How can someone obtain award memos if a soldier lost theirs?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 17:01:23 -0400

Currently investing my time in helping soldiers who came from the army national guard over to the regular army with their transition. Helping them retire their ERB along with their TIG/TIS. 10/10 times when you make that switch your erb is wiped clean. You can’t add awards. Excluding a few. Without a memo. So where should that soldier or myself need to contact if their old unit can’t find it either and it’s not in their iPERMS? Example.. SPC smith had 5 awards from the Florida guard. Lost the paperwork.... it never got put on their iPERMS... unit can’t find it on their system.... so where would the next stop be of who keeps all signed off Memos for awards?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 21 at 2020 5:45 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 17:45:00 -0400

Most awards use a DA638. You can try contacting previous units but dont get your hopes up. Also keep authority levels in mind when looking.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 21 at 2020 7:21 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 19:21:12 -0400

Maintaining a copy of an award is an individual responsibility and EVERYONE knows how important it is to maintain a copy for yourself. If the Soldier don’t have a copy, it’s not in their iPerms, and the unit don’t ha e it in their system, how do you know the award actually exists? I can see maybe one award but 5? Unlikely. Without proof, there is no way to validate the awards and 5 awards missing is way too many to give the Soldier the benefit of doubt.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 21 at 2020 9:40 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 21:40:07 -0400

The ERB is blank because the Guard ERB is generated by an entirely different system than active duty. When all three components go live on IPPS-A, then all three will have an ERB from the same system. At least that step will be easier next year.

If the Soldier didn't keep a copy of the award(s), that's on him. He should have been providing a copy and following up until it showed up in iPERMS, (and that game can be a struggle in any component). But career management, to include one's own record, is an individual sport, and you get out of it what you put into it.

If their old BDE S1 does not have an archived copy from getting the 638 signed, and the Soldier didn't keep a copy, then the Soldier is SOL. Use it as a teachable moment to keep your paperwork.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 22 at 2020 10:04 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 22 Mar 2020 22:04:20 -0400

Understand your concerns regarding your situation. When you're referring to memos for Awards. It sounds like you lost your Unit Awards Memos. Here is the weblink to support you during deployments.
https://history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/wotawards.html
https://www.hrc.army.mil

wotawards.html