AwardWritingforDummies5B15D1.20124340

7/28/2019 AwardWritingforDummies5B15D1.20124340

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Award Writing

for Dummies!

Army Regulation AR 600-8-22 MILITARY AWARDS [950225]

US Army Institute of Heraldry

Complete Administrative data DA 638 in Jetform or Form Filler

1.Complete blocks 1 through 20

2.Awards need to be accurately abbreviated. (MEPAM 600-200)

References fo r Army m il i tary awards?

What is an Award?A decoration, medal, badge, ribbon, or appurtenancebestowed on an individual or a unit


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References

Why give awards?

What's the current command policy on awards?

What type of award should be presented?

What are Troop Command's SUSPENSES then?

How do I justify an award?

Do you have some guides on how to write the justification?

Catchy words, word combination, and phrases

Phrases

Adjectives and Synonyms

Verbs

Overview


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Army leaders present various type of awards and decorations

to recognize soldiers for valor, meritorious service, and

achievement. It's our formal way of thanking them and

recognizing them for their outstanding contributions to the

Army's success in mission accomplishment. Awards given to

deserving soldiers increase esprit de corps in the unit and

provide other soldiers the necessary incentive to go above

and beyond their day-to-day responsibilities thus contributing

to the success of the unit.

Why g ive awards?


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What 's the current command pol icy on awards?

The current policy is to ensure that all soldiers completing their tours of duty

are thoroughly screened for their contribution to the organization and those

that performed meritoriously are recommended for various types of awardsthat is commensurate with their exemplary service and contribution to their

organization.The Commander, has established that all approved awards be presented

before the soldier's permanent change of station (PCS)/retirement.

You don't have to wait until the soldier's PCS to submit him or her for anaward. If you want a soldier to be recognize for immediate significant

achievement, you may recommend him/her for impact award. It will not

preclude the soldier for an end of tour award, except you can no longer

refer to this single act of heroism or achievement that already have been

previously recognized by an impact award.


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The Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM) is awarded to members of the Armed

Forces of the United States for distinguishing themselves by heroism, meritorious

achievement, or meritorious service. Awards may be for acts of valor performed

under circumstances described above, that are of a lesser degree than required for

award of the Bronze Star Medal. These acts may involve aerial flight. An award may

be made for acts of noncombatant-related heroism that do not meet the

requirements for an award of the SM.d. ARMY ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL. The Army Achievement Medal

(AAM) is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United

States who, while serving in any capacity with the Army in a non-

combat area on or after 1 August 1981, distinguished themselves by

meritorious service or achievement of a lesser degree than required

for award of the ARCOM. The AAM will not be awarded to generalofficers.

c. ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL.


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Commanders may recognize periods of faithful service, and acts or

achievements which do not meet the standards required for decorations,

by issuing DA Form 2442 (Certificate of Achievement); or a Certificate of

Achievement of local design to individual military personnel. The social

security number (SSN) will not be entered on the CofA due to the

provisions of the Privacy Act.g. MEMORANDA OF COMMENDATION/ APPRECIATION. Acts of

service meeting the criteria for lesser recognition may be written forMemorandums of Commendation/ Appreciation, and typed on letterhead

stationary. A Memorandum of Commendation/Appreciation is appropriate

when an individual demonstrated a highly satisfactory performance of

duty.

CERTIFICATES OF ACHIEVEMENTS


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MSMs and higher: 120 days prior to the desired presentation date

ARCOMs: 60 days prior to the desired presentation date

AAMs and MOVSM: 60 days prior to the desired presentation date

What are the Troop Command's

Suspenses then?


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How d o I just i fy an award?a. The length of time is not a primary consideration;

however, speed of accomplishment of an important task can

be a determining value of an act. Also, for a service award,

the individual would need to have served in the position for a

sustained period of time to achieve a succession of

outstanding acts of achievement. And that's the challenge

for the person writing the award recommendation - to be

able to convince board members that the soldier has a

succession of outstanding acts of achievement by succinctly

elaborating those achievements in the award

justification. Retirement awards wil l c over the last ten

years of the service member's career.b. The award recommendation should reflect both the individuals level ofresponsibility and the manner of performance. The degree that an

individual's achievement or service enhanced the readiness or

effectiveness of the organization, or the degree that they made notable

contributions to the morale or esprit de corps of the organization, will be

the predominantfactors for deciding the appropriate award.


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c. To justify a military decoration, an individual should have done more than

just performed his job well. Cite specific accomplishments and how they

enhance the organization. For example, if an individual has rewritten a

standing operating procedure (SOP) - how has this improved the readiness oreffectiveness of the organization? If an individual has devoted many off-duty

hours--how did this improve the organization? Be specific. List the individual

accomplishments and not just sentences with adjectives, which do not

elaborate on their significant achievements.d. The grade of the individual is another consideration. The higher the grade,

the greater the level of responsibility. A much greater level of performance is

expected from a Colonel as opposed to a First Lieutenant or Captain.

