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Sep. 1st, 2004 06:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
saint_monkeyThis story is developing in the indy media.
The gist of it? That this picture shows the President wearing two ribbons, The Small Arms Marksman Ribbon, and The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. What's the problem with that? The President's unit was not awarded the Outstanding Unit Award until after he served with them. At least, that's what it says in the President's Military biography.
Now, even though I'm no fan of the President, I actually know EXACTLY what is going on here.
In that same biography it states ...
In the Air Force publication on Awards and Decorations, it says that reservists that complete BMT are entitled to wear the Basic Military Training Ribbon.
Look at the two ribbons, they look a lot alike, especially to the colorblind (sadly I can not determine if GWB is anything other than metaphorically colorblind...)
The President is very probably wearing the Outstanding Unit Award under the mistaken impression that he is wearing the Basic Training Ribbon.
How do I know this? Because in the Air Force, I served in the Drum and Bugle Corps in Technical School. Once before a parade, our Commandant chewed out a friend of mine for about ten minutes for the same mistake. It is burnt into my brain because I was trying to hold up a Bass Drum while standing at attention the whole time.
For more about ribbons, check out the Air Force Publication on Awards and Decorations (pdf) This is the modern file, but the relevant Awards are the same as the 1968-1974 timeframe.
EDIT: According to the short list showing the order that medals are worn, the BMT is to be worn to the wearer's left of the Marksman ribbon, where the Outstanding Unit should be worn to the right. In the pic, the pin in question is to the right of the marksman pin, which is the proper position for the Outstanding Unit pin, but incorrect for the BMT. So this would indicate that GWB does indeed know that he is wearing the Outstanding Unit pin in this picture.
The gist of it? That this picture shows the President wearing two ribbons, The Small Arms Marksman Ribbon, and The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. What's the problem with that? The President's unit was not awarded the Outstanding Unit Award until after he served with them. At least, that's what it says in the President's Military biography.
Now, even though I'm no fan of the President, I actually know EXACTLY what is going on here.
In that same biography it states ...
PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION: Basic Military Training, Undergraduate Pilot Training
In the Air Force publication on Awards and Decorations, it says that reservists that complete BMT are entitled to wear the Basic Military Training Ribbon.
Look at the two ribbons, they look a lot alike, especially to the colorblind (sadly I can not determine if GWB is anything other than metaphorically colorblind...)
 |  |
| Training Ribbon | Outstanding Unit |
The President is very probably wearing the Outstanding Unit Award under the mistaken impression that he is wearing the Basic Training Ribbon.
How do I know this? Because in the Air Force, I served in the Drum and Bugle Corps in Technical School. Once before a parade, our Commandant chewed out a friend of mine for about ten minutes for the same mistake. It is burnt into my brain because I was trying to hold up a Bass Drum while standing at attention the whole time.
For more about ribbons, check out the Air Force Publication on Awards and Decorations (pdf) This is the modern file, but the relevant Awards are the same as the 1968-1974 timeframe.
EDIT: According to the short list showing the order that medals are worn, the BMT is to be worn to the wearer's left of the Marksman ribbon, where the Outstanding Unit should be worn to the right. In the pic, the pin in question is to the right of the marksman pin, which is the proper position for the Outstanding Unit pin, but incorrect for the BMT. So this would indicate that GWB does indeed know that he is wearing the Outstanding Unit pin in this picture.
