Worst Feeling? Explaining to a Soldier why the COC felt the need to deny their award.

In several instances others have mentioned the trend of COCs "recommending" or requiring the award recommender to resubmit the original recommendation as a lower award as opposed to following Army Regulations and either approval, disapproval, upgrade or downgrade of the award. It is utterly underhanded and disgusting that these so called "leaders' don't have the honor, integrity, or personal courage to own up to their actions and address the award in the proper fashion per Army Regulation. The only way to combat this unfortunate fact is to stand up and fight for your Soldiers as award recommenders, address these COCs in a professional and respectful manner with Army Regulation in hand and clearly point out that once submitted it is their duty to process the award per the regulation. As the approving authority it is fully within their authority to approve, disapprove, downgrade, or upgrade. However the disapprove, downgrade, and upgrade blocks were not just included for good looks; make these COCs use them. I personally will never change a recommended award that I submit through any COC (with the exception of clerical spelling and/or grammar edits); the award I feel the person deserves is what I feel they deserve, what I personally am recommending and will not change. If the COC disagrees with the recommendation it is quite simple per regulation; approve, disapprove, downgrade or upgrade the recommended award, point blank/period. Leaders hold these other "leaders" accountable for their actions. Will there be Soldiers recommended for awards they don't necessarily deserve? Yes, but that is where the approval authority downgrades to the appropriate level or if far in excess of what is deserved disapprove the award. On the other hand there may be some who deserve a higher ward and this is where COCs need to truly review the award, Soldier's performance and other factors in order to upgrade if the Soldier deserves more than recommended. The award form and accompanying regulation is meant to serve as checks and balances to ensure "fairness and impartiality" (sounds awfully familiar) in approving awards to Soldiers both up and down the chain of approval.

I've got to say, I'm tired of being denied awards. Not enough rank, wrong organization, whatever the reason. I'm never upset at the person or persons recommending me, it's not their fault I was denied. My primary examples are one CMB and MSM "because you're just a SPC" for events during my tour in Iraq, and most recently a Soldier's Medal downgrade for a multi-car accident "because that's your job". It's ridiculous that the promotion points from awards are such an integral part of promotion when we can just be denied the awards outright.

Most of the ones that I have seen fall under the original write up combined with and overwhelming justification going up against a chain of command that was driving by ideological belief; soldier is too young or not enough rank. I took it as a joke when it happened to me, I got shafted by the COC.

What gets me is when you see two guys do basically the same thing and one gets an ARCOM and the other gets an AAM based solely on the rank of the Soldier. Last deployment, my daughter was our defacto BN S2 as a SPC after the S2 CPT got relieved and sent packing 2 months into the deployment. The S3 battle captains all got BSMs and she got an ARCOM, even though she did way more and had much more impact than they did.

Sorta like saying I didn't count your push ups because you were moving too fast... rank structure and quotas are not valid reasons to deny or downgrade an award.

I had this happen when I separated.

My supervisor put me in for an AFAM (Air Force Achievement Medal) and a lower level of leadership shot it down. By time it was shot down my supervisor had PCS'ed to a remote and someone else had to break the news to me. It was what it was. Never had issues with PT testing or evaluations and that supported the decoration. I and was lauded many times in my first section where I worked at this assignment for two years, coined three times, etc and then when I switched sections all of that hard work (2+ years) didn't matter. And as for why I didn't get it, well I know why and won't mention it here to air dirty laundry but I wouldn't change anything I did. It wouldn't have helped me now that I am out of the military. I take more pride in the people both good and bad who I met and was able to help along the way. That I remember..getting coined multiple times I barely remember.

Man, I feel yah.

Our TIF took IDF once, and the round was thankfully UXO. It bounced of a guard tower and scared the kid in there spitless. His PL (not me) put him in for a CAB, rightfully so.

But then the LTC decided to put the WHOLE camp in for a CAB. Obviously, the Brigade CO denied this ludicrous request, and the kid who had a narrow scrape got denied as part of the rest.

Still rankles me.

The worst thing is having to say that a family member died.
Are we saying that all avenues have been exhausted already and we still get the C of C deer in the headlights? I don't sugar coat it. I let the troop know that (if deserving) it should have been approved and that it isn't a dead issue. I have waited many an hour outside a brigade CSM's door to let him know that I would be meeting with the CDR's adjutant to get on the his schedule. I had the commanders own unit's EOR reports with me that had all the stats for the unit (hopefully showing proof of unfairness). I would go as far as to ask for decisions to be placed in writing for so there is no misinterpreting/misunderstanding. Above all else.... SUBMIT! Get that "downgraded" block checked. Worst case scenario, you can show the troop that it was submitted and explain that it still makes it into the records. At least the higher powers will see that the troop was put in for an accommodation, even if it didn't get approved. I would also tell my troop that if he slacked off in any way during all this running around, then he must have just been working hard for recognition and if I finally got it approved, it would go straight up their pooper.

SFC Michael Hasbun As a Staff Sergeant, you have to use this as a learning point for you to remember for later on when you're standing in front of your unit as the First Sergeant. When that time comes remember what your past leaders taught you, that you will NOT do or allow to happen to one of your Soldiers. When that day comes, let them know that you will flip hell over high water to take care of them....when they are right. I was fortunate to really enjoy the frustrations of being a HHB First Sergeant. On several ocassions a missing or incorrect awards issue came up and the S1 didn't respond as I felt they should have. I informed the CSM I was holding a formation for S1 Section at 5PM. With the CSM standing at the rear of the formation, I let the PS NCOIC know that none of them were going home until it was fixed and I had it in my hand. The CSM then walked up beside me and said, "let this be a lesson to you all. Even though S1 belongs to the me, S1, XO and Cdr...you also work for every First Sergeant in the Battalion. I suggest you fix it and don't let it happen again." Best CSM I ever had...Ft. Bragg NC 1992. Your time will come when you can do what you feel isn't being done. Hang in there! Your head is definitely in the right place.

I never agreed with the mindset that an award should be based on a Soldiers rank. For example: A Sergeant (E5) being disapproved for an MSM because he was only a Sergeant. I call BS. I had a young Sergeant as my Rear Detachment NCOIC during Desert Storm. While we were gone, one of my Soldier's trailer caught fire and burned to the ground. He and his family lost everything. This young Sergeant went out and had stores from the Mall donating cloths, he went to the local radio station telling the story about the family's loss. A local company replaced their mobile home, donations went to fund he set up for them. This young Sergeant went above and beyound what would have been imagined. As soon as we returned, I put him in for an Meritorious Service Medal. Some said that was too high an award, so supported it. My Bn XO did not support nor did the Bn Cdr. The CSM did support. I was pissed and went to see the Bde Cdr, who did APPROVE. After it went thru all the channels then....he got the MSM in the end.
There are ups and downs to every system in the Army, we have to learn to deal with them as they are because wishing, hoping for a change has no impact on today. Learn from them and as you climb the promotion ladder and obtain more responsibility learn how to make the system work and also how work the systems that are in place. Often at the end of our systems, there is a person with rank who can impact the outcome, either against you or for you.

What is really bad is when S1 said the BN CDR would have signed an ARCOM had the unit submitted one on time. Instead the NCO was too lazy and didn't bother doing anything until 2 weeks out for that Soldier. So after 6+ yrs, the Soldier was given an AAM instead.