Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal - Should a specific time-frame/hours be established for award?

2014-05-05T20:15:18-04:00

**25 June 2015 UPDATE** There is no specific time period to qualify for award of the MOVSM; however, volunteer service must exceed 3 years and/or 500 hours of service.

The Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (MOVSM) was established by Executive Order 12830, 9 January 1993, as amended by Executive Order 13286, 28 February 2003. It may be awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States and their reserve components, who subsequent to 31 December 1992, perform outstanding volunteer community service of a sustained, direct and consequential nature.

While there is no specific time period to qualify for the MOVSM (for example, 500 hours of community service within 24 calendar months), approval authorities will ensure the service to be honored merits the special recognition afforded by this medal. The MOVSM is intended to recognize exceptional community support over time and not a single act or achievement. Further, it is intended to honor direct support of community activities.

Response by SFC Stephen Hester made May 5 at 2014 8:17 PM

2014-05-05T20:17:38-04:00

I think local commanders should set their own guidelines but the impact of the volunteer activity should carry more weight that just time frame or hours served.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made May 5 at 2014 8:18 PM

2014-05-05T20:18:56-04:00

I'm going to say yes, simply because I tire of seeing Soldiers with few hours receive it while personnel in other units with hundreds of hours do not, all because of "commanders whim".

When you factor in that it's worth promotion points, we are really doing some Soldiers a disservice by not standardizing it..

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made May 5 at 2014 8:22 PM

2014-05-05T20:22:43-04:00

I think the regulation is clear, that the approval authorities need to ensure the service to be honored merits the special recognition afforded by this medal. A few hours on a time-sensitive mission to find a missing child/adult are worth more in my mind than volunteering for a few hours at a pet shelter, however helpful that might be. If it was an Army standard, that would no longer be the case.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 5 at 2014 8:53 PM

2014-05-05T20:53:47-04:00

I know some commanders set their own standards. I think if you trust them to consider what awards to be given then give them this as well.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 5 at 2014 8:54 PM

2014-05-05T20:54:05-04:00

In AIT should be 100 houers...just to start them going...

After that up to the company commander

Response by SSG Robert Burns made May 5 at 2014 8:54 PM

2014-05-05T20:54:37-04:00

Quality not Quantity. Let Commanders decide. You can volunteer 1000 hours picking up trash on the side of the road. Who cares? Chris Brown does the same thing. I'd rather see 10 hours that has an impact on someones life.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 5 at 2014 9:54 PM

2014-05-05T21:54:46-04:00

We have a 100hr in my brigade for the MOVSM.

Response by SFC Timothy Riser made May 6 at 2014 3:13 AM

2014-05-06T03:13:02-04:00

MSG,
There should be a set standard. In previous units I volunteered 300+ hours in Korea, 212 in JBLM and still counting at Fort Sill. I did not receive my MOVSM until Fort Sill. None of my other units every awarded it to anyone while I was in the unit. I completed 150 hours at Fort Sill and earned it then. The BN did write an SOP after mine was awarded setting a 40 hour requirement to earn the MOVSM. I believe the ARMY should place an actual set ammount so there is a goal that can be reached and additional awards of the MOVSM should double the hours for each star

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 6 at 2014 4:59 AM

2014-05-06T04:59:30-04:00

Big Army does enough to micro-manage local commanders. Keep it the way it is.

Response by SFC Christopher Perry made May 6 at 2014 6:02 AM

2014-05-06T06:02:52-04:00

My unit in Okinawa had set a minimum of 100 hours during a calendar year. While the unit I am in now does not actually have a set minimum, I can tell you they are considerably more critical of the recommendations that are sent up. In other words, they take the time and require the substantiating documentation, to verify the contribution being claimed. I think both are good approaches.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made May 6 at 2014 6:54 AM

2014-05-06T06:54:24-04:00

In order for most awards and such to have any overarching value - one standard is usually set, however in this case the individual wearing the medal knows if their medal is truly deserved. The question is rather a DOD issue since this is a joint award. The DOD should spend a very few minutes to review how each service is determining awardees and make small guidelines adjustments if necessary, but I know the Big Army is better equipped than all the individual commanders out there. The regulation does have standards for level of responsibilities for LOM MSM ARCOM etc why won't all services members want one standard?

