"The Military Needs To Get A Handle On Its Awards Process"

2015-06-18T09:44:47-04:00

Originally published on taskandpurpose.com:
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Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, the man who led Allied forces to victory in Europe during World War II, had 10 ribbons on his uniform when he left the military after nearly 34 years of commissioned service. I checked into the visitors’ quarters on an Air Force base awhile back, and the 20-something check-in clerk had more ribbons than that.

Something has gone seriously awry in our awards process. While each of the services will justify its policies on a case-by-case basis, collectively there is a problem. If you were to walk around a typical base and didn’t know the meanings of the ribbons, you would either think that every service member is Audie Murphy, or that the military is a grown-up version of summer camp, where everyone gets participation ribbons. The second is closer to the truth.

Participation ribbons are where a lot of the excess comes in. Campaign medals honor serving in major campaigns and expeditions. Whether you fought at Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, or Iraq, that service is worth commemorating. Somewhere along the line, things got out of hand. I have two National Defense Service medals, and while I appreciated my first as a nice starter kit to keep my uniform from being completely blank when I joined, it’s not as if I swell with pride wearing it. The reason I don’t is because everybody gets one.

The point of an award is to show serving with some type of distinction, not just serving. A few years back, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal joined the National Defense Service Medal in the pantheon of uselessness. It’s given to everyone serving in the military during the “War on Terror,” which one might think was already covered by the National Defense Service Medal, but apparently one medal wasn’t enough. Now everyone in the military has two medals for successfully breathing.

If we first eliminate every award given for just showing up other than campaign awards, a lot of the problem stops right there. Awards such as the Humanitarian Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, and the Air Force Training Ribbon should be cast in the dustbin of history. Same for all of the special duty ribbons for recruiters, drill instructors, honor guards, and the rest throughout the services. You did your job. That’s what your paycheck commemorates. Why does that need a special ribbon?

Some people like the idea of looking at someone’s ribbon stack and knowing everywhere he or she has been. That’s what talking to people is for. We should honor serving abroad in combat theaters — that’s what military service is about, after all, but we don’t need to wear our entire personnel files on our chests.

Of course, the military also has issues with personal awards. The personal awards system is so convoluted that the only time anyone notices another’s personal awards is by their absence.

“Ooh, he’s done two tours and doesn’t have a personal award? Who’d he piss off?”

It’s hard to rein in on a unit level — as in arms control, if not everyone does it at the same time, you only end up hurting your own people. Haphazardly applied quota systems tend to make awards a matter of timing, just like budgets. At some points in an awards cycle, you need to walk on water to earn an award. At others, it may just require fogging a mirror.

This requires a Department of Defense-wide response. We need to dispense with end-of-tour awards. Your reward for a solid tour should be a solid fitness/efficiency report. Awards should be for discrete actions over a defined period of time — i.e., “impact” awards. If you really are a rock star, you will have had at least one particular task you shined at during a tour.

We can also phase out duplicative individual service and joint awards. Each service has its own individual medals for its lower awards, e.g., Navy and Marine Corps/Air Force/Army Achievement medals. There are also “joint” versions of these for serving in joint commands. The DoD should create uniform standards for these and institute a “Military Achievement Medal,” “Military Commendation Medal,” etc. To avoid “stack” creep during the transition, anyone who already has an individual service medal would receive his Military Commendation Medal as a device on his existing service award.

These medals are also awarded on wildly different difficulty scales. The lowest achievement medal is given for things ranging all the way from finding a piece of unsafe equipment to rewarding a entire four-year tour. We need to get used to using letters of commendation, meritorious masts, and letters of appreciation presented in formations and put in personnel files as rewards for day-to-day excellence and save the medals for the truly outstanding.

