How should I handle our S-1 continually denying award submissions?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 12:57:15 -0500

I'm not very familiar with awards beyond basic criteria. Is anyone familiar with S1 continually denying awards that are being sent up even when the recommender keeps making changes to satisfy S1?

What if S1 is saying things like have the recommender come in after hours to sign the revised version or we won't send the award up?

How do you handle it? Is there a proper way and time to bypass them and go to the next higher S1 if you think you or someone else is getting stonewalled?

I'm perfectly willing to accept that I am not seeing the full picture but as I hope to be a leader of Soldiers myself I know that awards will be part of that responsibility and I want to gather others perspective and experience. I understand some of the basics and the forms used but I don't understand some of the nitpicking or continual denials.

It may make sense to a 42A and I'm just not seeing the issues. While I don't think awards should be handed out trivially, I do think if a Soldier earned them then grant it. It should be as simple as writing it up and sending it up, if it's not why?

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Feb 27 at 2021 1:11 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 13:11:20 -0500

SPC Private RallyPoint Member Intricate multi-tiered issue.

1. Continual "denial" of the award: They are not denying the award. They can't deny crap. There are recommenders and approval authorities (ie the approval level commander). The S1 is the gate keeper to the process. The job of the S1 is to screen the award recommendation to ensure the person is eligible, that it is prepared properly, and generally free of errors. Wartime standards should be less stringent for the last two, but with the advent of PCs on everyone's desk they haven't been.

AAM = BN CDR/Qualification Badges (O5 Commander). Due 30 days prior, error free
ARCOM/Combat Badges = BDE CDR (O6 Commander), due 60 days prior, error free
MSM/BSM/AM = DIV CDR (2 Star), due 90-120 days prior error free
LOM = Corps CDR (3 Star), due 120 days prior error free
Understand that 100% of these are actually delegated to this level by the SECARMY and can be revoked.

These are the layers it has to get through.

2. Process: The recommender takes the award they believe has been written to eye wateringly brilliant specifications to the Company Clerk (a co-opted soldier from the formation not authorized or institutionally TRAINED to perform those functions) where it goes to the Company Command Team. The Orderly Room Clerk usually is charged to screen them, and edits them as best they know (not always a bad thing). The corrections are sent back to the recommender who angrily edits and re-writes. The award comes back, lets assume it hits the 1SG this time, he/she catches something, back down...Then the Company Commander...then back down...mercifully it goes to Battalion, usually to get sent back at least once as it is screened by the S1 clerk, S1 actual, BN XO, and then the BN CSM, before it goes to the BN CDR, who may only be the Recommender.

Commanders and 1SGs at BN Level and CDRs and CSMs at BDE and DIV level sit through weekly command and staff. Awards are tracked, especially for PCS and retirement. If you are RC, then the awards are just the merit or "impact" awards and retirement type awards. The system is no secret. Commanders talk this through with the BN/BDE XO pretty often.

3. Things I've learned:
- Commanders have an award policy. Good ones share this directly with their subordinate Commanders, who then rarely share it with recommenders until a flash point.
- Commanders do not see ANYTHING before their XO and CSM do. Actions have specific routing chains to ensure they are properly staffed. I am sure as a 27 series you have seen this. Purpose of the staff is coordination and supporting commander's intent. This is one of many ways.
- S1s are constantly fighting to get time with the award approver and usually have some interval (like weekly) where they walk in for signature all personnel actions. Sometimes they have to "share" with the 4 for FLIPLS and like actions. They are conscious of their backlog of actions and gather up all ready for signature folders and take them in to that meeting. Takes a send back iteration otherwise. I tell you all this because the late night signature may mean that award lingers another whole iteration, which in the RC could be a month or more depending on MUTAs.

4. Not all recommenders are good or even passable writers: As a BN XO and a BDE DCO I saw many horribly written awards, the shame was that was probably the third cut. I tried to stay developmental. I would re-write the award and send it back down, so that it would sail past the next round. I operated under the assumption that the soldier deserved the award and I was just trying to make that happen. Then the award would return with the original unacceptable bullets/narratives and no corrections. I would then boil the S1 in oil for letting that crap through and point out the painstaking effort of my re-write (doing their job), many times emailing the text to the recommender so they could have it fixed when the action came back. A couple Commanders were hardheaded. I then read aloud award recommendations. After two, they took the stack. I wasn't looking for poet laureates, just nouns, verbs, and intelligible. We all have typos and misspellings now and again.

We were tough on awards so that the Boss could just recommend, approve, or disapprove when they got it. The units I served in at the BN and BDE level had a rule that if we missed it the first time thru, we would fix it for them, and just have them re-sign. My BN and BDE Commander (same guy two different assignments) would sign something with 3 mistakes or less on the 638, but the certificate had to be spot on as that is what was going on the soldier's wall. And it required no one other than the S1 to fix.

