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View Full Version : No Afghan Service Medals for RAF Medics



Scott
09-11-2009, 08:41 AM
No medals for medics


HEARTLESS defence bosses are snubbing RAF medics by refusing to award them Afghan service medals.

Dedicated teams have evacuated thousands of badly wounded troops home from the war zone, saving dozens of lives.

But MoD red tape says they do not qualify for a regular campaign medal.

More than 200 doctors and nurses from the Tactical Medical Wing's Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, based at RAF Lyneham, Wilts, are affected.

It is the latest blow to Forces' morale - and as part of our Don't You Know There's a Bloody War On campaign, The Sun demands the injustice is reversed.

Applications submitted by the medics to the MoD's medal office recently have all been turned down.

Despite spending months in Afghanistan, the nurses do not spent 30 days continuously in the country, which is the ground troops' criterion for the Operation Herrick gong.

They have also been judged not to qualify under RAF pilots' rules, flying 30 combat sorties over the country. One RAF medic said: "It would mean so much to all of us. We don't understand why we're left out.

"The loadmasters on our flights get the medal, and we go everywhere they go - it makes no sense.

"Nobody does the job for medals - every one of us is in it for trying to save as many guys as possible, and we work our socks off to do that. But it would be nice to get the recognition that we've served our country."

A total of 2,469 sick troops have been flown home by the teams from Afghanistan in the past three years.

Spending up to ten days in the war zone at a time, the teams pick up the wounded at Kandahar Air Base on C17 giant jets or Tristar troop transporters specially fitted out with intensive care bays.

It is then an eight-hour flight to Birmingham Airport or RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. On learning of the medals snub, veterans minister Kevan Jones has ordered Chief of the Defence Staff Sir Jock Stirrup to look into the rules urgently to help the medics.

An MOD spokesman said: "The aeromedical teams provide excellent care to personnel being evacuated from theatre. The military chiefs are reviewing medal qualification criteria and they are best placed to make recommendations on the need for any changes."

ghost
09-11-2009, 09:12 AM
Why would they do this?

bobdina
09-11-2009, 11:40 AM
I read the same thing somewhere else. They did not qualify for the 30 day in country rule(consecutive) to meet the criteria. Which is total bullshit I am not defending them on it. The U.S. has some of the same rules but A. they can be waived by a commander is almost all instances, B. to avoid this they(U.S) have declared the skies over quite a few of the countries over there hostile C. for some unit's they make it 30 days consecutive or 60 days non-consecutive D. The U.S. will give individual awards instead of the campaign medal in the worst case scenario (if they cannot get around the above exceptions). I have noticed with doing the hero's page the U.S. has a lot more individual medals then the U.K. does, so this kind of award is very special to them ( the Medics) so I really think it meets the level of Being a Douche-bag of the Royal order With asshole clasp attached by not to give it to them. Just another way your politicians are fucking over the men and women they send into battle. And they go willingly, and do a great job.

scoutsout80
09-11-2009, 12:51 PM
Stiff upper lip....cheerio!

Bisley_Bob
09-15-2009, 04:18 PM
Rules is rules so you cant blame anyone for this really. I guess this is just a circumstance that hasn't been happening before and i'm sure some higher ups will work around it.

GTFPDQ
09-15-2009, 06:01 PM
Have to agree with Rob, there will be a workaround for these guys. I hope!!!