What are the required hours for an MOVSM?

2020-10-13T14:34:55-04:00

I've been doing as much community service as I can to get enough hours for an MOVSM but I'm being told by multiple people that it is 500hours, but at the same time I was told that it was changed to 200 hours for the ribbon. Does anyone know what the required hours of community service for this award is?

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 13 at 2020 3:37 PM

2020-10-13T15:37:27-04:00

from AR 600-8-22 para 2-25
d. 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 (for example, 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.
e. The MOVSM recognizes service provided to a community over time; therefore, multiple awards of the MOVSM
during a single assignment or tour of duty are not authorized.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 13 at 2020 4:35 PM

2020-10-13T16:35:37-04:00

It's completely up to the approval authority. AR 600-8-22 specifically leaves the requirements vague and subjective so the approval authority can view the totality of the impact of the volunteer service to determine if it meets their standards. I've seen as low as 100 hours be approved, and I've seen 300 hours be rejected (told to resubmit when the volunteer hours reached 500). If your contribution has made a positive impact, write up the award and pass it up to your FLL. If they submit and it is approved, great! If it is denied, you should get some indication of when you can resubmit.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 14 at 2020 1:39 AM

2020-10-14T01:39:13-04:00

The regs requirements is very vague. For instance, I did over 600 hours to receive mine and I knew someone in a different command receive theirs for one specific event.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 14 at 2020 4:00 AM

2020-10-14T04:00:51-04:00

As stated it's very subjective. So if that threshold hasn't been published to the companies/soldiers then write up your own narrative, get letters of your wonderful work on letter head from the non profits you worked with, and quantify your time and financial impact in hours and dollars.

That way, when it goes up to the first level approving authority (LTC) and they read it you will give them the idea of the threshold. If they say "no" then they would have to decide what the "yes" mark would be. So make sure what you write up is that mark others are judged by in the future.