Posted on May 2, 2022
Can my CO just decide to never sign an award I submitted?
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I have been told many times that anyone can submit an award. I put together an ETS award for one of my soldiers and a PCS award for another soldier. The soldier who ETS'd never got an award. I asked my S1 if my Commander, 1SG, or anyone in the unit submitted him for an award, which she told me they had not. I didn't think it was right that the soldier who ETS'd after spending 13 years in our unit was not receiving an award, especially because he was one of the top soldiers in the unit who devoted much of his free time outside of drill weekends to the unit. I am currently the XO, but I was his PL for 2 years so I decided to do it myself. I also submitted an ETS award for my Supply Sergeant who PCS's in June. I emailed my Commander the awards a week ago but there has been no movement on them. Can she just blatantly disregard my awards? I know that she is supposed to sign them and either approve or disapprove them, but isn't there a rule or something that Commander's have to sign things within a timely manner. Can she just decide to not sign them at all?
Posted in these groups: 
Awards
Awards
Posted 2 y ago
Responses: 13
Ma'am, in AR 600-8-22, Military Awards, dated 5 March 2019, section 3-21 will have your answer. But, I want to bring two subsections to your attention:
j. Each headquarters and organization will establish internal procedures to ensure that every award recommendation is processed with a minimum of delay. Recommendations requiring action by HRC or higher authority should arrive no later than 60 days prior to the desired presentation date. All other recommendations should be approved or disapproved within command channels within 60 days of initiation.
and
n. Once the recommendation is entered into official channels, commanders at each echelon have 10 calendar days to take action on the award commensurate with their authority. The award must continue to process through the appropriate channels to the approval/disapproval authority.
Now, I also want to bring to your attention that there is no regulatory guidance/requirement to approve/give a Soldier an ETS nor PCS award. Are/were the Soldiers flagged? Have you asked why there has been no movement? Also...if memory serves, the awards need to be processed thru ePAT, which involves S1.
j. Each headquarters and organization will establish internal procedures to ensure that every award recommendation is processed with a minimum of delay. Recommendations requiring action by HRC or higher authority should arrive no later than 60 days prior to the desired presentation date. All other recommendations should be approved or disapproved within command channels within 60 days of initiation.
and
n. Once the recommendation is entered into official channels, commanders at each echelon have 10 calendar days to take action on the award commensurate with their authority. The award must continue to process through the appropriate channels to the approval/disapproval authority.
Now, I also want to bring to your attention that there is no regulatory guidance/requirement to approve/give a Soldier an ETS nor PCS award. Are/were the Soldiers flagged? Have you asked why there has been no movement? Also...if memory serves, the awards need to be processed thru ePAT, which involves S1.
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1LT (Join to see)
Thank you, Yes they do need to be processed through ePAT, but for some reason I believe it needed to be signed by my Commander before it goes into ePAT. I will double check with my S1 on that. I know there is no requirement to approve or give these soldiers awards, it was just something that I thought they deserved. Neither of the Soldiers were flagged, they were both top-tier Soldiers. I try to avoid talking to my CO at all costs because of how she treats me and others in the unit so I have not specifically asked her why there has been no movement but I was planning to send a follow up email this week. I briefly looked at the regulation last week but I wasn't able to find my specific answer whether the CO could just ignore the submission of my awards all together. I will go back and review it again. Thank you for your response and help.
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MSG (Join to see)
1LT (Join to see) - ooofdah. Sounds like a possible toxic situation. Good luck. Glad I could be of help.
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I have seen awards sit for months depending on the level it started and where it was sent.
I was recommended for (1) MSM that took 6 months before it was approved, unfortunately, a BDE CSM that I had a disagreement with ensured it was downgraded to an ARCOM.
Depending on the level of the award, it should be sent upwards to an authority that could approve/deny/or downgrade the award. I assume the awards you submitted were an MSM.
The Company Commander will review the award and either forward it up the chain or return it for corrections. If they forward it up, they will indicate if they approve/disapprove or recommend it for a downgrade. They cannot deny it and refuse to take any action on it.
Even my MSM that was downgraded was still sent to a 1 star before being returned.
If the Soldiers have already ETS'ed before the award is approved, it can either be sent to them or you can invite them back to the unit for the presentation.
I was recommended for (1) MSM that took 6 months before it was approved, unfortunately, a BDE CSM that I had a disagreement with ensured it was downgraded to an ARCOM.
Depending on the level of the award, it should be sent upwards to an authority that could approve/deny/or downgrade the award. I assume the awards you submitted were an MSM.
The Company Commander will review the award and either forward it up the chain or return it for corrections. If they forward it up, they will indicate if they approve/disapprove or recommend it for a downgrade. They cannot deny it and refuse to take any action on it.
Even my MSM that was downgraded was still sent to a 1 star before being returned.
If the Soldiers have already ETS'ed before the award is approved, it can either be sent to them or you can invite them back to the unit for the presentation.
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MSG (Join to see)
1LT (Join to see) -
The Company Commander is required to send the recommendation up the chain whether they approve it or not. The only way around this is if they send it back to you for corrections or more substance.
