Should I attempt to purchase my authorized prior service medals before shipping to basic training for the second time?

SPC Josh Tharp — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 19:57:09 -0400

Will the medals I earned in prior service still be authorized for wear at BCT graduation? Should I depend on having access to them (specifically the Army Reserve Component achievement, National Defense Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Metal) at BCT for purchase there or simply choose not to wear them?

What would you do? They aren't many but I'm on fence and looking for guidance.

Response by SPC Margaret Higgins made Aug 26 at 2020 8:03 PM

SPC Margaret Higgins — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 20:03:09 -0400

Dear Josh, I do; indeed; pray; that you are successful at finding the answers to your questions. SPC Josh Tharp

Response by SFC William Farrell made Aug 26 at 2020 8:08 PM

SFC William Farrell — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 20:08:34 -0400

SPC Josh Tharp I would want to have them for basic and I believe you are allowed to wear them. You've earned them, they are yours. But I'm sure people who are more in the know than I am will comment as Ive been retired for too long. Good luck.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 26 at 2020 8:17 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 20:17:53 -0400

SPC Josh Tharp let me direct you here... https://rly.pt/383jxGJ

There are a lot of useful answers to read

As a prior service member heading back to BCT, should I pre-purchase the awards I am authorized...

Final Edit: Thank you all for your answers and conversations, as it turns out i May not have to go back to BCT, The Colorado Guard is putting an exception to policy waiver up to the NGB.

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Aug 26 at 2020 8:21 PM

SPC Erich Guenther — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 20:21:59 -0400

If you earned medals in a prior term of service they should be in your paperwork listed or in whatever the electronic equivalent record is these days. If your going through BCT again the NCO's will either obtain the medals for you via their internal supply system or allow you to purchase from a location on post. Of course they are going to want to see proof that your entitled to wear them. Nobody expects you to bring them with you especially if you had a break in service. The NDM and GWOT should be readily available at BCT via the cadre, the reserve medal they can easily obtain for you via supply. I never spent money for medals in my long ago ARNG to RA transfer. The Army issued them to me again.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 26 at 2020 8:24 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 20:24:41 -0400

Yes, you can wear them. We had a guy graduate a second time wearing 12 awards, a SSI-FWTS and stripes. Awkward for him, with everyone wondering wtf he was doing there, but certainly doable. He was a SGT who got out 10 years ago and signed up again.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 26 at 2020 10:35 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 22:35:15 -0400

You are allowed, yes, I say wear them. Have a copy of your DD214 proving as such.The mechanics are the question. At reception you will be separated from all of your personal belongings not allowed in BCT at the day of the shark attack. This may or may not include the ASU awards you bring with you. At this very instance you will not even have an ASU to put the awards on. So you'll have to pocket your awards on your person until such time you get your ASU in hand. So between the step off from reception into the shark attack you'll have pocketed ribbons because you don't want them with your personal belongings that are going to get tossed all over the place and then packed away until graduation.

There might be a day in BCT that might be given to you to purchase awards to finish off your ASU for graduation. In that window you would probably be able to buy those ribbons in clothing and sales. I would recommend this route.

Another route would be to have the ribbons MAILED to you while in basic after you have your ASU in hand (remember, have copied of your proof of having earned them, and a copy of 670-1).

Response by MSgt Gilbert Jones made Aug 26 at 2020 10:35 PM

MSgt Gilbert Jones — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 22:35:35 -0400

Yes, you earned your medals, doesn't matter what branch of the service you earned them in. My first medal was the Army GCM, and I was in the AF. At that time the AF didn't have it's own.

Response by SFC James (JD) Flemal made Aug 26 at 2020 11:30 PM

SFC James (JD) Flemal — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 23:30:25 -0400

If you’re not wearing them and they are on your 201, you would technically be out of uniform. Just keep your dd-214 handy.

Response by SSG David Fetty made Aug 27 at 2020 12:19 AM

SSG David Fetty — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 00:19:00 -0400

As a 2nd time basic too, take them with you. Your paperwork will show what is and is not authorized. When I arrived as a previous SSG, the Asst DI was an E-5, fresh from jump school and a recent transferee from finance. His confidence as an Infantry OSUT instructor hadn't been established yet, and he flew into me so hard it appeared to the rest of the platoon that he hated me and had singled me out for special attention. Naw, I just explained to everyone there that he "wanted them to know I had experience and they could come to me for advice and help. I was a resource to be used"

But... just to kinda dig back at him, when we went to clothing sales to have our name tapes sewn on, I took that opportunity to have other awards sewn on at the same time. Heck, I even put some unauthorized awards on to see how far we could go. I'd earned them, they just weren't supposed to be worn. Each set of BDU's were set up with a different combination of AA wings, EIB, Jungle Expert, 101st Recondo pocket patches, etc. Next morning formation/inspection... as he moved along the line he noticed something seemed wrong with my BDU's. He noted what I was wearing as he slowly turned red, did an about face and moved out to the orderly room where he checked authorization. Next morning, red again. lol Nothing was ever mentioned about awards.

As time went on, he finally recognized I was there as a student and not as a problem. Within 4 days we had reached an unspoken truce and he began using me as a resource. I was proud of him as an NCO able to reach past what he perceived as a threat .

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 27 at 2020 12:38 AM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 00:38:39 -0400

I would just wait if you don’t have easy access to get them. You will have time to get your uniform together in basic. Unless you have a hard to find ribbon I would just wait till you get there. Good luck.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 27 at 2020 7:17 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 07:17:42 -0400

I would buy them before because not all clothing and sales will have those state specific awards or reserve awards you may have gotten.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 27 at 2020 7:48 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 07:48:03 -0400

If they are on your 214, wear them. Ensure you inform your DS and show him/her the 214, beat day would probably be sizing of the Dress uniform and then ask when/where you could get them.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2020 12:58 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 12:58:44 -0400

Absolutely you can wear them. As others have said on here, be sure to bring your proof (DD-214 is easiest). I transitioned off active enlisted service to attend ROTC and then back onto active duty as an officer. I was entitled to wear every single award I got during previous service. It was actually an honor to have my NCOPD ribbon with a numeral 2 on it, as well as my Good Conduct Medal indicating 2 awards. My enlisted folks were shocked to see that first time they saw me in Class A's. Make sure your service stripes accurately reflect your time in service as well.