Response by SGT Ben Keen made May 6 at 2014 8:12 AM

2014-05-06T08:12:10-04:00

This was my first real medal I earned while stationed at Shippton in Ansbach. My team chief was involved in the Boy Scouts over at Katterbach and knowing I was a Boy Scout and needed something to do that was more productive then going to the bars asked if I wanted to help. I say let the commanders decide when a SM has down enough hours. If you set a certain amount of hours, then a SM may only work to get those specific hours rather than volunteer to help and continue to help regardless of the hours he/she has put into the organization or effort.

Response by SPC Daniel Edwards made May 6 at 2014 8:22 AM

2014-05-06T08:22:38-04:00

Not all volunteering can meet the army standard. I volunteer dive at the local aquarium (it's an excuse to dive) and I can only do 2 hours on any given weekend at most. Even if I dive every weekend and the Army says 1,000 hours is needed for the award, it will take me around 125 dives (if I did my math correctly - feel free to correct me if it's not) to qualify for it. It should be at the discretion of the commander.

Response by 1LT Marc Kinder made May 6 at 2014 9:05 AM

2014-05-06T09:05:08-04:00

If the Service in question makes a substantial impact on the community in a short time period, then there is no need for a time requirement. If the service is a regular event such as time at an adopted school then there should be a requirement as the unit organized events are sometimes mandated by command.

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made May 6 at 2014 9:52 AM

2014-05-06T09:52:25-04:00

Needs to be a set standard, IMO too subjective from commander to commander. Quality is always preferable to quantity in most cases, but allow the accomplished hours/tasks to transfer when a Soldier PCSs.

Response by SFC Craig Dalen made May 6 at 2014 10:36 AM

2014-05-06T10:36:39-04:00

The Commander truely understands the OPTEMPO of the unit and can gauge which Soldiers deserve an award for volunteer hours and for the commitment that takes as well.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made May 6 at 2014 10:38 AM

2014-05-06T10:38:04-04:00

Having received the MOVSM, I say let the impact of your volunteer time be the deciding factor. It should not matter for what you did, but how it truly impacts the "event".

Response by CPT Daniel Walk, M.B.A. made May 6 at 2014 10:56 AM

2014-05-06T10:56:57-04:00

When I arrived at AIT in 1999, the first thing I saw was a ceremonial award of two MOVSM to my drill sergeants for their efforts in cleanup and recovery after a hurricane. It was a long time ago, but I am sure they probably didn't spend ore than a couple hundred hours. It was well-deserved. As a platoon leader, I recommended denial of a MOVSM to a Soldier who sat behind a desk and filed paperwork. His time was about 750 hours.

Absolutes breed inconsistency.

Response by GySgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 6 at 2014 12:29 PM

2014-05-06T12:29:59-04:00

Ive seen Marines be awarded for specific volunteer service for amazing things that only covered a short period of time and then there are ones who volunteer doing simple things once a week for 3 years straight and get awarded. Leave it up to the boss to determine if they rate it or not but the criteria should be fine tuned.

Response by CMC Robert Young made May 7 at 2014 6:17 AM

2014-05-07T06:17:19-04:00

Individual commands have a much better handle on what their people are doing, and how that impacts the local area. Let them decide if a member's service is truly noteworthy. Otherwise, it could potentially allow people to "earn" the award by simply checking the box enough times to qualify.

Response by SFC Christopher Perry made May 7 at 2014 6:57 PM

2014-05-07T18:57:04-04:00

After reading some of these responses I am disappointed enough to change my vote. To hear leaders throwing their own personal opinions into the mix and devaluing the commitment of folks just because they don't like what they chose to volunteer for is sad. Cleaning up the trash some worthless lazy pig threw on the ground helps our environment. Coaching a team of any kind helps our future generation. I could care less what it is they chose to volunteer for, I only care that they do. Considering how few people really are committed to volunteering their time, it seems shameful to bash them for it. The folks that choose to do so had better not be part of the majority that consider their time way too valuable to volunteer!

