Is it common for a person with 17 years in the military to not have a personal award?

I understand everyone else's response about how it is possible to not even receive one personal award in 17 years...I'm sure it's also possible to receive 17 personal awards in 17 years...my point is, just because it is possible doesn't make it justifiable or right...SSgt "Ski", you should have gotten at least one in your 17 years of exemplary service.

You have really bad leaders. By now you should have at least an MSM, a couple ARCOMS, and several AAM, and if in the ARNG, some State equivalents of each. Either that, or you are a bad Soldier and not telling us.

Anyone can write an Award, including you! Next AT write an AAM for yourself stating how in quantitative terms how many meals were served enabling the Whole BTN/BDE to perform its mission. On another note after you retire, unless its a Bronze Service Medal or a Purple Heart, it is mostly bragging rights. Sorry you have had such poor leadership, that after 17 years of service, no one has seen fit to write an award for you.

That's tough. It took me 8 to get my NAM. I did a lot of lat moves in my 8 though, performed outstandingly, was written up for 2 Navy Commendations, 1 NAM. It left a bitter taste in my mouth. When I was getting awarded, the dang thing fell off too... go figure. The awards system is flawed. I've seen Gunnery Sergeants filling Lance Corporal billets to (1) get their first deployment in and then (2) return with a Navy Com. We all know a Lance Corporal wouldn't have gotten a Navy Com. That's what makes it flawed. The same work done by different ranks earns different awards. The only way to fix it is with Commanders Intent with Awards. X amount of Achievement, Commendation, or higher medals awarded.

Can't answer that question directly, but I can give you my angle. I've been in 5 years active, got promoted fairly quickly (MOS and being as squared away as I can), took and kept a chief billet halfway through Cpl, had a few lateral billets and held them (like IMO), but I never got a personal award. I was told once by my GySgt (CommChief), that he had written me up for a NAM, but my current OIC shot it down, stating that he disagreed with the citation (Summary of Action), but agreed I was valuable.... only to find out later from another officer that my OIC was bitter he himself didn't have a NAM (only GWOT and NSDM).. I was asked by my Co 1stSgt and SgtMaj a couple of time's how come I wasn't written up/had a NAM/NAC for my contributions in my OccFld, to which I could just say 'SNM doesn't know, I'm just doing my job." while others that were in the other S shops were getting them left and right - CertComms, NAMs, NACs (albeit rare), etc. I just accepted that's the way it is, and what can you do - ask someone why I don't have a medal? Sounds crude, but that's how I felt, while others that I know didn't perform as much or superbly (aka deserved it), got NAM's. Then I started thinking I'm either doing something wrong, doing right or what message does that send (to me and others).... Ultimately my last OIC, due to circumstances, told me I deserve a NAM, along with a few fellow NCO's, after my last exercise, to which I said the same - I was just doing my job... and I would feel that if I said anything other/differntI would equate myself with those did less to get the same award and I definitely didn't want to do that. Well, some of those NCO's still got awards...... It is what it is.

A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon -Napolean Bonaparte.. Most ribbons don't mean a thing, I've seen Bronze Stars for loading connex's. I even read the award my Lt received. The best reward/award you can get is your retirement letter. That's the best reward you'll ever get, and it's very rare lately.

I can recall when I was in the ILARNG and was making up a drill weekend, the Unit Clerk had me going through files looking for soldiers who qualified for awards/ribbons and I actually wrote the paperwork for him to submit to the leadership corp for evaluation. I always thought it was odd how those in leadership positions always had the awards/ribbons as if at some point in time they took care of their own. I agree that a strong leadership corps and a desire to recognize your troops for a job well done, help eliminate gaps in recognition such as yours. Thank you for your service and dedication to our great Nation.

Unfortunately awards need someone to write them, I have been in units that higher command expect awards to be written and submitted by mid Oct. and I have been in units where no mention of awards was ever made. If someone does not sit down and submit an award for their soldiers it is not going to happen.

I agree, in the AF it is common for people to retire (in Aircraft Maint) as an E-7 with only one or 2 AFAMs, and then usually they will get the post mortem AF Accommodation Medal. It comes down to management that is too concerned with minutia to care about the troops. Go to the Pay office and every E-3 has a fist full of personal medals. Hell at this point write your own medal and submit it to your supervision, what could it hurt. For what it is worth I think My father was a Gunny when he got his first NAM and that was 15 years after spending 4 years in THE 'NAM

The most important award in a persons military career, is the award earned but never given. That little piece of ribbon that Bonaparte mentioned in someone's response here on this page is right on the money. Awards encourage hard work, hard work sets the standard and standards met insure victory! Sort of sounds like something a general might have said doesn't it? Pity the enlisted man or woman who earned an award and because some NCO or Officer was a short timer, he or she never received that recognition because someone was a lazy bastard. Those unrewarded soldiers go on to be cynical, untrusting and have leadership issues because one little piece of ribbon wasn't awarded or presented.