What are your experiences with the Military Awards system?

COL Lee Flemming — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 03:12:49 -0500

As an Infantryman I have seen and read reports of uncommon valor. I have also personally written valorous awards. I am often haunted by the fact that maybe I did not do enough to recognized the heroism of our SMs. What are your experiences?

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Feb 1 at 2017 3:48 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 03:48:48 -0500

Airman's Medal for running through fire and exploding ordnance following aircraft crash on range in an attempt to rescue the downed pilots.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 1 at 2017 4:51 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 04:51:09 -0500

COL Lee Flemming the highest award I wrote was for a Legion of Merit for retirement after 28 years. I submitted it to the HHC XO for his review and submittal as I was PCS'ing and I wanted someone to submit it that would still be around in case it got kicked back for corrections. To my knowledge he threw it away and put him in for a MSM. I do wish I had submitted and followed up on it as I believe he earned it. The next highest that I submitted and signed was MSM. I do not regret any of those I submitted and I am 2 for 3 getting them approved.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Feb 1 at 2017 6:10 AM

CAPT Kevin B. — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 06:10:03 -0500

Wrote up a number which had to go up. The system and process is OK. What's not OK is the fickleness of the signing authority. Had several over the years and would see favoritism or ignore everything unless it was HQ. The rejects that would put things back at my level would leave the crew in "Huh?" mode. Good morale killer not awarding stuff at the proper level. The icing on the cake was the Flag that asked why he hadn't gotten any awards from me for him to sign off on. Grrrrrr.

Response by MAJ Andrew Ready made Feb 1 at 2017 9:05 AM

MAJ Andrew Ready — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 09:05:23 -0500

I had several awards downgraded. It seems like awards are more about relationships and less about accomplishments. I was put in for a bronze star as a PL in Iraq. I also put in my WO in for one. His was approved, mine was downgraded. Second deployment as a captain on a Iraqi battalion MITT team I was put in for a bronze star and it was downgraded to an Arcom. I was told only 3 bronze stars per team would be approved. So of course the team OIC, Ncoic and S3 mentor got bronze stars. Everyone else did not.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 1 at 2017 11:20 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 11:20:49 -0500

Working as a company personnel actions clerk as a junior enlisted and then a training NCO in company ops, I have had my hands on a lot of awards to pass up. A few of the worst examples come to mind:

Most units I've seen set a standard timeline for processing an ARCOM at 60-75 days, so it should be submitted to battalion before then. I have seen numerous awards submitted well outside of that requirement that end up taking 4+ months until signature. This is usually because once it's submitted, it has to be reviewed and approved through the BN awards section, S1 NCOIC, S1 OIC, BN CSM, BN CDR, BDE S1 awards, S1 NCOIC, S1 OIC, BDE CSM, and finally the BDE CDR, and a lot of times it is returned to unit after each level due to "corrections" that are either so simple that they can be corrected by S1 (we do awards digitally finally), or they are not really a "correction" but rather a personal view on how something should be phrased.

Next example, due to the timeline stated above, I saw a BDE Commander chew out the entire chain below him due to a PCS ARCOM recommendation that was submitted within 60 days of the Soldier PCS'ing. Due to that event, BDE will no longer accept an award recommendation if it is within the timeframe, regardless of merit.

My final example was a very strong written PCS ARCOM recommendation that was highly approved by the CO and BN Commanders, but downgraded to an AAM because, in his words, "Specialists don't deserve ARCOMs". (regardless of the fact the soldier was promoted to Sergeant after the award was first submitted, and the recommendation fully supported an ARCOM)

On a good note, I did see 2 very deserved awards pushed through the system in a matter of days. The 2 Soldiers in question were medics supporting an infantry FTX. A Soldier had a life threatening issue, and the 2 medics quickly reacted, assessed, performed CPR, and CASEVAC'ed the Soldier to a local treatment facility, saving his life. They were awarded with an ARCOM each for their actions.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 1 at 2017 3:35 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 15:35:04 -0500

Sir, the award system is a joke. I have a few thousand hours of volunteer service, but I don't have the award (largely because I haven't done anything about getting it). Awards are given out like little league trophies, everyone gets one for participating. I left my last duty station and my rater was so worried about his transition into his new BN role. I didn't pursue it, because I don't want a trophy for participating. If my leadership doesn't thing I have truly gone above and beyond, that's OK. Disappointing, but OK. I still get a paycheck, which is all I expect for doing my job. That fact that a chemo finds his own time to teach life support courses at the hospital or helps the s6 folks fix systems, or act as the IMO for the Bde s3, including acting as the s3 knowledge manager and several other small things may not mean much to some. If that's the case, that's fine. The part that isn't really acceptable is being looked at like a POS because you don't have a pcs award.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 2 at 2017 12:16 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 00:16:26 -0500

Sir, my experiences with the Military Awards System is simple. The awards system is broke. AR 600-8-22 gives vague (at best) descriptions of what is acceptable for a certain level of award and what is not. I understand it leaves a lot of responsibility on the appropriate commander (AAM- BN CDR; ARCOM - BDE CDR; etc.) and it shouldn't be taken lightly.

However, I have seen Soldiers who perform the same task get different levels of awards based on their rank. E5 and above received ARCOMs while E4 and below received AAMs. The scope of responsibility performed is IAW their rank, and that's how I believe they should be promoted and recognized for promotion.

However, when the Soldiers perform the same task - separately - they should be awarded the same level of award, not awarded a medal based on their rank. This is true as long as each had an equivalent impact on the mission of the unit.

It seems the awards system, and even the use of awards boards, is more of a type of recognition based on how well people like the Soldier and not the achievements of the Soldier in relation to the mission.

Napoleon stated, "A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon". This is true. But when Solders perform the same task or have the same achievement and impact on a mission and they see the higher ranking Soldier receive a higher level of award for the same thing, it's disheartening to the Soldier and kills morale.

Just my $0.02, Sir.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 2 at 2017 6:24 AM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 06:24:28 -0500

When you have to submit end of tour awards halfway through the deployment, something is wrong. There is nothing wrong about giving an award after you return home but some leaders require a ceremony while still on the ground.