Posted on Jun 1, 2015
My new unit says I don't qualify for the Overseas Service Ribbon awarded to me by my previous unit. Are they right?
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I deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 with Temporary Change of Station (TCS) orders that said my tour would be no longer than 270 days (about 9 months). My tour ended up being 8 months and 1 day, as my unit redeployed a few weeks early. The unit I deployed with awarded me the Overseas Service Ribbon (OSR) for having completed a tour. I arrived at my current unit a few months ago, and prior to my recent appearance at the promotion board, S1 reviewed my records and removed the OSR from my ERB, stating that I didn't serve overseas long enough to qualify for the OSR. My Platoon Sergeant is the one who made me aware of S1's decision to remove my OSR, and he hasn't disagreed with S1's decision or made any moves to investigate the situation, so I did the research on my own.
AR 600-8-22 says that the OSR is awarded to Soldiers who are credited with a normal overseas tour completion according to AR 614-30. AR 614-30 says that a Soldier has completed a tour if he serves to within 60 days of the prescribed tour. I was deployed to within 21 days of my prescribed tour, and my early return wasn't under my control or by my request; my whole unit redeployed a few weeks early. According to my research, I should be able to keep my OSR.
I'm going to print my TCS deployment orders and take them to S1 to show that my prescribed tour was only 9 months, but beyond that, I haven't decided what to do. Has anyone else been in this situation, or can anyone explain where I went wrong in my evaluation? What would you do in my situation?
AR 600-8-22 says that the OSR is awarded to Soldiers who are credited with a normal overseas tour completion according to AR 614-30. AR 614-30 says that a Soldier has completed a tour if he serves to within 60 days of the prescribed tour. I was deployed to within 21 days of my prescribed tour, and my early return wasn't under my control or by my request; my whole unit redeployed a few weeks early. According to my research, I should be able to keep my OSR.
I'm going to print my TCS deployment orders and take them to S1 to show that my prescribed tour was only 9 months, but beyond that, I haven't decided what to do. Has anyone else been in this situation, or can anyone explain where I went wrong in my evaluation? What would you do in my situation?
Overseas
Awards
AR 600-8-22
ERB
Ribbons
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 333
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The S1 is correct......I served in Iraq in 2009.....8 months 14 days. No ribbon.
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Go through your chan of command ask for a sit down with your platoon Sgt and Platoon Leader and let them take it to the S-1.
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Take the black and white to your PSG with your SQD LDR. If they are worth their weight in strips and the ink is currently up to date, your issue will be resolved eventually. God speed
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SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENED TO ME!!! I WAS A FIRST TERMER VIETNAM VETERAN THAT WAS SENT TO GERMANY AFTER MY TOUR IN VIETNAM. THE ARMY CHANGED THE ACREDITED COMPLETED TOUR FOR GERMANY TO 180 DAYS . I ONLY HAD JUST OVER 7 months left, GOT OUT and 9 years LATER went back in the Army in 1980 and served three more year. TO MY SURPRISE the army came out with the OSR. It was a retro active award to anyone that served overseas other than Vietnam. YOU CAN BE AWARDED AND CREDITED IF THE REQUIREMENTS WERE MADE OF A { CREDITED COMPLETED TOUR WASMET } !!! I DID NOT VOLUNTEER TO GO TO GERMANY AFTER VIETNAM !!! I WAS JUST A FIRST TERMER AND THEY COULD NOT EXTEND ME BEYOND MY ETS DATE !! THEY HAD THE RIGHT TO SEND ME OVERSEAS AGAIN SO I HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE CREDITED FOR IT !!! NO ORDERS REQUIRED !!!
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Stick to your guns and take your paperwork to S-1! You should be able to retain your award!
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