Ask Michael K!

[Sister_Mom]

Is your Christmas shopping done for your family?

As far as I know.  Unless you have something else you want to buy for yourself, wrap up, label from me to you, and put under the tree.

How about a plane ticket to Florida?   

[M‡¢ĦÆŁ Ҝ]

How about a plane ticket to Florida?

Are you buying it for us?

[Sister_Mom]

You offered 

Is your Christmas shopping done for your family?

As far as I know.  Unless you have something else you want to buy for yourself, wrap up, label from me to you, and put under the tree.

How about a plane ticket to Florida?   

Besides, if I bought that, I wouldn't have money left over to "potentially" go to Germany. Duh!!   

[Sis]

Is your Christmas shopping done for your family?

*Sis raises hand*  You  can always go shopping for me! 

[sunlight]

what is your new signature? what do they mean?

[Babs]

If you could rid the earth of one thing, what would it be?

[Sister_Mom]

what is your new signature? what do they mean?

[M‡¢ĦÆŁ Ҝ]

what is your new signature? what do they mean?

There are four items in my signature block, they each represent four different aspects of who I am.

1.)  My ribbon rack representing my military service and my military accomplishments
2.)  "Arctic Rose Stole My Heart" represents my love for my wife
3.)  Seagull video represents my lighthearted and fun side
3.)  Insect animation represents the fact that sometimes I end up bugging/annoying people

[M‡¢ĦÆŁ Ҝ]

If you could rid the earth of one thing, what would it be?

People that don't agree with me. 

I see no practical purpose for the existance mosquitoes, so I would probably rid the world of mosquitoes.

[sunlight]

cool beans! is there an easy explanation/exponation of #1? does each little bar represent something different?
and what does it say under your picture in German?

[M‡¢ĦÆŁ Ҝ]

cool beans! is there an easy explanation/exponation of #1? does each little bar represent something different?

There are seven rows of three ribbons.  They are in order of importance from top left to lower right (most important is top left).  Some ribbons have devices on them.  Oak Leaf Clusters and Star devices represent subsequent issuance of the same ribbon, i.e. one ribbon with one device means I was issued the ribbon twice.  A maximum of four devices can be worn on a ribbon and in very rare cases, two of the same ribbon might be worn because of too many devices -- I have one that is worn this way.  My ribbons are, by row, from left to right;

Top row;
1: Joint Service Achievement Medal - For exceptional achievement while serving in a joint service unit.
2: Air Force Achievement Medal (X2) - For exceptional achievement in direct support of the USAF
3: Army Achievement Medal - For exceptional achievement in direct support of the U.S. Army

2nd Row;
1: Meritorious Unit Award - Awarded to a unit for meritorious service
2&3: AF Outstanding Unit Award (X5) with Valor device - Awarded to a unit for outstanding performance.  Valor device awarded to a unit outstanding performance with valor in a hostile environment.  Normally I would wear one ribbon and four oak leaf clusters, but with the valor device I can only wear three oak leaf clusters (max 4 devices), so a second ribbon is worn to denote the fourth oak leaf.

3rd Row;
1: AF Organizational Excellence Award (X2) - Awarded to a unit for excellence in service
2: Combat Readiness Medal - Awarded after completing in depth combat training and serving at least two years in a combat unit
3: AF Good Conduct Medal (X5) - Awarded for three years of good conduct.  Issuance of this ribbon was discontinued two years ago.  While I can wear the ones I was issued, no new ones will be issued to anyone in the AF.

4th Row
1: National Defense Medal (X2) - Awarded for military service during major wartime action.  I have two, one for Desert Storm and one for the Global War on Terror.  Being in the service during major wartime action is all that is required to get one, seeing wartime action is not required.  This ribbon is the same among all branches of the U.S. military, Army, AF, USMC, Navy
2: Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (X2) - Awarded for participating in action in a Theater of Operations.  I received mine for Operation Joint Force and Operation Enduring Freedom.  Only one is issued for each operation, no matter how many times one goes there, e.g.two tours in OEF is only worth one ribbon.
3: Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal - Awarded for serving in a hostile environment in direct support of the GWoT

5th Row;
1: Global War on Terror Service Medal - Awarded for direct support of the GWoT in a non-hostile environment
2: AF Overseas Short Tour Ribbon - Awarded at the end of each overseas short tour served
3: AF Overseas Long Tour Ribbon (X2) - Awarded at the end of each overseas long tour

6th Row;
1: AF Expeditionary Service Ribbon - Awarded for serving in a combat zone
2: AF Longevity Ribbon (X3) - Awarded after every four years of AF service (I'll get my 4th one in March)
3: NCO Professional Military Education Ribbon (X2) - Awarded for completing military education.  While not shown in the picture, I have one device on mine now.  One was for Airman Leadership School and the other was for the NCO Academy which I just completed in November.

