts about any level of merit for any award, and I have been surrounded by heroes. Yes, I got “just” a Bronze Star for a period of service in Sadr City that was anything but desk service, but I wasn’t hunting the award or did not take away from the pride in service it represented for me when I heard about the reserve unit that was in Kuwait and all received the same medal I did. I know what my team did and was proud to be on the same. I am still in shock just to be here. Who are you to question the validity or stature of anyone’s medal? If you have a concern, write it up and send to the LTC at the Pentagon that oversees the awards section. A fricking’ license plate? What a waste of emotion and words. I think I’ll get the plate. Too bad they don’t make one for a CIB 2nd award. Then I could one-up the ones that only had the CIB! Seriously though, all these years of blood and death are cause enough to put everything away in a box and thank your maker for every day you are here, and never forget the ones that are not.
Keep your Apathy to yourself. Get a real job, and move the fk out. If you don’t like the license plate, complain to your state legislators. If you don’t like the awards system, tell the Sec Def. Stop crying like a little self entitled melinial.
I agree and disagree with this article. I joined the Army as a 19D (Scout) for those of you that are not familiar. I spent most of my career as a scout and then decided to become a signal soldier so I did have to check doors at Walmart when leaving the Army. I was in the middle of my career change during 9/11. I went with my unit to Mosul and was angry that we were at war and I was now signal. Lucky for me there wasn’t much to do and my CSM pulled me to do convoy ops. They needed someone that knew the weapons and a few other tactical things some of the soft soldiers didn’t understand. I volunteered for a lot of missions and found my way into some crazy situations. This is what scouts do. In the end I received several awards to include a BSM. This was as a SSG. I didn’t ask for any of the awards and certainly didn’t do the things I did as a means to chase awards. To be honest after seeing all the BSM’s go out to people who’s weapons never got dirty their entire deployment I was a little embarrassed to pin it on my dress uniform. Am I saying they didn’t earn theirs? No, I am not qualified to do that but I felt mine had less value and I am allowed to feel that way. As far as displaying it on a license plate goes, I haven’t done that but plan to. Why? Because I drive a sports car and have a heavy foot. You are correct, most civilians to include the police seem to think it is a big deal. I am going to display it in hopes that it gets me out of a few speeding tickets. If it gets me out of one it is worth its weight in gold to me!
Lots of hate for each other on here. I am one of those E7s that had no choice in the matter. Here’s your BSM for showing up. Not only did this happen to me one time, but twice. BLUF I would never put that on my vehicle, as I don’t feel that I actually earned either of them. But now that I’m approaching retirement, starting to think about the money saved in tax’s and vehicle registration….
Regardless of your Branch of Service, active or reserve, stateside or peacetime deployment, direct action troop or supporter in a combat theater, WE SHOULD ALWAYS HONOR OUR VETERANS. Period.
Until you read their citations, you can’t judge an individuals actions or impact on the battlefield. I know many who barely left the FOB, but their decisions directly led to devastating affects on the enemy and saved lives of American and Coalition troops. Their actions should never be discounted, especially back home in the USA.
Without such men and women, I couldn’t have done my job and returned home with all of my team.
I understand your position, but instead of trying to “take away” from Veterans, I challenge you to find more ways to give or support them. For many, their deployment(s) were the most meaningful experience and perhaps the most significant contribution to humanity in their lives. We shouldn’t discount that in any manner…they still stood up and served when millions or other couldn’t or refused to do so.
LTC(r) Maloy
BSM, PH, CIB
Seems like a nonissue, you can get so many different veteran plates why single out BSM? In Oregon for example you can make a veteran plate with 26 different choices that I counted. That includes a GWOT, SF tab/patch, 1st MARDIV, etc.
You can get plates just for just about anything these days; biking, hiking, fishing, etc. Over-valorizing veterans is so far gone stopping BSM plates won’t do anything. In this instance it has nothing to do with valorizing so much as the state likes and/or supplying or making money on special plates. In most states if enough people sign a petition you can get a plate added.
BTW “Team AG” nice Swift-Boating of other veterans.
I eagerly await the article where you begin to rank veterans; one SF tabbed soldier’s life is worth four 88M lives. Or maybe you could rank the KIAs; an 11B killed in combat gets full burial benefits while a 91D generator mechanic killed in an accident in Kuwait gets a certificate and burial is on the family.
