Quiz for US Air Force veterans

[gmerkt]

And maybe some sharp-eyed veterans of the other services.

The spread of military insignia depicted below is from a recently deceased veteran.

The quiz is this. What is odd about the items shown in this picture? Not counting the missing ribbon on the second row ribbon bar.

I will update in a couple of days.

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[Mikej]

Watching....

 

[giddyupgo55]

If I recall the hat emblem for enlisted should have a ring around it.

 

[MTpockets]

I hope the Veteran's Family can sort it out with a DD214, and put together a shadowbox to honor their Veteran.

***edit to add*** Longevity Service Award w/3 Oak Leaf Clusters = 16 years of Service***

 

[HA556]

View attachment 765154

Looks like he had an interesting career!

 

[MTpockets]

Looks like he had an interesting career!

Never know, there might be an interesting story in there somewhere.

***edit to add*** Went down a rabbit hole looking up Veterans with the name Fortner. There are some with very impressive achievements, many friends, and beautiful families.***

 

[HA556]

Never know, there might be and interesting story in there somewhere.

I'd like to know how he got an Army Good Conduct Medal in there!

 

[MTpockets]

I'd like to know how he got an Army Good Conduct Medal in there!

Maybe, as a Reservist, the Veteran was attached to an ARMY Unit?



***edit to add*** I think I have a couple decorations of some sort from other Branches...probably for wearing my napkin properly at their dining facility.

 

[RicInOR]

What years of service?

 

[gmerkt]

Looks like he had an interesting career!

Yes, and some would call it a checkered one. Which isn't meant as a pejorative.

I'd like to know how he got an Army Good Conduct Medal in there!

This I will explain now. The USAF used the same GCM ribbon as the army from 1947-63. They adopted their own USAF GCM in 1963 (medal gong is still the same design as the army). That's the ribbon that is missing here on the second row of the fruit salad. I've ordered one to complete the set. In 2006, the USAF quit awarding the GCM, saying the good conduct was expected as normal, not something special. It was gone for a few years, but was brought back again in 2009. Retroactively.

What years of service?

To be revealed tomorrow.

 

[gmerkt]

I hope the Veteran's Family can sort it out with a DD214, and put together a shadowbox to honor their Veteran.

He and his wife had no children. None of the surviving, elderly siblings care, nor do any of the nieces or nephews. It remains for me to care and I'm going to put a shadowbox together to honor his service.

 

[HA556]

This I will explain now. The USAF used the same GCM ribbon as the army from 1947-63.

Cool history lesson! I wasn't aware they were the same ribbon used.

 

[HA556]

He and his wife had no children. None of the surviving, elderly siblings care, nor do any of the nieces or nephews. It remains for me to care and I'm going to put a shadowbox together to honor his service.

Very nice of you to do what you are doing! Respect!

 

[MTpockets]

He and his wife had no children. None of the surviving, elderly siblings care, nor do any of the nieces or nephews. It remains for me to care and I'm going to put a shadowbox together to honor his service.

I would be honored to help fund and/or chase information and/or materials for the cause.

 

[gmerkt]

Explanation. It isn't often that enlisted stripes go along with rated pilot wings, usually associated with an officer. The US Army had "flying sergeants" but the USAF discontinued creating any new ones in 1948. The last one on active duty retired in 1981.

But the person whose decorations are shown wasn't one of them. He joined as an enlisted man circa 1952. Subsequently, he was accepted for OCS and flight training. When he was commissioned, he was discharged as an enlisted man (hence the army-style GCM). He was commissioned as a reserve officer serving on active duty (hence the AFRM). He served in a number of assignments including instructor pilot. He left the USAF circa 1967 with 15 years in. He was in civilian life for about five years, then decided he wanted to go back and get his last five years credit toward retirement. The USAF wouldn't take him back as a commissioned officer but would as an EM. So he went back in circa 1972 and finished off his time, retiring circa 1977. But the retirement rules are such that a retiree goes out for pay purposes at the highest rank held, which in this case was major. During his last five years, he wore enlisted stripes with pilot's wings.

The missing ribbon is the USAF GCM, so having been enlisted two different times spanning both types of medal, he was authorized to wear both.

 

[HA556]

Wow, like I said, looks like he had a very interesting career! I'm surprised he got out in '67 with Vietnam amping up. Seems they would have encouraged him to stay as an experienced leader.

 

[salmon creek gary]

It was easy to dope out (before the explanation) how a SSgt could wind up with officer's hat insignia. I served with a couple of outstanding "mustang" officers (both made SSgt before OCS). One other addition to consider: include a gold oak leaf for his highest officer rank.

There are many strange careers like the one you've detailed. My favorite uncle was a pilot during WWII, but RIFd back to SSgt after the war ended. He chose to stay for a full 20 years and retired as a MSgt. During those years of service, his reserve officer grade crept upward steadily. Once retired, he collected MSgt retirement pay until the calendar said he had a full 30 years as a reserve officer, at which point he began collecting retired pay as a reserve Major.