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Originally Posted by GlobalExplorer
And on second thought I don't know why you guys believe we are just being p.c. or something, but Iron Cross, Wehrmacht, Pour Le Merit, most Germans are just sick of this ****. This has nothing to do with our (irrational) angst of being a nation, which I also sometimes not understand, but after all that has happened, what good would it be to get these things back?
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Because we sent volunteers around the world, and some of them got killed, evben more wounded in body and soul - and we have no symbol of recognititon for that. By giving them the ehrenmedaille we just minimize their effort by saying it means the same to us like serving at a desktop doing paperwork ten years long. If I were a soldier and would have done something for which I would be willing to accept a medal of honour, and they come with this - I would reject it, feeling offended, sorry. A medal for year-long loyalty (that's what it effectively is, not more) and a medal for courage shown under fire: it just don't compare.
Different if we would stop to shuttle our troops around for a messy mission in Afghanistan, a hosptal-building mission in SE Asia or Africa, etc. If no more troops leave Germany for foreign missions - we would not need a medal for valour indeed as long as we do not get attacked. Where there is no fighting, there is no "in the face of enemy fire".
The Bundesverdienstkreuz is no military but a civilian medal, btw. Sports men get it if being successful. Parents adopting many children. Private people engaging in social caretaking projects and free work, etc. All that is fine, okay. but it is not the same like leading a group in combat, being outnumbered 1 to 2 and still not falling back in the face of bad odds, but maybe even attacking back and winning a fight, showing an exceptionel "solo" in performance maybe. German media have given examples of texts that explained why somebody was recommended to receive the Congress medal here, the Victoria Cross there. Do the Tommies and Yanks have no shame? They use words like "fighting" and "killing" and "enemy" and "duty" and "courage" and attach it to the meaning of reward! That is not what the German army is for. We build bridges and roads and schools, you know.
THW (Technisches Hilfswerk) under arms.
Nobody should mistaken me: I am not talking about getting easy to send German troops into war. i still want the troops out of Afghanistan, since I consider the way Washington allowed the situation to detoriate as an example for the maximum of possible stupidity, and now others should jump in and lie on the bed that Bush's visionary and very competent strategic leadership has made himself, so that failure could be blamed on others as well and Ameircan troops pulling out. but as long as we send troops there for whatever the reason, the single individual displaying something of extraordinary courage deserves to receive recognition and the thank of the society that send him there.
If we think that is not worth to be recognised and not worth to be thanked for - then we better should not send anybody there, becasue then we obviously think the job is nothing worth to be recognised. And that cannot be acchieved by giving him a symbol that he could also win the easy way for sitting in a BW office for sufficient years. the ehrenmedaille is not really a medal for valour, in no way. It is little more than a "time of service ribbon."
When I was a youngster, I shot and won my Mom 20 peacock feathers with 25 shots at the fairground shooting stand. That is a quote of 80%, by a novice, and I was 12 years old. You could give me a medal for that as well!
