But the outrage over medals given for Yugoslavia is baseless. Air warriors got the same awards their counterparts have been getting since the Korean war. The real issue here isn't medals but warfare. Eyeball to eyeball is no longer the battlefield geography. But veterans just do not want to let go of old glory.
Medals are more than just adornments on the military uniform.
They are a recognition of military service, and when they are combat awards, they connote risk of life and bravery under fire. The newspaper and the experts are dead wrong. According to the original 1944 Executive Order establishing the Bronze Star, any service member serving in any capacity can earn the medal for heroic or meritorious achievements or service. There is no requirement to be in any combat zone. As far back as the Korean war, airmen stationed on Okinawa were awarded Bronze Stars for meritorious service.