Review the Awards and Decorations Program Lesson Plan



228600-285750HUMAN RESOURCESSENIOR LEADERS COURSE42AReview the Awards and Decorations ProgramLESSON PLANVersion 3.0April 2019U.S. ARMY SOLDIER SUPPORT INSTITUTENoncommissioned Officer AcademyHuman Resources Senior Leaders CourseTLO 2.0 – Determine Essential Personnel Services RequirementsELO 2.4 - Review the Awards and Decorations ProgramLESSON PLANLesson Author: AG Branch, ITDDate prepared: September 2012Last update: April 20191. SCOPE: Review the Awards and Decorations Program is a 3.5 hour lesson. During this lesson we will examine the goals, policies, eligibility, processing requirements and procedures for the Army Awards and Decoration Program. Additionally, we will discuss unit-level award program management techniques.Students will reach the following lesson outcomes through assigned readings, actively participating in class, and completing the practical exercises:Enabled to confidently articulate the goals and policies of the Army Awards and Decorations Program.Enabled to interpret and apply awards and decorations policies. Equipped to advise and teach subordinate HR professionals and Army Leaders on the Army Awards and Decoration Program.Awareness of methods and systems to manage a unit-level awards program.Demonstrate research ability and apply critical thinking.2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES:ELO 2.4:Action: Review the Awards and Decorations ProgramCondition: Senior HR Leaders in a classroom environment working individually and as a member of a small group, using doctrinal and administrative publications, practical exercises, case studies, personal experience, handouts, and discussion with an awareness of the Operational Environment (OE) variables and actors.Standard: 1. Summarize the goals of the Army Awards and Decorations Program.2. Discuss awards and decorations policies.3. Explain administrative procedures related to processing awards and decorations. 4. Outline procedures to manage a unit-level awards program.Learning Domain: CognitiveLevel of Learning: Comprehension3. ASSIGNED STUDENT READINGS: a. Study Requirements: Study: (1) AR 600-8-22, Military Awards, Chapter 3 (18 pages), dated 5 March 2019(2) ATP 1-0.1, G-1/AG and S-1 Operations, Appendix D, Awards and Decorations Checklist pages D-6 thru D-7 (2 pages), dated 23 March 2015Review: AR 600-8-22, Military Awards, Chapter 1, 2, 5, 7, 8 (98 pages), dated 5 March 2019Scan: HYPERLINK "" HRC Awards and Decorations Branch Web Siteb. Bring to Class: NA.c. Be prepared to discuss the following in class: (1) Awards and decorations policies. (2) Responsibilities, principles of support, and standards of service for the processing award recommendation at battalion and brigade S-1 level.(3) Managing a unit-level awards program.4. INSTRUCTOR ADDITIONAL READING(S)/MATERIAL: NA5. TRAINING AIDS, REFERENCES, AND RESOURCES:This lesson is intended to be facilitated in a small group classroom setting with the ability to project PowerPoint slides. Additional resources are available digitally for students to reference on their laptops without having the need to print.Appendix A: Assessment PlanAppendix B: Slide ListingINSTRUCTOR NOTES:Security Level: This course / lesson will present information that has a Security Classification of: U - Unclassified.Foreign Disclosure Restrictions: FD1. This training product has been reviewed by the training developers in coordination with the Adjutant General School, Fort Jackson, SC foreign disclosure officer. This training product can be used to instruct international military students from all approved countries without restrictions. Throughout the lesson discussion seek opportunities to link the ALAs and GLOs with the lesson content through the student’s experiences.The Army Learning Areas (ALA) are the baseline focal points Soldiers and Army Civilians must possess to prevail in the ambiguous environments that challenge the Army today. The four ALAs are: Army Profession and Leadership; Mission Command; Human Dimension; and Professional Competence. The Army Learning Area taxonomy provides a framework to assist in grouping the General Learning Outcomes. The four Army Learning Areas serve as the framework to catalogue the 14 General Learning Outcomes.The General Learning Outcomes (GLOs) are essential outcomes resulting from training, education, and experience along a career continuum of learning. There are three primary purposes for the Army General Learning Outcomes. First, they provide trainers and educators a lens into how effective they are in conveying their support material. Second, it assists in improving instructional design and/or training support packages. Finally it places responsibility on training and education proponents to be nested with ALAs.GLO 4: Soldiers and Army Civilians demonstrate proficiency in mission command leader and commander tasks.GLO 5: Soldiers and Army Civilians demonstrate proficiency in mission command staff tasks.GLO 13: Soldiers and Army Civilians support Army policies, programs, and processes.GLO 14: Soldiers and Army Civilians are technically and tactically competent.6. CONDUCT OF LESSON:a. Lesson Timeline:10 minutesConcrete Experience 10 minutesPublish and Process30 minutesGeneralize New Information – Awards Policies10 minutesBreak40 minutesGeneralize New Information – Individual Awards10 minutesBreak30 minutesGeneralize New Information – Unit Awards/Other Services/Foreign10 minutesBreak 15 minutesDevelop60 minutesApply – eMILPO Transactions Practical ExerciseNOTE: While the main purpose of this lesson is to impart knowledge – it is also intended to get students thinking about how to best manage the awards and decorations program in their units. There are not many slides in the lesson, but there is great potential for discussion. While topic slides do introduce