Originally posted by Seaboe Muffinchucker
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And to prove I'm not the only one thinking this AND to prove how often prop canon is not only wrong but even self-contradictory, take a look at this:
http://www.stargatehandbook.org/sg1/...tml#profession
Some relevant bits:
As of Fair Game is wearing an AF Longevity medal with, apparently, three bronze clusters. This can't be right. The medal is for four years of service, and each cluster represents an additional awarding. This would mean he's been in in the AF for at least 16 years, but less than 20, as of 1999.
Jack didn't turn 18 until 1975 (canonically born in 1957--Brief Candle), which was the year that all US troops were finally pulled out of Viet Nam. Even if he'd lied about his age to get in younger, we weren't still sending troops to 'Nam at that point. The 'proof' given for this fanon is that Jack wears at least one Viet Nam medal.
Given the aired canon on Jack's age, the Viet Nam medals are simply a mistake. The two Viet Nam medals given were both given only up to 1973 -- Jack would have been 16 in 1973, and certainly couldn't have served in action long enough to have earned the medals. He would have to have joined when he was fifteen. (For specifics on the medals Jack appears to be wearing, see the Air Force descriptions: Vietnam Service and Republic of Vietnam.)
Since prop canon is only valid in the absence of aired canon, this basically doesn't count. (Moreover, a closer look at the medals Jack and Sam are wearing during her promotion (Fair Game, third season, 1999) shows that she's not wearing the Air Medal -- which she earned a year earlier (Secrets, second season, 1998). So I'm looking at these medals as a guide, but not cast in stone.)
I've seen the images from eighth season showing that Jack graduated from the academy in 1974. While that is further (unsupported) prop canon implying that he was born in 1952, it also supports my assumption that he can't have the Vietnam medals, since he wouldn't have been serving in active duty in 'Nam while attending the academy. Neither of those medals were awarded to anyone who hadn't served in-country before March 28, 1973.
So, at the very least it's open to interpretation and up for a debate - which hedwig and I have been doing.
You are free to believe what you want, but please remember that your belief doesn't magically transform itself into canon, which by definition relies on facts. And finally, since I know quite a few people here on GW sharing my view on this, you can hardly claim it's "canon for everybody but me". Ugh, no.
No Sam w/o a Jack and no Jack w/o a Sam.
My Fics - the fluffy/silly variety
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