Likewise, more is expected from a Master Sergeant or Sergeant Major than a

Specialist or Sergeant. The grade itself is not the consideration; rather, the

grade is used to determine the duty position. When a Colonel or Sergeant

Major is assigned to a duty position, they are expected to perform at a level

commensurate with their grade and duty position.


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e. To have distinguished themselves, the individuals

must be set apart from others in the same or similar

military occupational specialty (MOS)/job specialty by

praiseworthy accomplishment. Determination of this

distinction requires careful consideration of exactly

what is or was expected as the ordinary, routine, or

customary behavior and accomplishment, for

individuals of like rank and experience, for the

circumstances involved.f. The narrative justification then is the most important

section of the recommendation and the content is the

basis for approval or disapproval of the award.


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Do you have some guidel ines on how

to wri te the Achievements?Here aresome tips(Item 20) of the DA Form 638. include thefollowing standardized leading and closing sentences,as appropriate:

Example;

1. Sergeant Jeff Gordons willingness to step up to the plate and share his mechanical

knowledge and experience was instrumental in the initial setup of his teams Monte

Carlo, resulting to the success of the Mission of winning the Daytona 500 for thesecond year in a row.

2. Sergeant Jeff Gordon lead the way with a positive attitude and set a high standard

as an aggressor for 250 laps and superb team member tactics. He was able to share

real world experiences during the Daytona 500 with his fellow team member, SPC

Terry Labonte providing him with a outstanding drafting experience.

3. Sergeant Jeff Gordons tact, professional knowledge and sound judgment,

combined with his ability to work without supervision and willingness to work beyond

normal duty hours, evoked many favorable comments from superiors and higher

headquarters.(NASCAR) His personal commitment to the team and his exception of

only the highest standards of safety, resulted in high quality of racing and winning

operations. What are the standardized leading and closing sentences?


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Do you have some gu idelines on how

to w ri te the just i f icat ion?

Here are some tips when writing the justification:a. On the proposed citation for awards higher than an MSM, leave item 21

of the DA Form 638 blank. Limit this item, when used for MSM and below,to no more than 6 lines for an award. Limit a proposed citation for an

LOM/SM to no more than 9 - 12 characters per inch, and attach to DA Form

638. Proposed citations will include the following standardized leading and

closing sentences, as appropriate:Example; FORGOING ABOVE AND BEYOND, IN YOUR ENDEAVORTO DEVELOP PROFESSIONALLY, PERSONALLY, AND PHYSICALLY IN

PREPARATION FOR ASSUMING FURTHER DUTIES IN THE SERVICE

OF OUR GREAT NATION. YOUR DESIRE TO GAIN A GREATER

UNDERSTANDING OF THE ARMY REFLECTS GREAT CREDIT UPON

YOURSELF, 152d MAINTENANCE COMPANY, MEARNG AND THEUNITED STATES ARMY.


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(a) The beginning sentence should read, For Meritorious service/achievement as (job title)." Next, the BODY OF CITATION, and the

ENDING SENTENCE should read, "His/Her performance reflects credit

on him/ her, Brooke Army Medical Center, the Army Medical Department,

and the United States Army.(b) For the MSM retirement award for total service, the beginning

sentence should read, "Meritorious service in positions of great

responsibility ending as (job title)." Next, the BODY OF CITATION, and

the ENDING SENTENCE should read, "His/Her' exemplary performanceof duty was in keeping with the highest traditions of military service,

reflecting great credit on him/her, 152d Maint Co, the MEARNG, and the

United States Army."

(2) Recommendation for the MSM:


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(a) The beginning sentence should read, For Meritorious service/achievement as (job title)." Next, the BODY OF CITATION, and the

ENDING SENTENCE should read, "his/her exemplary performance

reflects great credit on him/her, 152d Maint Co, the MEARNG, and the

United States Army."

(3) Recommendation for the ARCOM:


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The beginning sentence should read, "For meritoriousservice/achievement as (job title)."

(4) For recommendation for the AAM

b. You must be selective in your use of words, word combinations, and

phrases. Use catchy words, word combinations, and phrases that will

convince the board member to recommend approval of the award.

Here's a collection of these catchy words, word combination, andphrases.


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Step One

Complete Administrative data DA 638 in

Jetform or Form Filler1. Complete blocks 1 through 19

2. Awards need to be accurately abbreviated.

(MEPAM 600-200)

Lets Review


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Step Two

Gather performance data on the member

1. Look for Counseling Statements2. Look for informal documentation

3. Conduct interviews with:

4. Chain of command

5. Peers, subordinates

6. Other witnesses


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Step Three

Do each of the following to develop bullets:

1. State the impact on the department, division,unit, or Maine Army National Guard.

2. Create one or two concise, simple sentence.

State what was done and how it was done.


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Step Four

Decide on the level of the award

1. The higher the impact, the higher the award


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Step Five

1. Use standard opening and closing verbiage (ForExceptional Achievement during) (reflects creditupon himself, his unit, and the Maine ArmyNational Guard).