knowledge for consideration, they are primarily designed to start discussions and constantly engage students, even in the GNI portion. The information covered in this lesson is basic, and even students with no background can prepare for the lesson by completing the reading assignment. There is no reason for anyone to not participate!Your purpose in this block of instruction is to first help students realize they have a good foundational knowledge of the Army awards program, to facilitate discussion and critical thought of new information, and then to push students to the next level and have them apply their knowledge in the “Apply” phase. Instructors must be thoroughly familiar with the topics and structure of the lesson to properly facilitate a small group. For each topic, ask students “Why is this important – particularly as you prepare for your next assignments?” Throughout this lesson, solicit from students the challenges they experienced in the operational environment (COE) and what they did to resolve them. Encourage students to apply at least one of the critical variables: Political, Military, Economic, Social, Information, Infrastructure, Physical Environment and Time (PMESII-PT).NOTE: Throughout this lesson, solicit from students the challenges they experienced in the operational environment (OE) and what they did to resolve them. Encourage students to apply at least one of the critical variables: Political, Military, Economic, Social, Information, Infrastructure, Physical Environment and Time (PMESII-PT).Adjust the Lesson Timeline as necessary to facilitate class schedule, your teaching style, and student learning. You are not bound by any time constraints during any particular phase of the ELM model.b. Concrete Experience (10 min):Slide 1: Concrete Experience Focus: Concrete Experience1. Display slide. 2. Separate class into two groups.3. Click mouse to display group questions.4. Allow each group 10 minutes to develop their responses.5. Have students’ record responses on a white board, butcher-block paper or other means that makes each group’s responses easy to view by all during the Process phase.c. Publish and Process (10 min): This phase is student-centered and instructor facilitated.The “publish” portion is a short discussion on how group members felt about what is presented on the slide. This can be kept short; once the group moves to “process,” they will likely continue to add to “publishing” type information. Do not let the group jump straight to content. When well facilitated, publishing is a good method to relate a discussion of interpersonal communication and group dynamics to the broader topic of leader competencies described in FM 6-22. Questions the instructor may ask to assist in the publishing phase:What happened? How did you feel about that?Who had a similar or different experience, and why? Were there any surprises?What can we learn about the Army’s awards and decorations program in light of this example?Discussion and questions are directed toward making sense of the data for the individual and the group. The “processing” phase now allows the group to talk about the data they generated. Discussion and questions are directed toward making sense of the data for the individual and the group. Since the CE question for each group relates to the other, one technique for discussing information may be to go back and forth to see if related items were generated from each group.Questions the instructor may ask to assist in publishing: (Intent is to push critical thinking. Push students to defend their answers – allow students to hash out ideas).Why did you put “item X” on this list? What does it mean to you? (This gets at affective learning and how students find the material relevant from their experiences).Did you find that once you got one idea down, it triggered related ideas? (If yes, have them show examples. This shows the interrelatedness of the materials in a larger process).Would you say you saw any themes develop in the list? (e.g.,. events vs. processes)Can you prioritize a list like this? (There may be no right answer to their list, but the more interesting development would be if there was a disagreement between group members. Have them discuss their differences in thought).After having talked about this, do you think you left anything critical off?Lists like these contain processes that are ongoing, so where do you start?Why is there not just one list that already has this task figured out? (Conversation could include policy changes, how policy is applied in different situations).Did the CE demonstrate that they Army’s awards and decorations program works and is fair and equitable? d. Generalize New Information (30 min): Although instructor focused, this lesson is designed for student involvement and discussion.Slide 2: Learning ObjectiveFocus: Review Learning Objective and Assessment Plan for this lesson.NOTE: Pacing of the GNI phase relies on student interaction. The intent is for the group to discuss the topics presented, and by expressing the importance of these subjects in terms of their own knowledge and experience, to thereby attach “relevance” to the material. The goal is not to just get through the slides. “Hard data” content varies from topic to topic, and when information is provided, it is mainly to serve as anchor points for discussions requiring more critical thinking. Although there are many questions related to the material that may have “right” answers, facilitators should push students to explain why an answer is “right,” or why one answer may be better than another. Occasionally, students will disagree with you or one another which is great – encourage professional discussion that relies on critical thinking. Learners are more likely to remember these interactions than a bullet on a slide.Properly administering a unit-level