The Commander should sign it and make a recommendation. If they don't, and send it up, the next level will likely be contacting the commander to find out why they didn't sign it and then return it to them for action.
I worked for First Army. My experience was the BDE SGM/CSM reviewed the awards before they went to the BDE CDR. My understanding is First Army CSM/SGM did the same.
One question that I have is how does your unit track awards? In my BN, we had Command and Staff briefings a couple of times a week, included in the briefing slides was all the awards that had been submitted to the CDR including initial dates, type, status (signed/forwarded/returned), location (still in unit/BDE/First Army). We discussed the status of awards submitted and listed pending awards such as someone ETSing, PCSing, missions.
Just as a suggestion, I realize you are the XO and that you are having difficulty with your CDR. Sometimes this happens and causes difficulties in communication. In those cases, it might help to increase your communications with the 1SG, not as a go around, but to keep an NCO who is in a position that is supposed to stay on top of these things informed and as an assist to ensure the CDR keeps up with current issues.
The Company Commander is required to send the recommendation up the chain whether they approve it or not. The only way around this is if they send it back to you for corrections or more substance.
The Commander should sign it and make a recommendation. If they don't, and send it up, the next level will likely be contacting the commander to find out why they didn't sign it and then return it to them for action.
I worked for First Army. My experience was the BDE SGM/CSM reviewed the awards before they went to the BDE CDR. My understanding is First Army CSM/SGM did the same.
One question that I have is how does your unit track awards? In my BN, we had Command and Staff briefings a couple of times a week, included in the briefing slides was all the awards that had been submitted to the CDR including initial dates, type, status (signed/forwarded/returned), location (still in unit/BDE/First Army). We discussed the status of awards submitted and listed pending awards such as someone ETSing, PCSing, missions.
Just as a suggestion, I realize you are the XO and that you are having difficulty with your CDR. Sometimes this happens and causes difficulties in communication. In those cases, it might help to increase your communications with the 1SG, not as a go around, but to keep an NCO who is in a position that is supposed to stay on top of these things informed and as an assist to ensure the CDR keeps up with current issues.
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1LT (Join to see)
As far as I know my unit does not track awards, since the CO took command there have been no awards issued in our unit. I am also in the Reserves so that is possibly why they do not get tracked or briefed about weekly. I will certainly reach out to the 1SG. Thank you.
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MSG (Join to see)
1LT (Join to see) -
I was in a Reserve unit in Orlando, we were Mobbed for over 10 years (Observer/Controller-Trainers).
My suggestion is that as the XO, it is within your authority to establish a tracking system for awards, particularly since this seems to be an issue.
I would contact the S1 OIC/NCOIC and have them include it in their PowerPoint slides for the Command and Staff and be prepared to brief on it. If it is front and center, awards won't just disappear. Make it their responsibility to contact the various platoon leaders/NCOICs for updates to the slides.
I would also discuss with the Platoon/Team Leaders, 1SG, and NCOICs, the importance of ensuring timely award submissions. A unit can develop morale problems for lack of recognition by outstanding Soldiers at important events such as ATs, high level inspections, ETS, Retirements, or change of units by Soldiers who have greatly contributed to the mission.
One of the issues that I experienced in the Reserves, is that many NCOs and Officers don't know how to properly prepare awards and as such, shy away from doing it. Some think it is too much work on their part and are not motivated to take care of their Soldiers.
This is where a good XO in combination with the 1SG stays on top of the issues and makes sure it remains a priority
Good luck to you
I was in a Reserve unit in Orlando, we were Mobbed for over 10 years (Observer/Controller-Trainers).
My suggestion is that as the XO, it is within your authority to establish a tracking system for awards, particularly since this seems to be an issue.
I would contact the S1 OIC/NCOIC and have them include it in their PowerPoint slides for the Command and Staff and be prepared to brief on it. If it is front and center, awards won't just disappear. Make it their responsibility to contact the various platoon leaders/NCOICs for updates to the slides.
I would also discuss with the Platoon/Team Leaders, 1SG, and NCOICs, the importance of ensuring timely award submissions. A unit can develop morale problems for lack of recognition by outstanding Soldiers at important events such as ATs, high level inspections, ETS, Retirements, or change of units by Soldiers who have greatly contributed to the mission.
One of the issues that I experienced in the Reserves, is that many NCOs and Officers don't know how to properly prepare awards and as such, shy away from doing it. Some think it is too much work on their part and are not motivated to take care of their Soldiers.
This is where a good XO in combination with the 1SG stays on top of the issues and makes sure it remains a priority
Good luck to you
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Oh...one more thing. As for the "anyone can submit," that is technically correct but also technically incorrect. The regs state the submitter should be a person that has direct personal knowledge or superior in rank. What this means is that...say your Supply Specialist wants to put in an award for the Supply Sergeant but doesn't know how or that they think the award will go nowhere because of their rank. Now, while the Specialist has direct knowledge, they could come to you and provide all pertinent details to you and you can then write up/submit the award.
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