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Sacrifice Medal Mega Thread

Which do you prefer


  • Total voters
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Is it possible to introduce an award that retroactively replaces another (ie. everyone that has been awarded a wound stripe would be awarded the wounded medal & the stripe would "go away") or would we see different recognition based on the date of injury?
 
MCG said:
Is it possible to introduce an award that retroactively replaces another (ie. everyone that has been awarded a wound stripe would be awarded the wounded medal & the stripe would "go away") or would we see different recognition based on the date of injury?

This has been done in the past in the UK and in Canada in days gone by (pre '67).
 
I know of medal retroactively awarded on their creation, but when has such a medal retroactively usurped (be this positive or negative) a previous award?
 
The George Cross as an example:

From http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=collections/cmdp/mainmenu/group01/gc
The cross was awarded for an act of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger. It was intended primarily for civilians and award in the military services was confined to actions for which purely military honours were not normally granted and awarded for actions not in the face of the enemy.

The Empire Gallantry awards were exchanged for the George Cross, and in 1971, Albert Medal winners exchanged their medals for the George Cross.
 
If you're suggesting that there is a Canadian regulation preventing any medal from being optional then couldn't Canada modify that regulation for this proposed one?

Iterator, you make a good point: we can make the reg's for a new medal say anything we want.  But if we're going to make it just like the wound stripe reg's, with all the flexibility that implies, then why the push for a medal?  If all the circumstances surrounding its awarding and wear remain the same, you're simply exchanging a piece of braid on the sleeve for a piece of metal on the chest.  A worthwhile trade if you value the metal more than the braid, I guess.

You could make the argument that the distinctive braid, in an exclusive position on the cuff of uniform and civilian dress, makes the wound stripe all the more special.  It doesn't get lost in a sea of campaign medals, long-service decorations, or stuck behind medals for valour.

And couldn't the "wear it whenever advantage" be applied to everything (all badges no medals)? I see it the opposite way - the medals format keeps these items in their proper place and at the proper times.

Perhaps you're correct, and recognition for wounds should only be worn with other distinctions.  But that line of argument lumps recognition for a wound in with all the other recognitions you wear on your chest.  As it stands, they have their place, and the wound stripe has its own - no greater or lesser, but simply different.

My bottom line is this: I don't know that the soldier, or the CF, or the Canadian people gain anything by telling a wounded service member that they have to wear a symbol of their trauma in uniform, or have to wear it with the rest of their decorations.  As I understand it, a wound is a very personal thing, and so I believe it should be left as much as possible to the wounded to determine how they want to recognize their own sacrifice.
 
If some are unhappy with the wound stripe, perhaps because it's only on the service drewss and not worn after retirement, then why does the alternative have to be a new medal.  Why not a device worn on the medal ribbon of the applicable operation? The old "Mentioned in Despatches" oak leaf emblem was worn in such a manner. (http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=collections/cmdp/mainmenu/group03/vm18) It also makes it easier to maintain the "discretionary wear" option.
 
It may sound odd to the unitiated,but a combat wound is viewed as a badge of honor. Decorations let all soldiers know a man/woman's military service at a glance where he has been,the honors he has earned. A soldier with a wound decoration gets a bit more respect from his fellow soldiers.
 
The other point to consider which has been alluded to in earlier posts, is that the Memorial Cross is already awarded to the closest relative of the deceased soldier.  In the US, the family would get the Purple Heart, so they aren't completely comparable.  I'm personally okay with the wound stripes and some sort of civilian wear pin, or perhaps even Michael's suggestion which could be a small red cross or other suitable device added to the ribbon of the medal for the campaign in which the wounding occurred. 

Personally, I don't add a stigma to those who's wound was psychological.  Some soldiers from WW1 and WW2 as well as Korea never left the hospital, but didn't have a visible mark on them, and others ended up as street people.  They were clearly altered by their wound(s), even though it was a mental one.

Part of the 'stigma' may be that many consider a wound that bleeds to be a sign of bravery.  It may well mean that, but it may just mean that one was in the wrong place at the wrong time.  If the purpose is to recognize the wounding as part of ones service, then the wound stripes already do that.  The Memorial Cross recognizes the ultimate sacrifice and I don't believe that another medal serves our traditions.
 
Babbling Brooks said:
...we can make the reg's for a new medal say anything we want.  But if we're going to make it just like the wound stripe reg's, with all the flexibility that implies, then why the push for a medal?  ...