Fly high Blue Falcons!
Blue Falcon Identifier…first off we can all spot MPs (ha!). Secondly, the person who wrote it is no longer here, you should read our more recent stuff. Thanks!
Probably one of the most asinine posting I have every read, including 40 years of Active Duty and Reserve/National Guard Service, including my combat tour in Vietnam. Don’t we, as military combat veterans, have enough enemies out there in the world without becoming our own worst ones? I got mine for a one-year combat tour which included hiding in the jungle area in the Easter, 1972 Incursion into Vietnam, spending any number of nights out on missions defined as “Projects”, and in areas in II, III, & IV Corps, again on missions that remain important to me, and those who survived the war with me, some of which are not, to this day a matter of public record. I am sorry you do not appreciate what we have done, long ago, before “Combat Action Badge” was even a concept. The “Information” that units such as mine saved countless Soldiers, Sailors, Airman, and even Marines. Back then engaging the enemy, taking and returning fire while collecting this information was just a part of life, we were a small unit and taking care of each other was an obligation, not valor. Sorry, you don’t consider the duties that we (including the 4 members that are generally only memorialized on a Wall in the Nations Capital) did day in and day out, worthwhile, or worthy of your respect. I do not disrespect anyone who was awarded a Bonze Star for one act, on one day of their tour in combat, quite the opposite, but the men who served under me during their combat tours exposed themselves to equal danger not less than several times a week, for an entire combat were set to DEROS, they were recommended for their Bronze Star, as was I when it was my time to DEROS. I don’t know how many times you personally engaged the enemy, not if you did it in small teams off five or so officers and NCO’s, sometimes brought in a COSVN official for a conversation, sometimes not being as fortunate, bringing in as an E-KIA, who could less information that might be utilized to prevent the need for you to take the actions, and the risks that earned you your Bronze Star on one single day in combat, “Heroic” as it may have been, but I can absolutely assure you that neither I, nor anyone else who served with, or under me during their combat tour in Vietnam, and perhaps in some adjoining nations as well, are any less deserving of our Bonze Stars than you. Perhaps is it your lack of military discipline, and disrespect for your Officers and Senior NCO’s who did their level best to plan the operations that you may have participated in to maximize your safety, and to help you avoid that dangerous and deadly single encounter with the enemy during which you did your duty, and protected your fellow Marines. There are several acronyms that are quite suitable to describe persons such as yourself who feel the need to disparage your fellow Veterans just to boost your ego, but most of them represent or include a profanity that I would never use to describe another service member unless they brought disgrace upon themselves for cowardice, or malfeasance sufficient to earn a discharge with a code indicating other than honorable service. Think about that, and if you are half the man that you represent yourself to be you can mail your apology to me at thee email address, feel free to exclude me from your apology if you don’t feel you owe me one, but you darn sure owe one to those of us whose “Meritorious Service” seems to offend you so. And go find something else to occupy your time other than spotting license plate that might offend you despite your absolute lack of knowledge as to how that owner earned the award that he proudly and publicly displayed. Incidentally, I was fortunate enough to meet a Medal of Honor winner when having dinner with a “Battle Buddy whose comment on this reply, and took the opportunity to ask that individual if he thought I was right to post it, knowing that if he had said “No”, I would not have done so, and that gentleman asked that I do post it. He really didn’t know me, nor I him except as a “friend of a friend”, but he didn’t think that my Bronze Star Medal was worth one iota less than yours. Just something else for you to think about after reading this.
The person who wrote this is no longer here.
This article sounds a lot like you didn’t earn a bronze star during your deployment… sorry about your feelings bro.
First it was going after Stolen Valor (fair) now it’s for plates showing awards actually earned. Next it’ll be 11Bs dissing 31Cs with combat patches then 18Bs putting everyone down. Can’t wait till we start dissing our KIAs based on MOS, deployments, whatever.
Nobody disses each other like veterans. Blue Falcons Lead the Way!
I resemble that remark. I’m an 18B, and I NEVER disparage anyone for their MOS. One of the most heroic actions I know of from my last deployment was our battalion IT guy driving for another ODA when they were ambushed. Said he could feel the round hitting his door. He turned INTO the ambush and run a couple of their asses over. So as an SP4 was awarded bronze star. (They don’t just go to E7’s as some in my unit speculated. You know, the E6’s who didn’t earn one.) By the way, said SP4 did not get a V device, because he wasn’t tabbed.
