ribbons and medals... versus me?

What are the worth of the rows and rows of colorful strips of shiny striped and solid material, that humans add a value to? The strips that represent different criteria, or qualifications that a person "accomplished" or was "awarded?

What about the warfare pins, the shiny metal in intricate designs, representing different tasks a person memorizes, and demonstrates to one person, or a group on a review board? The eagle globe and anchor? The ship moving through water? What about the A with the wings? And the strange looking dophins? The bubble of a diver helmet? All demonstrate the things the person has done in the past, and shows what the person had access to.

Do they define the person? Do they make the person worth more if they wear them? Do the pins show that a person is smart, or is better than anyone else? Is the number of pins someone gets, a matter of value, enough to judge one person over another?

Ribbons that are awarded to a service member, do show that the person has accomplished something, they show that the person might have seen combat, or they might have had access to a shooting range, or they might have recieved a NAM in recognition of some job they did that their command thought was great. Or, they just happened to be at the right place, at the right time. Or they might be of a certain gender. Or, they just happened to get lucky to get stationed where they did.

I was judged, by my appearance. I'm not saying my uniform was a mess, or my cover was on crooked, or my name tag was on backwards, or my ribbons were on the wrong side. I was judged because of my rank, and number of ribbons, and "lack" of warfare devices that I wear on my uniform. Maybe I should have expected this when I joined the navy. But come on, seriously, do these pieces of cloth, and forged metal really show what a person can really do???

Working in a large command, for example, the Naval Hospital of San Diego, hundreds of corpsmen compete with each other. They dont do it on purpose all the time. But with so many people stationed there, its hard to get noticed for what you do. So, when you are awarded with Blue Jacket Sailor of the Quarter, or even Blue Jacket Sailor of the Year, you think someone should notice. Those titles arent given to everyone. You have to display a sense of military bearing, a sense of pride, and have knowlege of the navy, the history, and things that are happening around the world. You think someone would notice. But no. There are no ribbons, there are no medals, not even a letter of commendation or whatever. Nothing to show that you have done a great job, except a freaking "bullet" on your "brag sheet". Stationed at the hospital, you dont get the opportunity to go on a ship, and you dont get the opportunity to go with the marines, and you dont get the opportunity to work with aircraft. Working at a hospital, you have your job, and you do it. And you work to go to school at the same time.

In order to get a lot of ribbons, you need to either get deployed to somewhere that the "action" happens, Which is usually an FMF Corpsman, getting deployed with the marines, which is usually a male. Or, you have to get on a ship, preferably a "small boy", and that way, since you are a corpsman, you are taking care of so many damn people, that you are bound to get noticed. You even might take care of the medical issues of the CO. But what if you dont get that "lucky" to get on a small ship, or get with the marines? Should it even matter???

Being in the navy for 2 years, an E-3, just took the 3rd class exam, with 3 ribbons and working on the 4th ribbon, (the good conduct) (in 9 more months I get it), excellent eval both times it has been given, BJSOQ, BJSOY, letter from the Admiral, something should stand out, you know???

But no.

Sitting next to a 3rd class dental tech, (who probably was in corps school and dental school the same time they were actually in the real fleet) who has been in the same amount of years, with 3 rows of ribbons, and two warfare devices, i look like nothing. I look like I just came out of freaking boot camp.

Why does this bother me? Why am I comparing myself, when I know that I am a great person, when I know that I am happy, when I know that I am loved, and that I am in a great marriage, why should it even bother me? I'm working on my degree, I'm constantly improving each day, I'm almost a mother, and its just strange that pieces of stuff that people make, and pin on their chest defines what people make you out to be.

I know that people are worth more than their ribbons. The actions speak louder than the ribbons. In my last post, I was talking about how I was proud to shake the hands of the Medal of Honor recipients. Maybe I shouldnt be. They are just people too. There are other people out there, that deserve the medal too, but didnt get recognized, for one reason or another. Maybe their chain of command all got killed, and no one reported the circumstances. Maybe the person died, and everyone else did too. Maybe their command just didnt submit the award request. In many cases, thats why someone doesnt get recognized. Because the chain of command, or lack of reports.

I know that I was all happy and interested in these medal recipients. Maybe I shouldnt have been. Because today, I was just getting angry at someone who did the same thing that I did yesterday. "Oooed and Awed" at a person, because the person was wearing a piece of stuff that someone else made into a thing that represents something.