I agree, the stripe and the medal would be exactly the same distinction but in different formats.
And, given that the Wound Stripe has been used intermittently by Canada in the past, there will be a strong "Don't fix it if it ain't broke!" side to the idea.

On the pro-change side there is the anomalous nature and general unportability of the stripe - making it more distinctive to some - and to others it leads them to the medals format solution. Not much of a reason I admit.


But the decision will be influenced where well meaning Canadians will want to extend an open acknowledgement of appreciation to those who have been wounded. Probably, to most civilians (even if informed of the Wound Stripe), a medal is the form of acknowledgement that they would find applicable.

This may go the way of the CPSM - a well meaning attempt by some Canadians to acknowledge the service of the military - but the CPSM, in my opinion, doesn't quite fit. I can see a medal for those wounded being the kind of idea that will see fruition. I think we should embrace the idea, and start thinking about implementation.
 
Perhaps another thing that could be done is to scrap the GCS entirely.  Go back to to stamping theatre specific campaign stars. A true 5 point campaign star with the current monarchs cypher in the centre.  That would also bring the requirements back to 1 day served in said theatre to make allowances for troops wounded or killed in action prior to serving 30 days in theatre.  Perhaps a bar saying AFGHANISTAN for the GCS with 30 days in theatre being required (Much like the WWII 1939-45 service medal, but I believe it was 28 days in theatre)  Then separate true campaign stars for different theatres Canadian soldiers fight in.  I've taken this far enough off track now, but I believe our soldiers deserve the recognition of a true theatre specific campaign star.  In WWII there was the 1939-45 campaign star and any soldier who served in any theatre from 3 Sep 1939 and 2 Sep 1945 for a period of 6 months in an operational command were awarded this star, on top of campaign stars for additional theatres they served in ie; PACIFIC STAR, ITALY STAR, NORTH-WEST EUROPE STAR etc.  Theatre specific stars were for 1 day service in the theatre.  On the wound stripe issue, I'm sure any Canadian soldier (Hit Or Miss is a fine example) would much rather have the wound stripe - and I hope we hang onto that tradition.  I know when I see that stripe, he or she has gone through hell for it, and to a soldier that's recognition enough. My .02

Regards
 
I think the Purple Heart or the wound stripe is appropriate. :salute:
 
I believe that the current way of having a wounded stripe is all that's needed.  After that, let's concentrate on the people getting the help they need.  :salute:
 
AFS, The guys are getting plenty of great care, thank you for thinking about them though.

As for the wound stripe it doesn't seem that people are against it just that they don't think it's current format is distinctive enough. Somewhere on one of the pages here I think I saw an idea about about a thin red stripe going around the cuff, I'm not opposed to that concept. Tradition is good but it can be updated and still be traditional.
 
Just out of curiosity, do any other Commonwealth forces use wound stripes?
 
I was very hurt, that HitorMiss didn't show me his.  I almost took my ball and went home.  Seriously, I have never seen the Canadian Wound Stripe, so...

Below is a picture of a WWI Irish Guards Lance Corporal with Wound Stripes. As a Lance Corporal in the Guards, he wears stripes on both sleeves, as opposed to the rest of the army where lance corporals wore only one set of stripes on the right sleeve.  In the Guards there is no rank of 'corporal.'  He also wears a pair of cloth wound stripes on his left sleeve.
 
BBJ they do look very similar,

BBJ I'll make sure you see mine soonest!
 
big bad john said:
I was very hurt, that HitorMiss didn't show me his.  I almost took my ball and went home.  Seriously, I have never seen the Canadian Wound Stripe, so...

Below is a picture of a WWI Irish Guards Lance Corporal with Wound Stripes. As a Lance Corporal in the Guards, he wears stripes on both sleeves, as opposed to the rest of the army where lance corporals wore only one set of stripes on the right sleeve.  In the Guards there is no rank of 'corporal.'  He also wears a pair of cloth wound stripes on his left sleeve.

Or this
 
There's a photograph I remember of the officers of a Canadian infantry battalion posing in France in 1917 or 18.

It's a formal "course photo" format taken a bit behind the lines. It may have been post-Armistice.
If you look at them, almost everyone had a wound stripe or stripes.

They don't mean much to the untrained eye, but if you know your badges, you can see what hell they went through.

Anyhow, sorry for the tangent, BBJ's photo got me thinking.
 
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