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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GySgt John O'Donnell I Don't Know the Current Criteria but it was usually awarded at Retirement when I Retired.
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GySgt John O'Donnell
You are correct they many MSM are given the recognize a "lifetime/career" of Meritorious Service. I don't think are sister services follow the same standard.
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GySgt John O'Donnell
Not at all. But as an award that is given across all branches of military service there should be common standards. That said, these two service members may have very well "walked on water" (i.e. level of rank and responsibility commensurate to outcome). For example, if a Sgt (E-5) squad leader is assigned as Company Commander for a major field exercises, an MSM would be warranted; but E-5 doing a E-7/E-8 billet, a Commendation Medal would be more appropriate.
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I really think it depends on the Leadership to uphold or water down. Take myself, as an example. I was placed in the Detachment Sergeant position (SFC/E-7) as a SGT/E-5. I've been in this position for three years. In that time, I have worked hard to improve Readiness (both medical and physical), PME/NOCES/OES attendance with ZERO no shows and 100% graduation rate of my Soldiers that attended, corrected and resolved thousands and thousands of dollars worth of supply and equipment. While my previous and current Commander are working on an MSM for me, I am not truly holding my breath to receive it. It would be nice, but I'm not counting on it. I have yet to ever receive any kind of PCS award in all of my time in the Army. Why break tradition now.
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GySgt John O'Donnell
The type of "outstanding work" you are doring would earn you a Commendation Medal in the past. To earn the MSM your level of "responsibility and work" would nee to equate to doing an Company XO/CO job (at least in the Marine Corps).
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MSG (Join to see)
GySgt John O'Donnell - If I were to be rated by my peers, it would be other Detachment Sergeants and Company 1SGs. Again, though, I'm not holding my breath nor would I be upset if I didn't get it. It's just the nature of the beast and the name of the game. It's all gravy to me.
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I was very surprised by this as well when stationed at Misawa AFB. In the Navy MSM usually only go to COs(O4-O6) and CMCs as an EOT award. E8-E9 merit a Navy COM, E7 can go either NAM or COM, especially if the CO is an O5 as an O6 is required to approve COMs in the Navy. There are a couple Chiefs and Senior Chiefs with MSM and higher awards at my command. They all received them while attached to the Army during IA assignments.
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GySgt John O'Donnell
I saw many "joint" awards like that as well. We had quite a few IAs who came back with Bronze Star's for meritorious service that were eventually downgraded by higher Headquarters Marine Corps because the summary of actions did not meet Navy/Marine Corps standards.
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What did they receive the medals for? There is no rank requirement for the award. Should we require personnel to carry a copy of the DA638 in their pocket so you can read and decide if the medal should be revoked because it failed to meet your high standards? While I can agree that awards are often times awarded for things we do not feel were deserving of the award, there are times when we just do not know the details behind it. In this case, someone did and they received the medal. Maybe they earned it. It is not my place to decide that. I wrote a BSM for a SGT in Iraq and it was approved/awarded for what he did, not his rank.
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While I appreciate the comments on this thread, the award, much like all others look at the recipients overall impact on the mission and success, even individual achievement. As a young captain and even prior to my first MSM, I made sure that a SSG in my unit received his due to his impact on not only our mission success but that of our higher command’s. I read a comment about a TOC jockey receiving a BSM, which isn’t incredibly rare, but I would ask how this Soldiers impact effected the battle space.
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I was awarded my MSM at the pay grade of E-3 Air Force in 1979. I pinned it on finally as a E-4 Sr Airman however.
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