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Recently, my leadership started to select certain people (alternating, as we are a very small unit) to send in for Quarterly/Annual awards and only send 1 package per category. I was wondering what more people thought of this practice.
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Unit Awards
Awards
Unit Awards Awards
Edited 8 y ago
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 5
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I noticed in my time in that being a hard nose about awards did absolutely nothing for the morale of units that didnt award their Marines. It just causes agnst between the haves and have nots. If you aren't recognizing your top performers every quarter you aren't doing your unit, people or yourself a favor.
Its not going to kill you to ask your section leaders to tell you who has been busting their ass and get them a LOA, MM or even a NAM.
Its not going to kill you to ask your section leaders to tell you who has been busting their ass and get them a LOA, MM or even a NAM.
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If I recall correctly the USAF assigns promotion points to awards, so they "may" be trying to "spread the wealth" based on eligibility dates (need based awarding). "If" the command limits the number of approvals per quarter this "may" be a way to ensure each person is recognized at the most opportune time.
As an example, if someone is getting ready for promotion to SSgt (USAF E5) next quarter, getting them an AFAM this quarter would be "more beneficial" than someone who who is going to TSgt in 3 quarters. Basically, it's "prioritizing" the bureaucratic machine a bit.
Your thoughts 1stSgt Eugene Harless? Since we don't really have points & promotion tied to our awards system, I'm not sure if this would be ethically flawed. I'm assuming that the awards were fully justified, just referring to "juggling the order" of timeline.
As an example, if someone is getting ready for promotion to SSgt (USAF E5) next quarter, getting them an AFAM this quarter would be "more beneficial" than someone who who is going to TSgt in 3 quarters. Basically, it's "prioritizing" the bureaucratic machine a bit.
Your thoughts 1stSgt Eugene Harless? Since we don't really have points & promotion tied to our awards system, I'm not sure if this would be ethically flawed. I'm assuming that the awards were fully justified, just referring to "juggling the order" of timeline.
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1stSgt Eugene Harless
The way the award system was explained to me at the time was that a command ( Baattalion) could issue 1 "impact" NAM for every 75 Marines every Quarter. Thats about 10 or So NAMs every quarter.
Usually it never happened. I sit in on an awards boards for the Battalion and would see things like the WO in Conad putting in 4 of his 20 Marines in for a NAM, and the Chief Cook writing up his NCOs for NAMs. The S- Shops weere the same. The Line Companies never purt in anyone.
In my 81s Platoon I had several Excellent NCOs. I tried to get at Least one of them a NAM every Quarter. Of Course in reality they all were in the Top 1% ALL the time, and they understood it wouild be a bit odd to give the very top performer 2 or 3 NAMS in one year. The op tempo and transfers usually didnt kept the NCOs changing, so it wasnt like you would be seeing the same guys over and over.
Usually it never happened. I sit in on an awards boards for the Battalion and would see things like the WO in Conad putting in 4 of his 20 Marines in for a NAM, and the Chief Cook writing up his NCOs for NAMs. The S- Shops weere the same. The Line Companies never purt in anyone.
In my 81s Platoon I had several Excellent NCOs. I tried to get at Least one of them a NAM every Quarter. Of Course in reality they all were in the Top 1% ALL the time, and they understood it wouild be a bit odd to give the very top performer 2 or 3 NAMS in one year. The op tempo and transfers usually didnt kept the NCOs changing, so it wasnt like you would be seeing the same guys over and over.
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Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
1stSgt Eugene Harless - That jived with my experiences. We'd see about 3-4/month (10/quarter) with decent spread (from H&S & Weapons, and almost none from line companies). We saw LOTS of MM, CC, and LOAs though from all over though.
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Perhaps this is a way to get all the people in your unit to understand that only the best will get picked and to help boost their performance
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SSgt (Join to see)
That is a possibility. We are a VERY small unit (2 E-4s, 2 E-5s, 4 E-6s, 2 E-7s, 1 Lt, and 1 Lt. Col.). Being a part of NATO, almost everyone works in different sections (2 E-4s are Security Forces, the rest are different parts of the communications world). I had just never heard of it before last week and with my limited experience (this being my 2nd assignment) wondered if it was a common practice among the rest of the military.
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MSG (Join to see)
SSgt (Join to see) - Not necessarily a common practice. An unusual one, for certain. And, as much as commands want to put everyone in for boards and awards, they are limited to having to choose the best.
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SSgt (Join to see)
MSG (Join to see) - From my understanding, which is limited as I am unable to attend most of the meeting due to working shifts, they are alternately picking someone, then giving the said person more responsibilities for that quarter such as running various fundraisers that our chapter of the Enlisted Association is responsible for. Sort of crafting the perfect quarterly award package.
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MSG (Join to see)
SSgt (Join to see) - I would certainly this is a different way to mentor and challenge new and upcoming Airmen in your unit. If it works and no one is feeling left out, then good on the Leaders.
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