awards and decorations program can be challenging. After completion of this lesson, students should have an idea of where to start, how to sift through the large amounts of information available to them, and how to categorize and prioritize that information for use in problem solving. Slide 3: Army Awards ProgramFocus: .Goals, philosophy and objective of the Army’s awards program.The fundamental goals of the Army honors and awards program are to: (1) Foster mission accomplishment by recognizing excellence of both military and civilian personnel. (2) Motivate personnel to high levels of performance and service. Timeliness is paramount to the awards program, as it is important that Soldiers receive their awards as close to the event as possible and prior to departure from the unit. The objective of the Army awards program is to ensure that Soldiers receive tangible recognition for their acts of valor, skill, and exceptional service while serving the nation. Additionally, the program requires that commands take an active role in ensuring that Soldiers and support personnel receive the recognition they earn and deserve.The perception Soldiers have of awards relates directly to the emphasis that commanders and leaders place on ensuring that Soldiers receive fair and expedient awards for their service and achievement. The S-1 plays a vital role in meeting this objective.NOTE: Instructors should leverage their own experiences and ask pertinent questions pertaining to the slide provided. Potential questions may include:What’s your perception of the Army’s Award Program?Does your perception change based on the type of unit you’re assigned to? (e.g., TDA vs. MTOE) (Garrison vs. Deployed)Slide 4: Awards OverviewFocus: Awards OverviewCommander’s RoleEthics and ValuesStandards of ServiceNOTE: Refer students to AR 600-8-22, para 3-1U.S. Army military decorations are awarded in recognition of qualifying acts of valor, non-combat heroism, or meritorious service or achievement. U.S. Army military decorations recognize achievements which have significantly contributed to the readiness or effectiveness of a unit or organization, or have made notable contributions to the morale or esprit de corps of units or organizations. Recommendations for awards must be based on specific achievement. Consider the following when developing your unit's awards SOP:(1) A decoration and decision as to which award is appropriate are both subjective decisions made by commanders and the approval authority.(2) Awards will not be based upon grade(3) Awards should reflect both the level of responsibility and manner of performance(4) Predominant factor to consider is the degree of achievement or effectiveness on the unit(5) Awards are not automatically entitled to an individual upon departure from an assignment(6) Certificates / Letters are appropriate for departing individuals(7) Awards will not be used as prizes in contests(8) Limiting awards to a specific number per unit is not authorizedNOTE: Refer students to AR 600-8-22, para 1-11Brigade SOPs should clearly state the brigade’s standards so battalions and/or other subordinate units know what the timelines for submission are and the proper formats.Timeline for and presentation of awards:(1) Commanders in the awards processing chain should process awards expeditiously.(2) The wartime standard is for approval authority action within 60 days from the recommendation date. (3) Approval authorities provide awards for presentation before recommended Soldiers leave for reassignment (PCS or are released from active duty)(4) In order to facilitate this goal, the HR provider must be very proactive and have a tracking system with set suspense.Advising the commander on appropriate levels of recognition:(1) The S-1 plays a role with the CSM in advising the commander on appropriate recognition. Ultimately, however, as we all know it is the commander’s subjective decision on which award is appropriate.(2) Awards should not be based upon grade(3) Awards should reflect both the level of responsibility and manner of performance(4) Commanders may use an Award and Decoration Board to advise them on appropriate levels of recognition (optional).NOTE: Instructors should leverage their own experiences and ask pertinent questions pertaining to the slide provided. Potential questions may include:What has been your experience with the bullets listed under “Ethics and Values? Is this the norm or exception in the field? Why?What techniques or “best practices” have you used to ensure your S-1 section meets the “Standards of Service?”Slide 5: Awards – The BasicsFocus: Review of basic administrative processing of awards.Time Limitations: para 1-14Time limitation:(1) Each recommendation for an award of a military decoration must be entered administratively into military channels within two years of the act, achievement, or service to be honored. Recommendations should be submitted as quickly as possible. (2) MOH, DSC and the DSM recommendations must be entered formally into official channels within 3 years of the act warranting the recommendation and awarded within 5 years (para 1-14).If circumstances prevent the submission of a complete document, the document should contain a note that states additional data will be submitted later. The following are exceptions: (a) The time limits do not apply to retroactive and conversion awards made in confirmation of recognition of previously issued orders, letters, or certificates or in exchange of decorations authorized (para 1-25). (b) The person recommending or the person being recommended was in a prisoner of war (POW), missing in action (MIA), or medically incapacitated status. An award of the Silver Star or lesser decorations may be approved without regard to elapsed time (para 1-14). (c) The Purple Heart differs from all other decorations