MyMilitaryMedals.com Blog
Military Talk
January 28th 2012 - 7:36 pm
The Army certainly has its own culture and its own language to go with it! Someone would say to me, “Oh your husband is in the Army? What Unit is he in? What is his MOS?”…..HUH? Coming from the civilian world and marrying into the Army, I was at a complete loss with all of the lingo! Why can’t they just say job? What is your husband’s job? In their defense, yes, saying MOS is much easier than saying Military Occupational Specialty.
I picked up the Army language rather quickly, but am still not fluent. Sometimes I forget when talking to my family just how far I have come! One day a civilian friend from back home called and asked what my plans were for the day. I told her, “Well I’m going to run on base to the commissary and grab a few things. I have to pick up my husband’s ACUs from the cleaner before our FRG meeting tonight.” Understandably, she had no idea what I was talking about!
To make things more interesting, the military language is not universal throughout the branches of service! The lingo changes between the Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Army.
Although I am getting stronger in speaking Army, it is still difficult to decipher military awards and what all the Army medals and military ribbons stand for. Depending on whether the soldier is enlisted or commissioned, how many years they’ve been in service, duty combats, etc., etc. they could have a million different military ribbons and tons of different military honors on their uniforms. With different military honors, these individuals may need to be addressed a certain way, talk about nerve racking meet and greets!
Just an FYI, nonservicemembers do not salute. You will look like an idiot if you do so. And embarrass your husband.
The Saint Barbara Military Award
January 27th 2012 - 12:43 pm
The Saint Barbara military award is given on behalf of the United States Field Artillery. With this military honor, one becomes a part of the honorary military society of the United States Field Artillery. This military order is bestowed upon service members in both the United States Marines and Army field artillerymen, as well as others in the civilian world who have supported their efforts. This military award is presented by the United States Field Artillery Association. There are two levels of recognition that exist. The highest ranking honor of the Saint Barbara Order is the Ancient Order of Saint Barbara. Those recognized with this military achievement have served long-term, distinguished service to the field artillery community surpassing fellow comrades receiving the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara. This military honor ties field artillerymen of history with those forging into the future in a family marked by selflessness to country, professionalism in their trade, and the same sacrifice symbolized by Saint Barbara.
As the legend goes, Saint Barbara was the extremely beautiful daughter of a wealthy man in Asia Minor. Afraid her relentless beauty would make her a token for marriage, her jealous father ordered her to a tower in which her would be shut away and protected from the outside world. Before he was scheduled to depart on a long journey, he ordered a beautiful bath house to be built for his daughter. Barbara had become well versed in Christ and understanding in his teachings. She ordered the builders of the bathhouse to have three windows in order to represent the Holy Trinity.
When her father returned from his journey, he was infuriated with Barbara practicing Christianity. He took her before the head of the province who proceeded to condemn her to be tortured and put to death. Her father beheaded her himself. On his way home from ending his own beautiful daughter’s life, he was struck by lightning and killed. The legend of the lightning bolt who struck down her perpetrator caused her to reign as the patron saint in time of danger from such disasters including thunderstorms, fire, and sudden death. When gunpowder made its way into the world, Saint Barbara was called upon to protect believers from accidents resulting from explosions since oftentimes early artillery equipment blew up instead of firing its projectile. Thus, Saint Barbara became the patroness of the artillerymen.
