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?
322K
771
465
203
203
0
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
0
0
0
Soldiers must be credited with a normal overseas tour completion in accordance with AR 614–30. Servicemembers who have overseas service with another branch of the U.S. Armed Forces must be credited with a normal overseas tour completion by that Service to qualify for award of the Army OSR. See AR 614-30 Overseas Service.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
If you were overseas and in a combat zone and were awarded a medal for it your new company shouldn't be able to take it away...you earned it!
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
I cannot believe how many blatantly wrong answers have been given. Look at table 3-2 in the regulation, it lists off all ways to qualify for the award. The 9 month requirement is only ONE way to earn it out of many. If you are credited for a "completed overseas tour" you have earned that ribbon. To see if you are credited with a completed tour loog at the box that pertains to your deployment near the top left of your ERB. Does not matter if it was 6 month or 7, or 13. Only if you are credited with a complete tour. Stand y our ground and take the reg with you. It doesn't matter what S1's opinion is...they don't supersede regs.
(0)
(0)
SSG (Join to see)
This applied to an area that did not have a designated tour length. Afghanistan is one of those places.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
Do that count if you Deployed for operation desert shield /storm? I got a 6 month combat hash mark but they never talked about OSR? I BEEN OUT FOR A LONG BUT CAN ONE SEE ABOUT GETTING IT NOW?
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
0
0
0
The way I see it the time you are over in a combat zone shouldn’t matter, what does is that you went there and saw the same shit we all do so yeah they should give it back
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google