Well I think the Army may be reflecting the low values of our public school system in this day and age. Why not give everybody a passing grade and tell them they're all great? What do you think that attitude breeds?
I had a mom come in my store last year after school got out. She went to the awards ceremony and said, "You know, I think that they should stop these ceremonies. The same kids get the awards all the time and it's really hard on the others."
Oh my God. I wanted to throw up. No let's do away with awards for people who show talent and skill and want to better themeselves. Let's make everyone the same and tell all these kids that why bother trying. Let's encourage complacency and lie to them. Guess what happens when these kids get out in the real world? They find reality, they hate it, they make lousy workers and bitter people.
Aren't we already seeing this? These people get out in reality and think that life should be FAIR. They want pats on the back when they do nothing and they do nothing. They can't deal with life and relationships and if the next guy gets something, they want it to. They enter the workforce and get fired and wind up quitting. They can't hack it because in school they got an A when they didn't deserve it.
You know I want to ask people like the lady who wanted to dispense with awards, how would you feel if you worked your butt off at work, put in overtime, never missed a day, were an exemplary employee, got a big raise, then found out that the raise you got and worked so hard for was also given to your co-worker who takes 15 cigarette breaks a day, is always late and has missed four days in the last 6 weeks. Come on lady, how would you feel? Would that be FAIR?
Yes, your right, these kind of things occuring cheapen the worth of life and it's trials and tribulations. The CIB, like other things in life has value and meaning and shouldn't be cheapened. It's stands for something and should remain that way. Let's keep our values. 
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"