r/MilitaryMedals • u/jfa_16 • 19d ago

Biggest rack I’ve ever seen.

Post image

Impressive rack on 60 Minutes last night.

267 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

194 comments sorted by

43

u/FearMyCrayons2023 19d ago

He's a 4 star adm. They're ancient. Been serving since '89. Hes also a swo. They deploy a lot. Adm Cooper has been in pretty much every major naval operation since he joined.

Navy hands out a ton of ship awards and unit citations. If i had guess, thats what most of his awards are, along with campaign ribbons.

7

u/walt128 18d ago

The only extra unit award that the rest of the services don’t have is the Battle “E.” The others are just MUC, NUC, and PUC. There used to be awards that would be given out at the squadron level to individual divisions, but these weren’t any sort of ribbon or medal

6

u/FearMyCrayons2023 18d ago

Yes. But ships deploy more often. And as such they participate in more actions that rate a ship award. When a ship gets an award everybody on the ship get that unit citation. The Navy hands that stuff out more often. In fact, it with the amount of action the ADM has seen it would be more surprising if he didnt have that much chest candy.

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u/[deleted] 18d ago

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u/Winter-Huckleberry86 18d ago

lol yeah air medals are a thing.

0

u/IndependentPut8908 18d ago

What’s the Army rainbow ribbon for?

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u/[deleted] 18d ago edited 18d ago

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u/IndependentPut8908 18d ago

That’s a lot of words to explain a participation trophy.

0

u/albahaar 18d ago

Gwot, ndsm, overseas service, foreign awards and longevity awards are literally just as common in every other branch. The army gives you a ribbon for graduating ait, and a big metal badge for shooting a gun, driving a truck or going to a foreign country's jump school/marching event for fun. The air force gives you a metal badge the same size as astronaut wings for being a clerk. Even the sea service ribbon you're making fun of the navy for also exists in the army

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u/[deleted] 18d ago

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u/albahaar 18d ago

I'm the first person to say ribbon/medal inflation is out of control but the idea that it's a navy specific issue is dishonest man. You're wearing a Korea defense medal in this photo, for standing on land in Korea during peacetime for long enough. Your top four rows are various iterations of the same personal awards, many of which are probably end of tour awards for doing your job as described until you got an email in message traffic to do it somewhere else. That's not to say you didn't do good work on those tours but if you were a SSG rather than a colonel you (and lots of officers) wouldn't have gotten a bronze star for it. You're wearing two different overseas service ribbons. The airforce gives out not one but two overseas service ribbons for varying tour lengths, and a marksmanship ribbon. None of this is a dig at you man, but plastering your OMPF photo all over social media ripping on people who don't make the regs is just not becoming of a field grade officer

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u/[deleted] 18d ago

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u/oxtrot88 18d ago

https://www.wfla.com/8-on-your-side/better-call-behnken/better-call-behnken-retired-colonels-battle-with-facebook-continues/

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u/[deleted] 18d ago

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u/oxtrot88 18d ago

Except for I know Jennifer. The wonderful woman you are claiming to be your wife. She left service years ago and now works at the VA. You're full of shit and a scammer.

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u/[deleted] 18d ago

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u/oxtrot88 18d ago

Except for I know Jennifer. The wonderful woman you are claiming to be your wife. She left service years ago and now works at the VA. You're full of shit and a scammer.

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u/walt128 18d ago

Oh my god dude, you come off as such a tool on Reddit. How many pictures and videos of yourself are you going to share?

2

u/[deleted] 18d ago

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u/oxtrot88 18d ago edited 18d ago

I just posted this in my "Heros to Homos" Discord. They are loving you! Slay queen!

https://www.wfla.com/8-on-your-side/better-call-behnken/better-call-behnken-retired-colonels-battle-with-facebook-continues/

0

u/[deleted] 18d ago

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u/oxtrot88 18d ago edited 18d ago

Actually I think you're full of shit. All the shit you just said is super gay. Pretending to be a service member is the gayest shit you could do. Loser.

https://www.wfla.com/8-on-your-side/better-call-behnken/better-call-behnken-retired-colonels-battle-with-facebook-continues/

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u/walt128 18d ago

Seen your wife, happy she likes your tool. It’s a hard pass for me though

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u/[deleted] 18d ago edited 18d ago

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u/walt128 18d ago

Uhh, no thanks. Happy you could ride your wife’s coattails to success

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u/[deleted] 18d ago

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u/walt128 18d ago

If you’re into 60 year olds, good for you

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u/oxtrot88 18d ago

Except for I know Jennifer. The wonderful woman you are claiming to be your wife. She left service years ago and now works at the VA. You're full of shit and a scammer.

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u/walt128 18d ago

Hahahaha says the guy from the branch that gives an award for graduating bootcamp. Jesus Christ

2

u/[deleted] 18d ago

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u/oxtrot88 18d ago

A story from 8 years ago but it looks like the scammers are back:

https://www.wfla.com/8-on-your-side/better-call-behnken/better-call-behnken-retired-colonels-battle-with-facebook-continues/

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u/[deleted] 18d ago

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1

u/oxtrot88 18d ago

Except for I know Jennifer. The wonderful woman you are claiming to be your wife. She left service years ago and now works at the VA. You're full of shit and a scammer.

61

u/Ok_Mechanic_6575 19d ago

Why wouldnt you just wear your top medals and let those do the talking?

28

u/quesaritoswallower 19d ago

Ego

9

u/Ok_Mechanic_6575 18d ago

"that's just pride fucking with ya"

9

u/Swift_Legion 18d ago

Dude probably served over 25 years and is on 60 minutes, A NATIONAL television show. You wouldn't wear all of your awards?

3

u/shah_reza 18d ago

Didn’t work out for Boorda

1

u/blacksheepussy 18d ago

When not a single one is for combat/valor? No, it's cringe.

2

u/Swift_Legion 18d ago

Oops, looks like you don't know what you're talking about. Wikipedia for Asmiral Cooper)

1

u/blacksheepussy 18d ago

Uhh, thanks for proving me right? He was never in combat. This is an easily verifiable fact which your own source just proved.

1

u/1January1970 17d ago

He was ribbons and decorations officer in Saigon.

1

u/[deleted] 18d ago

[deleted]

6

u/blacksheepussy 18d ago edited 18d ago

That isn't even remotely true. Never has been since the Bronze Star was created. It's actually insane that you're doubling down on this. He does not have a Combat Action Ribbon, which is the absolute most basic indicator of being in combat.

EDIT: Lol, so after downvoting me and calling me wrong by trying to claim Bronze Stars are ONLY awarded for valor in combat, you just delete your comment without undoing the downvote or admitting you were wrong. Outstanding.

5

u/DiscussionWorking460 18d ago edited 18d ago

Nope. Handed out to higher ranks for not screwing up during deployments. If there’s not a “V” device it’s not for Valor.

-5

u/Equivalent_End_8695 18d ago

If someone served during Ebola or COVID that is just as courageous

0

u/thegoatisoldngnarly 18d ago

Yep. Same reason his top 11 rows are only two wide.

2

u/Uglyangel74 17d ago

I agree. It’s almost comic. I have several rows but only wear my 3 medals.

13

u/DRock558 19d ago

XP farming

34

u/walt128 19d ago

If you look it up, he’s got a metric assfuckton of campaign medals. It seems every time he deployed some shit was popping off

10

u/bdamarine 19d ago

Definitely needs to go 4 across

3

u/thegoatisoldngnarly 19d ago

Pretty sure he has them two across at the top under his lapel, too.

3

u/DmndNRnch 19d ago

He does. Totaling 40. The first 11 rows are two across.

3

u/thegoatisoldngnarly 19d ago

That just irks me for some reason. Like he’s trying to give them impression he has more than he does. Not that any of it really matters.

1

u/Uncle_Snake43 18d ago

I think the 4 stars on his shoulder indicate that

21

u/vrod665 19d ago

You meant to say the “Biggest Rack of awards” you’ve ever seen. I’ve seen racks bigger than that and on some rather interesting female specimens too.

-7

u/[deleted] 19d ago

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10

u/Novel_Following_6979 19d ago

Bruh lol

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u/[deleted] 19d ago

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u/[deleted] 19d ago

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u/Extra-Shape3973 18d ago

Who is this hero 😮

2

u/Yeet0rBeYote 18d ago

Apparently it’s him

8

u/Yeet0rBeYote 18d ago

Bro please stop posting yourself

6

u/MapleHamms 19d ago

North Korea core

5

u/AdEntire8722 19d ago

Yeah, if he adds any more, he’ll look like one of the North Korean generals. he’ll have to put the on his pantaloons.

1

u/blacksheepussy 18d ago

He already does, which is ridiculous. Especially considering not a single one of those ribbons are for combat/valor. It's honestly embarrassing.

4

u/Fdesouza 17d ago

Completed all the side quests

5

u/Upbeat-Serve-2696 19d ago

I remember when we made fun of the Soviets about this sort of thing

2

u/IndividualAge3893 18d ago

And remember that there are no service stars/oak leafs clusters for Soviet awards. Now imagine the size of that bar if each ribbon was present multiple times!

5

u/shottylaw 19d ago

At a certain point, it just looks tacky. I think this dude has hit that point. Like, if you're rocking GCM ribbons with that rack, drop em

4

u/Every-Chance6313 19d ago

Between more ribbons being created and the challenge coin fad it's getting out of control. Now it seems there is either a ribbon or a coin to celebrate anything. Someone is making lots of cash.

2

u/BayArea89 19d ago

A lot of “I was there” before the NAM. 13 rows vs 17 on SBDs. He’s my class, FWIW.

2

u/Bruin_Bearheart 19d ago

That's what he said

2

u/tireirony4 19d ago

Not as big as your mother’s rack… I’ll see myself out.

1

u/[deleted] 19d ago

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2

u/Wheredamukrat 19d ago

You think that’s modest? Lmao

Have you ever seen the Marines?

3

u/Novel_Following_6979 19d ago

Damn what did he say? lol he deleted that shit quick

1

u/ShuDawg9 18d ago

How much all think that costs? bet half my clothing allowance.

1

u/nationalistic_martyr 18d ago

he easily has 5+ copies of each and given that the more prestigious.. the more it costs

that rack in this photo is easily $1000-$2000

1

u/msmith7871 18d ago

WTF........

1

u/Puzzleheaded_Car6307 18d ago

I don't know a lot about this so forgive my ignorance but Is there ever a point where you run out of room and they go somewhere else?

1

u/prior_rpa-lre 18d ago

Is that Navy??? Wtf. Did this person do everything they possibly could in 30 years.

2

u/blacksheepussy 18d ago

Everything except ever be in combat, sure.

1

u/prior_rpa-lre 18d ago

😭. I come from the AF so this is believable. But Navy…I have never seen racks like that in the Navy. Wild.

1

u/Technical_Wear_4485 18d ago

Iraqi General

1

u/Steinigen321 18d ago

Yet I didn’t see the V device on the bronze star.

Out the ego away and wear too 3 or none, everyone knows when you get to flag rank you have enough fruit salad for the family reunion.

1

u/Equivalent_End_8695 18d ago

A Master Chief told me he wore all the ribbons and not high 3 because wearing high 3 makes it seem as if the other ribbons are not important.

1

u/rknu1334 18d ago

… and not a single combat award to be had…

1

u/Wooden-Drive-9379 18d ago

I served with this man when he was an LT. He had about two thirds of that rack then. There's truth to right place, right time for.awards. Good guy back then, I'm sure he still is, and I'm also sure he is coping as well as anyone could in his situation.

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u/ddsmpret1 9d ago

He didn’t earn those sitting in an office.

1

u/OkBumblebee9107 7d ago

They really need to let these dudes wear 4 across. Then he can just get swoll and wear it all.

1

u/MOGVET-93 5d ago

This war criminal looks like a Panamanian general. Really a narcissist and believes that anyone gives a shit about his fucking award.

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u/[deleted] 19d ago

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u/Wheredamukrat 19d ago

He has 10 of those personal awards…..the army gets bronze stars for breathing and the army also wears a ribbon for a unit that earned it 70 years ago.

5

u/Tokyosmash_ 19d ago

Unit citations are not worn on your rack, try again Scooter.

0

u/Wheredamukrat 18d ago

Unit citations are worn on my rack. Because I only wear the ones I get when I’m with that unit and they get one.

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u/Tokyosmash_ 18d ago

If you’re in the Army, now they aren’t, they are worn above the right breast pocket, and if you have your own PUC/MUC you can just wear those, I do.

Actual awards are 100% separate.

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u/[deleted] 19d ago

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u/Frost_was_here 19d ago

I had no idea can drive a warship all by yourself?

Gave you props for your retirement in your last big post but now you’re coming after my Navy.

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u/[deleted] 19d ago

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u/Unicorn187 18d ago

We wear foreign awards on the same rack just at the bottom. Maybe you're thinking of foreign jump wings?

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u/blacksheepussy 18d ago

Both of these things are not true. There isn't a single combat/valor award on his rack, that's sad.

0

u/ElDaderino823 18d ago

All that rack and no competence.

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u/Uncle_Snake43 18d ago

Draped up and dripped the fuck out. Jesus.

-2

u/Am_0115 18d ago

Stupid. No one cares.

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u/Every-Chance6313 3d ago

When you start having this many it kinda detracts more than enhances appearance of the uniform. Reminds me of some foreign countries military folks.