Posted on Apr 19, 2017
Why are officers recognized with awards more than enlisted?
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It seems to me that officers are recogized far more often then enlisted soldiers. I mean an officer and junior enlisted could do the same exact thing, or an enlisted could do more then an officer and chances are the officer will be given a higher award. Why? I have been in for almost 8 years and only have 1 AAM which is my only actual award.
Awards
Officers
Enlisted
Recognition
Fairness
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 562
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Man, there are a LOT of officers responding with their thoughts on why the enlisted ranks don't get the amount or level of awards that officers get.
And most of these answers are hilarious. But only because I'm a RETIRED MSG and it doesn't matter to me anymore.
There is an unwritten law in the Army that the higher the rank you are, the higher the award you get for doing a thing. and I am not whining, it really doesn't matter to this retired Soldier so I am speaking objectively.
I have been on the receiving end of not getting the award that an officer who did the same thing DID get, I have put in Soldiers for Awards and seen officers that I put in get upgraded while enlisted (especially lower enlisted) get downgraded for THE SAME ACTIONS.
And when I have mentioned these discrepancies, I have been told "that must just be your unit," "that's probably not what happened," or my favorite, "you don't understand the dynamics of what happens at higher levels."
I WAS the higher damned level. I ran a Batalion and a Brigade S2 Section. And I repeatedly watched as enlisted Soldiers got awarded lesser awards than officers, often for events in which the enlisted Soldier did something well beyond the officer's actions.
This is an Army-wide issue, and one that has been going on for decades. In 1993 as a Private I got an Certificate of Achievement for beating the best time on the "Green Hell" obstacle course in Fort Sherman Panama. My partner, a junior NCO, got an AAM. Later I found out that two officers, a 1st Lieutenant and a Captain, recieved ARCOMs for getting the "best time," which wasn't actually the best time but what translated to the "best time for a pair of officers," which they happened to leave off of the award citation.
In Iraq in 2009 I put a couple of Soldiers in for ARCOMs for their actions in the Intel field. I put our OIC in for an ARCOM as well, because I knew that putting him in for anything less would be a ska in the face that would cause all of my Soldiers' Awards to get slapped down. Our OIC had only been with us for bout a third of the deployment, prior to that we were without an OIC, having myself and one other NCO to run things. Our OIC was awarded a Bronze Star, and most of my Soldiers received AAMs.
I and most NCOs have long understood that the system is INCREDIBLY flawed, and that one just needs to Lee their teeth together and grind it out because the people who would CHANGE the flawed system are the same people who currently BENEFIT from the flawed system - namely, officers. and it's not ONLY officers; Senior NCOs are often given awards that are WILDLY out of proportion for the actions they have taken. Not too long ago a 1SG got an ARCOM for reporting Soldiers who were complaining ONLINE about their leadership. This, to me, says that her "trolling" of these Soldiers is equal in merit to the Army as my actions in COMBAT that merited an ARCOM. Which is, obviously, fucking RIDICULOUS.
I am not trying to offer any type of fix for this, I am simply stating the facts: officers (and to an extent senior NCOs) receive preferential treatment when it comes to awards. Anyone who tells you different is either delusional, bullshitting, or an officer who is trying to defend a flawed system.
And that's okay. My DD-214 is two pages long with all of the damned awards and decorations I received by being in the wrong place at the wrong time for the Army over three different decades, and I've found that once you're out not a single one of them matters.
So drive on, Airborne. Huaa?
And most of these answers are hilarious. But only because I'm a RETIRED MSG and it doesn't matter to me anymore.
There is an unwritten law in the Army that the higher the rank you are, the higher the award you get for doing a thing. and I am not whining, it really doesn't matter to this retired Soldier so I am speaking objectively.
I have been on the receiving end of not getting the award that an officer who did the same thing DID get, I have put in Soldiers for Awards and seen officers that I put in get upgraded while enlisted (especially lower enlisted) get downgraded for THE SAME ACTIONS.
