Should someone be denied a retirement award, after 20 years of service and 4 deployments, because they're flagged for being overweight?

Totally understand the frustration one would have. How did I serve 20+ years and earned retirement but don't receive an award? Well have to agree with the many other responses; that soldier is lucky to be allowed to retire if they didn't even meet HT/WT standards or flagged for any violation of regulation. A lot of Soldiers can be called a Veteran but only a select few can call themselves a Retiree; a title that should stand distinguished from others.

AR 600-8-22 para 1-7 2 (c).
Your command needs to submit a waiver in order to recommend an award for retirement. Now if they don't support a waiver for some reason, that is well within their rights to deny.
I have only seen this done once, and there were a whole lot of extenuating circumstances beyond the ht/wt issue.

The standards are pretty black and white.

.... just a ribbon .... and civilian don't care or even know which ribbons to what anyway.

If they fail the regulation ... nothing much to discuss right? they fail it ...

You're retiring... All I want is my DD214 .. No award or fuss ... Only ride off into the sunset

There's really no difference for a medal given for serving 20+ years and retiring or a PCS or mid-tour other than the sentence at the end of the citation. At least in the AF anyway. I've seen members get a MSM or AFCM for retirement and members who didn't get squat. There has been zero correlation between getting a medal at a retirement and their future success after the military. Employers don't care, and even if it was your first award of that medal, are you really going to wear it with civilian clothing or wear your uniform again on a daily basis?

Is an MSM or ARCOM going to get you a job when you get out or retire? No. I was put in for an AF Achievement, which would have been my first when I was getting out and it was shot down...and I call tell you it wouldn't have done anything for me. Of course it would have been nice to be recognized but guess what, that DD214 with honorable discharge (or retirement) carries more weight then what would now be a piece of cloth.

if you are over weight and there is not medical condition then you are not to standard i get it you feel you should get it but you had a agreement to be ready all the time not up and i'm close to retirement... so ill get fat .. fail you will hold the standard til you are out period!!