Is the U.S. Army awards system broken? Does it support "participation Awards"?

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 03:56:12 -0400

As leaders we are often dictated to that all of our subordinates will receive awards after field exercise, deployments, etc., if they deserve them or not. Why should a Soldier receive an award for doing the job the signed up to do?
I feel this cheapens the award and encourages a feeling of entitlement for doing your job and essentially makes awards "participation ribbons".

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2016 5:39 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 05:39:16 -0400

This is a tough one, but I'm with you.

There are certain situations where I believe that an award should be expected if you've served honorably and dutifully:
- end-of-tour (deployment)
- PCS
- ETS/Retirement

On the other hand, I don't understand why some units/leaders make a point to present a ton of awards at the end of a simple field exercise. In the unit that I just left, we were in the field about once a month for 4-10 days. Certain leaders within our BN wanted award after each exercise. There are Specialists in the Battalion that have received three AAMs in a one year span. That seems a bit excessive.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2016 6:09 AM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 06:09:27 -0400

If the boss sees requests for COAs and coins often enough there will be no mandate for writing up more awards. In the 90s for me, getting an AAM or ARCOM for other than PCS/ETS was tough as the BN CDRs were liberal with coins and certificates. In fact, in over 20 years, I only have one AAM.

What I never got though was some CDRs signed off on service awards which were awards given after 3 years on station. Really? That is the textbook definition of a participation ribbon. I thought that the GCM covered that void.

Response by A1C Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2016 6:44 AM

A1C Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 06:44:58 -0400

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member Sir, this was just actually being discussed in our shop recently. We are currently deployed and are nearing the end. That being said of course it is time for awards to come around. Our squadron is giving awards on the basis of "let's get everyone an award/medal." That's exactly what these are, participation awards. Some went above and beyond their job to accomplish and support the mission, but their recognition is watered down by a peer who did nothing but existed. This in return negates anything that the initial person has down to be exceptional whether or not they intended to. Everyone will go home looking the same across the board. It would be okay if it was precisely that, however it is not. There are many with us that deserve awards and sadly some that don't. It would be nice to see credit given where it is indeed due.

Response by COL Jason Smallfield, PMP, CFM, CM made Aug 25 at 2016 7:52 AM

COL Jason Smallfield, PMP, CFM, CM — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 07:52:57 -0400

A few thoughts:
- Soldiers are paid for doing our jobs, we receive awards for going above and beyond in our jobs, and we are promoted for showing the potential to perform at the next higher level. These three items are not mutually exclusive but they are not identical issues either.
- Every Soldier receiving an award after an event cheapens both the award and the event. Simply stated, not everyone goes above and beyond in their job.
- People value those things that they earn. If awards are handed out to everyone then they are not earned, the Soldiers know it, and therefore the awards will not be valued.
- At the end of the day, awards have to be recommended by someone and approved by the appropriate level commander. The award system provides commanders with wide latitude to approve awards or not. Therefore commanders need to be the ones making the final decision.

Response by SGT David T. made Aug 25 at 2016 8:07 AM

SGT David T. — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 08:07:43 -0400

Something given has no value. Something earned does. When I first came in, someone with a Bronze Star was rare and it was something that was respected. Now, almost every E-7 and above gets one and it cheapened to the point that it is viewed no better than an AAM. I think Soldiers and leaders should be rewarded when they go above and beyond. That would promote a desire to want to do more. However, handing them out like candy doesn't encourage that. I have received a bunch of awards just for showing up. To me they are something for my resume but nothing I really value. The only medal I really value is my Commander's Award for Civilian Service because I took initiative, worked hard and was rewarded by my leadership for it.

Response by MGySgt James Forward made Aug 25 at 2016 9:11 AM

MGySgt James Forward — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 09:11:36 -0400

Don't get the old Master Gunny started on this one...nothing in writing guarantees anyone an "End of Tour" award, or a "PCS" award. You do your job to the best of your abilities, you get paid, you get great fitness reports and guess what you get promoted! In my opinion, NO SERVICE should give any points towards promotion for personal awards. That might help a few Services stop handing them out like candy. Proud of what I earned over 29 years of Service, nothing I received was an "End of Tour" award with the exception of a Defense Meritorious Service Medal for Service in Combined Joint Task Force Consequence Management in Camp Doha, Kuwait. Semper Fi.

