Can anyone help me clarify about the MOVSM time requirement (the AR and the DOD Manual contradict)?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 16:44:28 -0400

AR 600-8-22 states "There is no specific time period to qualify for award of the MOVSM; however, volunteer service must exceed 3 years and/or 500 hours of service. Approval authorities will ensure the service to be honored merits the special recognition afforded by this medal." This seams to contradict itself.

DODM 1348.33 Ver 2 states "The overall level of volunteer participation and impact of an individual’s community service is key to determining whether award of the MOVSM is justified. Although sustained community service is not defined by a specific time period or number of volunteer hours (e.g., 36 months encompassing 500 hours of direct volunteer service), approval authorities will ensure the service to be honored merits the special recognition afforded by this medal.

Any help in clarifying this would be greatly appreciated.

Response by SGT Joseph Gunderson made Apr 25 at 2018 5:47 PM

SGT Joseph Gunderson — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 17:47:07 -0400

In my experience, the awarding of the MOVSM is going to depend on the commands willingness to sign off on it. The more you can talk up the soldier, the more that you can make the activity that they were a part of mean something, the more apt they are going to be to give them the award. I have actually only known of a handful of people who have ben awarded this medal and I had a pretty hard time trying to get this award approved for one of my soldiers who acted as a boy scout troop leader and actually took leave just to go on a trip with his troop (effectively sacrificing earned leave days in order to participate in his troop leader capacity). I volunteered as a Big Brother for a stint and could never get the award. The best advice that I can give you is that when the 638 goes in you better have a pretty awesome narrative to go along with it or it probably isn't making it through without the ungodly amount of hours. I would also recommend checking some of your units standing memorandums; many commands will actually have a memo published that states outright what their requirement to sign off on the award is.

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 25 at 2018 6:58 PM

2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 18:58:19 -0400

The Army Regulation only recently added the time and hours requirement; when I earned my first award of the MOVSM some time around 2008, the AR was as ambiguous as the DoDM. This addition was deliberately added to minimize the ambiguity for Army approval chains, as well as prevent "watering down" awards through over issuance.

There is little actual conflict between the two regulations, but rather the Army prefers more clear guidelines for approval authorities. If sending through an Army approval chain/for a Soldier, I would follow the constraints of AR 600-8-22. If submitting it to a joint command, other Service's approval chain/for a Marine, Sailor, or Airman, I would worry less about the AR and simply ensure a good write up that conforms to the DoDM.

Response by CH (CPT) Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 29 at 2018 3:44 AM

CH (CPT) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 29 Apr 2018 03:44:33 -0400

It seems to me that the AR is trying to differentiate an automatic qualifier from a threshold qualifier. The award isn't based on time, but should only be awarded after a certain threshold is reached. The wording is a bit curious as you point out.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 17 at 2018 8:33 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 May 2018 08:33:43 -0400

There is a lot of discussion in the comments to this post, and it is a waste of time to read. It appears that my original post caused confusion. After a great deal of research, I will provide clarifying information for the original post, but I will preserve the original below. To my knowledge these orders are up to date, but I’m not experienced when dealing with orders from the Navy, Air Force, or Coast Guard.

DOD has specified that approval authority for MOVSMs include the CJCS and units that report through them, as well as the Secretaries of the various military departments. It also states that these authorities can delegate responsibility to commanders under their authority so long as they are commanders 0-5 or above. All of that is stated here, relevant portions are on page 50, 4.13 f (1) (d,e) and 4.13 f(2)
http://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodm/134833v2_dodm_2016.pdf

When delegating authority, you don’t have to delegate all of it, you can restrict when your subordinate commanders can act in your name.

In this case the Chief of Staff of the Army has delegated the authority to grant this award to Commanders O-5 and above so long as the service provided is greater than 3 years and 500 hours and warrants special recognition. You can see that here in section 2-23 (c):
https://history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/docs/r600_8_22.pdf

This means that your local commander is not authorized to grant this award if the servicemember doesn’t have 3 years and/or 500 hours of service. This doesn’t mean it is impossible for a service member to get the award with less service, it just means that someone would have to submit a request to the Army Chief of Staff, or someone whom he has separately given authority to grant the award with a lower time limit. This is important to know because if one of your people has done something truly exceptional, or if you are pushing for a posthumous award. They can get the award, but it must go higher than the local commander, and keep in mind that the Chief of Staff doesn't have to make an exception.

Similar guidance for other services can be found here:
3 year Minimum for the Navy/Marine Corps, 4-42 paragraph c (1):
https://www.marines.mil/Portals/59/Publications/SecNavInst%201650.1H.pdf
Additional clarification for the Marine Corps, paragraph 3a:
https://www.marines.mil/News/Messages/Messages-Display/Article/889314/awards-update/
Not more than one per tour, Air Force 5.2.4.4, page 143
http://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a1/publication/afi36-2803/afi36-2803.pdf
Service less than 2 years rarely granted, Coast Guard Page 5-25, paragaph 17 -a (4):
https://media.defense.gov/2017/Mar/29/ [login to see] /-1/-1/0/CIM_1650_25E.PDF

Original Post below:
______________________
This applies only to the Army.

The time requirement is left up to the approving authority, who is a commander, LtCol or higher, so long as it exceeds 3 years and/or 500 hours of service. If you're at a command that awards these, the commander may have published guidance on the local standards.

This section of AR 600-8-22 is the key section: "volunteer service must exceed 3 years and/or 500 hours of service. Approval authorities will ensure the service to be honored merits the special recognition afforded by this medal

AR 600-8-22 is a clarification of DODM 1348.33 V2, they are not at odds as 1348.33v2 states that the time required is not defined, but specifies that approval authorities will ensure the service merits special recognition. HQ Army has ensured this by setting a lower limit of 3 years/500 hours. The newer order doesn't necessarily have priority over the older order. Were they at odds, HQ Army would be required to (eventually) issue a change or a new order.

134833v2_dodm_2016.pdf

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2020 4:24 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 16:24:03 -0500

New guidance is correct it has to show continual service. Your bn level leadership will make that judgement. They should write up a sop on requirements they want. But reg was changed to entice soldiers to do more volunteer but still have family and off time. So I've seen my battalions under me do 150+ hours. And its mfr format now no longer da 638