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GROUND airmen OVERLOOKED

An article about the Combat Action Medal quoted retired Gen. T. Michael Moseley as saying that, until recently, 99.9 percent of the combat conducted by the Air Force was conducted by pilots and aircrew [“All’s fair in war?” Sept. 28]. That is a slap in the face of ground-supporting airmen.

In the same article, Col. Ken Sersun said the Air Force is an air-specific force. Does he know that there are bases that don’t even have a flight line, or that we also have a Space Command, Special Operations Command, Cyber Command and Global Strike Command?

Overlooking strengths that ground support brings to the Air Force seems to be a trend.

The Combat Action Medal is supposed to recognize combat, and yet we continuously shame ourselves by awarding it to people who don’t deserve it.

Two brigadier generals, along with majors, pilots and aircrew members, have received the award. Did they pull the trigger of a weapon or use tactics such as a rush-and-roll when they made contact?

There are no dogfights in these two wars, yet everyone wants to pencil-whip their way into the fight.

— Senior Airman Markeis McCray, Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.

REFORM MEDAL RuleS

I am a former staff sergeant who was stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.

Before I was medically discharged for asthma, I completed an enlisted performance report for an airman. I felt morally obligated to give him a “firewall 5,” because if I did not give him a good EPR rating, he would not receive a commendation or achievement medal upon his permanent change-of-station or separation.

I saw not marking him high as hurting him, which it does to a degree. While he was a good airman, he certainly was not “Mr. Air Force,” as I had told him.

My EPR also was due upon my separation. When I received it, I asked my supervisor why he gave me the firewall 5 rating. I told him that I did not think I deserved it, and that I believed I was a solid 4 with maybe one or two 3s. My supervisor told me that he based my EPR on his perception of how I met or exceeded his standards.

Despite the good ratings, I did not receive a commendation or achievement medal when I separated from the Air Force in 2008. This apparently was due to a 4 that I received four years earlier.

I agree that the rater’s integrity is an issue when rating subordinates, but we also need to adjust the PCS/separation medal requirements accordingly so we do not hurt our good airmen who may not make the firewall 5.

— Richard Bayer, Bristol, Conn.

COMMISSARY PRICES VARY

The article on commissaries was excellent [“A real bargain,” July 13].

The savings at commissaries are real and a benefit for service members. I have benefited from the commissary and BX since 1952.

Has anyone thought to compare prices among commissaries? For example, a carton of cigarettes costs almost $10 more at Dover Air Force Base, Del., than at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.

No one here can tell me why.

— Maj. William Mullarkey (ret.), Dover, Del.

find inspiration beyond pt

After failing a PT test in 2008, I lost weight and have been doing everything I can to keep it off.

I am now training for a marathon that takes place next April. Training for the marathon keeps me motivated to run, while raising money for charity.

— Tech. Sgt. Christopher Solomon, Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany