In DOD it is common to get civilian awards, and "some people" have them sitting on their desk.
As someone who is retired military I always thought that a personal award in the form of a golden Scooby Snack that I could hang on my dog collar was stupid.
This concept was reinforced by my last active duty job. I had the unfortunate task of handling posthumous awards for Australian Defense Force servicemen and women who died in Afghanistan and Iraq while deployed with the Allied Forces. I also did regular American awards for Aussies that served with us in theater.
As an example.
Capt John Smith 2nd Infantry of Horse, Defense Superior Service Medal posthumous for getting killed by the an IED.
PO1 Jack Smith, Special Boat Service, Army Achievement Medal posthumous for getting killed by an IED. But what you don't know is that Jack Smith was killing bad guys like a superhero for 18 months and heavily involved in every single combat action the Aussies were in. A true hero, and probably someone who should have a warship named after him and get an award from the Queen.
So then I get petitions from the family and Australian service groups to try and get an upgraded medal. To which I tell them I will work on it, but this man's contribution is not measured by what award he got from the US Military, and that we (not me, but the Army folks in theater) dropped the ball.
Or I would get petitions from the family of long deceased Australian servicemen asking for some type of military award for cousin Vinnie who was some how involved in WW1 or WW2 with the US, but has been dead since the 1930s.
Australians have a sort of weird relationship with military awards, they are not allowed to be sold on ebay or traded. Only the original family of the awardee can own them. So having a set of awards from some long lost uncle is a huge thing. I digressed there a bit.
At one time I was not immune from award envy, I was promised an award for processing awards by the Army folks in Afghanistan (initially I thought, yeah that's a great idea). Eventually I came to my senses and realized it was stupid that people were literally dying to get awards and I was a big fat turkey sitting at the Embassy 6000 miles away, and no longer deploying to the war zone. So I told them I didn't want anything, and ended up using it as a running joke. Because I had decreased the timeline to get awards and cleaned up a lot of the processes for the both governments in the speed awards got out.
Then about 8 months before I retired (still at the embassy), I was told that I was doing a good job and I was going to get a either a Defense Meritorious Service Medal or a Meritorious Service Medal on retirement. I joked with my boss and told them I wanted a Coast Guard Pistol Marksman award, as I was pretty soured on awards by then and I didn't actually need an award.
I didn't get the DMSM as promised, or even a MSM, hell I didn't even get a CG Pistol award (this is the lowest award at the time in the military). I got a Joint Service Commendation Medal as a retirement award, so even though I was promised one thing I got another.
Another time after service in Kosovo I was honored with the NATO Medal, as we flew missions into Kosovo and did a lot of good there in the slaughter that was going on. A few years later they came out with a Kosovo Medal, and some people claim you can wear the Kosovo medal if you want with the NATO. I was never issued the Kosovo medal. I probably earned it, but it was not a thing when I served. So I never bought one to wear.
The award went in the trashcan when I got home from my retirement. The citation went in the package with my DD214 paperwork, and once I actually out-processed and officially retired it too was trashed.
I didn't need an award to do a good job taking care of Australian veterans.
I don't need or want an award now, if you want to give me an award I'll take a step increase, or time off or a bonus. If you can't do that then just let me do my job. A six pack of decent beer on my desk at 1500 is fine too.
The problem with awards is they are not generally timely, they are usually wrong, and the amount of half-assery involved in the giving and taking of awards is generally substantial.
My understanding of why there is no longer a ribbon set for this award has something to do with the same reason that diplomats no longer wear a diplomatic uniform.
You were given the honor of the award, not the honor of the medals. These are not the same thing in my book, and if they aren't produced anymore there is probably a reason for it. Your award is no less prestigious without the medals, but in all honesty you didn't earn the medals so I wouldn't pursue their ownership.
Yes beyond thinking it is weird, there will be those that think less of you for purchasing an "I love me set of medals" when they aren't issued anymore.
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