Why are officers recognized with awards more than enlisted?

Sorry Specialist, but your platoon leader has a heck of a lot more responsibility that you do. Gee - only one AAM after 8 years of service. I feel sorry for you - NOT! I was in for 21 years before I got my first, and only, AAM. If you want to play the "it sucks to me" game - give me a call. You will lose every time.
Do officers get more awards than enlisteds? I'm not sure. I've seen a lot of enlisteds with five or more AAMs or ARCOMs. Personally, I don't think it has as much to do with rank as it does with how tall and good looking you are. But that's just my opinion.

Go Officer and don't make the same mistake. Likewise when you are a SNCO. As a 1st Sgt or SgtMaj it becomes your job to advise the Commander, same as a Plt Sgt to a PC. You'll never change the double standard entirely, but recognize that even the first O in your C of C has responsibilities far above what you have. Whether they honor them is a different matter. If you are a Fire Team Leader then you have more than yourself to lead. The Plt Cmdr has 10 times that many.

Officers have more free time and are better at paperwork? haha

I have over the years wrote up and recommended subordinates and peers for awards, more than 90% were approved. The problem I’ve witnessed throughout the years is that supervisors beginning with Sergeant E-5 above are too idle or simply ignorant to the fact. I see soldier’s break their backs in an effort to do good and be recognized only to have their supervisors use them as toilet paper. When questioned, these heartless selfish leaders always give the same explanation; “I’m in the process of writing it up”, or I’ll have you an award before you go to your next duty station. Yet these same leaders will hound their superiors for a particular award. When I had junior NCO approach me inquiring about a personal award, I used to ask them, how many have you recommended for your soldiers? Naturally it’s the same old story, I’ve been too busy or I’m working on it. I use to review their counseling folder after observing them and their work ethics rather or not I’d write up and submit an award. I remembered when I was a private how NCO’s would utilize me for this or that and not once consider me for anything other than shit details. I made myself a promise that I’d ensure everyone would be entitled to something even if was a certificate, and I found by reviewing their counseling folder, I would be able to make a better decision on what avenue to take. Many of my junior NCO’s never, ever counseled their soldiers. And when evaluations rolled around I asked to review their folders and nothing negative was in the soldier’s folder, and yet these same NCO’s would rant and rave how bad these soldiers were. I’d tell them, write them an award, for what I could tell from their counseling folder, nothing negative was ever written, therefore that soldier was one of the finest soldiers in the US Army and they will be identified as such. As for them, they get what they sow. If they were leaders and trainers with a dedication to enhance their soldier’s capabilities and build their proficiency, I might consider an award, otherwise, like them, it went in one ear and out the other. I can’t speak for Commissioned Officer’s but I do believe they probably work the same way.

Back in the early seventies, ADM Zumwalt directed that enlisted people should be better recognised through awards and commendations. Then the shit hit the fan. People were getting awards for showing up on time and some awards were degraded, i.e., the Navy Acheivement Medal used to be awarded by the type commander such as COMSUBLANT. Mine was signed by Adm. Eugene Wilkenson and it was vetted before being awarded. Now days a C.O. can recommend and award a N.A.M. which degrades the importance.

Why does everyone expect an Officer to write the award. I wrote several awards the first was as a Sgt. Of course I also know that awards boards are strange. I was once written for an award and the award board said a GySgt couldn't have possibly done what the award recommendation said. It had to be an Officer who did what was written. So it was down graded.
Don't worry about awards, if I had an award for each time someone said they were writing it. The top one would say continued on other side. You know what you did and so do the people you work with. I would rather have the respect of my men than all of the awards. That is the true award. Having your men call you and tell you thank you for your leadership and guidance.

I had 2 separate LOM’s downgraded by the CG at two separate duty stations. Why? I was told ‘quotas’.

My CO lost a truck during Desert Storm. It had a prk 77 radio in it with a Vinson. She told the driver not to clear the Vinson.

She received a bronze star medal. I didn't think it was right.

There are a lot of reasons that not all get their story told, the people who write the after action reports usually magnify their contributions from their perspective not that it means a bias against others but more how they see through their eyes, especially their first time under fire. If every act of courage was documented we'd have to look into the souls of those who have stepped up and boarded that helicopter going into harms way facing their fears and doing it anyway. We need to step up each of us and recognize those whose service is exemplary whether or not it's running a detail or their performance under fire. It's the Gunny that keeps the men and their needs foremost with the platoon leader.

I didnt see that as fact during my career. I would a tribrute this as to the old saying "It,s not what u know, but who u know.