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For background, many moons ago (I think it was four or five deployments ago) I was in a unit that was pretty bad about awards being based off of rank, as opposed to actual accomplishment. The predictable end result was that the more junior Soldiers were getting the short end of the stick, many of which actually threw away their medals immediately after the ceremony in disgust. While I can't fix the Army awards system, I decided to have my own personal coin created, so that I could in some way bridge the gap, show them that at least SOMEONE appreciated their efforts,& that someone noticed and cared. The coins turned out to be very well received, even if people do sometimes give me a bit of a ribbing for having my own coin, but it's a tradition I've continued, because frankly you never know when a Soldier will be in dire need of a gesture of appreciation, and I think of it as a small way I can hopefully pull someone out of the dumps, show them someone appreciated them. My question to you all is this; am I really the only one with my own coin? I didn't think it was all that odd of a thing to do, but other than one or two, I've actually not met anyone else who has their own personal coin. Commander coins, CSM's, Generals, Units, all these we see all the time, but personal seem to be a rarity.
Awards
Coins
Edited 8 y ago
Posted 12 y ago
Responses: 36
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Back when I was the FDO for a M-198 Battery, my section got overlooked when the VIPs including the 2-Star stopped by our firing point. My Soldiers busted their butts during that LFX and we were the fastest Battery in the Battalion to fire. Several of the guys on the gun line got coins but my FDC guys didn't. I went to the PX and got 1LT coins for my section. I presented each one of my Soldiers a coin. I acknowledged that a 1LT coin wasn't much, but I wanted to let them know their hard work was appreciated by me.
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I actually created a personal poker chip coin when I became a CSM. I had them done while I was at PCC courtesy of our prisoners there. I did it mostly so I could give them to who ever I wanted without having to abide by the crazy rules for unit coins. Since there are a lot of restrictions on when and who you can give them to, it was a good solution for me.
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I am a SSG in the army reserves now and on my deployment in2013 I had my own coin made and halfway through the deployment I gave them out to all the soldiers in my unit and even a few to the Germans we worked with and the interpreters as well they were all in shock that a SSG would do something like this. I even gave on to a MAJ and he had told me that it was the first coin he had ever got from an NCO in his 18 plus career. I think more NCO'S should do this I think it means more to the soilder than any award.
SSG A
SSG A
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The coins I have posted are made from http://www.challengecoins4u.com. All the pictures are extra coins that were sent back to us from customers to show us out the actual product turned out from concept to reality :)
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