Who is supposed to write the PCS award for a soldier leaving soon?

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 14:17:56 -0400

I am PCSing very soon and my higher ups have asked me to type up my own PCS award. I thought the unit or my higher ups are suppose to type it up. I'm confused.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 2:19 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 14:19:16 -0400

Generally your first line supervisor, as they should know you and your merit best. However, if they're failing you, then get it done yourself. Nobody will take care of your career more than you.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 2:19 PM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 14:19:42 -0400

Unfortunately as an nco you type up your own. I have done my own NCOERS. It is good practice

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 2:19 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 14:19:45 -0400

It should be your first line leader as they are the ones that are supposed to be most familiar with your accomplishments, but unfortunately a lot of the time it falls on the Soldier or it doesn't get done. The most you should really do is help your leadership write it, but it doesn't surprise me that they told you to write it.

Response by SPC John Van Valkenburgh made May 11 at 2016 2:19 PM

SPC John Van Valkenburgh — Wed, 11 May 2016 14:19:56 -0400

It is not that unusual for your supervisor to ask you to at least give them bullets since you know what you have done sometimes better than them depending on what type of unit you are in and your organization.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 2:20 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 14:20:53 -0400

If they do not want to write it, write it yourself. I have wrote my own Award and NCOER before. Rather you write it or they write it will still have to get approved before it is given to you anyway.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 2:23 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 14:23:20 -0400

If they are asking you to write it, then either they don't have the time to (I cough a little BS to that though), or they don't want to. Write yours up and send it up. Make that bad boy shine bright.

Response by MSgt James Mullis made May 11 at 2016 2:56 PM

MSgt James Mullis — Wed, 11 May 2016 14:56:13 -0400

Write a decoration for yourself and hand it to your supervisor!!! The worst that will happen is he throws it away. It will also help him (or her) out by giving him a starting point and it will also let him know the type of decoration you feel is justified.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 3:01 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 15:01:35 -0400

AR 600-8-22
Para 3-4 c. The Army does not allow self-recognition (including spouses or other family members), therefore, a Soldier may not recommend himself or herself for award of a decoration. Recommendations for the award of Army decorations to members of another Service branch will be submitted by Army personnel only.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 3:04 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 15:04:58 -0400

SGT - My comments are not meant to be a reflection on you as I do not know you but 600-8-22, 3-1 (d) is clear that "No individual is automatically entitled to an award upon departure from an assignment. Awards presented in conjunction with a PCS will be limited to exceptional cases. Certificates of achievement and letters of commendation or appreciation are appropriate means to recognize departing personnel."

Response by PO1 Brian Austin made May 11 at 2016 3:12 PM

PO1 Brian Austin — Wed, 11 May 2016 15:12:47 -0400

I was usually told to write my evals and awards. The excuse was "it's good training".

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 3:46 PM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 15:46:30 -0400

You first line supervisor should be the one, doing your Pcs award, sometime they ask for bullets, but you should not be writing your own award

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made May 11 at 2016 3:48 PM

SGM Erik Marquez — Wed, 11 May 2016 15:48:57 -0400

Ideally your 1st line supervisor would initially do the 638, the PL& PSG would review and provide mentorship, corrections made and then sent to the S1 for processing, which may include a trip across the CSMs desk.

Reality is, many "leaders" think their time is too valuable to be bother with doing their job. .. there is coffee to drink, command and staff slides to prep, Motor Pool inspections to get ready for, and then actual training along the way as well we hope.. So those "leaders" pawn off their tasks to subordinates and justify it by saying you know what you did better than I do......which is a tacit admission they are a failure that goes unrecognized by them most times.

Is it sounding harsh yet?
Well hold on then it gets better.....
E Co, 4-227 ARB, 1st Air CAV, 1st CAV
Fort Hood, TX
Is that your unit of record?
May I suggest you go save your "leadership" a tremendous amount of heartache, be the bigger man and the more professional Solider, "Help" them by filling out the admin data on the 638, perhaps provide them some general info and dates as to what you did when, any tangible and quantifiable facts or numbers. And then suggest they write your PCS award. It would be best for them to do so.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 3:58 PM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 15:58:37 -0400

Hey are you still at Fort Hood? 7-17 Cav? If so let me know and I will make sure your supervisor write your award, I'm pcs leave right now but still could reach back and make things right

Response by SFC J Fullerton made May 11 at 2016 4:13 PM

SFC J Fullerton — Wed, 11 May 2016 16:13:55 -0400

Too many times in my career as a SSG and SFC I was "asked" to write my own award or NCOER bullets. While I found it a little annoying, usually in those instances I had little confidence in my rater or recommender's writing and grammar skills, so I was personally better off writing my own. When an NCO does that, it is because they are either lazy or suck at writing. I would not want either in charge of my award or evaluation because they are not likely to put in quality effort on my behalf. I never did that to anyone I rated or was responsible for, as they deserved my attention and respect for their performance and achievements.

Response by CPT Joseph K Murdock made May 11 at 2016 4:25 PM

CPT Joseph K Murdock — Wed, 11 May 2016 16:25:28 -0400

It's an example of lazy ass leadership.

Response by MGySgt James Forward made May 11 at 2016 5:15 PM

MGySgt James Forward — Wed, 11 May 2016 17:15:23 -0400

You should NEVER even KNOW that you are being recommended for an award, let alone write yourself up for one. It may bet down graded or just flat out disapproved. Your leaders have failed you. Why should you get a PCS award in the first place? For doing your job? Not in my Marine Corps.

