Is the Army Awards System broken, and if it is, how do we fix it?

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 01:15:03 -0500

Any soldier of any rank can recommend someone for an award, but unfortunately I don't see it very often. I've seen deserving soldiers get awards downgraded or disapproved altogether based on rank. I've seen awards like the Bronze Star Medal given out like candy for an end of deployment award. Also, despite the very few times in the regulations that state an award can or cannot be given to someone based on rank, I've noticed quite frequently that commands are making rank a requirement for certain awards...I.e AAM for E-5 and Below, ARCOM for E-6 to E-7, and Bronze Stars for E-7 to O-9. How do we fix this broken system? PFC Private RallyPoint Member SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SSG(P) James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" LTC Stephen F. CPL Dave Hoover SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth PVT James Strait SSG Private RallyPoint Member Capt Dwayne Conyers CPT Jack Durish

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 6 at 2018 3:09 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 03:09:10 -0500

This has been addressed before on here, but it doesn't hurt to talk it up again. I have no experience with deployment awards, so I will leave that to someone else, other than to say I think it waters down the award system to hand them out just because you were there. I have a humanitarian service award because my unit sent a platoon of earth movers and nail benders into Northern Iraq to help the Kurds after gulf War 1. I sat on the air base where we were staged playing D&D, and watching movies, not once putting on my uniform. But I was awarded the HSA along with the rest of the Batallion.

Now, decades later, I find myself setting my own criteria for recommendations. If I feel that a Soldier contributed to the success of a mission, be it operating a range qual, or AT, and that contribution reflected performance BEYOND expectations for what should be expected from a typical Soldier, then I recommend.

I understand where the rank = award comes from. It has to do with level and scope of responsibility. I think that's fair, but if a junior Soldier has performed well in a position that would otherwise grant a certain award for a Senior level soldier doing that job, then the same consideration should be given.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 6 at 2018 3:36 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 03:36:54 -0500

“I've seen awards like the Bronze Star Medal given out like candy for an end of deployment award. Also, despite the very few times in the regulations that state an award can or cannot be given to someone based on rank, I've noticed quite frequently that commands are making rank a requirement for certain awards...”

Respectfully, how many deployments have you seen BSMs just handed out like candy? What commands are frequently making rank requirements for awards? The awards system is far from perfect. But it’s just about always been best practice to not worry about awards; particularly about what awards other people get and you don’t.

Soldiers often gripe about all the awards they’ve seen downgraded, just because of rank. Or the SFC that receives a BSM, just for sitting on his lazy ass, and being a SFC. Soldiers rarely, though, read the 638s or the attached narratives. Complaining about certain awards being handed out like candy is now one of the biggest cliches in the Army. Too many joes do it without really having actually seen it.

We start to fix the system by realizing that it’s a subjective system. It will never be perfect. Assume that everyone’s award is legitimate. Recommend awards properly. Approve awards properly. But with the amount of junior soldiers/NCOs/officers that complain about how broken the system is, they must be a part of the problem if the problem is so persistent.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Dec 6 at 2018 3:51 AM

LTC Stephen F. — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 03:51:51 -0500

Interesting question, my friend SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member. To be honest I expect the award system is reflective of local command climate [brigade or higher]. Some units have a tendency to limit meritorious service awards [AAM, ARCM, ARCOM, BSM for deployment] to the most deserving from the command point of view while others are more liberal in awarding meritorious service awards.
Medals for valor are held to a much higher standard as it should be IMHO.
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Orlando Illi Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price CPT Jack Durish Capt Tom Brown CMSgt Private RallyPoint Member MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SGT Private RallyPoint Member Sgt Albert Castro SSgt Boyd Herrst] SSG Ray Adkins SGT Carl Beerbaur SGT Charles H. Hawes SSG Martin Byrne PO1 William "Chip" Nagel CPT Gabe SnellLTC Greg Henning

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Dec 6 at 2018 5:08 AM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 05:08:00 -0500

The award system needs a small over haul, it works well when not abused.

Response by SGT Christopher Hayden made Dec 6 at 2018 5:55 AM

SGT Christopher Hayden — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 05:55:47 -0500

Everyone who was a Squad Leader and up got Bronze Stars, while everyone Team Leader and below got ARCOMs at the end of our deployment in 2005. At first glance, that seems kind of "unfair" but when you think about how much more time and "work" is put in as a Squad Leader and above compared to the guys below them, it makes more sense. I'm proud of that ARCOM even if it was essentially just a "Great job doing your job" award but never felt like I deserved a Bronze Star.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 6 at 2018 9:03 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 09:03:39 -0500