Medal of Honor & Purple Heart. that’s all.
First, a bronze star shouldn’t be awarded for anything other than combat. And other than generic veteran plates, specialty plates should only be authorized for combat veterans.
People constantly overlook that in many cases the BSMs were DOWNGRADES in theater from awards such as Legions of Merit (LOM) because senior commanders refused to issue this particular merit medal or issuing guidance that changed due to improper use of the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (DMSM) from 2004-2017. The same exact effect occurred between use of BSMs with V and ARCOMs with V, but this was entirely rank based. If a veteran wants to complain about BSMs, the place to start is the Federal government, not the state government as they are not the controlling authority.
Well….
I’ve seen, actually have been the person whom processed the bronze star awards going to the officers who hardly leave a secure room. So I get it. But I think it’s a shame… because I also received a bronze star(no v), not for sitting behind a desk, but for actions in combat. I also received a purple heart. But you know… I’d rather display a bronze star plate. I’m more proud of what I did, than what was done to me. Unfortunately… because the bronze star without the valor designation has been passed about like candy, and the attitude reflected in this article has become the normal thinking of military members…. I can’t be proud of it. If anything, I’m embarrassed. Like somehow, because i didnt get the “v”, my actions were meaningless. My sacrifice wasn’t worth the honor. I want to be proud. But the general consensus is, I shouldn’t be. And that becomes quite perplexing…. I think less judgement should be made on the basis of a license plate.
I’m a veteran as well. And I definitely believe that you should not be issued a bronze star. If you have not lived in a hot lz. In a fire fight. Layed your life on the line to rescue another fellow soldier. And you get shoot up for doing that. I guess maybe John Kerry is in charge of issuing the medals. You remember he was awarded a purple heart and did not receive any wounds. So in closing I guess my medals are worthless. If they are giving them to anyone for nothing. This is really disgraceful to those who earned them. Because in Vietnam they damn sure did not award them like that.
Lots of valid points but also going too hard after the plates. Everyone has a story whether it is shitty, dumb, or neither. I got a standard Bronze Star medal for doing good EOD work in Astan with my team. Again, team effort with me and my two bros. But every Team Leader received one whether they did 1 IED or 20 or …. That was 2011. I never once thought of putting it on my truck until 2015 when my 1SG (saltier than hell and NEVER talked about his exploits) said I should do it because Texas registration is damn near free, free airport parking, and probably other benefits as well. And I did. Totally happy with it. I think the other parallel someone in these comments mentioned was the purple heart award. You can get it for becoming a quadriplegic or for getting scraped by a piece of fragmentation……..
Everyone needs to be sure of whatever the hell it is you did. Were you the guy that people would actually want to fight with? Could you be counted on to not bitch out when shit was lit? If so, get them cheap plates and enjoy your life 🙂
I agree with a lot of what you say. The prevalence of so many license plates in some states is incredible and serves to cheapen the awards IMHO. Even the Vietnam Veteran plates. I know people that served in Vietnam during the early 70’s and never saw a day of battle. One was an Army mechanic that spent 11 months fixing air conditioners and refrigerators at various bases, and the other was a Navy musician who also never saw a day of battle. Yet a soldier or sailor who earned an Expeditionary medal for one engagement in Somalia, Lebanon, Panama, Grenada, Persian Gulf, etc can’t get a plate. I’m a Navy vet and most vets I know are proud of their service. Maybe folks should consider personalized license plate frames to go around there tags instead of having a tag made for every medal or ribbon.
Well after 16 years today I received 2 BSM awards for doing my MOS as a Combat Engineer in 2003 Iraq, 2002 Kuwait. I served with pride and honor as well as you all did also. My mission was to protect all of my fellow soldiers by doing my job and did it with the best of my abilities. As a Non Commissioned Officer, No one is more professional then I, I am a Non-commissioned Officer, a leader of soldiers. As a Non-Commissioned Officer. I realize that I am a member of a time honored corps, which is known as the Backbone of the army.
Sounds like someone is butthurt because they didnt get the medal they wanted. 😢😢 Grow up snowflake.
We couldn’t agree more, hence why you should check out the more recent article with a fresh take!