And when I have mentioned these discrepancies, I have been told "that must just be your unit," "that's probably not what happened," or my favorite, "you don't understand the dynamics of what happens at higher levels."
I WAS the higher damned level. I ran a Batalion and a Brigade S2 Section. And I repeatedly watched as enlisted Soldiers got awarded lesser awards than officers, often for events in which the enlisted Soldier did something well beyond the officer's actions.
This is an Army-wide issue, and one that has been going on for decades. In 1993 as a Private I got an Certificate of Achievement for beating the best time on the "Green Hell" obstacle course in Fort Sherman Panama. My partner, a junior NCO, got an AAM. Later I found out that two officers, a 1st Lieutenant and a Captain, recieved ARCOMs for getting the "best time," which wasn't actually the best time but what translated to the "best time for a pair of officers," which they happened to leave off of the award citation.
In Iraq in 2009 I put a couple of Soldiers in for ARCOMs for their actions in the Intel field. I put our OIC in for an ARCOM as well, because I knew that putting him in for anything less would be a ska in the face that would cause all of my Soldiers' Awards to get slapped down. Our OIC had only been with us for bout a third of the deployment, prior to that we were without an OIC, having myself and one other NCO to run things. Our OIC was awarded a Bronze Star, and most of my Soldiers received AAMs.
I and most NCOs have long understood that the system is INCREDIBLY flawed, and that one just needs to Lee their teeth together and grind it out because the people who would CHANGE the flawed system are the same people who currently BENEFIT from the flawed system - namely, officers. and it's not ONLY officers; Senior NCOs are often given awards that are WILDLY out of proportion for the actions they have taken. Not too long ago a 1SG got an ARCOM for reporting Soldiers who were complaining ONLINE about their leadership. This, to me, says that her "trolling" of these Soldiers is equal in merit to the Army as my actions in COMBAT that merited an ARCOM. Which is, obviously, fucking RIDICULOUS.
I am not trying to offer any type of fix for this, I am simply stating the facts: officers (and to an extent senior NCOs) receive preferential treatment when it comes to awards. Anyone who tells you different is either delusional, bullshitting, or an officer who is trying to defend a flawed system.
And that's okay. My DD-214 is two pages long with all of the damned awards and decorations I received by being in the wrong place at the wrong time for the Army over three different decades, and I've found that once you're out not a single one of them matters.
So drive on, Airborne. Huaa?
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MSG (Join to see)
CAPT Frank Nice really, you don’t know why?
I’m pretty much outlined EXACTLY why. And no one had really disputed what I wrote.
Let’s face it, the higher in rank you go, the higher awards you get. As my Platoon Sergeant used to say, “it’s not rocket surgery.”
We all know that the awards system is slanted towards higher ranking individuals getting higher awards other than the VERY few Servicemembers who perform such insane acts of valor that no one can ignore them.
In Iraq in 2009 I was directing a huge interrogation effort after a big raid on an enemy stronghold and a mortar attack happened. I was hit with shrapnel on my arm and continued to direct Soldiers as to where they needed to bring the detainees. One of the Soldiers even stopped and SAID to me “hey, you’re bleeding,” at which point I looked at my arm and said “get that fucker to room six.”
I didn’t get a Purple Heart or any other award for that evening’s performance.
The Officer in Charge later got a Bronze Star for his leadership in the face of adversity.
That is the lay of the land.
I never once complained or whined about it.
I know the lay of the land.
But don’t say that you don’t know why it happens when you’re benefiting from the imbalance in the system. You look stupid.
I’m pretty much outlined EXACTLY why. And no one had really disputed what I wrote.
Let’s face it, the higher in rank you go, the higher awards you get. As my Platoon Sergeant used to say, “it’s not rocket surgery.”
We all know that the awards system is slanted towards higher ranking individuals getting higher awards other than the VERY few Servicemembers who perform such insane acts of valor that no one can ignore them.
In Iraq in 2009 I was directing a huge interrogation effort after a big raid on an enemy stronghold and a mortar attack happened. I was hit with shrapnel on my arm and continued to direct Soldiers as to where they needed to bring the detainees. One of the Soldiers even stopped and SAID to me “hey, you’re bleeding,” at which point I looked at my arm and said “get that fucker to room six.”
