Would you drop hints for an award recommendation if nobody has done it?

2014-11-10T01:05:03-05:00

I have been doing military funeral honors since 2012. I have completed 250 funerals as of today and volunteered 1000 hours of my time. I have been asked by 5 different NCOs and Officers if anybody has recommended me for an award for doing all the military funerals I have done. However, the only thing I was ever given was a battalion challenge coin, nobody has recommended me for an award of any kind. Do you think I should drop hints about it or just let it go? I'm just curious because I told the 5 people who asked me if I was recommended for an award "no I haven't" and no one has recommended me still. I just don't understand why they would ask that question, I tell them no, and they still don't do it. What would you do?

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 10 at 2014 1:04 AM

2014-11-10T01:04:54-05:00

Wow you should be that is insane that you haven't...

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 10 at 2014 11:11 AM

2014-11-10T11:11:22-05:00

Lesson in military life - you make your own career. I've actually written several awards for myself and sent them to my commander for approval. All 3 I've written have been approved. You have to be proactive in your career. If you can't write them, find somebody to do it for you. It's a sad but true reality - squeaky wheels... if you don't squeak, others will get the grease.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 10 at 2014 11:47 AM

2014-11-10T11:47:55-05:00

When I came due to get an "extended tour" medal I didn't waste time getting my supervisor to write me a medal. If you don't, sometimes you will be overlooked. That could cause you to miss promotion or other opportunities.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 13 at 2014 9:53 AM

2014-11-13T09:53:56-05:00

I have drafted suggested write-ups for my bosses before. I leave the rest up to them.

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Nov 13 at 2014 9:59 AM

2014-11-13T09:59:42-05:00

I know in the AF it isn't uncommon for folks to "draft" their own awards and send them to their supervisors.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 13 at 2014 8:08 PM

2014-11-13T20:08:08-05:00

MSG Kent Holmes if you want my weight as a BC I'm happy to assist. I wrote an MSM for an unnamed CW3 a few months back for work he did on a website that helps us all and sent it straight to his CG and copied his CoC and they approved it last month.

As a young PFC in the NG over 20 ys ago I did 50 funerals myself back when they were unpaid and always wondered why it didn't warrant something. In fact I never got my first AAM until I was an E6 DS.

Having said all of this, clearly we don't do it for the awards but certainly can understand the frustrations of a young Soldier who has gone WAY above and beyond. ARCOM for sure on this one. I'm happy to help and get the attention of his Bde Cdr and MACOM Cdr. They need (and want) to know about these things.

Final point on awards is this - to me, awards say far more about the leadership within the units a Soldier serves than even the individual Soldier. It takes nothing but time to write an award (and perseverance to ensure it actually gets awarded). ANY Soldier of any rank can submit one. Pay it forward... ;)

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 13 at 2014 11:00 PM

2014-11-13T23:00:25-05:00

I volunteer for the duty of military funeral honors. I became interested after it was done for me at my father's funeral. Even though I am paid, I perform these duties strictly on a volunteer basis. I have volunteered a grand total of 992 hours of my time to perform these details because it is an honor to do them.