You forgot to mention that, to allow for the bureaucratic process, the award packet is submitted half way through a tour. I got a BSM for something I did in the first 4 months in Afghanistan, not for the thing I did that truly enhanced security in the region but late in my tour. All of it was from behind a desk.
You are insulting all service members. Get over it loser.
Your point has validity and I certainly don’t advocate fraudulent claims of heroism but, as a an absolute minimum the BSM w/o V device id’s a service member’s honorable or better military service in a real war zone. Justice in awards: don’t expect too much in the military or elsewhere and be warey of attacking other combat veterans; I quote an Army Sergeant Major (answering a university lecturer who was attacking military awards: “what you don’t understand Doctor (i.e., PHd) is that we soldiers are proud of our awards and decorations no matter how ill -gotten they might have been ” Besides that and more seriously, Texas’s heart is in the right place. BTW, I recommended more than one BSM to draftees who were getting out of the military.
Shame the author of this post. Who are you to criticize the men and women who have received this award? You have no idea why and what for the Men and Women were awarded a Bronze Star Regardless if there is a “V” on the award or not. If the US Military felt that the Award was indeed deserved, then you any anyone else should respect that decision.
Respectfully,
A Proud Bronze Star recipient.
I find it interesting that the author and the other complainers know the circumstances of all the BSA’s awarded to be suspect and how they are bullshit. I display my BSA plate proudly and suggest the author and his compatriots would have shit their pants if they were on any one of our daily missions. Fallujah, West Anbar Province. March 2013 to March 2014. Combat Engineers.
You should read our updated take on this.
I don’t sweat small stuff, If an individual was awarded a BSM, they should be able to buy, yes, buy the BSM plate. I am a retired CSM who was awarded mine in Iraq. Do I personally have a plate? No, my plate is a regular truck plate.
As I stated earlier; I don’t sweat the small stuff. I am more concerned about suicides of Vets.
Sounds like somebody is Butt hurt about not receiving an award……service is service get over it.
I agree. I earned the Soldier’s Medal and the 10% increase in retirement for the Soldiers Medal. Not every Soldier’s Medal awardee is entitled to the 10% increase in retirement pay. There is no Soldier’s Medal plate in Florida. The SM is awarded for heroism and is above the BSM which I also earned. Florida has a CIB plate so that is good enough for me. The vast license plate selection is all about money for the state.
Really? I wonder how Texas makes money off of them when there’s more to making them than a regular plate, and they charge NOTHING? New math?
Or maybe you only got the Bronze Star while your “buddy” who didn’t follow you into the room when you blew an insurgent’s face off from two meters away got a “V” device on his because he sent an email to his battalion commander tight after the incident. Judging by what you’ve earned, I can see why you’re upset. Stop being a hater and move on. By the way, in Texas, those other awards higher than a BSM DO have plates as well, so do some research. Finally, I only got the plates because I save HUNDREDS of dollars in parking fees at the airport. But if it helps you sleep at night, and found your little tirade while researching to see what the paratrooper and CIB emblem look like on a motorcycle plate. Because they don’t make one for SF.
I’m amazed, I have to admit. Seldom do I come across a blog that’s equally educative and interesting,
and without a doubt, you’ve hit the nail on the head. The
problem is something that too few people are speaking intelligently about.
I am very happy I found this in my search for something relating to this.
This is a good tip especially to those new to the blogosphere.
Simple but very precise info… Thank you for sharing this one.
A must read post!
Nut up or shut up! DV plates were earned there are a lot of soldiers who did see and were in combat regardless of what civilians think or ex- service men, the real heroes never came back im glad i found this blog.
I agree wholeheartedly as a Mustang with over 30 years enlisted and officer duty in the Air Force medals have become a joke on active duty today. They are handing them out for just showing up. Most sit behind the wire their entire tour, eating at Popeyes and watching cable satcom TV and then give themselves a Bronze Star for doing what?. I served in Viet Nam, Panama, Grenada and Desert Storm, in fact I was in Afghanistan in 1985, yep when we “weren’t ” there but never expected anything for it. It was my job yet today it seems troops can go to the latrine with out expecting some ribbon or medal applauding their efforts. Make the medals worth something again. Bronze Stars should not be given out as end of tour awards for Staff NCO’s and Officers. Its funny to see the hero walls on Air Force bases. Before the start of the sandbox scuffle most of the senior officers who were not Viet Nam vets had participation awards in their photos. along comes Desert Storm, The War on Terrorism, etc etc and now they all look like Chinese Field Marshalls with so many worthless medals and ribbons given out again for just showing up. The Air Force has been giving the Air Medal a Combat Medal to “all female crews” on tankers and cargo planes as a publicity stunt. Shameful
Ron. I must correct one thing in your reply. The Air Medal is not only a Combat Medal. I was awarded one while serving in Alaska in 1981 as part of a Army Dustoff crew, for a glacier rescue we performed. So like someone said above, there is a wide range of stories and reasons for why medals are awarded.
