Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal

2014-07-02T11:18:35-04:00

Just got mine approved - I'm betting this is one of the most overlooked and available ribbons to many in the military. Look it up if you don't have one. I had no clue until someone downrange gave me a heads up.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 2 at 2014 1:02 PM

2014-07-02T13:02:45-04:00

Congrats. My father was just put in for one for his almost 30 years of volunteer work as an active scouter and as a member of the PTA.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 2 at 2014 1:09 PM

2014-07-02T13:09:15-04:00

So...you just ASK for this "medal" and you get it? HOLEY MOLEY! This is gotta be an Army thing.......

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 2 at 2014 1:16 PM

2014-07-02T13:16:28-04:00

how many hours did you have logged Sir? Just curious

Response by PO1 William Bargar made Jul 6 at 2014 11:36 AM

2014-07-06T11:36:54-04:00

During my 20+ military career I volunteered at least that many hours......Problem is there was no medal until: The Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (MOVSM) is a military award which was created under Executive Order 12830 by George H. W. Bush on January 9, 1993. So all those hours before then do not count......I retired in 1998........There you go. U.S. Marines and Navy are the least awarded military branches.....The saga lives on........

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Jul 7 at 2014 4:40 PM

2014-07-07T16:40:25-04:00

The MOVSM was actually the first medal I got when I got to my first duty assignment. My team chief was doing some volunteer work with the Boy Scouts at Katterbach Kaserne in Ansbach, Germany and asked if I wanted to help as well. I think I logged 4 or 6 months worth of work before I was put in for one. After I recieved, several other Soldiers in my unit asked about and started volunteering. It became part of my newcomers briefs with all my new Soldiers.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 7 at 2014 6:45 PM

2014-07-07T18:45:46-04:00

Sir, the first I heard about this award was as a PL when a PSG told me that was her first award. Otherwise I have only seen it awarded to one person that I did not recommend it for (aka only I knew about it and recommended Soldiers for it). The trick is trying to find out what the command will and will not approve. A few require a certain amount of hours while others requires it to be far far far away from anything military related. I personally love recommending this award, however you have to know your Soldiers in order to know if they are volunteering because most people do not go out and brag about it.

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Jul 7 at 2014 9:49 PM

2014-07-07T21:49:40-04:00

Congratulations - and thanks for continuing to make a positive impact on the community. Thanks for sharing this topic as well - many are unaware of the award.

I encourage Soldiers to continue to volunteer, and just because they are overseas there are still plenty of venues available between scouting, USO, on-post agencies and etc. As was mentioned, one hurdle is getting the hours logged in VMIS, it really helps when recommending one of your Soldiers. This is a very easy medal for someone to earn, it only requires time!

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 5 at 2014 1:17 PM

2014-08-05T13:17:08-04:00

I was supposed to get a 2nd one until my volunteer slips disappeared from my file. No biggie, I received one and I wasn't volunteering for the medal to begin with.

I do like the color of the ribbon though!

Response by CW5 Sam R. Baker made Sep 15 at 2014 1:44 PM

2014-09-15T13:44:41-04:00

Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Paragraph 2-16, Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards), 25 February 1995

a. The Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (MOVSM) was established by Executive Order 12830, 9 January 1993. It may be awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States and their Reserve Components, w
ho subsequent to 31 December 1992, perform outstanding volunteer community service of a sustained direct and consequential nature.

b. To qualify for award of the MOVSM a service members volunteer service must meet the following requirements:
(1) Be to the civilian community, to include the military family community.
(2) Be significant in nature and produce tangible results.
(3) Reflect favorably on the Military Service and the Department of Defense.
(4) Be of a sustained and direct nature.

c. 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 shall ensure the service to be honored merits the special recognition afford ed 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. For the purpose of this award, attending membership meetings or social events of a community service group is not considered qualifying service, while manning a community crisis action telephone line is considered qualifying service

d. Approval authority for award of the MOVSM will be commanders (OCONUS and CONUS) serving in the rank of brigadier general or higher and colonel level commanders who exercise general court-martial authority. Before the recommendation is forwarded to the award approval authority, the recommender must certify that the service member meets the eligibility criteria for award of the MOVSM. Substantiating documentation, such as record of hours contributed, letters or certificates from activity supervisors, or other proof of the service member's volunteer services may be attached as enclosures to the recommendation.