The services have generally been better at maintaining the integrity of combat awards. However, some rudder steers will help ensure that those who go above and beyond in combat operations receive the recognition they deserve. The Bronze Star in particular has become a fixture of controversy, because when given with a Combat Distinguishing Device, or “V,” it rewards valor in combat, while without, it rewards meritorious service in a combat theater. Let’s simplify that and award it only for actions in actual combat. Actions in a combat theater not involving contact with the enemy should receive a Meritorious Service Medal or similar award.

Additionally, the services have been inconsistent both internally and between themselves at awarding the two top awards: the Medal of Honor and the respective service crosses. For example, the Army is alleged to have downgraded a soldier’s recommendation for the Medal of Honor to a Silver Star due to possible non-related misconduct. Once these high-level awards pass a colonel’s desk, they need to go to a DoD-wide joint awards board. These awards are too hallowed to be given easily or denied capriciously.

De-escalating the awards arms race will better recognize the truly outstanding while not making senior personnel look like third-world dictators.

http://taskandpurpose.com/the-military-needs-to-get-a-handle-on-its-awards-process/

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Jun 18 at 2015 9:49 AM

2015-06-18T09:49:05-04:00

There are a lot of gee dunk ribbons.

Response by SFC Stephen King made Jun 18 at 2015 10:14 AM

2015-06-18T10:14:04-04:00

This is a subject near and dear to my heart. I have a MSM it was originally downgraded for personal reasons and I said send it up to the approval authority hence I have a MSM. While I was deployed I saw BSM's given for sitting at computers or less based on rank.

I in-turn ensured all my Soldiers regardless received an ARCOM. In hindsight my father served 28 years and received an MSM for his service. I believe Awards should be earned not given.

Response by LTC Bink Romanick made Jun 18 at 2015 10:22 AM

2015-06-18T10:22:56-04:00

I retired and received the Legion of Merit as an LTC. My boss retired as a COL and received the MSM. He wasn't shall we say, well liked.

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Jun 18 at 2015 10:31 AM

2015-06-18T10:31:35-04:00

This is the military ..
Get rid of anything not combat or proficiency / qualification related.

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Jun 18 at 2015 10:47 AM

2015-06-18T10:47:55-04:00

Well, I think military awards and ribbons are very important for the morale of our service members. If individuals do a great job or perform in a meritorious fashion then they should be recognized. I'm a firm believer in the fact that an award needs to fit the action or measure of service performed. I always counseled my junior officers on how to write up awards and made sure they well deserved. Young men and women should be recognized for their selfless service and achievements. If we have a few ribbons that we hand out for completing Basic and Good Conduct, who cares? They have something to be proud of on their uniform, than so be it. Now, I do agree that handing out non-deserving awards or downgrading an award because someone is not liked or you have a buddy in the system and you put them in for nothing, definitely cheapens the experience and purpose. Just like every organization you will have that. Its unfortunate, but yes there are individuals that lack integrity in our military branches.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2015 10:48 AM

2015-06-18T10:48:25-04:00

I'd be fine if I only had the one ribbon for deploying, or the 10ish or so I have now for NCOES, ARCOM's, AAM's, and other random awards.

But Service Members are currently used to getting and end of tour award, and other awards for doing the right thing. Yeah, I think it's dumb to reward people for doing their job, but if a piece of paper, and a few dollar ribbon can give someone extra pride in doing their service, then why should we take that from them?

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2015 11:00 AM

2015-06-18T11:00:58-04:00

In order to get the Awards and Decorations systems under control the Military would have to get rid of the "Good Old Boy" system of Inflating EPR's and Performance Reports. Get a handle on the promotion process. The Navy uses awards and decs as a means to assist personnel when they are testing for promotion.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2015 11:13 AM

2015-06-18T11:13:33-04:00

Knew a guy in one of my old units where he ran the hazmat clean-up crew (all of him and 1 other person) where if an oil spill or something else that was detrimental to the desert environment. He did this for the entire 3 yrs I was in the unit and he was there before I got there. He was ETSing and his squad leader, platoon sergeant, platoon leader, our 1SG/XO/CDR all blessed off and worked together to make an awesome write up to give him an MSM for ETS. It went no further than the desk of our SQDN CSM. It was kicked back because the CSM stated since he didnt have one, my friend wasnt getting one. Instant downgrade to ARCOM.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jun 18 at 2015 11:56 AM

