The Pentagon recently rolled out instructions for the new devices to be worn on medals with a “C” device denoting combat and an “R” device denoting remote,? joining the “V” for valor device. The Defense Department instruction 1348.33, effective Dec. 21, 2016, covers 12 awards. The a?wards now eligible for an “R” device are the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the service-specific Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, and the service-specific Achievement Medal. This device is for employment of a weapons system with direct impact on an operation, from a remote location or “not directly exposed to hostile action. The “C” device is for meritorious service under combat conditions while exposed to hostile action. The only award of the 12 not eligible for either new device is the Bronze Star.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. still “believes” in his mantra of “Accelerate Change or Lose”—and indicated the doctrinal changes it produced when he was Air Force Chief of Staff played a role in the service’s recent response to Iran’s aerial assault on Israel, he…