Posted on Oct 5, 2016
What is the best way to tell your unit that you in no way shape or form want an ETS award from them?
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First off, wow kinda surprised this generated any response at all. I was looking more for a "oh hey, just do this memorandum and it's all done." kind of a deal. Anyways as for context, awards here go through about 15 or more corrections for non-grammatical issues. The award hasn't been written yet and I would probably end up writing it anyways. I just don't want to waste anyone's time or my own for that matter with writing an award that a civilian company cares not a whit about that just going to get kicked back over and over and over. I know what I have done and I honestly don't care much for recognition. I'd rather see some of my Soldiers get credited as they go on to do bigger and better things. Do I also have other motivations for not wanting an award yes because there have been several things that have left a bad taste, but I didn't post this to air my dirty laundry, I was just simply looking for advice. Thanks all for the numerous replies. Most were pretty entertaining, and a few were even helpful.
Awards
ETS/EAS
Advice
Edited 9 y ago
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 350
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I don't believe in ETS or PCS awards, unless the soldier did something above and beyond. Otherwise, they are just like participation trophies...
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CW2 (Join to see)
What does that's mean though? Do you not accept them or rest I submit your Soldiers for them?
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SFC (Join to see)
CW2 (Join to see) - I do not believe in giving an award to someone for showing up and doing their job - that's what pay, promotions and benefits are for.
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If they're making you write your own anyway just write yourself up a silver star. When it gets kicked back tell the CO/1SG that you have no idea why it wasn't approved, they'll just have to fix it.
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Was never a problem in USMC that I was aware of, because awards were hard to come by. Other than being recognized for Valor or a specific achievement, awards were for End of Tour or End of Service. If the member was also retiring and requested a ceremony or formation then the appropriate End of Service award would be presented, and often roses for the wife. There were unwritten accepted norms regarding level of award based on rank, but usually not so much so for Valor. Most enlisted MOH citations over the years ended with "he gallantly gave his life for his country". I don't ever recall anyone being told to write up their own award or refusing any award.
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I think the best ETS award you can give to anybody is a DD214. My ETS award was a reduction to PFC and 45/45 3 or 4 months before I supposed to ETS. >:( Still got out with an honorable and a good re-enlistment. Did IRR until my mandatory time was up. :D
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Never had this problem, There was no such thing as an ETS award. On the night before my ETS, I, as Range Safety NCO, put two battalions of Infantry through a familiarization course with the sniper scope. I closed out the range, caught a few hours sleep, had breakfast, turned in my bedding, said goodbye to my platoon and friends and went to the orderly room and signed my DD214.
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I'd tell them, "Hey guys, I appreciate the thought and gesture, but I don't want any personal recognition. Thank you for your support!"
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SGT Gary Springer
the last unit I told my chain of command that I didn't want another award. Of course, it was my retirement award and I really didn't want another army commendation.
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I've seen top notch soldiers who weren't in the click get bullshit ETS and Pcs Awards. And I've seen race based awards given to slackers way above their performance based on race of CMD race. The Army is a microcosm of society. It doesn't run by the book or in a vacuum. It sucks often, but it's the best in the world.
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PO2 Chris Hearne
I concur. When I served on my 2nd ship, I saw how it felt to be a minority in an otherwise blue Navy. My whole CoC, including ship XO, CMC, department and division LCPO, CPO, LPO, and assorted E6 and E5 were Filipino, and even with working extended hours, outperforming every other E4 (advancement exam in top 2%, actual equipment repaired or replaced, etc) I couldnt get better than a basic "promote" eval. I asked my Filipino CPO, a recently advanced (and by my experience, one who should have hit the HYT stick) what I could do to advance. He told me to study harder. Seriously?
I sent it up to EEO, whom every member on the ship was Filipino as well. Wanna guess how that turned out? Well, after I transferred 10 months later, I made E5 instantly.
I sent it up to EEO, whom every member on the ship was Filipino as well. Wanna guess how that turned out? Well, after I transferred 10 months later, I made E5 instantly.
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Yip awards systems pretty much are a crock, unless you are getting one lol, plenty of people have written or been told to write their own awards, NCOERS, and many other things over a career. I actually despise this activity to its core. All that is is a bunch of lazy NCO's and Officers that do not care about soldiers. I blame both because when it comes to awards this is the only time that shit rolls up hill lmao. Officers are the worst, and they are extremely lazy when recommendations come up for awards they do not want to spend the time and energy on to see that it gets to the right approval authority. So they blanket some bullshit off a ARCOM and send it back as a downgrade fully knowing what they are doing.
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When I retired from the USAF my commander asked me to write my own MSM. I told him I would provide bullets but the award would do little for me after retirement. I did, he did and I received the award in front of my family. It was a big deal to them. I felt like I earned it but should have received it earlier when it could have helped toward promotion.
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Having seen this issue from both sides, my personal opinion is this: I did and do my job to the best of my ability because that is how I was raised, and what I believe. I think the ubiquity of end-of-tour awards has rendered them almost meaningless. Many of my Marines and troops performed truly outstanding work, and I always wrote them up for the highest awards I thought appropriate, knowing that the chain of command was going to downgrade them- but I wanted to recognize them. I always pulled them aside and explained that I wasn't "giving" them an award, but that I, personally, thought that they deserved it. As for myself, I have actual heroes in my family, and I feel that by accepting an award of this nature that I am doing a disservice to their memory. Napoleon said that men would die for bits of ribbon and metal when no rationale reason could persuade them to…and I think I'm smart enough to know the difference.
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Sgt Gustavo Soto
Semper Fi! I had great leaders in the Corps, but never got any awards for doing my job well. And my ratings were always above average, so it did not matter to me that I did not get any. I did not join the Corps to get awards! But I was well liked and respected by my CoC.
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