2. Spell out the rank

3. Spell out abbreviations Read the citation out loud toanother to check the flow

4. awards of the MSM, ARCOM, and AAM will be limitedto bullet format in the space allowed on the DA Form638.


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Step Six

Edit the citation

1. Read it once 1. Match the points with support

2. Read it a 2nd time 1. Organize into powerful, well-connected thoughts

3. Read it a 3rd time 1. Delete dead words (repeating or jargon)

4. Read it a 4th time 1. Check grammar, spelling, punctuation, and

capitalization.


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Step Seven

Submit the award package to theappropriate Awards Board through the chainof command

Follow local award submission policies

1. Immediate supervisor (He/She can check forerrors)

2. Admin NCO3. BN

4. TC

5. State

6. Unit


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Performance Bullets

Performance bullets are the raw material that

is needed to produce the statement of actions

for which the individual is being cited.


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Performance Bullets

Effective performance bullets always consistof 3 parts:

1. What they did

2. How they did it

3. The impact or result of their action (why it was

significant)


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What do I Write About?

Pick 3 to 5 items that the member did best or had the

greatest impact on the service or unit. Each bullet

should have a number-quantified (if possible) actionand a following result. For example, 100 hours oftroubleshooting refrigeration casualty assistance;

enhanced quality of life and enabled the generator to

keep operational schedules, has the action and the

result.

So for each item, be specific and ask yourself Whatwas done?, How did they do it?, and What was theresult?

Once youve completed this part of the award, the restis simply wording.


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Hints on Using Statistics

Using numbers to quantify actions is encouraged and

carries more oomph! For example, Sergeant Snuffy

volunteered many hours of personal time to invent aTool that saved the Army National Guard a lot of

money doesnt tell the story as well as, SergeantSnuffy invested 100 hours of personal time to invent

the tool to completer 40 component parts, that saved

the National Guard $175,000.

Remember not to criticize an individualspredecessor. Also, focus on items that are high

profile or extend beyond a members command.


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Jargon And Content

The citation is an account whichwill be cherished by them and a

source of pride to their families.The Rewards and Recognition

Handbook says, We are telling astory to everyone about what the

person receiving the award has

done.


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Jargon And Content

For the citation, refer to the proper award

manual to find the opening and closing jargon

for each award and copy that part exactly. The

information is found in:

MEPAM 672-5-1 (See SPC Hayden)

The statement is written in a single paragraphand sandwiched between the standard opening

and closing sentences.


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Wording and the Guts

A citation is supposed to be formalized,

concise, and straightforward. Formalizedmeans that it is written in the third person (Hecreated...), often using the rank and surname(Sergeant Snuffy created).


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Words and Phrases

Here are recommendations for choosing

words and phrases:

After the standard opening, each bullet should

start with an action word like these:

Displaying

Exhibiting

Demonstrating

Showing

Using

Making

Through


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Words and Phrases The next words should be an adjective-noun

combination something like these:

superior leadership, he

exceptional competence and professionalism, she expert technical skills, he

highest degree of proficiency, she

accomplished organizational abilities, he

finely honed ...

keen insight

or singly powerful words like:

courageous

distinguished


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Words and Phrases

Adverbs work well for the next words:

quickly

capably

professionally

skillfully

proficiently

adeptly effectively

efficiently


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Words and Phrases

Steer away from using specificjargon or

acronyms ornames of equipmentthat are

not commonly used in the English

language. A good rule is to use simple,

everyday words that convey powerful

thoughts.

Also avoid being gushy or using puffed upwords that seem phony or pompous.


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Putting it all Together

Now, simply mix and match the words and

phrases to ensure each bullet is a flowingsentence or two. Start with the accomplishment

you consider to be the most significant. The

body of the citation is simply 3 to 5 bullets

turned into powerful, concise sentences, one

after another.

Voila! Youve completed the citation.

Well, almost ...


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4 Steps to Effective Editing

1. Read the whole citation and locate the main points. Then locatethe support for each point. Points without support are suspectand should be worked on.

2. Read the citation a second time. Once you have located thepoints and their support, cut, paste, and reorganize them intopowerful and well-connected thoughts.

3. Read the citation a third time. Locate and delete deadwords.These are words that do not add to the meaning of what is

written: overly-complicated words, antiquated words,inappropriate jargon, cliches, or colloquialisms.

4. The fourth time you read the citation, tenaciously andrelentlessly check grammar, spelling, punctuation, andcapitalization.


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One Last Review

Before you turn it in, take the citation, stand

up in form of a mirror, another person, or amicrophone connected to a tape recorder

and READ what you have writtenOUTLOUD! This is the most effective way to

check grammar and see if what you have

written reallyis concise, flowing, and

powerful.


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At last you have completed the

award.

Thank you for your time this presentationwas created by myself SSG Bear J Parker

and by the help of Award writing made easy

presentation by http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-

w/g-wt/g-wtl/award/index.htm

Lets write our awards


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152d Maintenance Company

"Service to the line, on the line, on time"

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AwardWritingforDummies5B15D1.20124340