Posted on Mar 3, 2014
SSG Assistant Team Leader
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<p>It is widely contested, when the subject arises, as to how many unit awards an individual is to wear once they have received a permanent award and moved to a new unit. <br><br>For the sake of this topic, how many should a soldier wear that has 1 permanent ASUA and PCS's to a new unit that has 2 temporary (for the SM) awards of the ASUA?<br><br>Are you aware of the regulatory guidance in this matter? Many are not.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Special thanks to SSG Hoffman for being the first to answer this correctly. A somewhat more indepth review shows:</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>AR 670-1 Table 29-1 'Authority for wear--U.S. unit award emblems' (sub)Note 1 sentence 2 states:<br>"When a soldier is permanently awarded a unit award and is subsequently assigned to a unit that has received the same unit award, the soldier will wear the permanent award in lieu of the temporary unit award."<br><br>In action this has a 1 for 1 cancellation effect. For every 1 unit award YOU are permanently awarded, you cease to wear an equal 'temporary' unit award.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>i.e.&nbsp;MSG Snuffuluficus has orders for 1 PUC, 2 MUCs and 4 ASUAs from his 24 years in the Army. Joining B Co. 80th Armored Medical Battalion he finds that he is authorized to wear 3 MUCs and 1 ASUA as temproary awards:</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The MSG will then continue to wear 1 PUC, add another oak leaf to his MUC (as there is 1 more temporary MUC than his permanent awards) and continues to wear 4 ASUAs.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Do NOT continue to wear your last unit's temporary awards or ANY awards without having permanent orders reflecting such in your OMPF AND your O/ERB.</p>
Posted in these groups: Us medals AwardsTrain2 Training
Edited 10 y ago
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SSG Alexander Hoffman
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I'm glad this topic came up, I've had this discussion and had to correct MANY Soldiers, both junior and senior to myself. Got clarification from DA G-1 (the proponent for both AR 670-1 and AR 600-8-22) a few years back just to make sure I was correctly interpreting the regulation.<div><br></div><div>BLUF, You CAN NOT "combine" your permanent awards with the existing unit awards. In situations where you have an awards and are later assigned to a unit with the same award, you wear YOURS, not theirs. In you example, you would wear an ASUA with zero OLC's.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Reference:</div><div>AR 670-1, table 29-1 states "When a soldier is permanently awarded a unit award and is subsequently assigned to a unit that has received the same unit award, the soldier will wear the permanent award in lieu of the temporary unit award."</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>
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SSG Targeteer
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This is a repeated argument that I have had with many seniors and peers. I'm glad to know my interpretation was correct.
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SSG Assistant Team Leader
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Fantastic job SSG Hoffman! That is exactly the reference to cite and prove, key is that Subnote 1 second sentence (as you posted) is it.

Now to get soldiers to realize it is the only problem...
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SGT(P) Wardmaster   Intensive Care Unit Platoon   68 C20   Licensed Vocational Nurse
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SSG Thank You for your of this with a reference for us.  I have been in the Army for 10 years this Month and been told during my career by many senior leaders the incorrect information.  I can now correct my uniform and wear it to standard as well as lead, train my troops correctly.
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LTC Comptroller
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10 y
great post....thanks for keeping us up to speed.
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LTC Paul Labrador
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Edited 10 y ago

To answer your specific question, it would be:  ASUA with 2 OLC (making a total of 3) for temporary wear while assigned to said unit, reverting back to a single ASUA when they PCS out.  The regulation states that they can only wear temporary unit awards while actively assigned to that unit, and that the rule for OLC to count additional iterations of the same award is the same as individual awards.  But soldiers have to understand that they cannot wear temporary unit awards on an official DA photo (as those will not show up on an ERB/ORB).


 


Now, in reality, unless the leadership is very anal about ASU's looking "correct" and uniform, many soldiers who already have permanent wear unit awards will typically forego temporary awards and only wear their permanent ones. 

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LTC Paul Labrador
LTC Paul Labrador
10 y
SSG Broadbent, the mandated wear of temporary unit awards has always been up to the disgression of local leadership (usually the CSM).  There is no "standard" in this regard.  If my Commander and CSM puts out that everyone will have all unit awrds (both temp and permanent) worn, then everyone will put them on.  Most places I've been assigned to, it was never really enforced or an issue.
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SSG Cannon Crew Member
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I understand unit SOP's etc play a role in most things sir, but saying, "unless the leadership is anal about looking correct" gives an impression that doing the right thing is wrong. And SSG H. just posted where to find the answer about how to wear the awards in question. Its in here somewhere. Ah,, below this, it states "AR 670-1, table 29-1 states "When a soldier is permanently awarded a
unit award and is subsequently assigned to a unit that has received the
same unit award, the soldier will wear the permanent award in lieu of
the temporary unit award."

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SSG Cannon Crew Member
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10 y
Respectfully, I do not see how a COC etc can tell someone how to wear an award that someone has earned when the regulation clearly covers it, unless of course they just honestly do not know, which is of course the case in most situations. Heck, I didnt even know this answer so I learned something today. Of course I have never encountered this situation either, but when I do, I have ammo for the fight, per se'.
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LTC Paul Labrador
LTC Paul Labrador
10 y
When I say "correct" and uniform, it is in regards to uniformity within the unit in regards to unit decorations.
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SSG Dave Rogers
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After I received by first permanent Unit Award, when I was assigned to a new unit that had previous Unit Citations I would wear the awards as they were given by the Supply Room and required by the unit. While there were a few commanders who would say nothing, it was about showing my respect for the unit I was with. But if I went before a board or military training and required to wear my dress uniform, I would only wear the awards I have earned. 
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