Response by SSG Mike Angelo made May 8 at 2014 6:23 AM

2014-05-08T06:23:23-04:00

I believe that this is a command call if the service member volunteers within that community.

If the service member volunteers time for national impact, then this behavior should be command sponsored, as compared to officers being assigned as a Fellowship program in the DC Metro or similar.

DA should refer to Title 10 of United States Code, USC for appropriate behavior of service members while volunteering their personal time; so as not to perceive or give the impression of conflict of interest, or negative impact on the US Army.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2014 12:36 AM

2014-05-13T00:36:39-04:00

Commanders should be competent enough to be trusted to determine if the SM has truly good intentions or if he is simply chasing hours to get a new shiny medal.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2014 3:25 PM

2014-05-13T15:25:58-04:00

Up until very recently this award was a very sore subject with me. I had recommended numerous Soldiers for it in previous units and because of support relationships we had with those units and our actual parent brigade they were denied. All the Soldiers that belonged to the unit we had originally submitted the award packet through received the award but mine were told we didn't meet the "threshold" of hours for our unit. I personally volunteer a lot of my time and as I've seen in other comments and have been told on numerous occasions, "Don't forget to log it in VMIS!". Well that being said, I don't log my hours. It's not about the shiny piece of medal suspended from a ribbon. It really is about helping others. If your chain of command knows you well enough, and thankfully my current one does, they will know the hard work you are contributing both during and after work hours and should let you know when to get your stuff together to submit for this award. Not all commands are the same but dictating how a volunteer award should be given seems against the spirit of the award itself. Volunteerism isn't a goal.

Response by SSG Ed Mikus made Jul 18 at 2014 10:43 PM

2014-07-18T22:43:24-04:00

Quality not Quantity as SSG Robert Burns stated!

Response by SSG Ed Mikus made Jul 18 at 2014 10:44 PM

2014-07-18T22:44:16-04:00

If you make it a standard it will become another award that every one gets. the requirement should be to make a difference.

Response by MAJ Raúl Rovira made Feb 8 at 2015 2:46 AM

2015-02-08T02:46:51-05:00

No, let the local commander decide. For one, the regulation provides a general criteria that provides flexibility to recognize the volunteer work. "outstanding volunteer community service of a sustained, direct and consequential nature".

Also, volunteer work varies from one organization to the other. Adding time frames and/or required hours can make the award more restricting.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 20 at 2015 8:25 PM

2015-07-20T20:25:38-04:00

I see that this is an old question, but I would like to revive in the spirit of examining the latest edition of AR 600-8-22. It now states a minimum of 500 hours or 3 years of consistent work to be done. This is beyond ridiculous to me. The award should be giving time in a meaningful way. Just setting minimum time limits makes it more of a mechanical function. What about people who volunteer on a consistent basis in short tours like Korea? Just because they do not reach 500 hours doesn't mean they shouldn't get the award. Now people have to mix hours from a variety of sources to get the required hours.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 20 at 2015 2:49 AM

2015-08-20T02:49:40-04:00

I think the 500 hours is a bit too much. It would be the equivalent of over 12 1/2 weeks of putting in 40 hours weeks. How could a soldier do that? And then over three year? It will take them that much to get that many hours. I think they dropped the ball on this by taking it out of the hands of the commander. I would buy 100 hours or maybe even 3 months. But not what it is now.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 15 at 2016 6:49 PM

2016-02-15T18:49:54-05:00

If you are going to evaluate a time then you have to evaluate effort as well. 20 hours of filling sandbags isn't the same amount of "work" as 20 hours spent answering phones at an animal shelter.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 23 at 2016 1:26 AM

2016-11-23T01:26:19-05:00

Being that I was awarded the MOVSM for my volunteer time during my 4 1/2 months of BNCOC with the USO which amounted to well over 125 hrs, I say let the local commander decide