It’s an award. It was earned. Lighten up. Any recognition of service is a plus, given that military service is borne by volunteers and not the general public. Whether that’s a good thing or not is for another topic. Nevertheless, recognizing the voluntary sacrifices on a piece of medal (license plate), should be a good thing, but secondary to securing good medical benefits for combat veterans. It kinda leaves a sick feeling in my stomach watching fellow war vets castigate each other on issues that no civilian understands, while ignoring the travesty of under-support by the VA. .
I am gonna get a plate that says” save the planet, kill yourself ,you fucking no life ,complaining pussys” . lol
It’s a sign of the (declining) times.
I both agree and disagree with the article. I don’t go around with my Blue cord hanging from the rear view, I don’t have my ERB on the back window. I don’t ask for military discount either. But I met a WW2 Vet that asked me why I did not display the pride I had in serving. I said the same thing. Its not about the awards and decorations, but the service and the man to your left and right. We think that way now because the war is still there. Just look at how the WW2, Korea and Vietnam Vets wear the hats they do. Bet you wont ever ask that guy to take his hat off.
Same can be said about the Purple Heart. They give them away like candy. I have seen some Purple Hearts awarded for diving on the ground and getting hurt during a incoming mortar… You can that this everyone gets a trophy era.
Why are you hating on the plain bronze star holders. it doesn’t take away from the bronze star with valor. and for most if not all deployments it is the only option above an Arcom. and no an MSM is not a combat award option in most units. so by your standard the General of a DSivision over seas should get nothing more than an ARCOM? or he should be ashamed of his Bronze star because it doesn’t have the “V” device?
The bronze star is not awarded based on what a civilian may or may not know about the award. In my opinion, commanders do exercise due diligence when approving who receives the medal. Any award received in combat from the bronze star and higher should be able to be reflected on a license plate. And if I were to take your point, it’s like saying why should any awards be worn on military uniforms. After all, a civilian won’t know what these awards mean so why wear them at all? There are many awards and badges worn by military personnel that civilians don’t know what they mean. And given the fact that only 1% of Americans are currently serving in the military, and a fewer percentage of those who have been awarded the bronze star, that makes the bronze star a highly distinguished medal. The award was earned in combat, and very few people can say that. But I will agree that the standard for receiving the bronze star should be higher. But until that happens, soldiers who have received the award should be able to display it on their license plates with pride.
I agree with a lot of what you say about the Bronze Star for many is just an end of tour award. I did a 12 month tour in Afgn/OEF during which time I did not directly save the life of a brother or sister in arms, BUT and I place special emphasis in that I actively searched to ensure the lives of my fellow soldiers were safe on FOB Salerno. I did not just bid my time waiting for the 12 months to fly by. I was solely responsible for developing a radio net call system which accelerated response/reaction time for the entire base to 15 seconds of identifying the eminent danger of a rocket attack. Prior to this achievement there were not less than 2 injuries a week from these attacks. This along with coordinating up-armored guard towers and security cameras to safe guard our troops on base so they at a minimum could take a breath while on the base between patrols. I am not some staff puke who did not earn this award and I take exemption to your generalized comments. Though my award may not have a V device attached to it the Soldiers, Marines, and troops assigned there were very appreciative of all my efforts. I served for 30 years and I’m proud of my service and achievements. I did not receive my award till two years after my return my Brigade actually investigated the submission claiming they did not want to dilute the value of this award, though I know otherwise. Occasionally I’ve heard others say service members that really earned their awards don’t flaunt them I call BS (they probably felt jilted in their own carriers) I’m proud of what I have and display it with Honor and in memory of all who were not as fortunate as me.