Response by SGT Kristin Wiley made Oct 15 at 2014 4:11 PM

2014-10-15T16:11:24-04:00

I got mine by volunteering for the Iraqi Boys and Girl Scouts in Baghdad during my year there. One of/if not my proudest medal. If the Army gave more awards for off-duty accomplishments I think they could better identify who the genuine leaders are. Being a leader is a full-time job, on and off-duty. The greatest leaders are those who embody what a leader stands for in their personal lives and their military lives. Yes, some people do these things just for the award, but it still gives a better impression on who serves selflessly.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 4 at 2014 4:00 PM

2014-11-04T16:00:17-05:00

Yes, had a small role in how that one came about! Began as a way to recognize Eagle Scouts and morphed into a Community Relations award for patriotic volunteer work, etc.

Response by SFC Vernon McNabb made Nov 4 at 2014 4:30 PM

2014-11-04T16:30:27-05:00

Respond to original question…I received mine a few years ago. I volunteered in three different areas.
1. The Coalition for a Drug-Free Dale County (Working with youth in local area talking about remaining drug/tobacco/alcohol free)
2. F.A.I.T.H. Academy (My children are homeschooled and fall under this school covering. I taught Basic Automotives to highschool kids in the Co-Op)
3. Senior Member in the Dothan CAP Program.

In one-year's time, I devoted about 400+ hours to teenagers. Enjoyed every second of it.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 4 at 2014 10:07 PM

2014-11-04T22:07:40-05:00

I've started volunteering this school year. I'm donating my time to help teach music students at the middle and high schools here on post. Hopefully, it'll be enough to earn me a MOVSM.

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Dec 19 at 2014 8:36 AM

2014-12-19T08:36:24-05:00

This award is really rare in the AF side of the house. I got mine because a Retire Army COL that is a dear friend asked my why I didn't have it as he knew my volunteer history. He sent an email to my boss (also knew her) and a few months later, I got presented it.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 20 at 2014 6:53 PM

2014-12-20T18:53:05-05:00

I think this award is underutilized. We award our soldiers for their volunteer service, but I know of so many more who should receive it based on their community activities.

Response by SSG(P) Matthew Bisbee made Dec 21 at 2014 9:51 PM

2014-12-21T21:51:50-05:00

I was the first person to receive the MOVSM in the Wisconsin Army National Guard when the medal was first authorized. My 1SG knew that I had done a lot of volunteer work in the BSA, through my church, and through various volunteer outreached that I lead while in college. The command was more interested in the impact that my volunteer work had on the community than they were on the number of hours that I had volunteered. The MOVSM is the only US military award that can be worn on the Boy Scout uniform.

Response by MSG Tim Donahue, M.Ed. made Dec 22 at 2014 8:21 AM

2014-12-22T08:21:36-05:00

My wife and I both received the Volunteer Medal for the time we spent working with the Special Olympics in Maryland. We worked all of the state level games and even videotaped the summer games for a couple of years. We ended up on the state board for Special Olympics. The submission took a long time...but we finally received the medals shortly before I retired.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 22 at 2014 9:59 AM

2014-12-22T09:59:40-05:00

I received mine in Germany. After a large wind storm had passed through knocking down 100's of trees, we worked with a fish and game group to clean up the forests and to replant areas that needed it. I was also recognized by the Bundes President of Hessen for my achievments. Good times.

Response by MAJ Raúl Rovira made Dec 15 at 2016 9:32 PM

2016-12-15T21:32:24-05:00

It is overlooked. I happened to be at an Awards Board for a hospital. The soldier was to PCS with an AAM. I noticed a lot of volunteer work on the DA 638. I asked the command to take the volunteer work for the MOVSM and to add accomplishments for strengthening the AAM. Yes, it is so overlooked.

Response by MSG Tim Donahue, M.Ed. made Dec 22 at 2016 11:27 AM

2016-12-22T11:27:30-05:00

My wife and I received them for our work with the Maryland Special Olympics - one of my proudest achievements.

Response by SSgt Derick Young made Aug 3 at 2018 3:06 AM

2018-08-03T03:06:02-04:00

Can a MOVSM be awarded retroactive? I was a volunteer Young Marines instructor for 3 years while still in the Corps. But I am retired now. I was medically retired on April 1st, 2012 because of wounds that I received in a mine strike in the Hit/Haditha corridor near Al Assad in Iraq. I'm not a medal chaser by any means, but I kind of want to know if I rate...…. just curious.