REMFs

Reading Greybeard’s post, “The Purple One”, struck a nerve.

http://pitchpull.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-purple-one.html

My youngest son, a 1/ 4^th ID Medic, died, age 41, in 2019 from the long term effects of his service injuries. He was medically discharged with an 80% disability that was upgraded to 100% retroactive. He never received a Purple Heart.

The header picture is a vehicle he was driving that hit a Soviet era mine. Guess the scrapes and bruises didn’t count.

He made dozens of trips out of the compound with the Infantry. Once the vehicle he was in was hit and set on fire. The hatch was jammed. He, and the others, barely escaped. Guess his burns were too minor to count.

Once he was blown backwards into his hut by a rocket exploding outside.

Even though he treated wounded soldiers while taking incoming fire, he was never awarded a Combat Medic Badge.

Why? His unit leadership didn’t put him in for them.

Why didn’t they? My theory is this. My son, a handsome man (took after his mother, not me) was a moral married man. He had no interest in cheating on his wife. The senior leadership of his unit was female. He told me that his 1^st Sgt once propositioned him.

I think he was very good at his job. His “brick” showed several Army Commendation Medals and Army Achievement awards. One commendation was from a Special Forces detachment he was with for a month. A plumber before entering the service, he built a small facility where wounded people could be washed from scrounged materials.

He was recommended two times for promotion to Sergeant while in Afghanistan but never promoted. This I learned from his closest friend at my son’s funeral. His friend also confirmed there was a lot of sexual conduct going on in their unit. This was seconded by another Medic at his funeral. 

   

His proudest token was a Challenge Coin given to him by the then SgtMaj of the Army.

He did take delight in pointing out he had Good Conduct Medals, an award I never earned.

Despite all this, he loved the Army and wanted to stay in. He was told he had to attend NCO Academy to be promoted, but couldn’t attend because of the support boot he wore on his left leg. His response, “Fuck you, I did two tours in Afghanistan wearing this boot”, probably didn’t help his case.

In civilian life his firearms closet would probably equip an infantry squad.

Back to the point. Many men and women deserved to be recognized who weren’t because the ones in the rear with the gear didn’t get it done. What they were good at was giving each other awards. I truly loath those REMFs.

Now for some balance. Many served in administrative jobs and did their best. Many had no choice; that is where the Army placed them. An example; a cook who never left Fort Dix. Many went through hell because of abusive, or incompetent, or both, superiors. Those who soldiered on and did their duty will always have my respect.

The phrase, “All gave some, some gave all” isn’t a cliché to me.