Can a soldier refuse to receive an award?

No, it is not an option. It is an order, signed by the approval authority. There is no procedure in regulatory guidance that allows for the receiving SM to refuse the award.

The SM's options are limited, they can speak to the recommender or the approver and argue their position and request to have the award recommendation process stopped, or ask the approver to deny the award.
They can accept the award....yet choose not to acknowledge it.

Anyone stating the SM can refuse in a manner other than symbolically, please cite the reg passage that shows that procedure.

I never refused an award but often wondered why I got it for doing my job. I always went about improving my job skills, my section, my teams, setting goals and doing everything to give more than a 100%. When I submitted awards for my Soldiers it was because they went above and beyond or they did something that impacted the mission/organization in a positive way. I've seen people get awards who shouldn't have gotten crap but I've seen those try to downplay or ask the award order/DA 638 be tossed out for just doing their job.

So this one time I 'neatly refused(folded up)' a COA while in formation soon after a newly promoted SSG got a AAM for her 'ability to rapidly adapt to her leadership role during training..blah blah'. Mind you, it wasn't about the award as much as it was her getting the credit for work I did. I could have cared less about any award for doing my job but because she was getting one really got my blood boiling. So I 'neatly refused' that COA in my cargo pocket.

Someone saw what I did and then I had to talk to the 1SG along with my section SGT. I explained to him I was angry for her getting an award for MY work. I have no expectation of any award for doing my job but that really chapped my a**. Then to give me a COA, was just an insult. I'm not sorry one bit that someone took the time to print one out so I can put in my pocket. When he asked if he could see it, I told the 1SG he's welcome to dig it out of the crosscut shredder. He dismissed me out of his office, no counseling, nothing after that. Business as normal next day.

The bottom line to me, and especially in my case, if the soldier/Airman does not believe they are deserving of the medal being awarded they should have the right to refuse it without fear of retribution. I respect the heck out of someone that genuinely wants to earn something that they can be proud of, but it seems more often than not we have a service full of folks that expect medals to be handed out like T-ball trophies.