Posted on Oct 29, 2020
Is my dd214 not enough proof that I earned an award?
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I was in the reserve years ago. Had a huge break in service and now I'm back in active duty. My s1 is currently telling me that I can't add my awards to my erb without the orders as my dd214 does not have them therefore it's not enough proof. I am currently moving heaven and earth trying to find papers nobody seem to have from 11 years ago. What can I do?
Prior Service
Awards
Human Resources
DD214
ERB
Edited 5 y ago
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 49
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As a former Company, Battalion and Brigade S1 and now in G1 yes they can use your DD214 especially in your case of over a decade separation. I had a 20 year separation and they had to use my 214 because iPerms did not exsist back in 85 (but I did have all my papers). Normally the 214 is used last by S1 because the 214 is compilation of everything and has to be manually imputed and can easily be fat fingered. I had a CPT that had a BSM on her 214 from a recent mobilization. She got the ribbon added to her rack and DA photo done for Major’s board. Well she had never been out of the country and her mob was to Ft Bliss and you don’t get a bronze star medal for conus mobilization. She had no award orders for BSM other then it was on her 214 but she did have award certificate for MSM from Ft Bliss. They typeoed her 214. That being said, what are your awards? normal awards like certificates of achievement, AAM, good conduct medal should not be an issue with 214. I would assume not very many as an E4. Again they can use it but not knowing your details or the awards I can’t say why they are having an issue.
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1SG (Join to see)
SSG William Hommel 88 as a kid. I served my country so was done with that, never to return. However, in 2007 the Army raised the age to 42 which is the Federal max age. It’s 42 because they have to allow you to do 20 years and 62 is the maximum age you can stay in, unless you have the secret formula for something, lol. I went to Army recruiter in December 2007 had to retake Asfab again and get a medical at Meps. I sworn in Jan 2008 and turned 42 in March. Back then you did not have to go back to basic again. But you do now if break is longer then 3 years I think. I was assigned to a PSYOP unit on Jump status. I graduated Airborne school July 1986. Sent me to JFK Special Warfare Center & School at Fort Bragg for PSYOP. They gave me a Basic Airborne Refresher and hazardous duty orders and I made my cherry jump as a 42 year old Specialist and completed 38 jumps before I said no more for me. Moved on to pushing paper. Have 5 more years to go before I hit 20 years and I will be 61. Something to note, for every good year you accumulated for retirement on active they reduce your age a year. So you could meet the age requirement. The caveat is that your age must allow you to get to 20 years by 62. I think in 2020 they let in a 59 year old prior service who had 18 good years from decades earlier. He only needed 2 more years to hit 20 and he would be under 62. He had to go back to basic as a SSG new entry. He graduated and was assigned to a unit. Bet he is close to retirement now. https://www.foxnews.com/us/59-year-old-combat-vet-monte-gould-basic-training-army-reserve
59-year-old combat vet redoes basic training after 10-year break to join Army reserve
A 59-year-old combat veteran just completed basic training in order to reenlist in the Army Reserve after spending more than a decade out of the armed forces, authorities said on Wednesday.
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SSG William Hommel
1SG (Join to see) - Thanks for sharing your story. That really blows my mind. It's not for me, I'm already 62 not to mention a serious health problem. I did log 11 active, and a few more reserve and government time, so I do sometimes ponder changing from my private employment to seek a government pension. Thanks for the link too, and congrats on your journey!
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Take a knee and drink water!
If they are not on your DD214 and you don’t have copy of your awards the you are out of luck. If your Reserve Unit was squared away, then any awards ought to be posted on your official files which you could get a copy of your OMPF (takes time) from: https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records.
In the mean time, don’t irritate your S1, you’ll loose that fight!
Reset, refit, reorganize, get ready for the next fight!
If they are not on your DD214 and you don’t have copy of your awards the you are out of luck. If your Reserve Unit was squared away, then any awards ought to be posted on your official files which you could get a copy of your OMPF (takes time) from: https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records.
In the mean time, don’t irritate your S1, you’ll loose that fight!
Reset, refit, reorganize, get ready for the next fight!
Request Military Service Records
Veterans and their next of kin can get FREE copies of their DD 214, and other military service records including Official Military Personnel File (OMPF), Replacement Medals, and Medical and Health Records.
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CPL (Join to see)
MAJ Javier Rivera I am sir, I'm just trying to gather as much information as possible as to what I can do to fix it before I try anything else. I have exhausted many suggested resources already and I feel like I'm running out of options.
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TSgt Don Dollinger
Don't expect much from the archives. Did a request and got a response that due to Covid staffing that only emergency requests are being filled.
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Use a combination of terms on the search function and you should come up with several prior (recent) conversations talking about using a DD 214 as a source document for ERB. There are also several suggestions in these threads about alternate means to obtain original documents.
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/what-can-be-used-as-a-source-document-to-prove-deployment-time
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/what-can-be-used-as-a-source-document-to-prove-deployment-time
What can be used as a source document to prove deployment time? | RallyPoint
I’ve been deployed twice in the Marines, and it clearly states operation enduring freedom on my Dd214. However, a dd214 is no longer accepted as a source document. So according to the Army reserve I never deployed. I know I can use deployment orders, but It’s been about 8 years and I lost them. Any suggestions on where to start?
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CPL (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see) yes sir, I've read so many stories on here of their s1 using the dd214 to add prior service awards to their erb I'm wondering how they did it. Maybe my s1 doesn't know how to process that.
