A Study In Contrasts

When a U.S. Strike Group returns from a six month deployment, you get some coverage on the local news, the Navy web page will have an article, and a year or so later Big Navy might get around to awarding some sort of unit commendation.

In Russia, where they had a five ship squadron just complete a 3 month cruise to the IO, you have the country's President directing the Defense Minister to "analyse the results of the cruise and come forward with a list of officers and seamen recommended for decoration with State awards and for various other kinds of rewards."

You may jump on me for this, but I for one almost feel happy that the Russian sailors could do something kinda difficult without having one of their ships sink or have to get towed back to port or something. It's like some rival of your favorite football team that's fallen on hard times; you might laugh at them as they continually fumble the ball, but deep down you wish they could at least make a little bit of a game of it... just for old times sake.