Does leadership determine if you get an AAM or not?

2021-06-18T20:09:10-04:00

So I was sent to do EIB up at Ft. Wainwright (I’m from JBER) with a bunch of others and I got my EIB also true blue. Our battalion had a ceremony and everyone who got true blue got an AAM and I got nothing at all lol…why is that?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 19 at 2021 6:39 AM

2021-06-19T06:39:44-04:00

You should ask your leaders why they didn't submit your award. An AAM level of approval is your Battalion Commander, so you can ask your BC or CSM about it as well.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 19 at 2021 10:09 PM

2021-06-19T22:09:41-04:00

If everyone else got it for that qualifying reason and you were passed over it's not wrong to ask why. In fact if you are denied for an award they are supposed to inform you what the reason is. This could be an oversight, as I'm sure you'll learn S1 has a lot to track among the best of their 42's and of their worst it's a lot of brown bag specials unless someone with some weight is pushing.

As SFC Private RallyPoint Member said, it's a battalion level award so a BC can approve the award no problem.

ARCOM's are brigade level and MSM's are approved by a general, usually the first 1 star in your chain, sometimes the 2 star.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Jun 20 at 2021 12:08 AM

2021-06-20T00:08:23-04:00

Leadership does determine if you get an award...but I don't think it's like what you are hinting at. For an AAM:
- someone has to recommend you for an award on a 638. Unless the approval authority has delegated down grade authority to the next subordinate Commander
- the 638 is a recommendation by someone with first hand knowledge of the acts performed.
- the recommender is just that, a recommender
- your Company Commander has to endorse the 638 by RECOMMENDING (not approving): appproval, disapproval , or downgrade.
- the 638 goes to the BN S1 to ensure it is complete, correct, and you are not flagged. It's staffed through the XO and the CSM, neither of whom can approve, disapprove, or downgrade, they recommend. As an XO and BDE DCO I spent waaaaay too much time fixing awards so they could get proper consideration. The S1 then walks the award in to the Battalion Commander for approval or disapproval.

So when you say leadership, are you talking your team leader, squad leader etc? If no one recommends the award, then I suppose yes, they determine if you get one or not. Here is also what could have happened
- your award was not submitted
- your award was sent back to the company to fix or was submitted late and wasn't ready for the ceremony
- Other Companies may have submitted awards for their soldiers for that and yours didn't
- somebody f-ed up and your name wasn't on the list of true blues and so an award was not generated

I'd talk to your NCO Support Channel or use the Open Door policy with your Company Commander to see why. I have to think it Would be a feather in your Command Team's Cap if you earn an EIB. I've seen NcOeR bullets justifying excellence related to that.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 21 at 2021 1:51 AM

2021-06-21T01:51:51-04:00

Maybe you first line thought getting the EIB early on in your career as a PFC was award enough for passing the course your first time go.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 28 at 2021 7:48 PM

2021-06-28T19:48:20-04:00

What is True Blue?