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CPT (Join to see)
CPL (Join to see) - When I was still enlisted last year, my ERB was updated using my DD214s as source documents. It's as simple as the S1 looking at the DD214 and then typing the appropriate codes into the system that updates the ERB, it's not like the DD214 has to actually be fed into the system. My guess is that somewhere in your chain, there is a policy letter stating that DD214s should not be used, so your S1 isn't "allowed" to verify accomplishments via a DD214 (I've never heard of this in the Guard). It's especially stupid for a deployment as a Reservist, since that is the whole reason the DD214 was generated... I've you've run out of other options, I would ask your S1 what reg or policy he is using to deny a DD214. I would work up your chain of command to try and get some help. If there is no official reg or policy in place and your CoC isn't helpful, you may be able to use the IG to inform your CoC that a DD214 is an appropriate source document.
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LTC (Join to see)
CPL (Join to see) - I had awards added to my iPERMS in 2003 using a DD214 that I got from the Air Force in 1987.
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CPL (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see) thank you sir. Gonna try to ask to see if there is such policy. If there isn't and they refuse I may need to take it further to see if the IG can help out. I rather not do that though.
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the DD214 is proof enough. If I read your statement correctly, it sounds like the issue is that the awards are not on the DD214. IF that is the case and you don't/can't find copies of the orders, then you may be SOL. You could try contacting the national archives to see if they have records.
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CPL (Join to see)
No sir, the awards are very much in the dd214. The national archives was only able to pull things already on my iperms which are documents I also have on my person as paper copies in my "me" folder.
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LTC (Join to see)
CPL (Join to see) - then it may be a "local policy". 36 years in and I've seen DD214s used as source documents to iPERM awards dozens of times. as someone else said, ask your S1 to show you the reg or policy saying the DD2114 isn't good enough. If they still insist, just move up the chain. If it's some kind of local command policy, you can fight that and usually just mentioning "IG" will cause them to rethink their policy. I fought that battle for a couple of E4s my last deployment when the CO tried to implement a policy forcing all E4 and below to take leave. One call to the JAG was all it took.
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CPL (Join to see)
Yes sir, I plan on asking about such policies when I go back to s1. I really do appreciate it. I was beginning to fall into despair.
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Hes full of shit. I had a break in service too. Went from active duty Navy Submarines to AF reserves. I didnt have orders for any of my awards but they all made it into my service record for the Air Force. Navy commendation, Navy Expeditionary medal, Kuwaiti liberation, desert storm... And a whole lot more. For some reason they cant put my Navy "battle E" award into my service record. But stated I can wear it because its on my DD 214. So the guy your dealing with sounds like an inept clown that doesnt know how to do his job.
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CPL (Join to see)
Well then my entire s1 doesnt seem to be competent. My section NCO gave my paperwork to one of the e4 there at first. Then another e4, I personally handed my paperwork to an e5 in s1 and my section sergeant later emailed the paperwork to the e7 in charge of s1. So far nothing has been done as far as S1 is concerned. I would've rather this very handled at this level without getting other people involved.
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SSgt (Join to see)
Yeah man.. Thats some incompetence for sure. DD214 os your OFFICIAL record. Stuff doesnt just make it on there accidentally. Anyways, good luck. Take it up the chain. Or go right to your branches personel center..
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THAT, does not make any sense. Your 214 should be the only proof you need.
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CPL (Join to see)
Well, I'm still fighting this with them so o guess they feel like I need more proof.
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SSG Shawn Mcfadden
Unless the awards you're talking about were not on your 214 in the first place, you should not be having this issue.
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Sad thing is that there are a number of knuckleheads out there claiming bling that they didn't earn (Not you). You should have heard the things that traps tried to get added to their DD214's during demob with little or no proof. Most units are very clear about requirements for proving past awards. From day one I always had copies of all paperwork in my atto-boy book just incase. Sad thing is that even 638's can be falsified. If you old unit failed to file orders, awards and other documents in you archive you may not find what you need to prove validity. On a side note I had three awards that were processed, actually pinned on me at formations yet no copy of the 638 or award certificate were in my files. I wrote them off as examples of why records updates and proof are so very important for all troops.
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CPL (Join to see)
Yes first sergeant, thing is I have my dd214 stating that I am authorized to wear those awards. The same dd214 that is already in my iperms. My s1 is just trying to be difficult about it.
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1SG Dennis Hicks
CPL (Join to see) - I may be a bit rusty but it is my impression during my short time in uniform that once the award is annotated in what was known as the PQR/ERB, IPERMS then the 638 while nice to have is no longer needed, it is an awards recommendation form not intended to be kept forever. Keep this in mind this is from a non administrative old fart1SG of the Infantry variety. To be annotated on a DD214 proof was required, I also understand that DD214's have been forged but one certified as coming from IPERMS should suffice. I happen to have my 638's for the most part but certified copies of my PQR and DD214 have always served as proof of awards, qualifications etc. The worst thing you can do is to aggravate the 1 shop but you can do research as to what the regs actually say about proof of awards.
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CPL (Join to see)
Thank you sergeant, I tried contacting them and got the same papers already in my iperms so that wasn't able to solve my issue.
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SFC Kenneth Hunnell
CPL (Join to see) call national archives and ask for a copy of your records, or you can go on line and request your personal records. It gives you directions on how to get them
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CPL (Join to see)
Yes sergeant, I contacted them a couple of weeks ago and got my records, unfortunately they had everything I already had in paper copies. Not what my unit was asking for; which was the orders and memorandums for my awards listed in my dd214
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