Response by COL Sam Russell made May 11 at 2016 5:39 PM

COL Sam Russell — Wed, 11 May 2016 17:39:25 -0400

Your 1st line supervisor is the right answer, or anyone EXCEPT you. The only thing more distasteful, to me, than a chain of command that fails to take care of their soldiers with awards and evaluations, is service members writing their own awards or evaluations. I have been asked several times during my 28-year career and always refuse, fully realizing that such a move could be to my own disadvantage. My integrity is worth more to me than a cheap piece of medal or stellar OER. Once it has resulted in my PCS'ing without an award, but my perspective has always been that if the command doesn't think enough of my service to bother to write up an award, then my performance must not have merited it. When asked for recommended rater or senior rater comments, I have always put them in a format that at least required my supervisor to reword them, or provided what my previous rater/senior rater wrote.

Stay true to the Army value of Selfless service. Writing your own awards or evaluations smacks of self-aggrandizement.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made May 11 at 2016 5:48 PM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Wed, 11 May 2016 17:48:41 -0400

The supervisor!

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 7:39 AM

CPO Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 May 2016 07:39:05 -0400

I'm not sure if the Army and Navy have a different mentality about this but here is my take. I expect a write up from any Sailor that I work with that is E-4 to E-6. The reasoning for this is for the Sailor to reflect on what they have done for the command and provide their insight. It is also a training opportunity for them to improve their writing style. Remember to take every opportunity to train your relief. If you don't have them learning your job every chance you get then you are not preparing them.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 8:59 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 May 2016 08:59:34 -0400

You have to be kidding me. Your first line supervisor should write it. Tell that last NCO or Officer to do their job.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 4:05 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 May 2016 16:05:39 -0400

Don't feel bad, I just ETS'd and had to get a memo signed by my commander to clear because I didn't have an NCOER or an Award...

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 4:24 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 May 2016 16:24:38 -0400

If you have earned recognition, they should write your award. However, we not in Kansas. We are deep in Oz. That having been said, Write your award and make it an ARCOM.

Response by 1SG Bill Farmerie made May 12 at 2016 6:22 PM

1SG Bill Farmerie — Thu, 12 May 2016 18:22:15 -0400

When I left Germany, I wrote my own. I had been there for 6 years. My supervisor did not know everything I had accomplished over my time there. I wrote up all of my achievements, but he wrote up the 638

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 6:42 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 May 2016 18:42:54 -0400

its up to you, your first line leader is ultimately responsible, i refused personelly, your career is is yours, if you are like me retired after 31 yrs, i dont give a rats ass, if you cant do it then f u

Response by SSG Joseph Henderson made May 12 at 2016 6:59 PM

SSG Joseph Henderson — Thu, 12 May 2016 18:59:25 -0400

I had to write two of my own PCS awards. I used it as a lesson of what not to be like.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2016 12:12 AM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 May 2016 00:12:33 -0400

A good chain of command should be doing it for you. At worst they should be asking you for the supporting info to be included.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2016 9:33 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 May 2016 21:33:39 -0400

Same happened to me after being in a unit for 18 months. They said they didn't know me well enough to write an award!

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 23 at 2016 5:17 PM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 17:17:24 -0400

Not you. So what I do is to write up a document with all my previous accomplishments during the period. If your first line hasn't been with you the whole time you've been there this is a good practice. As a supervisor this is why the letter of continuity is so important. My supervisor handed me my award to proof and to add any additional strength to it. It sucks to write it but having input is not a bad thing. I also believe in achievement awards or just holding out for the PCS service award.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 23 at 2016 8:56 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 20:56:17 -0400

First of all, you shouldn't be getting an award for PCS'ing. That is just wrong. Awards are based on performance and achievements.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 24 at 2016 4:07 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 04:07:00 -0400

AR 600-8-22 clearly states that you will not recommend yourself for an award. To me, that means if you have to write your own bullets, you're recommending yourself. That being said, 2-3 years is a long time, and it's not unwise to keep track of your accomplishments and provide them to your leader in the event they are needed.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 24 at 2016 1:53 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 13:53:58 -0400

Too common, unfortunately.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 28 at 2017 7:44 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 19:44:33 -0400

I wrote my own ETS award

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 23 at 2018 2:21 PM

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 14:21:17 -0500

Today, one has to virtually force NCO's to do their mandatory counselling, which is how we monitor the progress of out direct subordinates so It's seldom to even find NCOs using their initiatives to know when a soldier deserves to be rewarded or awarded.
I've seen so much politics that my award has become the feedback of how my soldiers are fairing in different facets of their lives.
I know awards are deserved when a soldiers goes 'well over and above'; some commanders like to give a PCS award which is okay by me, but it's not mandatory. It's actually supposed to be somewhat a surprised. Different strokes anyhow.

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Feb 23 at 2018 4:28 PM

SSG Edward Tilton — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 16:28:20 -0500

PCS AWARD?

Response by SSG Edwin Natal Diaz made Apr 6 at 2018 7:17 PM

SSG Edwin Natal Diaz — Fri, 06 Apr 2018 19:17:14 -0400

I have lost all my Awards and decoration where can I get them back and if I have to write a letter I have lost everything The Only Thing I left is my dress green

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 16 at 2018 2:19 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 02:19:29 -0400

I did my PCS a year ago from Fort Hood III Corp HHC and anyone from my chain of command wrote down my PCS award. I will try to call S1 tomorrow to check with them but it’s not in my record. I asked a couple months ago about it to the NCO that was my 1st line supervisor about it and then I lost the communication with her.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 9 at 2021 4:55 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 09 Jan 2021 16:55:17 -0500

Often times they don't know all the good things you have done, so if you give them the clay, then you get to write your own future so to speak.

Same goes with NC/OERs etc. - I fill in my Rater and Senior Rater portions with what I think they should be and then they modify from there as needed. It lets me have a say in what should be said.