Why are officers recognized with awards more than enlisted?

If you are a company Commander your recommendation will come from a battalion commander, battalion commander from a brigade and so on. If you are enlisted the individual who would write your recommendation is likely to carry less weight. The likelihood of action on that recommendation is therefore is going to be less. It is a function of influence on the decision makers. I never worried about awards. My goal was to do the best not only that I could, but better than others in my position. I only have a couple of ribbons, but I made E5 in 19 months.

SPC Cody, officers recognize the need for commendations and medals earlier and tend to put each other in for them!

Enlisted in 1974 the only Award that was on my chest was the NDSM and then the Army came up with the (About 1978-1979) Overseas Ribbon and the I joined the Army Ribbon. I did my Job and I future Awards for My work. The highest award I got was an ARCOM. As a Retiree Recall I worked for an W-5 and was Platoon Sgt. I guess he could write Awards as I got a MSM at End of Tour. I agree with a lot of what has been said here. The Awards Program in the Army is Broken. Especially for Sr. NCO's and Officers.

To encourage you to become an officer. I had the same Issue so I went to WOCS. Now I am responsible for 40 million dollars worth of stuff and a bunch of Soldiers instead of a rucksack and two Soldiers. You do the math.

Because they give don't awards for Latrine Queen, Policing up the base, shinning shoes, obeying orders, and all the other Grunt Stuff the Enlisted personal are required to do.

I didn't get my first ARCOM until I was a Major with 20 years in. I received four MSMs, a BSM, and one more ARCOM over the following decade as a more senior MAJ and LTC. I saw many NCOs get more awards than me.

Yes - I served E1 through E6, and then O1 through O4. My impact to the war as a major had way more significance than my impact as a SSG. These awards are not based on rank, but impact to the big picture. Yes, there have always been and always be exceptions to this rule, and there will always be some that abuse the rule.

With rank comes perks!

I didn't experience the awards cycle like some of my colleagues did. Prior to gaining O-5, I had only an ARCOM, ACM, and a USAF ACM, which obviously I couldn't wear. At my last official photo shoot, the photographer commented that I was probably the least decorated officer he'd ever seen. Some would see that as a reflection of poor performance; that is not the case. I simply had commanders (and one CG) who didn't think officers deserved awards. I had multiple recommendations submitted; all were shitcanned. However, I noticed that all those commanders and that CG sure had plenty of decorations! They just didn't award them to junior officers.

sometimes we need to stand in front of the mirror. We have to train them and show them, and not just try to put our hand out to receive. Some that are in authority positions don't know their job either, even they have been there a while. So, how I have to say it, train them. That is your job to train them and they need to understand 1st on top, respect and honor, gratitude, thankfulness, and do what we are suppose to do, so then, we can be recongnized and rewarded for our excellence.