Are there any officer only awards?

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 12 Apr 2015 18:39:36 -0400

I know there are some enlisted only awards. Awards in which a commissioned officer would qualify for except they have a commission, such as the Good Conduct Medal. I cannot ever remember the opposite, an award for officers. Do any exist? Should there be awards like this?

Just a point of curiosity...

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 12 at 2015 7:55 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 12 Apr 2015 19:55:07 -0400

I doubt it is in writing but the upper awards that concern Defense (i.e. Defense Superior Service Medal and Defense Distinguished Service Medal) I cannot re-call enlisted receiving those upper end awards.

I have to agree with 1LT Scott D. in that there should not be limitations. These ridiculous policies about rank awards which no one will put in writing because they know they are wrong! Too Much Poor Leadership yet they wonder why no one wants to work harder.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Apr 12 at 2015 8:32 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sun, 12 Apr 2015 20:32:50 -0400

Yes when the LTs eff up and having to carry a small section of a tank track to social functions.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 21 at 2017 12:03 PM

CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 12:03:36 -0400

The closest candidate I found would be USMC Brevet Medal that recognized brevet promotion or actions that warranted MOH before officers were authorized the MOH. It was just assumed that they would serve at the level to warrant MOH and Brevet Medal was equivalent to Navy Cross in precedence. USMC MajGen Smedley Butler received one Brevet Medal and 2 MOH's so was perhaps the closest to ever receiving 3 MOH's.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Corps_Brevet_Medal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smedley_Butler

Distinguished Flying Cross maybe, considering we haven't had enlisted pilots since WWII, but don't hold me to it. That would be by default rather than policy though. Air Medal may not apply because there are enlisted flight crews. Not sure if enlisted can receive either award though and there may be more. FWIW, only the senior Ensign aboard ship gets to wear the "Bull Ensign" large gold bars, but that's not actually an award but a tradition. I did find a link that says enlisted may receive DFC and it lists some, including the 3rd SMA Silas L. Copeland. Good question.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distinguished_Flying_Cross_(United_States)

Marine Corps Brevet Medal - Wikipedia

The Marine Corps Brevet Medal, also known as the Brevet Medal, was a military decoration of the United States Marine Corps; it was created in 1921 as a result of Marine Corps Order Number 26. The decoration was a one-time issuance and retroactively recognized living Marine Corps officers who had received a brevet rank. The similar practice of frocking continues in all five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.[dubious – discuss].

Response by CSM Thomas McGarry made Apr 25 at 2017 10:23 AM

CSM Thomas McGarry — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 10:23:55 -0400

Some Commands seem to think so especially when it comes to awarding the Legion of Merit for Exemplary Service to enlisted personnel or the Bronze Star again to enlisted who performed admirably while deployed to a War zone!

Response by CW4 Don Kite made Sep 7 at 2017 11:09 PM

CW4 Don Kite — Thu, 07 Sep 2017 23:09:30 -0400

There are no officer only awards!!! Let us look at Audey Murphy, he recieved many awards to include the Medal Of Honor as an enlisted soldier.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 18 at 2018 9:10 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 18 Feb 2018 09:10:08 -0500

The short answer is No. Practically speaking, the non-valor decorations at the highest end are based on level of responsibility and performance. Consequently, it ends up being awarded to officers only.

Response by SFC David Bentley made Feb 18 at 2018 12:28 PM

SFC David Bentley — Sun, 18 Feb 2018 12:28:06 -0500

Army Regulation 600–8–22 needs to provide leadership with specific examples of what costitutes proper awarding of medals and include examples. In my time the disparity in what one command vs another will give out a AAM or ARCOM is a significant point of frustration. I got a AAM for saving a soldiers life, I also got a AAM for organizing a unit BBQ in another command. In the first instance the command didn't want to do the work to get me a soldiers medal because I was a SPC at the time. In the second a coin or a NCOER bullet would have been more than sufficient.

Response by Maj Pete Siegel made Oct 9 at 2018 11:54 PM

Maj Pete Siegel — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 23:54:04 -0400

There is the impression that the Legion of Merit (LOM) is awarded only to officers. A retired CMSgt I know was awarded the LOM as a SSgt for an intelligence study he authored on DPRK air defense operations. He was originally submitted for either an MSM or DMSM, and the reviewer(s) who had seen his briefing and read the study decided it was LOM work.

Response by CPT David Miller made Mar 17 at 2019 10:05 PM

CPT David Miller — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 22:05:10 -0400

Theoretically, no award is restricted to a class or pay grade of a soldier, except for the Legion of Merit to high-ranking foreign personnel. While a junior enlisted soldier may be awarded the Medal of Honor or Distinguished Service Cross for an act of supreme bravery, that same soldier would be a tough sell for a Distinguished Service Medal based on the level of responsibility he/she has held. The exceptions may be the Army Achievement Medal and the Army Commendation Medal, neither of which may not be awarded to General Officers.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 23 at 2022 12:25 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 12:25:59 -0400

No, but there is clear bias for certain awards based on rank rather than actual contribution.