Posted on Jul 25, 2017
Is the awarding of the Meritorious Service Medal being watered down due to lack of standardization across the services?
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I recently attended an Air Force Boot Camp Graduation and I saw an Air Force SSgt (E-5) and an Army SSgt (E-6) each wearing an Meritorious Service Medal (Both with less than 12 years service). Now I know there are some difference between branches of service, but this was very surprising considering in the Marine Corps there is a very high standard required to receive the award. Opinions please.
Posted in these groups: 
Awards
Leadership
Awards Leadership
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 372
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Your post lacks forethought... what does your time in service have to do with how GREAT you perform a job?
If you look at length of service as the same as quality of time served, then you my friend may make another puss poor senior leader some day!
You do not judge the merit of a man by the amount of paychecks he has received, but by what he has done to receive those paycheck... does he just show up each and every day and do the MINIMUM to stay, or does he excel in each and every way?
You would do good to remember that, and not worry about when other got what award... but how they got it!!!
If you look at length of service as the same as quality of time served, then you my friend may make another puss poor senior leader some day!
You do not judge the merit of a man by the amount of paychecks he has received, but by what he has done to receive those paycheck... does he just show up each and every day and do the MINIMUM to stay, or does he excel in each and every way?
You would do good to remember that, and not worry about when other got what award... but how they got it!!!
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Were they both prior service who may have earned them for their service then. I was put in for a LOM that got downgraded to a MSM twice.
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Had a little problem with a 1st Sgt (not worth the details) in Vietnam. Article 15 ensued; I never signed it. I was never brought up for charges because I was guitless. All for which I never received the MSM. I took it very seriously.
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I received the MSM when I retired. I always thought that was the primary reason for the award. All service is meritorious, but I don't see a reason for the award except for retirement.
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As a health care provider, I feel I served honorably but didn’t deserve an MSM though I received one. Better than any medal or certificate that I have received is the satisfaction of having enlisted medics see my work and further their careers by going to the Army PA program and having them tell me that my example led to them furthering their careers.
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Many questions!!! Were there any overseas identifications on their uniform? Did Soldiers/Airman have Purple Hearts? Did the MSMs have a V? Did you speak to the military members?
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GySgt John O'Donnell
I’m a professional, so I would never express this concern directly to these warriors. They were awarded what they were awarded. My example or questions was based on my general observation in comparison to other services and/or eras. But to your question, neither had combat distinguishing devices, though both showed overseas duty ribbons.
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I found it interesting that in one of my commands I had a few soldiers who’d transferred call me to see if their awards were being processed. I, of course, asked “what award?” since they would have gone through me. They seemed to think they should be getting awards just for leaving our unit, which sounds like a strange reason for an award. I told them I would send their inquiry up to the 1SG, the CO, and the BN S-1, which I did, but since I never heard anything back nor was I asked to verify their eligibility, I can only guess that no one recommended them. So no awards for transferring out. I never received an award for transferring out of two different units after having done a ton of great stuff for both, so I’m guessing that just leaving a unit probably does not warrant an automatic award.
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It is pretty clear that the awarding of medals is different across each branch of the service. It seems that it also is different across ranks within the services. It is a personal recognition by someone for the job you do and how well you do it. I don't consider it being watered down because it is different because of a lack of standardization. The system of Awards and Decorations has been in place for a lot of years and it will hold up over time. Most of us want personal recognition and it is the job of the Leadership to determine what that is. A Pat on the back or a full blown awards ceremony is cheap for what most of us did while in the service of our country.
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GySgt John O'Donnell
Thank you for you response. I couldn’t agree more that recognition of those that work hard is one of the most important aspects of leadership, and is the purpose of Coin Presentation. Certifications of Appreciation/Commendation, Achievement Medals, and Commendation Medals for individual services. I’ve met Army soldiers with 8 Army Achievement Medals, which would be unheard of in the Marine Corps. That said, the Army Achievement medal is an “Army” medal that is specific to the Army and as such should be used to recognize soldiers based on Army standard. But to this point, Meritorious Service Medal and above are not branch specific, and as such the standard for recognition should be the same across all services. But more and more I’m seeing younger/junior rank individuals recognized for what would have previously been awarded at a lower level. In the last decade, the Meritorious Service Medal and Bronze Star (Meritorious) have been awarded in far greater numbers than in decades past for achievements. In the end this cheapens the achievements all, must like “participation trophies” have for our kids generation.
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Sorry, but the awarding of medals has never been standardized... even WITHIN a service. I'm guessing the Marines have a tight shot group due to their numbers, but that's about it.
Rank and time in service have nothing to do with it in the Army. Can't speak for the other services. There *is* an *unwritten* rule that you need an Achievement before a Commendation, and a Commendation before an MSM, but that's not codified anywhere.
The attitude of units tends to be driven by the senior approving official for each level of award. We all know that every CO has his/her take on things, pet peves, etc. and that's what drives the train including on awards that lack specific requirements.
Rank and time in service have nothing to do with it in the Army. Can't speak for the other services. There *is* an *unwritten* rule that you need an Achievement before a Commendation, and a Commendation before an MSM, but that's not codified anywhere.
The attitude of units tends to be driven by the senior approving official for each level of award. We all know that every CO has his/her take on things, pet peves, etc. and that's what drives the train including on awards that lack specific requirements.
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