in that an individual is not "recommended" for the decoration, rather he or she is entitled to it upon meeting specific criteria.Disapproved / Downgraded Awards(1) A request for reconsideration or the appeal of a disapproved or downgraded award recommendation must be placed in official channels within 1 year from the date of the awarding authority’s decision (para 1-16). (2) Recommendations are submitted for reconsideration or appeal only if new, substantive and material information is furnished and the time limits specified in above do not prevent such action. Requests for reconsideration or appeal must be forwarded through the same official channels as the original recommendation. For wartime awards, the above applies but if the wartime awards approval authority does not wish to act on the reconsideration request it is forwarded to the Military Awards Branch for final decision.Interim awards and awards of a lesser decoration (para 1-20)(1) To ensure that a deserving act, achievement, or service receives recognition, the appropriate authority may promptly award a suitable lesser military decoration pending final action on a recommendation for a higher award, except for retiring U.S. Army general officers. When a higher award is approved, the approving authority will revoke the interim award using a separate Permanent Order in accordance with AR 600–8–105. The decoration will be returned by the recipient, unless the higher award is approved posthumously, in which case the next of kin will be permitted to retain both awards.(2) The authority taking final action may award the decoration recommended, award a lesser decoration (or consider the interim award as adequate recognition), or in the absence of an interim award, disapprove award of any decoration. For example, the Army Commendation Medal may be awarded by the appropriate commander as an interim award in those cases involving heroism and for which a recommendation for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross or the Soldier’s Medal has been submitted.Duplicate awards (Para 1-19). (3) Only one decoration is awarded to an individual for the same act, achievement, or period of meritorious service. This criterion also applies to award recommendations from other service components as well. Slide 6: Awards Submission Timelines - ExampleFocus: Example of backwards planning to ensure timely processing and presentation of awards..On behalf of the commander you support, it is imperative that S-1s take a proactive planning approach to ensure deserving Soldiers are properly recognized prior to PCS, ETS or the unit redeploying from theater. Military award recommendations require timely handling within every echelon of command. S-1s must anticipate bottlenecks with award processing and the possibility of recommendations being returned for corrections.Upon arrival in country, S1 should develop a timeline to ensure all awards are submitted in a timely manner. During the Relief-In-Place/Transfer of Authority (RIP/TOA) ask the S-1 you are replacing for their S-1 Lessons Learned. After RIP/TOA, coordinate with your higher headquarters for their processing requirements and lead times for submission. Here is an example of what a possible deployment award timeline might look like.NOTE: Instructors should leverage their own experiences and ask pertinent questions pertaining to the slide provided. Potential questions may include:What are some of the challenges S-1 face meeting higher headquarters timeliness standards in the operational environment? Are these challenges any different than those faced when at home station (garrison)?Walk me through the process of “backwards planning” for awards.Does anyone have any “best practices” for ensuring awards timeliness?Slide 7: Planning ConsiderationsFocus: Award planning considerations for deploymentDuring preparation for deployment the S-1 must conduct deliberate planning to ensure the success and sustainability of the unit awards program. These planning considerations may include:(1) What are the current Award policies for wartime versus peacetime awards?(a) What awards can you give for actions during wartime? (b) What can you give for services during wartime? AAM / MSM?(2) Discuss with your commander their personal award philosophy before deploying, if possible. Inform subordinate units.(3) Ensure you deploy with adequate award supplies. This may include medal sets and badges, “V” Devices and Oak Leaf Clusters, extra award certificates and green binders, and printer cartridges(4) Ensure your Soldiers are properly trained on the software and systems that will be used in theater.(a) Automated Forms processing – will it be used in theater?(b) Conduct battle drills for processing high volume of awards (Office = 30 per month // redeployment = 3,000 in 30 day period)(c) Train and cross-train entire S-1 shop. Will you require augmentation from subordinate battalions?(d) Will you set standard statements for each type of award?(5) After you deploy learn what the Task Organization and policies are going to be.(a) Get higher headquarters (Division and Theater) Award policies and guidance in advance if possible (may be in OPORD)(b) Approval authorities (What can be approved in theater? What’s been delegated?)(c) Other Service component considerations(d) Foreign awards(e) Civilian awards(f) Unit Awards / Campaign credit. Who will be responsible for writing? (S-3 function by doctrine). Collect unit history prior to deploying.