How does someone recommend for an award?

Lol I admire your enthusiasm but first you'd want to recommend them for an award that they're authorized. The AFSM is a medal not an award for merit. Medals are awarded for campaigns and such. To quote Wikipedi: "The AFSM is a deployed service medal that is presented to those service members who engage in "significant activity" for which no other U.S. campaign or service medal is authorized. " Awards like this are automatically granted when you fulfill the requirements, there is no writeup. Basically, you either warrant the award or you don't, there's no recommending it.

If you think a Soldier or Soldiers deserve an award for their meritorious accomplishments then look at recommending an AAM or even ARCOM for them. Your S1 will have a templat for you, and it gets turned in to your S1 for routing and approval. Remember that the approval authority for an AAM is your BN CDR and the approval authority for an ARCOM is your BDE CDR.

Yes DA Form 638 would be the form to use. Now, the interesting part what was the significant action deemed as such by the theatre commander? And you were the one that witnessed the act? And there is no other award that might be applicable?

I’m not an Army guy. All the folks in this string that provided guidance are Army correct. I did serve on an Army awards board at the MACOM level as a DAC. I always looked for the nominees definite accomplishments that met or exceeded the requirements for the Medal or award. Without a clear statement of those the nomination didn’t get my vote.

What would be your reasoning for them getting the medal?

I was awarded the AFSM for covid-19. It was a memo signed by an O6

I have run into similar issues. My unit back home is saying we don't get the AFSM or HSM......yet I have 2 NCOERS with multiple COVID-19 bullets and a continuity award template with COVID-19 bullets.

It doesn't look like this is a DA368 award. I'm too lazy to look it up, but I suspect it can be awarded by memo from a LTC+ in charge of the operations and all they need to do is validate service members actions were in support of CV-19 operations while on orders for 30+ days according to the memo requirements.

Too bad, because such an award would be an easy reach to motivated staff to get in front of the Commander for a blanket authorization to staple to a set of orders. I've seen peers get ARCOM's for Virtual Annual Training exercises. The Armed Forces Service Medal is just another participation award.

Hang onto your orders, and the memo, and maybe some time in the future you can get an O5 to sign such a memo.

I've never put up an AFSM, but for all of the achievements and commendations that I have the DA638 is the backbone. Basically you fill out the SM info and past awards (still fuzzy as to why this genuinely matters shy of padding awards that aren't merited or keeping higher awards away from the juniors that truly earned them by achievement if not station, but I digress) and on the back place the bullets that support the award. Your command might have particular rules they want followed in regard to the bullets (one bullet for an AAM but no less than 2 for an ARCOM, et cetera). Beyond that you submit that up for review, revision and recommendation (or lack thereof). DO NOT accept any rejection from anyone who cannot sign or deny the award. Your PSG or 1SG can not recommend all day or put you through tons of recommended revisions but unless this award is different than the ones I've seen, it cannot be rejected by anyone other than the signing authority (CO or BN CMDR, so on). I don't mean to be salty or discourage though; it might go through easily, but take any set backs and revisions in stride as it sounds like your people are trying to force you into completing a vital role of a leader in looking out for your people. The efforts and struggles you endure to get that approved may well mean more to that service member than the award. Remember that. Good luck.

Thanks for sharing