2015-06-18T11:56:09-04:00

When I was young, Achievements had to be signed off by the Fleet Admiral, a 3 star. And if you were a Reservist, whatever was right, you got one less than an Active. Between 73-75 if you were an injured Reservist, good luck getting a Purple Heart because the White House didn't want the media to key into Reserves still being used. Ever since, there has been a dilution of the special nature of awards. We're nearly to the point of when everyone is special, no one is.

We haven't become as bad as the banana republics, Soviets, or North Korea, but we're headed there. So when you see an old service member wearing his/her small rack on Veteran's Day, just know they likely did some nasty stuff to earn that piece of Green.

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2015 1:37 PM

2015-06-18T13:37:25-04:00

Where are these "special duty ribbons" for recruiters, drill instructors, and honor guards you speak of?

Response by SPC Robin Price-Dirks made Jun 18 at 2015 2:27 PM

2015-06-18T14:27:26-04:00

When I was in my first unit I screwed up and got an article 15 shortly after I got there for something minor. I got my act together and worked 18 hours a day for 6 months with my platoon re-working and re-doing records, inventory and recovery of lost parts. A year and a half later when everyone in my section was gone but me we had a surprise IG inspection. I pulled my section through with flying colors and was told that they were putting me in for an ARCOM for my complete turn around and outstanding performance. Two weeks later one of the guys who hadn't even been there and who was not in charge of anything got an ARCOM for "For his outstanding work during the IG inspection". I was crushed. My Warrant officer told me that NO POSITIVE action could be taken as long as I was in the unit due to the Article 15 from a year and a half earlier but they had to award someone and command thought that it would make a bigger impact on me if it was a newbie that got the award. It really did......I quit trying

Response by Sgt Todd Hinkle made Jun 18 at 2015 3:47 PM

2015-06-18T15:47:21-04:00

When I was a LCpl I had my Sgt put me in for a Navy/USMC Achievement Medal for helping support 3 different units during a 6 month period maintain flight readiness for some Avionics equipment that I was the only certified person to repair them, bc the lack of planning sent all the rest to Iraq. It Didn't make it past the SSgt bc "I've been in for 8 years and dont have a NAM, I'm not gonna see one of my Marines that's only been in 2 years get one" Lmao. 6 years later that same SSgt, now a MSgt put in a LCpl for a NAM for being on the USMC Ball committee that year.

Response by SGT Charles Tittl made Jun 18 at 2015 4:52 PM

2015-06-18T16:52:31-04:00

It's a problem. Did a year in South Korea where an E5 got busted down to E4 for committing adultery with a profis soldier that was in country. 3 months later when his year was up, go figure he got awarded an arcom!

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2015 5:25 PM

2015-06-18T17:25:32-04:00

I agree with some of this, NDSM, why are we still issuing this? I'm not sure why we have the GWOT, the GWOT-E was a pre Afghanistan/Iraq campaign medal. I don't agree with getting rid of the Humanitarian Service Medal, my unit got two, one for responding to Hurricane Katrina and the other for evacuating the American embassy and all US persons in Beirut, Lebanon in 2006. For me this was a big deal, that evacuation was the largest since Vietnam and I'm proud of our accomplishment. The campaign medals should suffice for deployments or at least serve as a way to distinguish between combat deployments and non-combat deployments (what are those?). I feel that the service achievement medals should stay but if you receive one from another service it should be converted into your services so you can pad you stack. I haven't received any personal awards so I fall into that second "who did he piss off?" category but I have a neighbor has six NAMs. I agree with the rest that you wrote however.