Response by CPT Jim Schwebach made Aug 25 at 2016 11:00 AM

CPT Jim Schwebach — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 11:00:56 -0400

The "cheapening" of the Bronze Star Medal is a function of timing and a lack of knowledge. In reverse order, on the knowledge issue, the Bronze Star may be awarded for valor, achievement or service in a combat zone. With the exception of the valor criterion, there is no requirement for enemy action to justify the award of the Bronze Star for service or achievement. Levels of service or achievement justifying these sorts of awards should be similar across the span of military occupations in the war zone and that shouldn't preclude their award to a wide range of Soldiers. As to timing, when I joined the Army it had been a decade since there had been a shooting war and decorations of any sort were pretty rare, so were combat patches and CIB/CMB's for that matter. By the time I left the service, there'd been over ten years of warfare and hundreds of thousands of service members in the combat zone. And Bronze Stars were everywhere, some even with Oak Leaf Clusters, and some worn by Soldiers who weren't even in maneuver units. That wasn't a function of cheapening the award, it was a function of the times. So had I join the Army in 1998, when it had been over 35 years since our military had been involved in long term combat operations I would have seen few Bronze Stars or other combat decorations and, as an earlier era, they would be held in great respect. But a dozen years later my Army would have been in widespread, long term combat for just under a decade and guess what. Bronze Stars would be everywhere, some even with Oak Leaf Clusters, and some worn by Soldiers who weren't even in maneuver units. And no less deserved that those awarded during WWII, Korea, RVN or any other combat operations like Panama, Somalia, Grenada and elsewhere.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2016 11:01 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 11:01:26 -0400

My current commander is not a believer of mass participation awards. My unit just completed a WAREX mission at FT McCoy, and only one person walked away with an AAM. But he most certainly earned it as he did so much admin and logistical work prior to the mission that it made sure we were mission ready and mission effective.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2016 12:48 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 12:48:28 -0400

Well here's my 2 cents (for what it's worth). While yes, I understand that just giving everyone an award does cheapen it. I really have to disagree with people who say, "why should he get an award for just doing his job?" If you want to make that argument, the. I suppose no award should ever be given because essentially everyone was just "doing there job" as a soldier defending the nation. To me doing your job exceptionally well and better than your peers is not "just doing your job." I think that is something to be recognized and in most units it doesn't happen enough. Recognizing strong performers by giving them an award essentially costs the unit nothing. Nothing but a little bit of time to write it up, but the reward of seeing the pride displayed by the Soldier being recognized in front of his peers can pay dividends to the unit. I've found people are inclined to work harder if they know their efforts won't go unnoticed.

Response by COL Sam Russell made Aug 25 at 2016 4:43 PM

COL Sam Russell — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 16:43:36 -0400

Broken system, depending on award philosophy. Mine is more conservative now than when I entered. Service awards have become expected, almost entitled, and thus meaningless. Impact awards are perhaps less so, and valorous awards have become too restrictive. I would gladly trade in my entire rack of participation ribbons (which is all of them) to see an unrecognized combat hero receive his/her due for gallantry, intrepidity, and/or courage above and beyond. I have evolved on this issue during my 28 years of service, and have come to the point that I would prefer a return to pre Spanish-American War days when there was only the MOH, with more of them awarded, but always for combat valor or gallantry. I read DSC and SS citations today and scratch my head wondering why those heroes didn't receive a MOH, and I have read (and written) a plethora of meritorious service citations that amount to doing what one is paid to do.

In my research of historical events, I came across the following article in the 19 Sep 1891 edition of Harper's Weekly, supposedly documenting the first public ceremony in which a soldier was presented the Medal of Honor. It probably was not really the first, but it certainly was a time when the nation bestowed medals few and far between.

