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I was there for 2 weeks recently and made every effort to walk around with my shirt untucked and no reflective belt. I even walked to the pool in my swim trunks and flip flops then stopped at the BRA afterward to have some beers and no one ever said anything to me. It may have been my "talk to me and I will fucking rip your head off" look I usually sport, or maybe the place is getting better.

You're able to glean all of this from a patch you saw someone wear? Yeah, that's perspective all right -- a completely asinine one. I don't know what burr got under your saddle on this one, but you're taking three completely separate issues and trying to roll them all into one "Strike Eagles suck in OEF" thought, and it just doesn't have traction. Your entire underlying supposition that backs your posts in this thread is begging the question anyhow. Look, every bit of time I've spent in OEF I've seen nothing but a good act from my airframe. Mistakes? Yes. Areas where it could have done better? Yes. Clown act? No. In general I've seen exactly the same performance out of every other airframe doing the business over there including yours. Same occasional very inefficient use of firepower, same occasional low SA or stupid comm...but in general, a good act. Have there been any that have made the news? Well, yes, actually there have...but I'm not trying to mud sling because I realize that I don't know jack about the A-10 and I'm not qualified in any way to comment on the TTPs or competency of the guys who fly it. My assumption is that they're doing the best job they can based on their own capes and TTPs, even if it looks weird from my perspective in my jet. If there's anything I learned from my trip through AETC flying IFF it's that every jet raises pilots who are phenomenally biased toward their own airframe and just as amazingly ignorant about other airframes. Everyone thinks that "their way" is the only way, and that other methods of skinning cats are not only incorrect but retarded to boot. After flying, teaching, bar stories, etc, with guys from those other airframes, it was obvious that a lot of those negative opinions I had about other airframes were really because I had no idea what their airframe had in terms of capabilities and how those capes impacted their TTPs. What appeared stupid to me as an outsider actually made a lot of sense once I understood that. If you think the patch is retarded, fine...say so, but don't drag the entire community into the mix. If you think you know something about how the frat could have been prevented, and how it's related to some TTP that is flawed or if you know something about the performance of the crew on that night, then let's talk about that instead of mixing it in with a goddamn patch. Same goes for the two kids who morted practicing night strafe. If you have some experience in this airframe, and know something about how it's employed, and have an idea about how to do it better, then say so. The fact is, NEITHER of those events had ANYTHING to do with some supposed lax attitude about OEF among the F-15E community that you've surmised based on a dude's patch and the discussion on this forum.

MREs, DFAC or Flight Kitchen for all who go TDY. No more full per diem--We are at war dammit.

Not this shit again... I could search and link to a better explanation but I'll just type it here. You can get awarded the BSM for service, achievement (I think), and valor. BSM(V) is for putting it all out there in combat, during a single event, but not to the Silver Star level (of which there is only valor). BSM for service is, per the reg, the same recognition as required for a Meritorious Service Medal except for duties performed in a combat area. So if a squadron commander, in any capacity while drawing hostile fire pay, would warrant a MSM for same duties back at homeplate, the correct decoration is the BSM. By confusing the two you are disrespecting the valorous efforts of those who have been awarded a BSM(V). At the same time, if you are walking around thinking that every E7+ or O5+ with a BSM (and there are many) are shoeclerks with underserved decs, then you are also missing the point. Consider yourself educated.

Yeah, knowing how to take care of your people makes you a shoe clerk. Smoke pole much?

Posthumous award for service. No valor device awarded. And they likely would have received MSMs had Lag crashed at Dare County instead of Ghazni. So no valor device means it equals service. Their chain of command obviously felt their service exceeded an Army Commendation Medal. I've written BSMs like this. Thanks, skippy. Having written BSM packages both w/ and w/out V devices, I'll take your notes into consideration for next time I write one. If you're still having a hard time with this, ask your WSO. Until then, Judy.