Posted on Oct 29, 2020
Is my dd214 not enough proof that I earned an award?
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I was in the reserve years ago. Had a huge break in service and now I'm back in active duty. My s1 is currently telling me that I can't add my awards to my erb without the orders as my dd214 does not have them therefore it's not enough proof. I am currently moving heaven and earth trying to find papers nobody seem to have from 11 years ago. What can I do?
Prior Service
Awards
Human Resources
DD214
ERB
Edited 4 y ago
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 50
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As a former Company, Battalion and Brigade S1 and now in G1 yes they can use your DD214 especially in your case of over a decade separation. I had a 20 year separation and they had to use my 214 because iPerms did not exsist back in 85 (but I did have all my papers). Normally the 214 is used last by S1 because the 214 is compilation of everything and has to be manually imputed and can easily be fat fingered. I had a CPT that had a BSM on her 214 from a recent mobilization. She got the ribbon added to her rack and DA photo done for Major’s board. Well she had never been out of the country and her mob was to Ft Bliss and you don’t get a bronze star medal for conus mobilization. She had no award orders for BSM other then it was on her 214 but she did have award certificate for MSM from Ft Bliss. They typeoed her 214. That being said, what are your awards? normal awards like certificates of achievement, AAM, good conduct medal should not be an issue with 214. I would assume not very many as an E4. Again they can use it but not knowing your details or the awards I can’t say why they are having an issue.
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1SG (Join to see)
SSG William Hommel 88 as a kid. I served my country so was done with that, never to return. However, in 2007 the Army raised the age to 42 which is the Federal max age. It’s 42 because they have to allow you to do 20 years and 62 is the maximum age you can stay in, unless you have the secret formula for something, lol. I went to Army recruiter in December 2007 had to retake Asfab again and get a medical at Meps. I sworn in Jan 2008 and turned 42 in March. Back then you did not have to go back to basic again. But you do now if break is longer then 3 years I think. I was assigned to a PSYOP unit on Jump status. I graduated Airborne school July 1986. Sent me to JFK Special Warfare Center & School at Fort Bragg for PSYOP. They gave me a Basic Airborne Refresher and hazardous duty orders and I made my cherry jump as a 42 year old Specialist and completed 38 jumps before I said no more for me. Moved on to pushing paper. Have 5 more years to go before I hit 20 years and I will be 61. Something to note, for every good year you accumulated for retirement on active they reduce your age a year. So you could meet the age requirement. The caveat is that your age must allow you to get to 20 years by 62. I think in 2020 they let in a 59 year old prior service who had 18 good years from decades earlier. He only needed 2 more years to hit 20 and he would be under 62. He had to go back to basic as a SSG new entry. He graduated and was assigned to a unit. Bet he is close to retirement now. https://www.foxnews.com/us/59-year-old-combat-vet-monte-gould-basic-training-army-reserve
59-year-old combat vet redoes basic training after 10-year break to join Army reserve
A 59-year-old combat veteran just completed basic training in order to reenlist in the Army Reserve after spending more than a decade out of the armed forces, authorities said on Wednesday.
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SSG William Hommel
1SG (Join to see) - Thanks for sharing your story. That really blows my mind. It's not for me, I'm already 62 not to mention a serious health problem. I did log 11 active, and a few more reserve and government time, so I do sometimes ponder changing from my private employment to seek a government pension. Thanks for the link too, and congrats on your journey!
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Take a knee and drink water!
If they are not on your DD214 and you don’t have copy of your awards the you are out of luck. If your Reserve Unit was squared away, then any awards ought to be posted on your official files which you could get a copy of your OMPF (takes time) from: https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records.
In the mean time, don’t irritate your S1, you’ll loose that fight!
Reset, refit, reorganize, get ready for the next fight!
If they are not on your DD214 and you don’t have copy of your awards the you are out of luck. If your Reserve Unit was squared away, then any awards ought to be posted on your official files which you could get a copy of your OMPF (takes time) from: https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records.
In the mean time, don’t irritate your S1, you’ll loose that fight!
Reset, refit, reorganize, get ready for the next fight!
Request Military Service Records
Veterans and their next of kin can get FREE copies of their DD 214, and other military service records including Official Military Personnel File (OMPF), Replacement Medals, and Medical and Health Records.
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CPL (Join to see)
MAJ Javier Rivera I am sir, I'm just trying to gather as much information as possible as to what I can do to fix it before I try anything else. I have exhausted many suggested resources already and I feel like I'm running out of options.
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TSgt Don Dollinger
Don't expect much from the archives. Did a request and got a response that due to Covid staffing that only emergency requests are being filled.
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Use a combination of terms on the search function and you should come up with several prior (recent) conversations talking about using a DD 214 as a source document for ERB. There are also several suggestions in these threads about alternate means to obtain original documents.
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/what-can-be-used-as-a-source-document-to-prove-deployment-time
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/what-can-be-used-as-a-source-document-to-prove-deployment-time
What can be used as a source document to prove deployment time? | RallyPoint
I’ve been deployed twice in the Marines, and it clearly states operation enduring freedom on my Dd214. However, a dd214 is no longer accepted as a source document. So according to the Army reserve I never deployed. I know I can use deployment orders, but It’s been about 8 years and I lost them. Any suggestions on where to start?
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CPL (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see) yes sir, I've read so many stories on here of their s1 using the dd214 to add prior service awards to their erb I'm wondering how they did it. Maybe my s1 doesn't know how to process that.
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CPT (Join to see)
CPL (Join to see) - When I was still enlisted last year, my ERB was updated using my DD214s as source documents. It's as simple as the S1 looking at the DD214 and then typing the appropriate codes into the system that updates the ERB, it's not like the DD214 has to actually be fed into the system. My guess is that somewhere in your chain, there is a policy letter stating that DD214s should not be used, so your S1 isn't "allowed" to verify accomplishments via a DD214 (I've never heard of this in the Guard). It's especially stupid for a deployment as a Reservist, since that is the whole reason the DD214 was generated... I've you've run out of other options, I would ask your S1 what reg or policy he is using to deny a DD214. I would work up your chain of command to try and get some help. If there is no official reg or policy in place and your CoC isn't helpful, you may be able to use the IG to inform your CoC that a DD214 is an appropriate source document.
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LTC (Join to see)
CPL (Join to see) - I had awards added to my iPERMS in 2003 using a DD214 that I got from the Air Force in 1987.
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CPL (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see) thank you sir. Gonna try to ask to see if there is such policy. If there isn't and they refuse I may need to take it further to see if the IG can help out. I rather not do that though.
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