What are you opinions on personnel wearing personal foreign awards/decorations without possessing the required U.S. authorization memo?

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 02:11:57 -0500

I have come across a number of Officers/NCOs/junior Soldiers who wear foreign badges, particularly the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge, but do not possess (in records) the required "Acceptance and Wear of Foreign Badges/Medals" memo (https://www.hrc.army.mil/content/Foreign%20Award%20Info) authorizing its wear. This can be done retroactively.

It seems pretty common for those awards to be worn without the existence of the U.S. authorization memo. It appears that some locations only award the foreign certificate but not the U.S. signed memo. However, should the commonality of the non-issuance of the memo be deemed as enough to allow personnel to wear said awards on their uniform? So for instance, a Soldier wearing the GAFPB at a SGT/SSG board or in a DA Photo for a SFC Board, but it not being deemed a uniform infraction by the voting board members.

I have made it one of my missions to get those personnel I interact with squared away, so it is one less thing they have to worry about being overlooked for when they compete for E-7. However, I am curious as to the average opinion on the topic, especially from senior leaders.

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Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 24 at 2018 2:45 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 02:45:58 -0500

No documentation to support....then take it/them off.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Dec 24 at 2018 6:22 AM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 06:22:17 -0500

It is unauthorized. Thank you for your service.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 24 at 2018 7:39 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 07:39:04 -0500

Most troops probably don't even know they need the memo.

I had the memo for my French medal done after I had PCSed when I got the official certificate sent to me. I ran it up the chain and now I have the memo in my OMPF. Fairly easily process if you do it.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Dec 24 at 2018 9:14 AM

SFC Casey O'Mally — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 09:14:35 -0500

It's pretty simple. There is a rule. Follow the rule. Ignorance of a rule doesn't justify breaking it.

That being said, when you find people in violation, seeing as you have the knowledge, FIX them now (I.e. take that unauthorized crap off) and in the future (here is what you have to do to out it back on).

The idea of people not knowing and letting it slide is just laziness on the part of leadership.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 24 at 2018 9:32 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 09:32:58 -0500

Memo and German certificate Bronze/Gold 1997/2003 in my HRC files. My Commands did not fail me!

Response by SPC Joe Frailey made Dec 24 at 2018 4:03 PM

SPC Joe Frailey — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 16:03:54 -0500

SFC Redmond, I believe the biggest issue is that most lower enlisted and NCOs (SGTs) have no idea that such a memo even exists. I for one wasn't aware until I came across this post.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Dec 24 at 2018 6:09 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 18:09:27 -0500

I get that "ignorance of a regulation is no excuse for breaking said regulation" however we are also asked to trust leadership CONSTANTLY. Our system is founded on this basic principle.

Think of it like this, if your Command hands you an award, Domestic or Foreign, there is an inherent assumption that said award was processed correctly. If that award is allowed for wear on the uniform (not always the case), then it would follow leadership took care of the necessary steps prior to handing you the award as well.

I offer this example: if you hand a soldier a Good Conduct Medal with Certificate at their 3 year Mark and they begin wearing it, they would have no reason to believe it is not processed correctly. They have all the documentation and requisite knowledge to believe, in good faith, that it was. The same concept should hold true for any award.

All that said, it is the responsibility of BOTH the troop and leadership to do periodic checks against their service record book (official file) to ensure consistency. Once an inconsistency is identified, both should work to correct the issue. If the issue is widespread or systemic (like the example GAFPB), then additional guidance should be provided in the associated DA-PAM / FM / Etc.

Response by Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen made Dec 24 at 2018 6:23 PM

Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 18:23:39 -0500

I'm with the Marines, don't need all those stinking medals!

Response by PFC Tuan Trang made Dec 24 at 2018 9:22 PM

PFC Tuan Trang — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 21:22:10 -0500

I would wear the one that i’m certifed/earn but only the important one, too much is weighting me down plus it like i’m bragging.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 25 at 2018 8:06 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 25 Dec 2018 08:06:48 -0500

No award/badge should be worn without the memornadum (foreign awards) or order.
Earned the GMEB in 89 at Mcellan and Romanian jump wings at Bragg in 2004. Both came with the certificate and memo.
Since the memorandum can be completed at any time, it should be corrected before continuing to be worn.
As far as an NCO being nonselected for SFC for wearing an unauthorized award, ragardless of not getting a memo or order, I'm perfectly fine with that. Sure, the supervisor and board me members failed them at their SGT and/or SSG boards if they were wearing it then. If they earned it as a SSG, they should know better, no excuse. Can't expect them to take care of their Soldiers if they lack the knowledge to take care of themselves.

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Dec 26 at 2018 12:11 AM

SMSgt Lawrence McCarter — Wed, 26 Dec 2018 00:11:58 -0500

I never had that problem, only have two foreign decorations from the Republic of Vietnam and both are on My records. If You have the documentation a Military Personnel center should be able to add those items to Your records. If they were awards to an entire unit then assignment orders to prove You were assigned to that unit in the time frame when the awards were made, they can check to insure the unit did in fact receive those decorations. The same would apply to US issued decorations if You missing any of those on Your record. The items I had added to the record were also provided on a printout from MPC, Military Personnel Center listing every decoration and clasp device I was authorized to wear. I was also issued all the US ribbons and hanging medals for each except the foreign decorations, they are not an issue item from the US but can be purchased if You don't have them. I hope that information helps.

On the subject of wearing them, the hanging medals are still in the boxes they came in, someday when i die I'll leave them to My oldest son. I have no other use for them. The regular ribbons I wore on Class As as it was required otherwise I didn't wear them. Now that I'm retired I only wear the ribbons on My American Legion uniform. I tended not to add ribbons unless I had at least a couple to add, it was a pain rearranging a ribbon rack. I was never impressed with hanging a lot of junk on my uniform.

Response by SSG Kenneth Ponder made Jul 3 at 2020 11:06 PM

SSG Kenneth Ponder — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 23:06:37 -0400

Simple, just outlaw the wear of all foreign awards

Response by MSG Thomas Currie made Aug 22 at 2021 12:10 PM

MSG Thomas Currie — Sun, 22 Aug 2021 12:10:10 -0400

I can't speak for what is "common practice" among active Army units today, but throughout my service (1967-1984) it would have been unheard of for the headquarters to bother doing such paperwork -- unless, of course, the recipient happened to either be in the PAC or outrank the S1.

There were numerous instances where units conducted "training" that supposedly resulted in such awards, but actually closing the loop by doing the paperwork was unusual at best.