(g) Individual Records. Ensure each Soldier’s record (ERB and ORB) are up-to-date with current award data. This will ensure correct award/OLC is awarded in theater and alleviate having to amend orders once redeployed.BREAK. Providing the training schedule provides and available time permits this is a good point to provide the students a short break before transitioning to individual awards.Slide 8: The Real Rambo (Most Heavily Decorated Soldier)Focus: Opener for individual awards portion of the lesson.View video (1:57), facilitate discussion as necessary and transition to individual awards.: Instructors should leverage their own experiences and ask pertinent questions pertaining to the video to open this portion of the lesson. Potential questions may include:Can we compare COL (Ret) Howard’s service in Vietnam to the service of today’s Soldiers who are serving in combat on multiple deployments?How are they similar? How are the different?Slide 9: Categories of Individual AwardsFocus: Identify the different categories of individual awards.As the S-1 NCOIC/HR professional you are expected to be the Subject Matter Expert on all things AG – especially military awards. Awards can be a very sensitive and emotional subject for both Soldiers and leaders and must be handled with timely expertise.Individual awards are divided into very specific categories. Although there are many awards an individual Soldier can receive, each award has certain qualifications and restrictions that you must be aware of that we will discuss today.These categories include: (1) Decorations(2) Good Conduct Medal (Enlisted only)(3) Service Medal / Service Ribbons(4) Badges / Tabs(5) Certificates / Letters(6) Foreign AwardsSlide 10: Individual DecorationsFocus: U.S. Army individual decorationsDepartment of Defense (DOD) awards and decorations are outlined in Chapter 2 of AR 600-8-22. These are awards that any service member, regardless of branch, is eligible to earn. All joint awards are DOD awards. U.S. Army individual decorations are outlined in Chapter 3 of AR 600-8-22. (1) The intent of U.S. Army individual military decorations is to recognize heroism, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service. (2) In peacetime, decorations recognize achievements which have significantly contributed to the readiness or effectiveness of a unit or organization or have made notable contributions to the morale or esprit de corps of units or organizations. (3) All award decisions are subjective and based upon the decision of the commander having award approval authority. As we discussed earlier, awards are not to be based upon the grade of the recipient, nor should they be seen as an automatic entitlement upon departure from an organization or assignment. (4) No preconditions for an award may be established (exception being Purple Heart where one must be wounded by enemy in combat). Awards are not to be used as prizes and there are no limits to the number of awards that a Soldier may earn.NOTE: Instructors should leverage their own experiences and ask pertinent questions pertaining to the slide. Potential questions may include:What’s the difference between an “award” and a decoration?” (NOTE: See AR 600-8-22, Glossary for definitions for each).Slide 11: Army Good Conduct MedalFocus: Award of the Army Good Conduct MedalNOTE: Refer students to AR 600-8-22, Chapter 4. The AGCM is awarded for exemplary behavior, efficiency, and fidelity in active Federal military service. It is awarded on a selective basis to each Soldier who distinguishes him/herself from among his fellow Soldiers by his/her exemplary conduct through a specified period of continuous enlisted active federal military service. Individuals who are eligible for the AGCM are:(1) Active Component enlisted Soldiers(2) Active Guard Reserve (AGR) enlisted personnel serving on extended periods of active duty (other than for training) under title 10, USC, provided period of service have not been duplicated with the award of the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal. (3) Retroactively to eligible Army of the United States (AUS) enlisted personnel.(4) Other Army enlisted personnel as may be directed by the Secretary of the Army.(5) Ready Reserve enlisted personnel ordered to active duty under title 10, USC.Enlisted Soldiers receive the award for every three years of good service. For the first award only, a Soldier will receive an AGCM if he has completed more than 1 year but less than 3 years of service at the time of his separation. Soldiers will receive a certificate for their AGCM only for their first and last (separation) awards.Slide 12: Service Medals and RibbonsFocus: Service medals and ribbonsNOTE: Refer students to AR 600-8-22, Chapter 5Service (campaign) medals and service ribbons denote honorable performance of military duty within specified limited dates in specified geographic areas. These awards are only for active Federal military service with the following exceptions: (1) Medal of Humane Action(2) Armed Forces Reserve Medal(3) NCO Professional Development Ribbon(4) Army Service Ribbon(5) Army Reserve Components Overseas Training RibbonSlide 13: Afghanistan and Iraq Campaign Medal Service StarsFocus: OEF/OIF Campaign Medal Service StarsService stars recognize Soldiers for participating in designated campaign phases within the areas of eligibility for the ACM or ICM. Service stars provide our Soldiers with tangible recognition for the sacrifices and contributions they have made in support of overseas contingency operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. HQDA designated the following campaigns and qualifying period for OEF and OIF.Slide 14: BadgesFocus: Different type of combat and special skills, marksmanship and identification badges.NOTE: Refer students to AR 600-8-22, Chapter 8The purpose of awarding badges is to recognize the attainment of a high degree of skill, proficiency, and excellence in test and competition, as well as in the performance of duties. There are three types of badges: (1) Combat and special skill badges are awarded to denote proficiency in performance of duties under hazardous conditions or circumstances of extraordinary hardship as well as special