On my way to work this morning, I stopped on the side of the road to help a road accident victim. After we treated him and loaded him onto the ambulance for transport, one of the first responders came over to me and said, "this is for you," and handed me an envelope with my name on it -- the return address was Israel's "Ministry of Defense."
I got into my car and opened the envelope; "This hereby gives you the privilege of wearing the Ribbon of the Second Lebanon War"
My name and ID were printed on the leaflet, and the war ribbon accompanied the leaflet in the envelope.
"Ribbons" are the colorful insignias that soldiers get for a vareity of reasons. In Israel, they are issued after wars. In the US, for a multitude of reasons.
I received this ribbon for serving in the capacity as a Magen David Adom (Israel emergency rescue and medical service) volunteer ambulance driver and medic, during the Second Lebanon War. I posted about it back then, here (with pictures, etc.)
While war ribbons are normally given to combat soldiers, it was decided that for this war, since so many emergency rescue service took part in the war effort, under rocket fire, that they would also be awarded to civilians as well. MDA, the Fire Department, and other emergency service workers and volunteers are receiving it.
The question is: To wear it, or not?
As a whole, Israel did rather poorly in the Second Lebanon War (despite many heroic acts of bravery by outstanding IDF soldiers, and despite the round the clock commitment from MDA, Haztala, and Fire Department workers and volunteers). At the end of the day, we surrendered under fire, pulled out our troops, did not receive our kidnapped soldiers back as part of the negotiated end of battle, and we were left with smug politicians like Ehud Olmert, Tzippi Livni and a "heroic" Chief of Staff who patted themselves on the back that we won the war.
Many combat soldiers felt that giving the "war ribbon" to all IDF soldiers, not just to those on the war front and in combat, but even to IDF office workers in the comfort of Tel-Aviv, was adding insult to the injury of a war without direction, without objectives (actually, none of the stated objectives were met), and a Chief of Staff who cared more about his stock portfolio than the war. (He quietly sold his portfolio in the first hours of the war). Many also thought that emergency crews, despite being under fire, shouldn't get this ribbon. My combat-buddy doubletapper would probably agree this shouldn't be given out so easily.
Will I wear it? Maybe, but I doubt it.
The most important aspect of it all is for my kids to know that in time of crisis, Israel has to bond together, and do what it takes -- be in milluim/IDF reserve duty, driving an ambulance, or volunteering in some capacity.
I got into my car and opened the envelope; "This hereby gives you the privilege of wearing the Ribbon of the Second Lebanon War"
My name and ID were printed on the leaflet, and the war ribbon accompanied the leaflet in the envelope.
"Ribbons" are the colorful insignias that soldiers get for a vareity of reasons. In Israel, they are issued after wars. In the US, for a multitude of reasons.
I received this ribbon for serving in the capacity as a Magen David Adom (Israel emergency rescue and medical service) volunteer ambulance driver and medic, during the Second Lebanon War. I posted about it back then, here (with pictures, etc.)
While war ribbons are normally given to combat soldiers, it was decided that for this war, since so many emergency rescue service took part in the war effort, under rocket fire, that they would also be awarded to civilians as well. MDA, the Fire Department, and other emergency service workers and volunteers are receiving it.
The question is: To wear it, or not?
As a whole, Israel did rather poorly in the Second Lebanon War (despite many heroic acts of bravery by outstanding IDF soldiers, and despite the round the clock commitment from MDA, Haztala, and Fire Department workers and volunteers). At the end of the day, we surrendered under fire, pulled out our troops, did not receive our kidnapped soldiers back as part of the negotiated end of battle, and we were left with smug politicians like Ehud Olmert, Tzippi Livni and a "heroic" Chief of Staff who patted themselves on the back that we won the war.
Many combat soldiers felt that giving the "war ribbon" to all IDF soldiers, not just to those on the war front and in combat, but even to IDF office workers in the comfort of Tel-Aviv, was adding insult to the injury of a war without direction, without objectives (actually, none of the stated objectives were met), and a Chief of Staff who cared more about his stock portfolio than the war. (He quietly sold his portfolio in the first hours of the war). Many also thought that emergency crews, despite being under fire, shouldn't get this ribbon. My combat-buddy doubletapper would probably agree this shouldn't be given out so easily.
Will I wear it? Maybe, but I doubt it.
The most important aspect of it all is for my kids to know that in time of crisis, Israel has to bond together, and do what it takes -- be in milluim/IDF reserve duty, driving an ambulance, or volunteering in some capacity.
Shabbat Shalom -- a good weekend to you all.
Jameel.
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