Response by SSG John Erny made Jun 18 at 2015 5:33 PM

2015-06-18T17:33:03-04:00

Doesn't every one want to look like a third world leader?......Runs for cover :-0

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2015 6:30 PM

2015-06-18T18:30:40-04:00

I never understood this argument(which I've heard many times, especially towards the AF). Time has passed, culture has changed, what's the big deal? Racks are like mini bios that can be used to see what a person has done or where they've been.

Take PCS medals, you've served your time honorably, did your job well. Gaining knowledge and experience on the way. So here is your award and 1-5 points towards your next promotion(tied back in with knowledge and experience). You performed a special duty either voluntary or involuntary to help your respective service....great! Most people haven't/wont do that. As a reward, I think a medal and promo points are a reasonable reward for serving in that role honorably. I don't know, I could be way off. I just don't understand the criticism.

Response by Cpl John M Dutrow made Jun 18 at 2015 9:27 PM

2015-06-18T21:27:38-04:00

The Marines see it this way you get paid and it's your job you had to do something out standing to rate an award .the hardest service to rate an award was and is the Marines .You see a marine with a bronze star if they were in any of the other services it would be a silver star.Officers would get there tickets punched they would put each other in for awards but, enlisted that was there job!Viet Nam 0311 8541

Response by SSgt Everett Jones made Jun 18 at 2015 11:36 PM

2015-06-18T23:36:56-04:00

This is a hard one for me to respond to, as my picture will indicate, but, I'll try my best. I have usually been on the short end of the awards, I have had numerous awards turned down because someone higher up said that I did not "need" them. Not didn't earn or didn't deserve, but need. During my time in the Air Guard, I had 41 TDY's, 3 deployments, and deployed for Katrina and Ike, for all of that, as well as giving up numerous days off to work for others who didn't want to, I received a total of 3 awards. I will say that some of the awards that are given out, such as the Global War on Terrorism and the ribbons for schools, are meaningless. I served in the Army from the mid-80's to the mid-90's, I was in a unit that did one of the last border traces between east and west Germany during the cold war, there is no official Cold War Service Medal, which would rank the same as the GWOT. I also believe that the AF Outstanding Unit Award is a load of c----, a unit award for passing inspection? Really? You can also include the AF Longevity ribbon, an award for every 4 years of service, including any branch you may have previously served in, with no regard to character of service. The ribbons used for weapons qualification should also go. Yes, I do realize that this would reduce my rack significantly, and I don't care.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Oct 1 at 2017 4:52 AM

2017-10-01T04:52:53-04:00

In Fairness to ike's awards. How many campaigns was Ike on, compared to the post Vietnam period?

Apples to apples, oranges to oranges. The world was a different place then. Likewise how many awards did Patton have?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2017 10:26 AM

2017-11-18T10:26:06-05:00

I was impressed the other day, I saw a warrant officer in Transportation that had more Ribbons than MacArthur, Patton, and Eisenhower put together. Yes something is wrong with that picture. And fact it looked ridiculous. The unit I was in got nothing, because the person in charge of awards was lazy, but this has gotten way out of hand here. We have dead soldiers with NO ribbons. Something isn't right and they need to tone it down a lot.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 14 at 2018 3:58 PM