"DECORATION OF AN AMERICAN SOLDIER.
"These times of ours are devoid of sentiment, and modern republics are so decidedly matter-of-fact that their ingratitude is proverbial. The United States is no exception; even the enormous pension roll is the outcome of political jugglery, and not sentiment, as some dyed-in-the-wool people would have us believe. Once in a while, however, Congress is attacked with a fit of generosity, and votes a medal to some man for some act of daring and bravery, but erelong grows ashamed of its outburst, and when the medal is ready to be delivered, it is sent in a sealed envelope to the man whom it is desired to honor. There is no outburst of enthusiasm over the presentation, no public honor beyond a newspaper report of the proceedings of Congress. The attitude of the men who passed the bill appropriating the few dollars seems to be, 'Well, we spent the money, you know, but publicity is a thing to be shunned; perhaps the people might object if it were generally known that their surplus was squandered in this way'; and then the honorable gentlemen go back and try to beat the record in passing pension bills. And the recipient of the honor, when he opens the sealed envelope and finds the medal, is, of course, highly pleased, and then, with the modesty of bravery, goes forthwith and hides the decoration and says nothing about it, lest he be accused of bragging. They know how to do these things differently on the other side--even in republican France.

"It is pleasant, therefore, to note an exception to the rule. We are glad to be able to enthuse over the recognition of bravery in public and to honor the brave man. Out in Kansas recently an interesting ceremony took place, which was the first of its kind, as far as known of, in this country. First Sergeant F. E. Foy [sic: Toy] distinguished himself for bravery at the battle of Wounded Knee. A Medal of Honor was therefore voted to him. When the medal was ready, the sergeant was at Fort Riley, Kansas, with his troop, and the good sense of somebody omitted the sealed envelope presentation, and substituted a formal ceremony. "G" Troop drew up in line, mounted, with Lieutenant Brewer in command. Sergeant [Toy] was called to the front by Captain Edgerly, who, after a brief complimentary speech, pinned the medal on the sergeant's breast. The captain retired, Sergeant [Toy], wheeled about, and Lieutenant Brewer presented arms to him and saluted him before his troop, thus honoring the award of merit. It is pleasant to chronicle such a ceremony, and everybody with a spark of loyalty delights in the public recognition. Perhaps the republic as a whole will realize the extent of individual sentiment, and consign the envelope, unused, to oblivion, where it belongs."

The photograph accompanied the article and is of First Sergeant Frederick E. Toy, G Troop, 7th Cavalry, receiving the Medal of Honor from Captain Winfield S. Edgerly. Despite the public recognition and full length article, the reporter still misspelled Sergeant Toy's name.

Response by LTC Tim Ellis made Aug 26 at 2016 12:56 PM

LTC Tim Ellis — Fri, 26 Aug 2016 12:56:07 -0400

I joined in '83, at the company level you saw awards for excellence, eg. top gun, highest PT score etc. It seemed like after Desert Storm that awards became more prevalent, I started seeing a lot of end of tour/PCS awards after that. I agree that they have become "participation awards". But if you don't generate a PCS award for someone that did their job, higher yells that you are not taking care of your people. Kind of between the rock and a hard place situation.

Response by LTC Dom Dionne made Aug 26 at 2016 1:13 PM

LTC Dom Dionne — Fri, 26 Aug 2016 13:13:04 -0400

I believe it comes down to the chain of command in your unit. No quotas, recognize those that deserve to be recognized. I have received awards for just doing my job and I have not been recognized for doing things that were well above the what you would expect for a person of my rank and duty position at the time. I will always fondly remember the events and my chain of command that recommended me for my achievement awards!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 19 at 2018 4:14 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 19 Feb 2018 16:14:08 -0500

That's why we have COAs. It's how we recognize those who contribute the bare minimum.

Response by CW2 Ernest Krutzsch made Feb 19 at 2018 4:27 PM

CW2 Ernest Krutzsch — Mon, 19 Feb 2018 16:27:32 -0500

I agree you should not get an award for doing your job! If you do your job extraordinarily well, Yes. My issue is with people who get inflated awards for doing nothing to deserve them. Desert storm, Soldiers in Kuwait (and I imagine the same for Iraqi Freedom) got Bronze stars for sitting in a TOC thousands of miles away from the action. Officer's flew into combat areas for a couple days so they could maintain combat pay. There are some really awesome people in the military, there are also some.......

Response by SFC Francisco Rosario made Feb 19 at 2018 4:29 PM

SFC Francisco Rosario — Mon, 19 Feb 2018 16:29:04 -0500

I will say that i agree with your statement to a point.
When units deploy, all members of the organization is putting his or her life on the line just by being there. The fact that you can die while you sleep due to indirect mortar fire while on the FOB or on any other smaller posting. Every time one gets on an aircraft of ground vehicle to go another base or mission, then ones life is on the line. If one were to get hit and get wounded then a Purple Heart is in order. So yes i beleive that an end of tour award is in order.