qualifications and successful completion of prescribed courses of training. (2) Marksmanship badges are qualification badges and awarded to indicate the degree in which an individual, military or civilian, has qualified in a prescribed record course. An appropriate bar is furnished to denote each weapon with which he or she qualified. Each bar will be attached to the basic badge, which indicates the qualification last attained with the respective weapon. Basic qualification badges are of three classes: Expert, sharpshooter, and marksman. (3) Identification badges (Drill Sergeant, Recruiter, etc.) are authorized to be worn as public evidence of deserved honor and distinction to denote service performed in specified assignments. Some of these assignments are: The White House; the Office of the Secretary of Defense; the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; the Office of the Secretary of the Army or as a member of the General Staff; as a Drill Sergeant; as a U.S. Army Recruiter, or as a career counselorSlide 15: Combat BadgesFocus: CIB, CMB, and CABReference: CIB: AR 600-8-22, para 8-6CMB: AR 600-8-22, para 8-7CAB: AR 600-8-22, para 8-8COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE. A Soldier must be personally present and under fire while serving in an assigned Infantry or Special Forces primary duty position, in a unit engaged in active ground combat, to close with and destroy the enemy with direct fires. Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDS), Vehicle-Borne IEDs (VBIEDS) and the like are direct fire weapons. While no fixed, qualifying distance from an explosion of these devices can be established, commanders should consider the entirety of the combat situation when considering award of the BAT MEDICAL BADGE. Awarded to medical personnel assigned or attached to or under the operational control of any combat arms units of brigade size or smaller size, who satisfactorily perform medical duties while the unit is engaged in active ground combat, provided they are personally present and under fire. The language, "NOT TO INCLUDE AVIATION" was deleted from previous policy, permitting medical personnel assigned, attached, or OPCON to Combat Aviation Units to qualify for the CMB, if other criteria are met. CMB approval authority may be delegated to Army Commanders, Colonel and above.As with the CIB, only one award of the CMB is authorized, regardless of the number or locations of BAT ACTION BADGE. Combat Action Badge (CAB) was approved by Chief of Staff, Army on 2 May 2005, to provide special recognition to Soldiers who personally engage or are engaged by the enemy.Slide 16: Wartime DecorationsFocus: Wartime decorationsINDIVIDUAL WARTIME DECORATIONS. The process of recommending and approving military decorations is significantly different from processing peacetime awards. The DA Form 638 is used to recommend Soldiers for achievement and service awards.The DA Form 4187 is used to recommend combat badges and the Purple Heart.Also, the Meritorious Service Medal and Army Achievement Medal may be awarded in a combat theater for non-combat meritorious achievement or service.The U.S. Army individual military decorations authorized to be awarded for wartime valor, service, or achievement include:(1) Medal of Honor(2) Distinguished Service Cross(3) Silver Star(4) Legion of Merit(5) Distinguished Flying Cross(6) Soldier’s Medal - The Silver Star is awarded for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States.(7) Bronze Star Medal - may be awarded for heroism, but unlike the Silver Star may also be awarded for meritorious service while engaged in combat operations. When awarded for valor, the Bronze Star Medal comes with the "V" device. The BSM is often issued to individuals who performed notable accomplishments, but not to the level required of the Silver Star Medal. (8) Meritorious Service Medal(9) Air Medal(10) Army Commendation Medal(11) Army Achievement MedalSlide 17: Purple HeartFocus: Purple Heart criteria and basic processing procedures.NOTE: Refer students to AR 600-8-22, para 2-8HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE. The Purple Heart was established by General George Washington at Newburg, New York, on 7 August 1782, during the Revolutionary War. It was reestablished by the President of the United States per War Department General Order 3, 1932 and is currently pursuant to Executive Orders and Public Laws.(1) While clearly an individual decoration, the Purple Heart differs from all other decorations in that an individual is not "recommended" for the decoration; rather he or she is entitled to it upon meeting specific criteria.(2) A Purple Heart is authorized for the first wound suffered:(a) In any action against an enemy of the United States.(b) In any action with an opposing armed force of a foreign country in which the Armed Forces of the United States are or have been engaged.(c) While serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.(d) As the result of an act of any such enemy of opposing Armed Forces.(e) As the result of an act of any hostile foreign force.(f) After 28 March 1973, as the result of an international terrorist attack(g) After 28 March 1973, as the result of military operations while serving outside the territory of the United States as part of a peace keeping force.(h) Members killed or wounded in action by friendly fire.