2018-02-14T15:58:47-05:00

I agree with some of your points. The ribbons and decorations should mean something. I do feel that there is nothing wrong with the standard award system which is primarily designed with non career service members in mind. If you are in the 1% of our citizens who actually raise your hand and say you will serve and are willing to risk your life I have no problem with the country recognizing you with an award or two is not a very big deal. So they have one for national defense and one for war on terrorism, seeing we have been fighting 2 large wars and several smaller conflicts for about 16 years now I think that is reasonsable. I understand the statistics that less than 3% of all dead and wounded are Air Force, Air Guard, Navy, Navy Reserve etc... but that doesn't mean they are not willing to risk their lives and worthy of recognition. No one can stand on the front line, climb into a jet or enter a battle without hundreds of soldiers doing silent often monotomous tasks behind the scenes in less than desirable circumstances for a pretty average pay. Everyone can't be on the front lines. Battles are won by infantry but wars are won with logistics. We are one team and everyone should get recognized. Also we need to be consistent in the manner in which we give. When our two lighting fast war/battles took place in Gulf war it was a period of peace so they authorized a war medal, an individual medal (if warranted) and approved the country medal (Kuwait liberation and suadi freedom medal) and the GWOT. Compared to a soldier who deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan which were by the mortality numbers much more dangerous earning a war medal and individual (if warranted). Consistency matters as much as honoring the risk people took, the casualties incurred and the recognition of the grateful country. Most soldiers are not career soldiers. they enter do their commitment and leave. I have no problem with a soldier who served 6 years and a combat tour earning 5 or so ribbons, because that is all he will ever earn after he leaves. So what would you do with those who stay and make the military their career, suddenly limit what they earn in comparison? I understand what you mean, we don't want to look like North Korean Generals but I am not sure the amount of awards is such a great problem.

Response by SSG Shawn Ireland made Jul 1 at 2018 7:15 PM

2018-07-01T19:15:30-04:00

I have been a Awards Clerk when I was injured and was going through my Medical Boards. I was a SSG, in the Army, Infantry and did eight years of active service. I was injured in 84, in line of duty. After becoming unable to continue my job I was transferred from B Co. to HHC Co. and put in the Battalion PAC. They were shorthanded and this kept me off my leg. I was given a variety of jobs such as Awards Clerk, NEO NCO for our Battalion, The Battalion Adjutants Assistant, and one of two who knew how to use the computer which was the civilian worker and myself. I basically worked in this capacity for just under a year and then PCS‘ed back to the world. When I took over these jobs there were few if any medals being awarded. There was of course the exception of medals for Senior NCO‘s and Officers who were PCS‘ing and would most everytime be approved and awarded. The Battalion was doing no other medals and used the Battalion Certificates to honor and award all soldiers for their outstanding service or achievements. I took to the AR, and was able to once again award soldiers medals instead of a certificate of which during my service they didn’t maintain in your 201 File. The Army had for years been adding every certificate to ones 201 File, and one day it came down and they were no longer kept on file, they were just certificates that the soldiers themselves could keep for themselves. This of course didn’t help many when it came time for promotion. I was able to get an important part of ones service both documented and if approved awarded a medal which was designed for the specific reason that was being recognized. I have been long since separated from service due to my injury. And it’s true that medals and badges are being handed out way to much. When a private with a year or a bit longer has a ribbon rack of nine plus ribbons, there is definitely something wrong. The shame of this is that some of these newer medals could have been back dated, as many who served in the Cold War, were also involved in some of these situations which they are handing out medals for. The National Defense Medal, War on Terror, and even EIB‘s and CIB‘s. There are thousands of soldiers who were awarded medals and either CIB‘s or The CAB! I know that prior to our envolvement in both the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars there was a petition for the issue of a Cold War Medal. It has not come and funding was the main excuse for it not passing, and a certificate of recognition was what we were given and expected to be greatful for. Yet once we got involved overseas in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan, they had medals for each of these campaigns. Funds were not a issue. The worst thing is that National Guard Units across the country are issued the exact award of which we the active service were denied. My service was during the Cold War, yet there were two campaigns of which happened during my active service and they were Grenada, and Lebanon. The soldiers who were active received both The National Defense Medal and were also given CIB‘s. But looking at the AR, these should not have been awarded or authorized according to the Regs. I don’t disagree with the awarding of these, but during this time all active service should have been awarded the National Defense Medal as you need not be actively involved but be in active status! Having been dismissed in the manner of which they did was an insult to my entire time in service. The idea of certificates is okay for the everyday acknowledgement, but when they are not placed and kept in ones 201 file they serve only the soldier and are not available to help in ones advancement and promotion. I myself have a photo album that is full of certificates from the years of service and due in most part to things done that others received a medal for. I don’t want to take away from anyone that of which they have earned. Yet at the same time I don’t want my children or grandchildren have to accept an award for me that I should have received when I was still alive and active in service. It is very obvious that our military is starting to look like everyone is a super soldier and therefore wear a chest full of awards. There are things that without a doubt deserve a medal, and then there are those that barely merit even a certificate. We aren’t supposed to be awarding soldiers for doing their jobs, but for actions that go above the call of duty. It’s sad as even our WWI and WWII. Soldiers mostly received medals long after they had passed away. There is a problem and there must be something done to bring back the value of a medal being awarded. Having a military with every soldier wearing a ribbon rack with no less than six ribbons says something about the system. There is definitely a need for both, but they must be earned and not given just for them doing that of which they are supposed to. I believe this to involves The Purple Heart. There are soldiers who have received more than one and for nothing more than a splinter or some other unreasonable circumstance. Those that have received them for legitimate reasons are not a problem, but the lax system has us issuing more than which should be. We have had far to many soldiers receiving awards and badges for just simply being in the right spot at the right time. The trouble with this is that these soldiers will be looked upon as an experienced soldier and should be able to lead troops, when the truth is that they were just issued blanketed Awards for the troops that were involved or present. Big difference between being there and have been in actual battle. I look forward to the possibility of restructuring the system.