The "system" is fine, it is clearly defined in an easy to read regulation. Many approvers downgrade awards correctly based on several factors;
1. level of influence and impact of the awardee (did an E5 really have the level of impact on his entire BN that warrants an MSM, or was it really a company level impact deserving an ARCOM?)
2. how was the award written? Did it specifically and and quantitatively describe the actions of the individual awardee, or was the same generic copy/paste award written for a dozen NCOs with just the admin data changed at the top (and not even changing the names in the achievements?) The overwhelming majority of awards I have read in my career fall under this category.
Sure, there are some approving authorities that go strictly by rank because that is easier than reading into the level of influence and impact in each award, but that tendency is brought on by far too many lazy recommenders who half-ass awards as described in #2 above.
The simple answer is, if you have a Soldier that put in enough effort to deserve an award, then that Soldier deserves a leader who will put in the effort to write that recommendation well, and follow up on it. If you do that, the Soldier almost always gets the award he deserves.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Dec 6 at 2018 9:39 AM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 09:39:23 -0500

I think you are forgetting "approval authority." Keep in mind that not all COMMANDERS can approve the same level awards. A BC cannot approve a Bronze Star. He just can't. That goes UP the chain. In the USMC (when I was in), he had to send NAMs (AAM) up to the first O6 in the chain. That creates an issue where "If I send this up, will it get approved? Or should I downgrade this and make sure my guy gets recognized for something?" When you add in the fact that awards count for points in the Army, this creates an incentive to ensure you are recognized, which strangely means that rather than escalate, it will deescalate awards at the E5/E6 level to the AAM/ACM range. There's a reason you see so many of those.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 6 at 2018 11:26 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 11:26:04 -0500

AR 600-8-22 itself is pretty cut and dry about the process. So is the Dash 10 for PMCS. What the issue is...is the people that put those publications in actual practice. So, the broken part is the human factor. Yes, there are many awards that can be given regardless of rank, but many Leaders will use rank as the basis for the "level of responsibility" and "level of impact." For example, during my tour here in Honduras, I was the NCOIC for Preventive Medicine. Besides my daily duties, I was instrumental in obtaining a secondary approved water source (this base had only one potable water source for 20+ years) when no one else wanted to. I was also instrumental in getting a $22 million dollar water treatment plant for this base so all the water can be potable. I was recommended for an MSM....and it was downgraded to an ARCOM. If the bullets aren't written strong enough and/or the intermediate authorities and final approving authority do not feel it's warranted, then it is what it is. The system is not perfect, but it will always boil down to the human factor.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 6 at 2018 3:55 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 15:55:47 -0500

It definitely is broken in some units. I was in the same unit for 5 years (another story) and I received a total of 11 AAMs. I’m appreciative of the recognition to be sure, but as I was ETS-ing, the GS-12 who checked my DD-214 stated that my unit should have rolled some of those single bullet points into an ARCOM or two. But that generally happens to E-6 and below.

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Dec 7 at 2018 11:30 AM

SSgt Boyd Herrst — Fri, 07 Dec 2018 11:30:33 -0500

Our Cmdr. and 1SGT posted on the board letters of commendation that would be looked into, maybe considered and if enough on the same person were forwarded there just may be an award..
There were some and we had a little meeting.. maybe somewhere else.. and voted and submitted like letters but in our own writing expressions of why.. two of our letters went through and and were taken into consideration and a commendation letter was awarded.. we had even included an adversary into our group and got his feelings.. he agreed on most but not all.. those objections appeared too petty, but gave the adversary a benefit of doubt and observed our candidate another time..
Yes the adversaRy was being too petty
And we submitted including that doubt and why we considered the doubt too petty. The next month the award was made ( we put in some cash and got a gift certificate for 2 for 1 steak night at the
NCO club[the 1st Of month was 3 days away when he put his SGT. Chevrons on.
The Cmdr. Frocked him so he could wesr them on his Class As and take his date to dinner.{I was a new A1C myself then and wasn’t aware ithe frocking was authorized. I thought why be a wet blanket and spoil the moment. I held off, it was the Cmdr’s decision let it be ! })

Response by LTC James McElreath made Dec 9 at 2018 1:22 AM

LTC James McElreath — Sun, 09 Dec 2018 01:22:05 -0500

Cpl Cody V,
You have made a very good observation with our awards system. It appears for the most part that there is a favoritism and then there is the rank award system and on top of that there is the quota system. I do think there are commanders that do try to fix the system, but I am sure there are many more that take care of their special people above the rest and get what recognition that might be left over. The best thing I ever heard was a General Officer state to a returning lower enlisted person: We are not at war to get medals but to serve! I agree with that to an extent. A medal cost the military a few cents to buy one, so why not give them to the deserving!

Response by PO2 Austin Dullum made Dec 10 at 2018 11:30 AM

PO2 Austin Dullum — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 11:30:27 -0500

Its not just the Army, Corporal. I told my chief on deployment not to give me a NAMM 3 different times just for doing my job. He waited till I was almost out and then submitted the package so I couldn't say no. There not a lot of E-5's with only one NAMM, but I didn't want to wear the ribbon if I didn't rate it.