(3) A wound is defined as an injury to any part of the body from an outside force or agent sustained under one or more of the conditions listed above. A physical lesion is not required, however, the wound for which the award is made must have required treatment by medical personnel and records of medical treatment for wounds or injuries received in action must be a matter of official record.Slide 18: War Veterans Protest, Throw Their Medals at NATO Summit!Focus: Closer for individual awards portion of the lesson.NOTE: Instructors should leverage their own experiences and ask pertinent questions pertaining to the video to close out this portion of the lesson. Potential questions may include:Why did this happen?Why do you think these former “Soldiers” feel this way about the awards they received?Do you think there anything the Army could have done when these Soldiers were transitioning to civilian life to change their feelings/beliefs about their service in Iraq and Afghanistan?BREAK. Providing the training schedule provides and available time permits this is a good point to provide the students a short break before transitioning to the final learning activity.Slide 19: Army Unit AwardsFocus: Overview of Army Unit AwardsNOTE: Refer students to AR 600-8-22, Chapter 7 for additional information. The steps for processing unit awards (DA Form 7594) are contained in Table 7-1.Unit awards are made to organizations when the heroism displayed or meritorious service performed is a result of group effort. The following Army unit awards, in order of precedence, were established to recognize outstanding Army units.The Presidential Unit Citation is awarded to units that display such gallantry, determination, esprit de corps in accomplishing its mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions as to set it apart from and above all other units. The degree of heroism required is equal to that which would warrant award the Distinguished Service Cross to an individual. APPROVAL AUTHORITY: Secretary of the ArmyThe Valorous Unit Award requires a lesser degree of gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps than the Presidential Unit Citation. Nevertheless, the unit must have performed with marked distinction under difficult and hazardous conditions. The degree of heroism required is equal to that which would warrant award of the Silver Star to an individual. APPROVAL AUTHORITY: Army G-1The Meritorious Unit Commendation is awarded to units for exceptionally meritorious conduct for at least 6 continuous months during the period of military operations against an armed enemy occurring on or after 1 January 1944. Service in a combat zone is not required, but must be directly related to the combat effort. The degree of achievement is equal to award of the Legion of Merit to an individual. APPROVAL AUTHORITY: Army G-1The Army Superior Unit Award was established on April 8, 1985, by Secretary of the Army John O. Marsh, Jr. The Army Superior Unit Award may be awarded during peacetime for outstanding meritorious performance of a difficult and challenging mission carried out under extraordinary circumstances. The unit must display such outstanding devotion and superior performance of exceptionally difficult tasks as to set it apart from and above other units with similar missions. The award is not given for operations of a purely humanitarian nature. APPROVAL AUTHORITY: Army G-1Slide 20: StreamersFocus: Campaign and combat streamersNOTE:Campaign Streamers: AR 600-8-22, para 7-18Combat Infantry Streamer: AR 600-8-22, para 7-20Combat Medical Steamer: AR 600-8-22, para 7-21For service in Iraq, under the criteria established for the Iraq Campaign Medal, units will receive and display a streamer embroidered “IRAQ.” Regardless of the number of deployments, units participating in this campaign will receive only one streamer.For service in Afghanistan, under the criteria established for the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, units will receive and display a streamer embroidered “AFGHANISTAN.” Regardless of the number of deployments, units participating in this campaign will receive only one streamer.In recognition of deployments to other geographic regions outside of Iraq and Afghanistan, such as Kuwait, Qatar, and the Horn of Africa, units will receive a streamer in the colors of the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.? Regardless of the geographic region, or the number of deployments, units participating in this campaign will receive a single streamer embroidered “GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM.”Combat Infantry Unit Streamers are awarded to brigade or smaller size units. The Combat Infantry streamer may be awarded by commanders of divisions, corps, or armies if 65 percent or more of the TOE strength of the unit has been awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge during military operations. Award for subsequent military operations are reflected by a blue embroidered star after the bat Medical Streamers may be awarded by commanders of armies, corps, divisions, or separate brigades when 65 percent or more of the TOE strength of a medical unit has been awarded the Combat Medical Badge during wartime military operations. The Combat Action Streamer may be awarded when 65 percent or more of the TOE assigned strength of a unit authorized a color, distinguishing flag, or guidon has been awarded the Combat Action Badge (CAB) during military operations in war or in any military action where the CAB is authorizedSlide 21: Processing Awards Between Branches of ServiceFocus: Processing award recommendation between branches of service.PEACETIMEAward recommendations of the MSM and below to Army personnel permanently assigned to Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and/or Coast Guard commands may be approved by the award approval authority of that Service without seeking Army’s concurrence. Member of the U.S. Armed Forces permanently assigned to Army units may accept Army awards, MSM and below, without seeking concurrence from their service.For service members assigned temporarily between the Services, the other Service may recommend an award by forwarding the recommendation directly to the service member’s permanent command for action/concurrence. Recommendations for