What is the best way to tell your unit that you in no way shape or form want an ETS award from them?

Just let them do what they are going to do it. You aren't going stop them no matter what.
SSG MARK FRANZEN
US ARMY VET

Okay, must be an army thing but wtf is an ETS award back in the corps that meant estimated time of separation or something like that. Doesnt seem like something to get an award for.

I realize that it may also be a Christian thing like it was for me not wanting to get credit for doing good for others in the command I really did not want the command to go through the trouble, but I later realized that the ceremony was as much about them saying good bye and thank you as it was me thanking all of them, ensure your troops are there when you get it and make sure they know how much that award is one that they all contributed towards and that the memories will always be with you, God speed

Glad to hear it's not just the AF that wastes so kuch time kicking those things back 100 times for corrections. Lol

I did 12 Years Active Duty got an ARCOM mailed to me. I then joined the Mi. ARNG served 11 Years got my 20 Year Letter I was the NCOIC of the Bn. Recovery Section. I received nothing when I left the Unit. I did not want it my Soldiers gave me a Plaque it hangs on the wall.

I just bowed out with as much pride, dignity and grace as possible... save the trashing for when you're out of sight, out of mind.

I hate how people think that awards and promotions are for the units and families. They are not! They are my achievements and mine alone. That's why I choose to never have formations for myself. Also I don't give a shit about formations!

You'll spend more time and effort trying to avoid taking the award than you would by just accepting it. I never understood why people try to dodge recognition when the action of trying to dodge it only draws attention and wastes more effort from the 20 people in your chain of command who think they can convince you otherwise and will waste an hour of your time trying.

The award is not yours alone, it reflects the achievements your troops have accomplished as well. If you had a group of turd warriors, you more than likely would not receive any positive recognition. Be the true soldier that stands tall no matter what has been dealt to them.

I don't remember whether I answered this before, and I'm not interested in scrolling through 222 responses in order to check, but what's wrong with just getting the award, keeping your mouth shut, then sticking it in a drawer somewhere and forgetting about it?

I can understand the bad taste part as I've seen service members who deserved a specific award get told by company comman and Battalion commands they aren't goin. To receive it because they weren't a specific rank. But for real. Take the award. It helps sum up your total service. I've seen it all to often where people get out and then regret not having a ETS award.

During my time in the military awards were earned and few were given out in the early years, yet as time progressed and the GWOT told on a life of its own; awArda were given out for attending and everybody got one. To add insult to injury the type of award received was based on pay grade. So I began asking for coins in lieu of awards, which I feel have a greater meaning than a ribbon that was given as part of a politically correct mentality. Of all the awards outside of the ones that are given for time, deployments, etc. I feel that I earned only 2 for going above and beyond.

I have had to write my own awards and NCOERs and though I wasn't wild about it, I did it to get it over with. It is what it is.

After just three months in the Army at AIT my PSG handed out National Defense ribbons for service during Desert Storm. This was in 96, well after the end of that operation. Many of us expressed dismay at receiving this. He simply said take it, because there will be many times in your career when you will earn much more recognition than you get. In my 20 years I've seen many get awards they didn't deserve and I've seen many more not get awards they do deserve, in my opinion. I always strived to be fair and impartial, as the creed says. Regardless of the outcome my Soldiers always knew where they stood with me. I retired with a very modest set of ribbons, but I am very proud of my service nonetheless. At any rate, take the award and be proud of your service.

Award packages are written upon request to meet a quota of writing awards. Even though your bosses are trying their best to pick the person that deserves it...more often than not the wrong person gets it. If you put your name on 90% of the work that gets done in the unit...then you are 90% at risk to get a quality assurance fail...which disqualify's you from any award...while in the background the person that actually gets recognition is the piece of shit that gets put in an easy support or back shop job that requires no brains to do and then in turn has a lower chance of qa failure and higher chance of flying under the radar. I feel that the person that got the award was someone that did work his tail off but is smart enough to know that its a bullshit "scooby snack" and he feels offended after recieving the award because he knows the retards are the ones that get awards and afterall he was just doing his job to the best of his ability and wandering/wishing that everyone else had the same work initiative that he does....leave him alone and let him get back to to work....he doesn't need some nonner to tell him he did good because he gets satisfaction and pride from his efficient quality work.....in short...."uh go fuck yourself"

My unit required you to get one as part of your clearing process. But we were allowed to request to waive the award if you didn't want it, to speed up the clearing.

Well, I somewhat understand why you don't want the award. I am moving fast toward my retirement and I have thought about awards. It is standard practice (my perception) that a MSG receives a MSM at the unit I currently work with for their retirement award. The problem is, I have 3 x MSM from PCS moves from units I have worked with. Personally, the math doesn't make sense to me when we talk PCS vs Retirement while receiving the same award. Maybe I will post something when I get closer so I can get blasted, badgered, or bombarded for a bit. Thanks for your service!

Funny thing is that sometimes we spent all this time n our soldiers ends up leaving without those awards nor can anyone explain where it went even when it is summited way ahead of time.

wow I know we used to say in the Navy and Coast Guard that a bitching sailor is a happy sailor...

Since when did soldiers get the luxury of telling their command what to do? Regarding an end of tour award?

I have two thoughts on this issue; first if you're a stellar performer throughout your tour of duty your command probably should had rewarded your performance at the time it happened. The other thought is: "Suck it up buttercup." I'd rather have an end of tour award then no award at all. Performance Recognition should almost be on a daily basis.

One thing I used to suggest to the people who worked for me was for them to keep a record of their performance to show to me at evaluation time. Trouble is not my memory but its we tend to remember the negative things our people do - not the positive....

I did this once, I told my PSG that I wasn't interested, he took me to the 1SG and told me to tell the him why I wasn't interested. I with respect explained it to the 1SG and PSG in detail and that was that. They didn't get pissed off at me or anything. The 1SG told me that he would square it away with the CO and let me PCS. I did get on heck of a good NCOER and a sincere handshake from the PSG and 1SG. I would say try that method, if it doesn't work, just suck it up and drive on. "First In Last Out"

I spent a total of 21 years on active duty, 11 1/2 with the Army and 9 with the Air Force. I got more awards and decorations from the Army than I ever got from the Air Farce. When I saw folks getting awards in the Air Farce (who by no means deserved that award) I just watched on and was glad that I saw people (when I was in the Army) getting awards who deserved those awards. Just saying . . . .