Response by CPT Brad Wilson made Mar 18 at 2019 5:06 PM

2019-03-18T17:06:13-04:00

I agree Get rid of all Joint and Defense awards you get your services version of them. I would add that the Bronze Star should be the lowest Valor award Get rid of the V on AAM’s and ARCOM’s and the other services equivalents

Response by Sgt Norman Robbins made May 24 at 2020 9:14 PM

2020-05-24T21:14:26-04:00

I only had two ribbons (medals) for 4 years of honorable service, USAF Good Conduct Medal and National Defense Medal. My other missing ribbons were never shown on my dd-214. I'm 70 years old now and would be great to have an accurate dd-214. Service Officers here just give me the run around.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Mar 1 at 2021 12:19 PM

2021-03-01T12:19:21-05:00

Compare General to General of that time period, how many did Patton have? I did a quick count of 19 ribbons, that is not including any second, third or fourth award of a given medal, does not count his medals and awards from other countries. Now throw something else in, with the exception of WWI, the US largely stayed out of European Affairs. Post WWII how many actions has the US been involved in? How many humanitarian missions? Post 9/11 how many different missions have come up? Napoleon once said he could conquer the world if he had enough ribbon. What does a ribbon cost the government? Very little, what do we get back for the $20 a medal set costs? How long do you think people will serve without recognition? How hard will they put out for no recognition? Simple fact of the matter is we get more bang for the buck with those ribbons then we do without them. I have been in units that withheld them, and no one got anything. Morale sucked. I have been in units that were moderately given out and you could see a difference in the morale. I honestly don't see it as a big deal.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 25 at 2021 11:05 PM

2021-04-25T23:05:26-04:00

I believe awards and service ribbons are important; for morale and for me, I can look at a senior NCO’s ribbons and it’s a snapshot of where they have been. As far as griping about who gets what, it like a rodeo, everyone has their turn in the shute, there will come a day you get less than you deserve and one day you might get more.,Focus on lacing them, and getting after the mission to the best of your ability

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Jun 9 at 2021 11:38 AM

2021-06-09T11:38:34-04:00

"Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, the man who led Allied forces to victory in Europe during World War II, had 10 ribbons on his uniform when he left the military after nearly 34 years of commissioned service."
The author was poorly researched and clearly went by pictures. Eisenhower had a MASSIVE ribbon rack that put most of us to shame.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Jun 17 at 2021 8:40 PM

2021-06-17T20:40:51-04:00