William to receive US medal for drug bust

[Stix Chix]

Prince William to receive US medal for role in drugs bust--Hello
MEDAL FOR DRUG-BUSTER WILLS--Sunday Express

Sub-Lieutenant Wales, as he is known in the naval force, will be presented a Joint Services Achievement Medal by the US Coast Guard for his actions during this week's £40 million Caribbean drug bust.

[wheet]

Nice for Willaim.

[Lady_In_Waiting]

Well done, William. At least that's another load of drugs off our streets. 

[Matilda]

Well done Wills!

[alsgal]

I don't believe it.

[lurker]

I have to admit I'm surprised about this news. Has this been confirmed somewhere? Do all soldier who were involved get this medal or just William? I guess since it's from the US coast guard it's hard to tell but I have yet to read what he did to deserve this honour. He was merely doing his job like everyone else after all but when everyone gets one that's of course ok.

[serene grace]

Didn't we write the same thing here last week, that medals would be coming to him soon for this......

I really think the pr machine needs to wait until he's finished his duty to release all this stuff.

[harmony]

I will believe it when I see it.  And if it turns out to be true, he would most definitely be criticized for it – a medal for what – doing your job for just few weeks… but again if everyone gets it, then he would be ok.

[Stix Chix]

Do all soldier who were involved get this medal or just William?

i think it only goes to the small group who were manning the helicopter.  so it'll go to William and whoever else was in the helicopter with him at the time.

i can see the US Coast Guard wanting to recognize them for helping them with the bust.  it was a big one!  but if the story is true i'm a little unsure if the articles have named the right medal.  i did some research on the Joint Services Achievement Medal and everything i found said you had to be a member of the US military to receive it.  unless they were in American controlled waters.......that might allow them to get the medal. 

i'm sure we'll hear more about it over the next few days.

Prince William to receive medal for Caribbean drug-bust--The Internet Forum

[usa1981]

I think the medal is either everyone on board the ship or directly invloved in the bust. This would mean the crew who take care of the helicopter, the crew of the helicopter, the boarding party, and any crew that helped take the drugs off the boat and help wiegh it. Some of those thingswould done by both US Coast Gaurd peraonel and the Royal Navy crew members.

[alsgal]

As I said, I don't believe it. And....... if perchance this is true, then I would like to be first to gag and vomit, it just wouldn't be right. One for all and All of one.

[usa1981]

As I said artilce consentrate on it being Prince William something the everyone on ship will recieve thre only William and everyone else his will 5 weeks service and everyone elses will 5 or 6 months of service. It is not going to for just the on action.
http://www.eucom.mil/english/CommandStaff/ECJ1/ECJ1-PAD/JSAM/jsammain.asp

[MapleLeaf]

I read the article twice to make sure I didn't miss anything -- I wear glasses, so it's easy for me to miss stuff!!

The article was very clear, it said that Wills will be presented with a Joint Services Achievement Medal by the US Coast Guard in recognition of his part in the coc@ine seizure.  I'm with Stixsie, I don't know if that's the correct name of the medal or not, but that's what the article says.

It also said that:

A US Coast Guard spokesman said: “It was a great team effort and shows the co-operation between the Royal Navy and US Coast Guard. When missions are successful like this one, there are rewards. In recognition of all the effort made, we will present an award to all those involved.”

He said the medal would be sent to William once he is back in Britain.

And:

“My young lads and two female officers showed exemplary courage in what was a prolonged and dangerous operation, almost entirely carried out in complete darkness. Everyone played their part.”

Well that's very plain speaking then, with no room for misunderstandings.  The Express article says the Commander clearly stated all of those directly involved will receive a medal, including Wills.   

Wills has been doing things with the military since January 2006 when he entered Sandhurst, and we've seen no evidence of him having a learning disability, so I think it's possible he's learned quite a lot, enough to be a competent military officer at least. 

Actually I think Wills has learned enough to actually be an asset in some situations, and not just some sort of a liability or an albatross just hanging around getting in the other military personnel's way. 

Wills isn't able to serve on the front lines, but with this drug bust at least he got to do something positive and feel like he was contributing, and the other military personnel he was working with felt like he was contributing too.  I think that's the best part. 
And to top it off, something good was accomplished and harmful drugs were seized, and those are the things that matter.  I'm proud of Wills, and if the U.S Coast Guard feels that he earned his medal, then he earned his medal.  I think it's significant that the U.S. Coast Guard are the ones that want to give Wills a medal, not CH or the MoD.

[alsgal]

I'm still shaking my head. This is crazy, is everyone else looking at this with the same scrutiny?
He boards the ship, and week and a half later he  is getting a medal?
Who is getting a medal? All onboard the copter? All onboard the Iron Duke? All on board the USCG ship? Any other reconnaissance teams?
I can see an accommodation or something similar, but isn't this overkill? Or am I just being a cynical old biddy? ....... as usual.

[RMS]

 
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/51278/Medal-for-drug-buster-Wills

Quote:
‘A US Coast Guard spokesman said: “It was a great team effort and shows the co-operation between the Royal Navy and US Coast Guard. When missions are successful like this one, there are rewards. In recognition of all the effort made, we will present an award to all those involved.” ’

Everyone will receive the medal - The team William was with from the Iron Duke and any US CG members involved with the seize.