award of the LOM and above will be submitted to the Service member’s service for consideration and processing. Purple Heart and retirement award recommendations on other service members must be submitted in accordance with that Service’s regulations/directives. United States Air Force: Approval for any wartime award recommended to an Airman must be obtained through the United States Central Command Air Forces (USCENTAF).United States Navy & Marine Corps: Approval for any wartime award recommended to a Sailor or Marine must be obtained through the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) or the Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC).Approval for an MSM or below can only be awarded if the Sailor is permanently assigned to an Army command. Army must forward a LOR to the Sailor’s parent command for consideration of an award if temporarily assigned.Purple Heart recommendations must be forwarded to the respective Service.Slide 22: Other Services POC InformationFocus: POC information for other branches of service.Slide 23: U.S. Decorations to Foreign Military PersonnelFocus: .Awarding U.S. decorations to foreign military personnel.NOTE: Refer students to:AR 600-8-22, para 1-38DODM 1348.33, (Manual of Military Decorations and Awards: General Information, Medal of Honor, and Defense/Joint Awards) U.S. Army badges and tabs to foreign military personnel will be made only with the prior consent of their Government. Awards to foreign military personnel typically require from 3 to 6 months for complete processing by HQDA It is DOD policy to recognize individual acts of heroism, extraordinary achievement or meritorious achievement on the part of Service members of friendly foreign nations. However, before awarding of the SS, SM, and BSM the approving authority shall coordinate with the appropriate U.S. Embassy to ensure that the decoration is consistent with the overall interest of the U.S.Slide 24: Lesson CloserFocus: Close out lesson with a true American hero.Slide 25: Learning ObjectiveFocus: Restate Learning Objective, summarize lesson, canvas for questions, and transition to Develop phase. e. Develop (15 minutes): This phase is student-centered and instructor facilitated.NOTE: Instructors now initiate a student discussion of how material in the lesson plan will be used in their future assignments. Although instructors can guide students in the discussion, the answers ultimately belong to the students. Focus should be primarily on how HR Metrics can be applied to the Army Awards program. Refer students to the following references during the discussions:HR Metrics GuideNCOES HR Metrics Student Handout (Appendix B- Provide HR Services)Instructions for One-Page Report (DataStore)Discuss the baseline HR Metrics that applies to Army Awards program:Blank/Expired Good Conduct Medal (GCMDL) Eligibility DateSuspension of Favorable Personnel Actions (FLAGS) > 6 MonthsHere are some additional ideas that instructors can inject into the discussion:Some award tasks/processes are conducted sequentially while others are simply related and may occur before, after, or at the same time as others. Do students see how the relationships between different events can create opportunities or limitations in trying to accomplish missions in a time-constrained environment?Are students more familiar now with knowing where to look for more information if they have questions on policy or procedures?Were students able to identify or share any “best practices” for processing or managing the awards and decorations program? f. Apply (60 min): Administer eMILPO Practical Exercise. There are three files for the eMILPO Transactions PE.(1) SLC_Review_the_Awards_and_Decorations_Program_eMILPO_Training. This file contains 16 slides that provides an overview eMILPO and awards transactions.(2) SLC_Review_the_Awards_and_Decorations_Program_eMILPO_PE. This PE provides seven (7) different scenarios that require eMILPO transactions to update an ERB.(3) SLC_Review_the_Awards_and_Decorations_Program_eMILPO_PE_Answer_Keyg. Assessment Plan: See Appendix A.Appendix ATLO 2.0 – Determine Essential Personnel Services Requirements Module Assessment PlanModule AssessmentContribution to Group WorkWritten CommunicationOral CommunicationModulePost-AssessmentTOTAL30%NA10%60%100%ELO 2.1Interpret Military Pay and AllowancesELO 2.2Review Enlisted Promotions SystemsELO 2.3Review the Evaluation Reporting SystemELO 2.4Review the Awards and Decorations ProgramELO 2.5Integrate Identification Card ProcessingContribution to Group Work. See SLC Contribution to Group Work Rubric for specific grading criteria.Written Communication. NA.Oral Communication. See SLC Oral Communication Rubric for specific grading criteria.Module Post-Assessment. A comprehensive post-assessment consisting of multiple-choice, matching, fill-in-the-blank and ordering questions will be administered via Blackboard Academic Suite upon completion of the module.Appendix BSlide ListingSlide 1Concrete ExperienceSlide 2Learning ObjectiveSlide 3Army Awards ProgramSlide 4Awards OverviewSlide 5Awards – The BasicsSlide 6Awards Submission TimelinesSlide 7Planning ConsiderationsSlide 8OPENER – The Real RamboSlide 9Categories of Individual AwardsSlide 10Individual DecorationsSlide 11Army Good Conduct MedalSlide 12Service Medals and RibbonsSlide 13Afghanistan and Iraq Campaign Medal Service StarsSlide 14BadgesSlide 15Combat BadgesSlide 16Wartime DecorationsSlide 17Purple Heart CriteriaSlide 18CLOSER – War Veterans Protest, Throw Their Medals at NATO Summit!Slide 19Army Unit AwardsSlide 20StreamersSlide 21Processing Awards Between Branches of ServiceSlide 22Other Services POC InformationSlide 23U.S. Decorations to Foreign Military PersonnelSlide 24CLOSER – Audie MurphySlide 25Learning Objective ................
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