Posted on Jul 16, 2016
What is the appropriate award to recommend for stopping a fight during Family Day?
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Earlier today while our unit participated in "Family Day" activities a serious incident occurred. We were in a public space and several members of the unit including myself observed an altercation developing between what appeared to be adults unaffiliated with our unit on a public playground. The husband of one of our officers, an off duty policeman, myself and my platoon sergeant directly intervened using appropriate force. We secured the AO, Established a perimeter, extracted the target (a 17 year old being "stomped" by "wanna be" bangers who we later learned had been in fact armed with handguns.). Our response, collectively was a textbook example of the marriage between situational awareness and tactical proficiency. Egos were set aside and roles were filled with the barest of communication based on effective training and execution. I want to ensure that the outstanding performance of my NCOs and officers under crisis is recognised but I am confused as to specifically what award I should be recommending these outstanding soldiers for given the circumstances: on duty, Continental US, response to criminal violence under posse comitatus. If anyone has any suggestions as to award I should be recommending I would appreciate it greatly! Thanks
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Awards
Awards
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
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Damn Joe! You have made an old MSG PROUD!
First off let me give you my heartfelt gratitude for not only caring enough to recommend an award but your succinct and eloquent rendition of the situation. There aren't many people of your Rank that think and speak/type in such a manner.
Talk to your FLL and tell him/her of your intentions for using the open door policy of your Commander to recommend an Award. Also as a Reservist, your 1SG should be approachable as well. Mention it to anyone and everyone that would listen.
If the situation went down as you described, chances are the wheels and cogs are already turning for Awards. Make sure you follow up with everyone to see where the process is in the works.
Thanks again! My Faith in the future generation has been restored by you.
First off let me give you my heartfelt gratitude for not only caring enough to recommend an award but your succinct and eloquent rendition of the situation. There aren't many people of your Rank that think and speak/type in such a manner.
Talk to your FLL and tell him/her of your intentions for using the open door policy of your Commander to recommend an Award. Also as a Reservist, your 1SG should be approachable as well. Mention it to anyone and everyone that would listen.
If the situation went down as you described, chances are the wheels and cogs are already turning for Awards. Make sure you follow up with everyone to see where the process is in the works.
Thanks again! My Faith in the future generation has been restored by you.
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MSG Pat Colby I've been in constant contact with current and former chains of responsibility since the resolution of this event. The consensus seems to be that they are as baffled as I am with regard to how this should be written up given the circumstances.
I'm glad that by fulfilling my obligations as a soldier per the relevant creed and a desire to ensure recognition where it is due I could support or renew your own faith in the next generation of leadership within the Military... That comment alone and the tacit endorsement it conveys means the world to me as a "junior" NCO and will help sustain my discipline, leadership and faith through difficult times... Though I suspect you know this already!
I'm glad that by fulfilling my obligations as a soldier per the relevant creed and a desire to ensure recognition where it is due I could support or renew your own faith in the next generation of leadership within the Military... That comment alone and the tacit endorsement it conveys means the world to me as a "junior" NCO and will help sustain my discipline, leadership and faith through difficult times... Though I suspect you know this already!
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I apologize of course for the double comment but... While I am absolutely certain that our Ops Officer MAJ Bowser is "on it" with regards to recognition, particularly knowing his character and qualities as a leader and officer, I feel I would be remiss personally if I made no effort of my own despite my rank and current position to recognize the Leaders, soldiers and comrades that had my back without question! In potentially fatal circumstances... I mean... The utter lack of hesitation alone, let alone the perfect tactical coordination in defianceof rank and personal ego is sufficient to merit recognition!
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Soldier Medal SPC (Join to see) or Army Commendation Medal as the SM may be too high considering your NCO's did not know they were armed.
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We had "reasonable suspicion" given then current climate... I'm just wondering because no one, nor evenour current 1st SGT really can figure out what to recommend given that we were on duty responding to a civil violation. It's a really wierd scenario but I want to make sure that these soldiers who have given me nothing but the best leadership possible get the recognition they deserve.
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SFC William Farrell as an addendum... I don't give a single damn what it might cost me personally. I'm not trying to choke Down that metaphorical "dick of progression". I was walking along with my platoon sergeant motivated by nothing less than a desire to play softball and talk shit as equals in civil clothes for the good and for the cause when this went down and yet we rolled out together in civilians as equals into danger without hesitation or any of that and I'll be God damned if he doesn't deserve positive recognition for putting aside rank and trusting me to have his back NO MATTER WHAT! No matter rank position or circumstance E7? E4? Nah we're freaking soldiers first! Period and I want to make sure that he and his fellows get the respect they deserve for that even I I never do solely because of my rank.
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SPC Kirk Gilles
SM often involves a Life Saving incident-car crash, CPR. Emphasis on the life saving part of your incident.
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The first and most vital thing that you should do is to get as many people as you can that have First hand Eye Witness knowledge of the event to make sworn statements about the event. THIS can be VITAL. In the event that an award is recommended, the approval authority will want to know what happened, especially since it involved civilians, and off duty police officer and the like. Having the situation recorded and knowing who was there can make all the difference.
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SSG Roger Ayscue thank you for that, it's not something I'd considered given my past experiences which mostly involve me recommending awards as a first line (I held position disproportionate toy rank while active). That being said I think There were around 30 total statements taken by the officers who responded. But only five or six of them were from our people and all of us were directly Involved in the response. Do you think that will negatively influence my recommendations? Especially still being "only" a SPC?
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SSG Roger Ayscue
SPC (Join to see) - Not at all. Additional information can only help in making sure that the appropriate awards are approved. In my experience, you can push through te higher award if you can justify it, and having eyewitness accounts as to the actions and contribution of the recommended Soldier can not help but make that happen.
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SSG Roger Ayscue thank you for your guidance. Hopefully along with your knowledge and that of others my first line and I will be able to successfully make sure credit is given where it's due. He's not commenting but is listening and developing alongside me in this specific matter!
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