Why are officers recognized with awards more than enlisted?

The last Brigade I was in the Officer’s where top heavy I started noticing that the officer’s would spend about 15% of there week writing their OER Most Officers don’t care about what the does and only care about themselves You also notice that the Admin personal have more awards than most combat veterans I met a E5 admin soldier with 5 Years in having 5 1/2 rows of Bull shit ribbons I did ask how but as soon as I heard the B S I walked away The most handed out medal is the Bronze medal The officers have diminished the award Oh I sat in the FOB I most have one Screw the soldiers that went outside the wire
But just know that over half the ribbons you see on senior leaders our just them patting themselves on their backs

This happened in Vietnam. I was standing guard at the main road into our advisors’s compound. We were in a condition yellow, no personnel or vehicles allowed out. A Jeep approached me and I signaled him to stop, he demanded to know why and I replied “orders from the senior advisor, all personnel and vehicles restricted due to a condition yellow”. He told me to screw myself and roared off. I contacted the duty officer, who I was familiar with. We secured a relief for my self and he and I proceeded to the senior advisor’s room. I knew the senior advisor, as I was also his chauffeur. I told him what had transpired with Major—. The senior advisor told the duty officer and myself that he wanted that officer when he returned. When the Major returned the duty officer advised him that he was wanted. We escorted him to the senior advisor’s room, I was told by the duty officer to wait outside. The major responded to the colonel’s request that he explain. The major told the colonel that I was disrespectful, failed to salute and that I had no authority over him. The colonel began to strip the major of all his skin. He advised the major he was confined to his room until morning. He would be on the first plane out of Saigon in route to CONUS with his career finished. Also he would not be receiving a bronze star, that he had put himself in for for meritorious paper shuffling. At this time frame, officers could put themselves in for awards. Enlisted personnel had to have an officer verify the request.

I'm only responding to this because this thread keeps showing up in my email. I retired last year, and had previously been in a couple of positions where I was the approval authority for awards for the unit I served in. As a battalion commander, I can't ever recall signing an award for an officer, let alone recommending one, that wasn't a PCS award. I rarely denied or downgraded an award, but there were always discussions amongst the leadership from Battalion to Division and Corps about the level of responsibility and level of accountability the recipient held. As the signature authority for a time at the brigade level, there were some denials, but again, I don't ever recall signing an award for an officer that wasn't a PCS award. The vast majority of awards that came across my desk were for Soldiers and NCO's. My personal observations showed very poorly written awards (generally) led to downgrades or unrealistic expectations where leaders weren't willing to be the adult and say the recipient didn't qualify for the level of award they were being submitted for. The other observation was junior leaders were, generally, more reluctant to submit subordinates for awards. Dirty secret, if the award was for a Soldier and they weren't flagged, etc, the award was granted. Soldiers should be rewarded often, and generally were- board winners, soldier of the month, soldier of the quarter, etc. etc. etc. Sorry your unit stinks.

Short answer......... Politics. It's the nature of the beast. When the army loses good enlisted personnel, nco and junior soldier alike, it's the one sided stuff like this that plays a major role in it. I put in two soldiers for an award for completing the army 10 miler faster than the Ranger 5 mile pace. The LT didn't even attempt to submit it. Said we could maybe get them a COA. I treat it this way, if I get an award, I'm usually pretty surprised. Just do your job to the best of your ability. And if someone else gets recognized and you don't, as long as you know you did the right thing, then that's all that matters.

RHIP

Towards the end of my first tour in Vietnam, I recommended to our Battery CO that he recommend each of our howitzer section chiefs for a BSM. He told me that if I felt strongly about it then write up the recommendations. I did, and I’m proud to say that each of them received their awards. They taught me a lot and so did the CO.

I was put in for an award one time when I did something so incredibly stupid that given a fraction of a second to think, I may have hesitated. Since I did not have that time, I did what had to be done and accomplished what needed to be done. No one died even though the chances of both of us dying was about 90%. My award was downgraded to a verbal atta boy because we were someplace we had orders (as a unit) not to be. I know what I did and only one person has ever heard about it from me. There are at least two children in the world because of my actions and I have to say that may be a better award any way.

When I was in Vietnam in a combat service support unit Finance
We had over 400 soldier's assigned.
With detachments on several bases.
We did our day job pulled guard every third night patrolled when needed got shot at and shot back.
A memo came down that no end of your awards would be made.
Only ten awards a month authorized.
I was 19 months in country received over ten letters of commendation but no medals. Went from PFC to SSG.
Couple of years later the latter's were pulled they weren't signed by a COL

Someone at higher headquarters decided to many medals were being awarded. I wrote several for my guys never heard anything on them except waiting. They may have went into the circles file

Officer take care of each other, period. They know how to write and how to work the system. After all, they CREATED the system.

Some enlisted Soldiers don’t get high awards because often their actions don’t merit such. Others don’t get the award because some CSM didn’t get his first ARCOM until they were a 1SG. Leaders are often loathe to write an award for which they themselves DON’T HAVE. I loved writing awards and could quantify everything my Soldiers did. In 28 years of service I never had any of my Soldier’s downgraded. I argued vigorously and provided proof of their actions. I also went toe to toe with any CSM and practically dared him/her to say otherwise. I also got the approving authority on my side early on.

Either way the system is not fair, but leaders need to know how to write and stand up for their people. This goes for evaluations as well.

I am retired from the Navy. I was a Chief and I always made sure the junior enlisted that worked for me were awarded appropriately. I rarely received awards for my performance from the Officers I worked for.. It all depends on leadership.