I would often go to 1SGs and CDRs when I got frustrated. Many recommenders seemed to know the same illiterate guy with the "hook up" template. It would spread through the BN like a virus, and seem to make just me sick. Someone tried to copy another award perhaps they received. Words were not used in the correct context, spelled incorrectly, etc. What made me angry about it, is when I tried to just get them to write their own, using their own words, they seemed to get indignant over it. I ended up walking stacks of awards back to Companies with individual corrections in my own hand. I put together the strains of the viral hook up bullets and told them to fix it. I offered to sit down with the recommender if that is what it took (doing their job).

5. End run of your S1: I wouldn't. They are simply enforcing the approving commander's rules for awards, which the next level will enforce and kick you back. If you attempt to end run by going to G1 at Division with an MSM, skipping your BDE as an example, you may or may not luck out and get it done, but if it is 8 up or not, you will likely have a series of very uncomfortable conversations and down right ass rippings from the BN XO, BN CSM, and even your own Company Commander. Then there will be 20 questions at the SGS and the DIV COS about why you are doing what you are doing. You thought your S1 was murderous, these guys are more seasoned and ten times better at it than your poor old BN S1.

6. Why the fuss? This is one of many ways that higher HQ commanders judge their subordinate leaders. Sorry. True. The thought is: All those people down there and not one can write a sentence? You have to put your best foot forward whether that is a properly written and timely award, or the best NCO/Officer to send on a tasking to another unit, giving back lent equipment better than you found it, etc If you always seem to be jacked up, then the assumption is you are so jacked up you have accepted it as OK and normal. You do not want your senior rater thinking that. I watched a young LT's life implode after three high vis screw ups in front of the Group Commander. His opinion of that Company and even our Battalion suffered greatly. True story. Took a lot to turn it around.

7. So just give up?: NO. Soldiers need recognition. Commanders want to give it. But there are standards. How would I fix it?
- Each Platoon and Primary Staff has a commissioned officer with a Bachelor's degree that should be reading these and fixing the readability and basic grammar.
- Most S1s publish a standard award citation for writers to use. Every S1 up through G1 does this. Follow it.
- STAR format for bullets: situation, task, action, result. Tie this to the approval authority's mission (better) or how it impacted your unit's mission (approver should be able to mentally bridge that to their mission.
- Company Commander's have a 5th Bullet on the 638. If they leave the comments blank or write some inane gibberish in there, then that hurts the award. Use the 5th bullet.
- Recommenders need formal and mentored training on writing awards and evaluations, but should be with real world ones that are due. The made up ones don't work because you don't know the person IRL.

Response by SPC Nancy Greene made Feb 27 at 2021 1:17 PM

SPC Nancy Greene — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 13:17:41 -0500

As a former Personnel Management Specialist, nothing regarding ADMIN is simple! The request for an award goes through many different reviews before being granted. Good luck getting a logical answer which is consistently implemented

Response by CPT Catherine R. made Feb 27 at 2021 2:21 PM

CPT Catherine R. — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 14:21:04 -0500

As a former S1 OIC it was never my goal to have an award denied, instead I wanted them to sail through, 1st time with no errors. My staff would screen awards before they hit my inbox but I still read them thoroughly (my team wasn't perfect and neither am I). A quick simple spelling mistake can't be fixed once the award is digitally signed. I'd have to remove the signature, fix the spelling and then get a re-signature. Trust me, if I could have just fixed it I would.

Part of my screening was making sure the award told the story. If it's an AAM it's not too hard to get approved but once you start going higher then the award needs to speak for itself. I wouldn't ever tell a recommender "you have to fix this" but I would say, "from experience you need to expand these bullets or you run the risk of it being downgraded or disapproved". Most of my companies took the feedback well, some felt they knew better and told me to send it forward. I would absolutely send them forward if it was demanded of me but also had the opportunity to tell the XO (my boss), that I made the recommendation that these errors be corrected and whoever pushed back which is why it's written as it is. Typically my XO would review and send it back anyway.

For the most part I would say listen to the S1. They know what the commanders will and won't sign and have experience getting the Soliders the awards they deserve. If they want a signature after hours it's probably so they can get it to the boss first thing in the morning so you won't have to wait longer (or write a letter of lateness). Don't bypass them. Commanders usually trust their S1 OIC, if an award doesn't come through that channel then they will ask why.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Feb 27 at 2021 11:00 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 23:00:26 -0500

You as a PFC don't! The S1works under the BN XO and Commander, you are not in their chain. You could talk to your senior NCO to get him to talk to the CSM. Or your Commander to talk to the XO/BN Cdr. PAC is a strange animal, I have had them send back awards signed off by O6's saying the Individual didn't have enough rank, cause their informal policy was E7 and up for MSM's. MY O6 thundered into the Div AG office and asked to see that in the AR, cause his AR said nothing about Rank and tossed it on his desk with the award recommendation.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Feb 28 at 2021 10:49 AM

SFC Casey O'Mally — Sun, 28 Feb 2021 10:49:37 -0500

A couple things here....

