PCS, Impact, Deployment, and other awards: Should they be determined by rank?

Bottom Line it is "POOR LEADERSHIP!" There is no rank determination and that frustrates me the most. Not for me but those I have seen get awards downgraded for doing the same actions or better.

Of course it would take a few people to bring that to light before anything can be done. If several people wrote sworn statements there is a possibility it could change but unfortunately I doubt it.

I believe there should be a separate panel to evaluate awards but I am not sure how that would be fair either as they would not see the actions.

Again it would take several people to fight together for the "Right Thing to be Done"

No

It shouldn't be that way. On my first deployment, I knew a SPC who did a hell of a job got a Bronze Star. However, the job he did which was intel, caught the BDE CDR's eye so he ate every single report that SPC did up. There were other soldiers who did just as much and even more in the same unit and they received ARCOMS [yours included]. The only time where I saw different was an Sapper SSG who was getting ready to PCS. He was rated as a squad leader even though was acting as a Platoon Sergeant. The amount of work he did in the company and battalion was unprecedented in my opinion. He helped set up a division wide "Sapper Stakes" which is a competition between squads of sappers & combat engineers specific MOS tasks. Two of his squads from his platoon came in 1st & 2nd and no it wasn't set up to where his squads would win. Once the competition was over, the entire division was in awe of how well the competition and obstalce were set up. Moving forward, when that SSG was getting ready to PCS, the battalion put him in for a MSM. The Bn Cdr sent that award to the CG's office 5 times before it got signed. Why? Because the CG's office kept saying it needed more "criteria" to justify the award. That was the only time where I saw a soldier got an award he deserved and was not cheated by his leadership by not getting something low like and ARCOM or an AAM

I think its a numbers game. Especially on a deployment. The higher ups want to give out so many of each award so when they talk to the Generals, they can say I gave out this and this and this. Now did that Soldier actually deserve that award? Maybe maybe not. I can see it being a political game.

Awards can get a bad wrap sometimes.  I personally think it is up the the leadership to manage this and make sure this does not happen.  In answer to your question I have seen similar things as it pertains to awards (not sure to the extent you mention in your post).  I would certainly hope that a Soldier would not return from a deployment and receive a Certificate of Achievement...but again this is up to the Soldier's Chain of Command to recognize the overcome.

People interpret the requirement for awards differently and thats why you see some units award higher and some lower if we're strictly looking at adjacent units for comparrison.

This is a topic I hold near and dear to my heart, simply for the fact that I've been ssed over or denied so many awards that have been submitted. If Soldier A works at an 8 or a 9 his entire time in a unit, his accomplishments are considered standard, or what's expected of him, but then Soldier B, who normally works at a 4 or a 5, one day ramps his game up to a 9, he receives and award, because of his 'vast improvement'. Soldier A and Soldier B accomplish the same task at the same time, and Soldier A receives an award for what he did, but Soldier B does not. A team earn Brigade Battle Hero's and are recognized in front of a lot of Brass. All are submitted, since it's a team recognition, and are presented their awards during an Org Day. The awards are asked to be returned, since they were impact, and the LTC needs to sign them because of the given amount of time between submission and recognition. Only 2 come back. I've been in all situations, and, it really kills motivation to see everyone else getting awards, or higher awards, when you feel you've done more/better work than those that receive it. I've almost ACAP'd twice because my motivation was just destroyed. Why work harder when someone else will get your credit?

Commandes and CSMs, no one else can fix it

I was only expecting an ARCOM when I deployed. I got what I was expecting. If some officer gets a bronze star, good for him. Him getting a bronze star doesn't effect my life or career in the least. Don't worry about others awards, it will drive you crazy in the end. If you feel your being fairly treated and awarded, then don't sweat the stuff you can't change.

I  completely understand where you are coming from. We share the same MOS and this is all I have seen over the past 12 years. I've sacrificed my own awards because my Joes weren't "deserving" of the recommended award or it wasn't "turned in on time." It's out of control and there needs to be a change.