Posted on Jun 2, 2016
Should awards (other than AGCM) be based particularly on good conduct?
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It seems more often than not, in units I have been a part of, that awards are more often based upon good conduct rather than actual achievements. Is this commonplace in other units? What are you thoughts on how much of a role good conduct should be given when the award is not solely based on good conduct?
Posted in these groups: 
Awards
Unit Awards
Awards Unit Awards
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 3
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That is so very much better than having them be based upon rank. The first MSM I was put in for was when I was in 2d Infantry Division, Korea. The Division CSM kicked it back (How he had a say in it I never understood, as the person that put it in was Division Chief of Staff, a Full Colonel). The Buck slip on the award said "Staff Sergeants do not get MSMs in my Division". Far far too often Awards are based on rank not performance.
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SGT Joshua Strup
I always had a problem with rank being a factor. Awards should be given for the achievements they represent, without the influence of the number of stripes the awardee wears.
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1SG Patrick Burke
The Army has not exercised an efficient system to train all Soldiers (Enlisted & Officers) on the merits and repercussions of the award system. NCOs and Officers alike have been told in Proffesional Development Courses to reward your Soldiers for achievement. But they do not teach the secondary and tertiary affects to that process. Take for example, two SGTs that are deployed and one leads his Squad through a complex IED attack and is awarded an ARCOM for that achievement and the other leads his Squad through a complex ambush with direct Small Arms Fire that lasts about an hour. Reading these two situations, what is the basis for an ARCOM while deployed, is it leading your Soldiers through a short intense blast or leading Soldiers for an hour while under direct fire. Some will say, why award them, they are only doing their job. My point is that leaders need to scrutinize awards and be cautious of not setting a new standard for an award. With that said, I feel PCS/ETS Awards are a different animal. I was told by a CSM once to look at the level of responsibility (it appears to mirror rank). Another hypothetical, does a SGT Squad Leader have the same responsibility as a SFC Platoon Sergeant? No, they do not. The premise of my post is that we, as an Army, have ruined the awards system and marginalized the recognition of 'going above and beyond'.
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Like SSG Roger Ayscue said, I would rather it be conduct and performance than rank. I was told to write my own award when I left Fort Sill. I had been there for 6 years, and worked 7 different duty positions in different specialties. One was even a MSG position. I never had any issues, and not to toot my own horn, but I thought my performance was outstanding. So I wrote myself a solid, truthful 638 for an MSM. It was sent up to the Garrison CSM, who kicked it back because "SSGs don't get MSMs". I pushed the issue and got nowhere of course. However, in lieu of an MSM... I got two ARCOMs.
For a PCS.
TWO ARCOM PCS AWARDS.
So yeah... if nothing else, I wish leaders just went by the regs, and not just their ways of thinking. This is how programs get broken (looking at you, NCOERS).
For a PCS.
TWO ARCOM PCS AWARDS.
So yeah... if nothing else, I wish leaders just went by the regs, and not just their ways of thinking. This is how programs get broken (looking at you, NCOERS).
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