First, for all of the "common" awards (CoA, AAM, ARCOM, MSM, and (in theater) BSM) the S1SHOULD have a template or "shell" that they push down. This shell will already have things like appropriate citation, signature blocks and routing chains filled in. This shell ALSO changes more often than you would expect (as a different person moves into the adjutant role, or there is a change of Command, or a recommender/approver just changes how they want something to look). Your Orderly/Training room SHOULD have a copy of the shell. Make sure that is your starting point. Often times S1 is kicking back things for stupid changes like proper signature block, not even for the actual award itself. (Although the shell may also include guidance for what to include in the achievement blocks, but this is rare).

Second, Having the recommender come in late serves no purpose UNLESS the Commander is ALSO coming in (or already there) or the Commander is the recommender. Signatures have to go in order - recommender than Company Commander, then Battalion, Brigade, Division, Corps (or as far as the award goes....) The recommender cannot sign AFTER the Commander.

Third, the Company Commander has to sign each and every award, each and every time it goes to Battalion. If S1 is kicking back awards for stupid stuff and/or changing the shell over and over, the Commander WILL know. And the Commander WILL have a "professional development session" with the S1 Actual. The BN XO may or may not be involved. The flip side of that is that if the award keeps getting kicked back because the recommender/writer is not making the proper changes / updates, the Commander will have a "professional development session" with either the O Room (who should be tracking and ensuring changes are made) or the recommender (or possibly recommender's PL and/or PSG if they are not the recommender).

Fourth, this is EXCEPTIONALLY flexible. Especially when a new approving authority comes in (i.e. BN Change of Command - what the new BC is looking for in an award changes, and for the first few months there will be growing pains).

Fifth, Yes it sucks. Unfortunately, this is part of Life in the Army. I have worked Division (G3 and G5), BDE (S2), BN (S2 and S3) and Company (Orderly Room/Training Room plus acting 1SG) positions. Plus I have been the PSG for the Staff/HQ Platoon at those four echelons, as well. I have a little bit of insight on how staff operates.
Everyone down at Company level loves to hate the staff, because the staff "makes things harder than they have to be." Meanwhile everyone on the Battalion staff is busy cursing the BDE staff who "makes things harder than they have to be" while also getting annoyed at "those morons down at Company who can't even follow simple instructions." And on and on it goes. Until you are in that position, you don't really understand what the competing priorities are, and how hard those folks are working to make your job EASIER, not harder. That is not an excuse for the staff not doing their job or screwing up. But give them the benefit of the doubt. 9 times out of 10, they are actually working to help you out. And that tenth time will be figured out real quick and firepower much higher than you will resolve it behind the scenes.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Feb 28 at 2021 11:37 AM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Sun, 28 Feb 2021 11:37:20 -0500

You need to work with your leadership on this. There will generally always be a reason why S1 kicks back stuff. There isn’t a generic coverall answer because it all depends on the “why”

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Mar 1 at 2021 12:15 PM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 12:15:52 -0500

While on active duty and later as a DAC I wrote several awards for people I supervised. Also, served on civilian awards board for a MACOM. Here's some things to consider.
-Normally a supervisor submits people for awards, military or civilian. This doesn't prohibit others from recommending Soldiers or civilians for awards, but it puts the award submission in "normal channels" If you're not a supervisor, it may adversely impact the consideration of the award.
-Shape the award recommendation to the award criteria. Read the award criteria carefully. Use the words in the award criteria to shape the recommendation.
-Cite actions and accomplishments in the recommendation that clearly meet the criteria for the award. Check every fact you cite with a reliable source. (I turned back award recommendations that said a person completed a project when I knew they were not in charge of the project or trained to do the work.)
-Surviving an extended period of time at one location, one job, or an entire career usually is not justification for an award. There is some leeway in retirement awards, but otherwise it should be all about accomplishments
-Facts speak louder than adjectives. You can say, "SGT Jones" completed a difficult project in minimum time supporting a higher headquarters directed event." Or you can say, "SGT Jones completed preparation of his platoon for deployment to a combat zone three days before the deadline. Preparation required coordination with Company, Battalion, and Installation organizations to ensure platoon members completed all 53 pre-deployment items. SGT Jone's platoon was the first platoon ready for deployment." The second description would get my approval.
-Sit down with the awards point of contact at S1 and determine why your recommendations are getting bounced. Whether a DAC or Soldier, awards POCs may not be full time awards people. They are doing it as a secondary or additional duty. They will often react positively to your effort to improve the nominations thereby making their job easier. Turning down awards is sometimes more difficult than approving them. Also, they may be working with more senior leaders or awards boards that are making awards more difficult to get.