However there is always that individual or individuals who dont go out and never se the outside of the base. These individuals do their job the same way they would if they were in their home duty station. The i beleive that should get an end of tour award solely based on thee fact that their support to the those who go out is very important. However should they get the same award as those who go out? perhaps not.

conversely i have seen many senior leaders get a BSM or LOM and they never left the base. This was based on the rank of the individual. That will cheapen the award and create the feeling of entitlement in my opinion. The awards need to be based on performance not on rank.

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Feb 19 at 2018 6:18 PM

SSG Edward Tilton — Mon, 19 Feb 2018 18:18:40 -0500

Every Day people obsessed with medals, badges and pins Which is your favorite? Can I wear this one with that one. It's out of hand and Leadership is leading the way.

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Feb 20 at 2018 4:10 PM

SSG Edward Tilton — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 16:10:29 -0500

The Confederacy had NO MEDALS.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 21 at 2018 9:39 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 09:39:33 -0500

I disagree with the concept of participation awards. I only write and submit awards, medals at that, to soldiers who deserve to be recognized above and beyond duty performance. There is an air of personal discretion as a leader to decide who receives what. Everything else, for good job performace and not just mediocre work, I use certificates of achivement to denote actions worthy of merit that does not merit a medal. This is a good way to note good work performed, and it gives the soldiers retirement points.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 21 at 2018 10:39 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 10:39:42 -0500

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member Army Service Ribbon just for passing basic. That is a bit ridiculous as everyone has that after they graduate or they get out. I agree with campaign medals as they show where you served, but not silly ones like hey you graduated a school (same with NCOES ribbon).

We should not hand out awards to everyone just for going to an exercise. Not sure what units you have been in that did that but that is just stupid. We all know some people are flagged for failing ht/wt or APFT, drugs, etc. So it is just unrealistic and why get an award just for doing your job? Deployments are interesting as they have guidance/maybe regulations restricting what can be awarded/not awarded, yet I have seen them ignored. There is no consistency, but there shouldn't be as it is at the Commander's discretion and to make it mandatory or not takes that away from the Commanders. So if you want everyone to get an award and are the Commander do soul searching and if you still believe that then go for it. You got appointed Commander for a reason.

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Feb 21 at 2018 12:13 PM

SSG Edward Tilton — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 12:13:43 -0500

Just look at the constant bickering and entitlement on RP, that is what is wrong with the "award system"

Response by MSG Charles Turner made Feb 21 at 2018 1:24 PM

MSG Charles Turner — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 13:24:57 -0500

Sir,

This has been a thought from time to time. I saw a couple of Ideologies in my day. 1. Submit Everyone for One and get as many as one can. 2. Submit for Leaders and Those you want to be Leaders. 3. Only take care of yourself and those that take care of you. 4. Dont submit any ... "After All it was their Job!" All of these are CRAP in my Opinion. The one I used was if someone was submitted / recommended by a subordinate, Review the cited action and forward it with my HONEST Evaluation. I routinely submitted Subordinates and often told my superiors when I was recommended that I would prefer they would concentrate on my Soldiers. After ALL they are the reason for my Success. I do realize that the "System" would make it difficult at best for some to advance with out these AWARD / MEDALS but they lost the MEANING when Abused and WHAT WAS REALLY BAD it took away from Real Recognition.

So in Short, Yes the system is broken. But the system is "Fixable" It can start with you!

Thanks

~ole Sarge~

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Feb 21 at 2018 2:28 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 14:28:42 -0500

Participation awards should only be the awards for campaigns, HSM, etc. Serious awards and achievement awards should be just that- and you as a CPT should enforce it to the maximum.

