What's your least deserved military award?

2022-01-12T13:29:54-05:00

Years ago, my first unit I was able to wear their Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC). Now, when I transferred I had to remove it, and when you are a new soldier the removal of a little bling is a big deal.

So it got me asking myself, was I in the unit during the time the MUC was awarded? No, no I was not, but it was CLOSE!!!!!!!!!! Had I enlisted in the USAR a month sooner I would have been ON THE BOOKS at the time the MUC was awarded to my unit while they were down range.
Now……….. the sweet aspect of this MUC was if I had been on the books I’m pretty certain it would be classified as a permanent award even for the fact I was only a Future Soldier without a single day in TRADOC and not a single day at a Battle Assembly.

Not that it would be a good idea, but I could have worn it at Basic Training if that was the case. Push comes to shove I wouldn't be guilty of anything.

I also have an ARCOM for a deployment, and while there are things I did that legitimately earned it, sometimes I feel I did nothing more than play X-Box in a safehouse with an SF Alpha team.

Likewise, there are things I’ve done that I busted my ass for that went entirely unacknowledged. So it all balances out.

What about you guys………..

Response by MAJ Ronnie Reams made Jan 12 at 2022 2:08 PM

2022-01-12T14:08:00-05:00

We used to call them team houses or hut. Not really safer than other places on compound.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Jan 12 at 2022 2:48 PM

2022-01-12T14:48:26-05:00

I have multiple “glad you’re gone” awards. It was standard practice to give a service member an award when they PCSed. I have two AF Commendation Medals and two AF Meritorious Service Medals for leaving an assignment and going to the next. Other near-useless ribbons include the AF Training ribbon for completing pilot training. I received my wings for that! Combat readiness medal for being airdrop qualified for 4 years, aka, my job. And there’s the ever popular NDSM you get for surviving your first day in the military apparently.

Response by LTC John Mohor made Jan 12 at 2022 5:45 PM

2022-01-12T17:45:31-05:00

I had a couple downgraded then a time period screw up over my 26 years. I received an ARCOM and MSM that covered virtually the same time period with one going a few days past. No idea how they screwed it up. A Colonel, I barely knew of never worked for downgraded it to ARCOM while my former BN Commander also a Colonel now working at the two star Level HQ submitted it as well. Years went by then I had two awards awaiting me at the current unit I was assigned to S-1 said I had two for the same thing I said fine which one came first by date of approval? The MSM so I took possession of both they had my name on it never paid attention to the ARCOM never tried to add it to my records( it even had mistakes in the citation itself) never wore it. By the time I’m coming up for LTC bam suddenly it’s in my record and on my ORB. By this time the unit that processed and down graded it after the two star had signed the MSM was folded deactivated and in the history books. By this time it’s to close to the board to figure out how to remove it so I did the only thing I could I could and drove on. I had a ARCOM downgraded to an AAM as an Artillery LT, way later I was awarded an ARCOM as a Major by an Artillery Officer not involved previously so I called it even. I still ended up with three MSMs after 26 years and none of it gets me a free cup of coffee ;-)

Response by SSG Eric Blue made Jan 12 at 2022 8:25 PM

2022-01-12T20:25:25-05:00

I'm not sure if I understand the question. Now if the question "what awards have you earned but never received" came up, I'd be able to say something.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jan 12 at 2022 8:52 PM

2022-01-12T20:52:24-05:00

You can also add the question of least interest in a Command in presenting an award. Found my NAC signed off by a 3-Star in my in-box on a Marine Base. They didn't care about Navy stuff at the time.

Response by SGT Jonathan Persons made Jan 12 at 2022 10:55 PM

2022-01-12T22:55:12-05:00

My good conduct medal.

It just says that I was smart enough to stay out of trouble.

Response by MAJ Byron Oyler made Jan 13 at 2022 3:05 AM

2022-01-13T03:05:14-05:00

NDSM

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Jan 13 at 2022 7:49 AM

2022-01-13T07:49:17-05:00

My first Good Conduct medal. I got two article 15s in my first 3 years. One summarized, one Company Grade. Still got my GCM at the 3 year mark. I even told my Commander that I hadn't earned it, but that didn't stop it.

I was never officially awarded my second GCM, but I didn't fight for it, under the premise of "these things balance out." Then, at the nine year mark, I was somehow awarded my GCM (3rd award). Again, I stated I had never actually gotten my second one, so this was only second award. I was told I had been in 9 years, shut up and quit causing problems.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 13 at 2022 7:49 AM

2022-01-13T07:49:50-05:00

Maybe my ARCOM.

According to my two SSG's and my LT I put in a lot of work working from company level to brigade and even doing work for division. The job was the job, I just tried to do it well.

So the brigade SSG writes me up for an ARCOM as a PFC and coordinates with the company SSG and LT to have it submitted through battalion. It got kicked back a lot, apparently someone said something to the effect of "PFC's don't get ARCOM's". Turns out my submitters disagreed, and of course there's a regulation about rank and awards but I digress. They kept resubmitting it with every nitpicking change those in charge of S1 could find, some understandable and some down right silly.

By the time it got to the recommending authority, an LTC, he quick signed it and sent it to brigade where the COL equally signed it just as fast. Now I don't know if I deserved an ARCOM for all I did, but I damn sure appreciate the effort my NCO's and LT went through going to bat for me.

So now I'll do the same for my guys when the time comes. If I believe they earned it, I'm not going to shut up until it reaches the approval authority.

Response by SSG Ralph Watkins made Jan 13 at 2022 11:19 AM

2022-01-13T11:19:43-05:00

When I entered service in 1979, the ASR & NDSM were not being issued. Someone ETSing usually left the service with just a GCM. That was it. When the ASR came out, it was the most ridiculous piece of junk going. If you don't pass AIT, you get kicked out. So why give a ribbon in the first place? It's been downhill ever since them. Even guys who had served in Vietnam often left service with maybe 3-4 ribbons. There weren't all of these tabs, badges, & other fashion accessories either. What you did have on your uniform made you feel proud to have earned them. Not like a mere participant.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jan 13 at 2022 2:32 PM

2022-01-13T14:32:44-05:00

I was AD working with a large NG TSC. When I was going to PCS the unit told me to write my award. I was deeply offended. If they can't write my award then obviously they did not appreciate my contributions. I had done budget work with NORTHCOM and ARNORTH to support National Disasters. I also made the army's first DTS Smart Book for the army. I said f@ck the award. I don't need or want it. I did not join the army for awards.

Response by SMSgt Bob Wilson made Jan 15 at 2022 3:10 PM

2022-01-15T15:10:53-05:00

The ribbons should only we worn on Mess Dress and for official functions requiring Class "A" uniforms. All other uniforms, they should not be required. I had 14 ribbons, but only wore 9 [the rack was easy to put on the Class "A" uniform and no one knew what I had been awarded]. I wore my Class "A" uniform 7 times as a "Senior NCO" (or once every 14 months).

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 15 at 2022 7:21 PM

2022-01-15T19:21:44-05:00

2002: I got an ARCOM as a Private, for a JRTC rotation. Was the “Log Warrior” of the cycle. This was right before OIF 1 kicked off, so needless to say, there were a lot of pissy pants stares I got from a lot of young NCOs. It was a pretty big deal to get that award as a Private at the time.

My reasoning for not thinking I was deserving of it was based on my father, a Master Sergeant receiving an ARCOM as his retirement award in 1992. Seemed like I didn’t measure to that, as he was a very proud Soldier for 23 years….and here I was, greener than Goose Shit, getting it for a month long training exercise.