US Army doles out medals for battling Y2K bug

The US Army last week said it will pin medals on its IT soldiers for fighting a war against the millennium bug.

The US Army last week said it will pin medals on its IT soldiers for fighting a war against the millennium bug.

Lieutenant General Lawson Magruder has ordered the medals to be awarded to soldiers who worked on the Y2K campaign.

Staff with two months on a Y2K project earn the Army Achievement Medal while those with at least a year of significant planning or operational IT work will be given the Army Commendation Medal (ACM).

According to army manuals the ACM is normally awarded for those who "while serving in any capacity with the Army distinguished himself by heroism, meritorious achievement or meritorious service".

The decision has created a storm in the US where war veterans complained that Y2K experts were getting the same awards that others had only got after 20 years active service in the line of fire.

UK soldiers who expect the British Army to dole out Y2K medals will, however, be sadly disappointed according to a Ministry of Defence spokesman.

"I don't think we have any plans for this. Although I wouldn't rule out someone getting something in the New Year's honour's list for Y2K efforts, it is unlikely that there would be anything like a campaign medal," he said.