I didn’t get a Purple Heart or any other award for that evening’s performance.
The Officer in Charge later got a Bronze Star for his leadership in the face of adversity.
That is the lay of the land.
I never once complained or whined about it.
I know the lay of the land.
But don’t say that you don’t know why it happens when you’re benefiting from the imbalance in the system. You look stupid.
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CSM Walter Phillips
MAJ Harold Moffett - You are so wrong. I’ll let Napoleon speak for me. “ A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon”. It is human nature feeling the need for recognition and appreciation for a job well done.
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A very reasonable question with a very simple answer. Junior officers, the ones in closet contact with enlisted personnel aren't very adept leaders. They are lucky to know how to do the simplest tasks of leadership let alone something sophisticated like recommending personnel for awards and decorations. Their immediate superiors aren't much better. However senior officers who are well aware of the significance that decorations can have on a military career rarely witness the accomplishments of the troops as individuals. What's the solution? If you witness an act of valor or a significant accomplishment that you feel is worthy of recognition, bring it to the attention of your immediate superior. Suggest a that they submit a recommendation for recognition if they're too dense to take the hint. Write it up yourself if you have to. Then hope that someone does the same for you when you deserve it. If anyone gives you trouble for following my advice, refer them to me.
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PO1 Craig Anthony
My E-7 in the navy wrote several up for me during his tenure at our command, but all but one was downgraded. It was he and I in the division because of a backlog in personnel being assigned, we even had a to do a 6 month cruise in the Gulf of the coast of Iraq during the war, just the two of us standing watch. We shared the 24 hour watch and still had to perform maintenance and daily activities, which meant I had to take on duties of an E-7, while attended to division officer duties.
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SSG Jack Simpson
I was always told that it is the NCO's job to train his officer. I recall having a butter bar LT at Ft. Bragg back in 76-79 first as our Plt Ldr then as unit supply officer. Both jobs he screwed up doing. On a couple of occasions, I remember an informal call to the 1st Sgts office to "explain why I hadn't trained my LT." At the time I had 12 years TIS and he had 2. He never made silver bar and was rifted. Did I fail my duty?
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CPT Jack Durish
SSG Jack Simpson - Some are just untrainable. Well, most actually. Did you fail? Don't know, but apparently he did
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SSG Jack Simpson
SGT Victoria Belbusti - I'm going to out myself here. In 20 yrs of service, I never received a medal when leaving a unit. My first unit was Stratcom, Strategic Communications Command Europe. I served with AFCENT NATO (Allied Forces Central Europe) Brunssum NL from 72-76. I was there during the Bicentennial. For my bye bye Award, I received a Pewter Coin the Commander STRATCOM had struck, 1 of 200 supposedly given to the best soldiers in the entire command. No certificate no promo points. My second unit, HHC 46th Spt Gp (CORPS) Ft. Bragg, I was given a plaque from my fellow NCO's, one of 5 ever given at the time, an honor I cherish but again, no Promo points. My official award fell through the cracks when the Signal Officer, a female Captain, got caught in the act with the COSCOM Cmdr. a Colonel. Both got relieved and transferred really fast. I ran into her in Bremerhaven Germany, and she asked me about the ARCOM she had started the paperwork on. It never got completed. My third Unit was the 97th Signal Bn (Constabulary), CENTCOM NATO in Mannheim FGR. I found out just before getting on the plane to come home in 80' that I was recommended for a NATO Award, but it got denied and no one did a U.S. award recommendation. My fourth unit, C company 311 MI Bn CEWI (ABN) Ft. Bragg. At the time I was there the Army was allowing E-7's the privilege to volunteer for six-month tours in South America as advisors. My PLT Sgt volunteered twice and that made me acting Plt Sgt. When I was Plt Sgt my plt won Plt of the month three times consecutively and Plt of the year just before the E-7 returned from his second tour. I then ran afoul of the Plt Sgt because I "showed him up". he and his friend the 1st Sgt made sure I paid for that. I went to ANOC and upon returning to the 311th found out I had been transferred to HHC 101st Abn BN Div Artillery as the COMSEC Custodian. I was with them for 6 months before being sent back to Germany. I was told that I hadn't served with them long enough to be recommended for an award. And in my 5th unit, 1st Bn,9th Field Artillery Bde (PERSHING) I messed myself up when I refused to take a special training related to the launching of the nuclear missiles because one of the launch options was a first strike option and I objected to that. I would later accept the training when the option was canceled. But the damage was done. 2 yrs and 8 months of shunning and retribution for my initial refusal. No award on leaving. And then I got my first Award ever for Desert Storm and retired shortly after returning to the U.S. again no award, and because the 1st Sgt "forgot" to put in a retirement ceremony request, no ceremony either. End of story.
