Is it common for a person with 17 years in the military to not have a personal award?

Sir, this is very positive advice. Next drill I will take action on it. Thank you

I'm just a PFC but I might have another, round-a-bout way. Do you have a really close friend that's in a different unit that's under the same chain of command? For example: if you are 1 PLT, do you have a friend in 2 PLT?? Both units report to the same senior enlisted staff. You could go to that friend and have him suggest it. Then your friend could go to them and say "Hey, Did you know SSG Sakowski hasn't ever gotten a AAM? It's weird how some people fall through the cracks..." Or something to that effect. I know I've petitioned senior enlisted for awards for others before. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but it doesn't come across as "Hey, I need this..."

GySgt John Olson - I can say there was no "lack of action" I was the forward force of invading Iraq 2003, Korangal Valley, Afg 2005 and Hadiatha Iraq 2006. Plenty of "Action" to go around. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1656736/posts

GySgt John Olson - just because you didn't shoot at anything doesn't mean you didn't do your job and do it well. It means you were prepared to, but just never got the opportunity.....which is what service awards are meant to recognize: doing a good job and getting the mission done. Now the example you used of the Lcpl who did everything wrong, he is perfect example of someone who didn't do his job well.

Capt Jeff S. - We'll said "Do your best-not for others to see, but for yourself." Definitely defining

GySgt John Olson - Well put. When I served in a joint assignment I was always amazed at how austere the Marines were compared to all other services when It came to giving out awards. But that's what makes a Marine a Marine.

Personally I don't think I should have gotten that NAM in the first place, I was just doing the job I was assigned. Sure it was a lot of work, and holding a billet two pay grades above mine, but it was the billet I was assigned and even though I was successful I still struggled at first. I was a FAST Company Operations Chief, as a SSgt. Basically responsible for training, readiness and deploying 8 FAST platoons(approx. 400 Marines). They also tacked on the time I spent as a FAST platoon sergeant, forming and training my own platoon, deploying to FASTEUR and forward deploying from there in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. All that said, I was still just living up to my billet description.

Gunny, that's the way I see it... I have a few personal awards/citations from the Corps and National Guard. But to me, I was just doing what they told me to.

I also was in a position where I had to fill a billet I was technically not the right rank for. I got shoved in as platoon Sgt as a LCpl. I did it because there was no one else. Well, there was, but I was next senior after our SSgt because all the NCO's in the shop got transferred back stateside. Plus, since I was pregnant, SSgt didn't feel comfortable with me soldering (which was the bulk of the work we had in the shop) even with a mask and gloves due to lead so he felt I was better employed with the paperwork. Didn't get an award, didn't expect one. I just did what needed to be done. Thought I was going to get busted down at one point at our company's weekly plt Sgt meeting because one of the shop's usual guy was on leave so they sent a different Sgt and he started talking down to me because he complained about a policy the company had that a representative from the maintenance shop had to inspect 1/3 of every shop's gear each month so all the gear was checked each quarter to make sure everything was accounted for and anything that should be in maintenance was. I pointed out it was his shop's screw up that caused the policy to be put in place (one of their Cpl's had packed nothing but damaged 26 pair cables for UFL) and he told me to shut up and let the grown ups talk. I have a bit of a temper, plus pregnancy hormones, so I went off on him right in front of 1st Sgt. 1st Sgt just laughed and told him "she's right, you know."
What did piss me off about awards, though, was when the Cpl mentioned above got a freaking NAM for inducting all of those cables she mistakenly packed into maintenance. Over 11 years later and it still pisses me off that she got a NAM for incompetence.

The Military awards system is broken or at least flawed. But in my opinion your Chain of Command, first line leaders, PLT Leaders, and Company Commanders failed all of you. Yes you were doing your job but you all admitted to successfully doing jobs levels above your own skill level. Someone in your chain above you should have at least recommended you for an achievement or commendation medal of sorts. Why because with out your work and stepping up to do a job someone else should have it wouldn't have gotten done and it could have possible affect your units mission, mission capability, or at the very least unit readiness. I guarantee your PT Sergeant, PLT Leader, and Company Commanders FIT REP's/NCOER's/OER's all said they accomplished their assigned task, executed orders, and at the very least portable once eligible. You took care of them but they failed to take care of you. Had you failed your duties their evaluations would have reflected this failure and slowed their careers. Sorry your leader at that time either didn't know, remember, or care to take care of their people. It a basic leadership charge, we accomplish the mission 1st military tenant, by always taking care of people. I see this Post is a few years old, but I had to speak up, because you all humble say you were just doing your jobs... Unfortunately your leadership didn't do theirs. As a now retired Officer I apologies for your leaderships failure