Good point Stix, I’m sure if the RN led the US CG to the boat it was in US waters or international waters under US control.  Unlike other US medals, the Joint Service Achievement Medal might very well be awarded to foreign service members under circumstances similar to this.  The joint service might not just apply to US services.  People need not assume William is receiving an honor more deserving than his role in the event.  This medal is more of a certificate of achievement and as usa1981 stated, in the personal decoration category it is the last group of medals in the order of precedence.  There won’t even be an awards ceremony as the US CG spokesman said he’ll be sent the medal after he returns home. It is not in the same caliber as Harry’s Campaign medal but nevertheless, it is recognition of a job well done.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achievement_Medal

Congrats to everyone and thank you.

[sandy]

Wills has to get medals so when he marries Kate he is loaded down with them. It's traditional.

I see the Daily Express isn't letting in comments. I wonder why.

[MrsB]

I don't know the correct rules, but medals that are not awarded or approved by the sovereign may not be worn with service uniform. So Wills may have to keep this one in a box unless Grandma says otherwise.

[RMS]

^ I was wondering if he would be allowed to wear it or not since it would be a foreign medal pinned on a British uniform.

Oh well, he'll just have to wear it when he visits the States for tea.

[Haidee]

^ But the British RN were involved so if it is awarded to british soldiers they should be allowed to wear it i think

I'm still shaking my head. This is crazy, is everyone else looking at this with the same scrutiny?
He boards the ship, and week and a half later he  is getting a medal?
Who is getting a medal? All onboard the copter? All onboard the Iron Duke? All on board the USCG ship? Any other reconnaissance teams?
I can see an accommodation or something similar, but isn't this overkill? Or am I just being a cynical old biddy? ....... as usual.

I agree alsgal. it sounds silly - although he did a good job in that drug bust but that is what the purpose of his voyage was for, the same as everyone else. Arent those drug bust routine which means he shouldnt be awarded for doing his job. I can see at the end of the stint if everyone got a medal for taking part in the RN operations - but for doing one job after a week - he is going to be dragged across the coals by critics. Remember when Harry got his medal - they went nuts and said he didnt deserve it - would this be the same???

Dont get me wrong they all did a god job at stopping the drug runners and stopping the coke from entering the streets,... but a medal for it im not so sure.... If the whole crew gets one so be it and good for them!!!

[Amun]

I'm still shaking my head. This is crazy, is everyone else looking at this with the same scrutiny?
He boards the ship, and week and a half later he  is getting a medal?
Who is getting a medal? All onboard the copter? All onboard the Iron Duke? All on board the USCG ship? Any other reconnaissance teams?
I can see an accommodation or something similar, but isn't this overkill? Or am I just being a cynical old biddy? ....... as usual.

For once we agree whole-heartedly on something.  What a bunch of crap!!!!  The other men deserve the medal because this is what they do - day in, day out.  Wills was just lucky to be there.  And is this medal given out each time a huge drug bust is done or is it only because Wills participated and they're acknowledging his presence?  I'm SO over this medal giving propaganda!

[leogirl]

Wills has to get medals so when he marries Kate he is loaded down with them. It's traditional.

I see the Daily Express isn't letting in comments. I wonder why.

That's exactly what I was thinking.

[MapleLeaf]

...And is this medal given out each time a huge drug bust is done or is it only because Wills participated and they're acknowledging his presence?....

I think this question has to be directed towards the U.S. Coast Guard.  They are the entity who is choosing to give medals to everyone involved with the drug recovery operation, so they are the entity that should be questioned. 

Wills helped to make the drug seizure happen, and it's right that he should receive the same recognition that everyone else who participated is receiving.  The other participants are receiving the Joint Service Achievement medal from the U.S. Coast Guard, and as Wills was a participant, he gets a medal as well.

The commander said Wills was the Spotter on duty in the Lynx helicopter when the drug boat was spotted.  Wills simply did the duty he was supposed to do that day, just like all the other sailors on duty. 

The commander said in the article that Wills worked alongside everyone else to get the materials loaded and secured after the boat was spotted and they took the criminals into custody.  He said Wills did his part, and that Wills was professional and that he worked efficiently. 

There is no waiting period eligibility for the JSA medal the U.S. Coast Guard is awarding to Wills and his colleagues, so the length of time a person has served isn't a deciding factor.  A person's contribution is a deciding factor.  If Wills did the work along with everyone else, there is no reason he shouldn't receive the reward along with everyone else. 

Anything else involves deliberately excluding Wills from the reward even though he did his share of the work, which would be plain discrimination. 

[leogirl]

I believe that William's people knew about the medal and knew that where he was being sent was a prime location for drugs to be shipped... ie. there was a 99% chance that his team would catch drug shipments. William needs to get a collection of medals to wear to his wedding. Maybe he has decided to marry Kate sooner rather than later, so he is collecting all the medals he can that he can wear on the big day. This could explain why it took no time for them to find drugs and why William is spending so little time with each branch in the military. It gives him basic knowlege and allows him to pick up a medal along the way.

[Haidee]

If he does get married sooner wont he only have 3 medals anyway - this one, the jubilee medal and the knight of the garter thing(sorry long day)??  It is really unfair if he is doing this just to build up a chest full of medals but he got his wings before he finished training - his whole military career is wrong in my book - that probably why people are a little miffed about his career and his not taking it seriously. He is only doing it because as the heir he has to and it shows!!

[leogirl]

I think it would be better for William if he chose a branch and stuck with it for 2-4 years. Same with charities; to change with each branch just seems like he is doing it for PR not because he is passionate about it... and it shows.