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Don't get wrapped around the axle on awards, sometimes there is not much rhyme or reason. Do you best always, I never worried about any awards. End of tour before PCS orders is a give away award in my book and does not occur that much in the Marine Corps. We also don't give promotion point for them either. Yes, looks nice on your uniform but you evals and performance are what count in my book. Semper fi and keep charging.
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SFC James Welch
All military personnel are judged by the set of ribbons on their Class A’s and the. Badges they wear. They combine to tell the story of you and your career at a glance. It has always been this way. No one thing in Military Life holds so much resentment, jealousy, by those who haven’t been there, done that. This is true of all ranks. The old”I don’t have those so you couldn’t possibly have earned them”syndrome. When I returned from Vietnam it was so bad I wore only my Aircraft Crewman Wings and my highest award was Bronze Stars. My Sargent Major hated a Buck Sargent who had a Silver Star(he was Infantry in the 1/22 Infantry Battalion. He made his already difficult life hell. The man was suffering from PTSD but people didn’t know much about it then. There were also Officers in that unit who hadn’t been anywhere overseas who resented anyone who had been in Combat. Jealousy is a horrible thing!
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Sgt Dennis Peskey
I served with the 12th Mar Reg in the northern I corps from April '69 through Nov 69. For the first five months, I was assigned as the Field Artillery Operations Chief for the 12th Mar Reg at Division forward in Camp Vandergrift (aka, rocket valley). We got shelled every day by the NVA - hence it's nickname. I replaced an E-7 who gave me all of 30 minutes instruction on what the job entailed -clear all artillery fires and don't get any Marines (or other friendlies) killed in the process; twelve hours a day (and night) - eight days a week. During the assignment, I was subjected to five investigations of "friendly fire" incidents where we fired on our own troops. I was cleared of all responsibility for each of the incidents but I still remember all of them. At the end, when Vandergrift was being closed, the assistant Division commander came over to me and said he was putting me in for the Naval Achievement Medal. I didn't understand what that truly meant. It wasn't until we got pulled out of Nam and reassigned to Okinawa when I began to understand it's significance. My regimental gunny found out about the award and personally told me he was going to block the award. I only smiled and told him fine - do it and I'll personally go tell the assistant Division Commander of the error of his award. I do recall the look on the gunnies face when I told him what I was going to do. Needless to say he didn't do anything to block the award. I was awarded the NAM (Naval Achievement Medal) after I completed my first tour with the Corps. When I reenlisted for a second tour, it came in real handy during every Division inspection I had the pleasure of participating in. I finally realized how important that award was and I knew how much was required to earn it.
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SGM (Join to see)
I hear what you're saying. I was the Operations Sergeant Major in a Joint Task Force and had to do Navy/Marine "FitReps" which were our NCO Eval Reports on Senior or "Staff" Navy PO's and Marine NCO's. Naturally they were a different format so I recruited the help of some senior Navy and Marine NCO's to advise me. I received some good SA on the workings and I was as honest and straight as possible. Nice comment Master Guns.
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PO1 Craig Anthony
Your eval system was probably tightly adhered to compared the navy, were slags would get 4.0, forcing the worthy to get 4.0, even if they were only a 3.8.
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