Response by CW5 Sam R. Baker made Feb 27 at 2018 7:26 PM

CW5 Sam R. Baker — Tue, 27 Feb 2018 19:26:28 -0500

Broke, broke and broken. I cannot for the life of me understand how it got so out of whack. That being said it was kind of a 1970's things with a few awards to GO's flying in helicopters receiving the Air medal when not at a set of controls and a few other instances, but the whole PCS thing when you just do your job and nothing more, nothing less is a bit mundane and takes a huge amount of leader time. The combat tour award, same damn thing, on a 9 month tour, you have to start the award three months into the rotation for the end. WTH? Who the hell has done a damn thing to that point? Some will clearly mess up, not anything but play Xbox or do anything remotely close to their job, others will go way above and beyond and get nothing close to the recognition deserved. This doesn't even go into the issues, such as flying Soldiers, who because they were there for LESS THAN 9 months, cannot receive a Air Medal for their tour because of a GO induced criteria for the award. Seeing my senior NCO's and Warrant Officers who were asked to come over on a RFF and fly more than 200 hours on a myriad of combat missions over Kunduz and other intense flying situations get a ARCOM because of a timeline? The entire system is broke. A Specialist goes and does a CPT, CW2 or SFC job or duty, gets a AAM or ARCOM because of his rank? Retirement awards are a complete sham! I went to 11 months of retirement ceremonies and saw nothign better than a MSM presented. A MSG with 35 years wearing 5 MSMs gets a MSM for retirement? Again, I have heart burn in the system and almost for everything it stands for. Discrimination of rank, position, place, assignment, duration of tour, etc. I actually had a commander one time say, I don;'t have one, so why and I going to approve that for that Soldier!

This always gets my hair lathered up and I don't have much left. There are about 45 threads about awards on RP and each and every time I get flustered, it is a broken system.

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Dec 6 at 2018 3:43 PM

SSgt Boyd Herrst — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 15:43:53 -0500

(iMHO) participation awards would be that mention in ons’s Performance report, a nice certificate for their actual contribution when the activity was staged , in progress and terminated .By those in charge. I turned in the list of those on our team that were there actually contributing... At Cmdr’s call I heard names of those who’d been elsewhere:
On leave or even in C.C.(correctional custody).. that demeaned the awards for those that got the dirt under their nail and busted a sweat... I went around and made sure all those who “actually participated” were on the list and checked off those
Not present. and passed up the chain .
I found the leak ! The civilian clerk
Who happened to be pals of those who were not present. She added their names.
When the list came across her desk..again. Thankfully 1SGT caught it and Cmdr. Made sure improper named personnel were noted and credit removed.
It was corrected close enough to the activity. and objection to removal was noted.

Response by SFC Francisco Rosario made Dec 7 at 2018 2:37 PM

SFC Francisco Rosario — Fri, 07 Dec 2018 14:37:05 -0500

The way i see it, you dont get an award for just doing your job. You get the award for doing your job exceptionally well. As a leader you should always recomend your suboordinates for the award that you beleive they deserve.
I cant stand seeing awards handed out based on rank, that will also cheapen an award. I have been on deployment where some didnt go on any mission and yet they got an award based on the rank they had. While those who put their live in harms way daily got a lesser award. The regulations dont make any distinction for rank, for any award.
Unfortunately awards are also given based on a popularity contest. Bottom line, always recommend the award you think they deserve.
If your chain of command decides to downgrade the award, fight for the service member. if they still downgrade the award, then you should infom the person who is being recommended. In the US Army, a copy of the downgraded award goes into the official file, this will help the person most of the times.

Response by 1SG R C made Dec 8 at 2018 12:20 PM

1SG R C — Sat, 08 Dec 2018 12:20:03 -0500

Yes, my first experience was after Desert Storm. Moderate performers were rewarded just for being there. Level of award also based on rank. Still happening to this day.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 27 at 2022 7:06 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 27 Aug 2022 07:06:36 -0400

Not to get too far into the weeds on this one but I think the Army screwed up by making awards criteria to get promotion points. This forces Soldiers to seek out and expect awards for certain events and actions they take. But you can’t really blame the soldier when they are just trying to get points. That category makes up 1/5 of the points for promotion. I agree that bc this was implemented it cheapens the value of certain awards. Is it fair that a soldier does a 1 year tour in Iraq and leaves with an AAM vs a soldier that wins soldier of the month and gets one? The system is def flawed.

Response by 1SG John Millan made Jan 24 at 2024 1:18 AM

1SG John Millan — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 01:18:32 -0500

Yes. Completely broken and drowning in participation and mediocrity awards simply for meeting standards.