7th Row;
1: Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon - Awarded for shooting expert marksman on a small arms weapon (in my case, the M-16 with 39 out of 40 rounds in the "center of mass" on the target)
2: AF Training Ribbon - Awarded for completing basic training.  Everybody in the AF has one of these
3: NATO Medal -  Awarded for serving in a NATO unit in the former Yugoslavia

NOTE:  Any awards describes as "Medal" have a corresponding medal that is issued with the ribbon.  Any awards described as "Award" or "Ribbon" are only issued as the ribbon you see with no corresponding medal.

and what does it say under your picture in German?

I assume you are talking about the writing under my avatar?  That is Arabic and it roughly translates, "The infamous red X"  It goes with the animated avatar.

[Babs]

If you could ask God any single question, what would it be?

[M‡¢ĦÆŁ Ҝ]

If you could ask God any single question, what would it be?

I would ask, "Why?"

[sunlight]

What do you do with the metals?

[M‡¢ĦÆŁ Ҝ]

What do you do with the metals?

Right now, my medals are in a box somewhere.  I have never been in a situation where I was required to wear the medals, only the ribbons.

[sunlight]

have you ever written any songs or poetry?

[newkris]

those ribbons, awards, honors, medals?  that's very cool.  that represents your lifetime of work in a very cool manner.

are you tired of answering questions yet?

what did you do to celebrate new years?

[Sister_Mom]

those ribbons, awards, honors, medals?  that's very cool.  that represents your lifetime of work in a very cool manner.

Just want to interject something that MicaelK probably won't say himself, he has quite a rack. Others may have more, and he possibly has more that he doesn't display, but the rack he has displayed is a very honorable one. Something he would say is, any thanks, hat tips, salutes, etc. goes just as much to the woman beside the man, as it takes a very special kind to be able to endure, give the needed support and encouragement needed for a man to earn a rack like that.

[M‡¢ĦÆŁ Ҝ]

have you ever written any songs or poetry?

Roses are green,
Violets are pink,
Because my color TV
Is on the blink.

Does that count?

are you tired of answering questions yet?

No.  If people really want to know, I have no qualms with telling them.  If I ever see a question I don't want to answer, I'll just say so.

what did you do to celebrate new years?

With friends and family and a whole lot of fireworks.

Just want to interject something that MicaelK probably won't say himself, he has quite a rack.

Uhhhh, thank you, *blush*    Oh! you meant ribbon rack!

Others may have more,

When going through the NCO academy, I had more ribbons than many other TSgt's, but I was a far cry from having the most.  One guy who has spent is entire 14 years so far in TAC-P (AF Special Forces) has 36 ribbons on his rack.  There were at least a dozen other people out of the 140 at the academy that had more ribbons than me, some with several years less service than me.

and he possibly has more that he doesn't display, but the rack he has displayed is a very honorable one.

With the exception of the one device that is on my NCO training ribbon, the picture I have shows all of the ribbons I have been awarded so far. 

Something he would say is, any thanks, hat tips, salutes, etc. goes just as much to the woman beside the man, as it takes a very special kind to be able to endure, give the needed support and encouragement needed for a man to earn a rack like that.

I gave my wife an AF coin (similar to the coins I get).  On the front is has the AF logo and the words "Air Force Spouse."  On the back it has the words "Grateful Appreciation" around the edge with writing in the middle that reads, "Given in gratitude for unselfish, faithful, and devoted service.  Your unfailing support and understanding help to make possible your spouse's lasting contribution to a grateful nation."  She likes to carry the coin around in her purse.

[sunlight]

if you could do it all over again, would you change anything?
- i was surprised that the majority of people i ask this questoin say no...

[M‡¢ĦÆŁ Ҝ]

if you could do it all over again, would you change anything?

The only thing I would consider changing would be to join the Air Force right after graduating high school rather than waiting the six years I did.  Had I joined then, I would have been eligible to retire two years ago, instead of four years from now.

The only problem with making that change is I would not have married the most beautiful, most special woman in the world.  Arctic Rose and I were married three years after I graduated high school, and three years before I went into the Air Force.  That alone is enough to make me say, "No, I would not change anything."

[newkris]

you may have answered this already, but i don't remember it. . . .

what's your favorite thing about arctic rose?

[Sister_Mom]

Just want to interject something that MicaelK probably won't say himself, he has quite a rack.

Uhhhh, thank you, *blush*    Oh! you meant ribbon rack!

Of course you goof! 

Something he would say is, any thanks, hat tips, salutes, etc. goes just as much to the woman beside the man, as it takes a very special kind to be able to endure, give the needed support and encouragement needed for a man to earn a rack like that.

I gave my wife an AF coin (similar to the coins I get).  On the front is has the AF logo and the words "Air Force Spouse."  On the back it has the words "Grateful Appreciation" around the edge with writing in the middle that reads, "Given in gratitude for unselfish, faithful, and devoted service.  Your unfailing support and understanding help to make possible your spouse's lasting contribution to a grateful nation."  She likes to carry the coin around in her purse.

Awwwwww!!! 

[Tricia Lea]

If fish could sneeze and a whole school of fish sneezed all at once, how big a wave would it create?

[Babs]

If it wasn't for the last minute, would anything ever get done?