Army Awards Da Form 638 Words: Fill & Download for Free

The DA Form 638 will state what a soldier did to earn an award.DA Form 638 RECOMMENDATION FOR AWARD AAM ExampleContrary to popular belief, this information is not on a soldier’s DD Form 214. That form will have the official record of what awards the soldier is authorized at the time of separation, but not what the award was for. In other words, it will say the soldier has a certain number commendation medals, but won’t have any reason for why it was awarded.When a soldier is recommended for an award, a DA Form 638 is created. That form will have blocks for the person initiating the award to write a narrative or reason for the award.There are other blocks for subsequent unit commanders to approve or disapprove the award.That completed and approved form becomes the order for the soldier to officially be awarded. Then the unit will produce the appropriate certificate that is suitable for framing.But the real DA Form 638 is the form that will say what the soldier did to earn the award. There is also a block for the proposed narrative that will go on the actual award certificate.That narrative is often a huge run on sentence full of standard Army jargon and may or may not even really say what the person did.So the DA Form 638 is what you’d want to request to see to be able to determine what each award was for.

With 14 years in Special Forces I would always see a problem and then do what ever it took to fix the problem. After I left Special Forces I was assigned as the S-3 Operations NCO for then 1/339th Infantry Regiment. Early on I discovered a serious problem. We were a training unit that shuffled instructors to Ft Benning’s 29th Infantry Regiment to supply our instructors piecemeal so the AIT active duty training committee members could take a leave during the summer months. I would travel to Ft Benning in May to meet with the S-3 NCO of the 29th. The purpose was to coordinate dates to supply instructors for various committees such as Medic, Infantry, communication and other instructors to replace committee instructors allowing them to take time off.The problem was that we were short 32 instructor qualified personnel. When a soldier completes the ITC, BFITC or the TAITC they’ll have an ‘H’ ASI (additional Skill Identifier) which is then added to their MOS. (Keeping in mind that there are 9 elements in every MOS. We only had 3 slots available on ATTARS to load our soldiers that needed the ‘H’ identifier. I took time to visit the individual that was in charge of all school house training like the latest iteration of TAITC (every so often the type of POI (Period of Instruction) was always changing. I started out withy ITC (Instructor Training Course) a year later they came out with BFITC (Battle Focus Instructor Training Course) then a year later the final change while I was still active in the AGR program. The final course was TAITC (Total Army Instructor Course). She asked me what I wanted toi ask and had me sit down. Ma’am, our Regiment has to have enough instructors available to augment the active duty instructors from the 29th. “Is it possible to conduct the TAITC on drill weekends?” She reached for a notebook and handed me the notebook. On the cover was the POI for conducting TAITC on drill weekends. I called the Commandant of the NCO Academy at Ft McCoy, where I had served as an instructor for six years. I explained the problem and my solution. Can I send two NCO’s to take the course and be certified to be instructors; a course taught at the NCO Academy. He gave a class date and I selected two sharp NCO to become instructors. The Commandant used his influence to have our unit acquire our own ATTARS code to load our so9ldiers into the course. The ATTARS was a computer program that authorized units to list soldiers for various training. Once a soldier is loaded then the S-1 Admin would request orders.The old way we had to send students to Ft McCoy which cost money for flights, Pay and per-diem. This alone drained money from the 7th Brigade budget. The two instructor qualified NCO were ready to teach. The first class had 12 which is the limit. Within three drill weekends which allowed us to have the 32 H ASI NCO ready to be shipped to Ft Benning. Every April all of the Regiments under the command of the 7th Brigade attended a brigade conference to report to the COL, 06 in command. As we were the 1/339th we went first. When it came time to tell how many instructors we available our LTC said all of our troops are TAITC qualified. The CSM of the Brigade stood up to explain how it was possible and our commander turned top me to explain. I stood up and went through the process. Then the CSM asked how it was possible to train 32 soldiers with only 3 slots available. I explained that we ran three sessions with 12 students each for a total of 36 trained instructors. He then asked was our school legit? I then explained that the classes were approved by the director of the TAITC at Ft Benning and was future helped by the Commandant of the NCO Academy at Ft McCoy. Then he shouted to the other three Regimental Ops NCO’s to find out how it was done.At the end of the summer our LTC came into my office and asked me about the steps involved and how much money it saved the 7th Brigade. When I finished with the explanation he thanked me and left. I assumed he was filling out an awards Form (I believe it’s a DA-638) for me having come up with a solution on my own without6. Any guidance from the Chain of Command. WRONG!!! The award for the MSM (Meritorious Service Medal for the Major Allen the Officer in charge of the S-3. When he found out what the commander had done he sat down next to my desk and apologized profusely about the injustice. I smiled that it’s the role of every NCO to make the officers look good which then enhances the NCO’s chances of being promoted. There were three more such maneuvers to fix something that was broken only to be fixed by may intervention.I’ve had the paperwork for three MSM’s all downgraded to either an ARCOM or the AAM I have a total of 5 each. Even when I was submitted for the Silver Star for a 2 hour battle our POS boy captain took the opportunity to the form using his name and my narrative. He was awarded a Bronze Star with a combat ‘V’; in other words he took my award. Twenty years later our B-40 commander MAJ Bridgewater and I spoke on the phone and he asked if I’d received the award. I explained that CAT XXXXXXXXXXX, taking advantage of you returning to the states to change the award from my name to his name. MAJ (ret 06 after having commanded the 10th SF Group) cut loose with a string of profanity laced words about the POS Captain. He then took the time to resubmit the paperwork through Senator Kohl’s office WI. It was approved in 1997 and awarded at the completion of the Senior Battle Staff Course of which I was a student. I asked the Commandant to make sure all of the instructors (42 total) attend the graduation. Just about all of the instructors questioned me if I really was on an A-Team and took command of an Indigenous Compay. Why? Because I was so low key and laid back and really didn’t look like a ‘High Speed Low Drag’ soldier. Sweet vindication, hell an article in the ‘Soldiers Magazine’ which reached every unit in the Army. One of my close friends from the Academy days called me and asked if I’d seen the current Soldiers Magazine. I said no haven’t had time. He told me to grab one and turn to page ____ that there was an artical about me.The article. I’m a disgusting fat body. 236 pounds I’ve lost 56 pounds.What’s nice, when you are awarded a medal for valor your name is engraved on the backside. During the entire time the 5th Group was in the Nam only 2,315 Bronze Stars were awarded that’s like 200 a year.The last photo was taken three weeks ago in Boca Grande, FL. Nancy and I spent two weeks there. You can see the effects of Agent Orange in my skin pigmentation on my legs and chest.Below the book covers is a photograph with me the last guy in the column of guys. We were attending the Combat Orientation Course shortly after we arrived in the Nam. We were being instructed on how to break out of an ambush, live fire (no one is shooting at us, everything we practiced was live fire.The photo with me in a camouflaged uniform was for Halloween, I have a costume always hanging in my closet.

Here is one example:I was with A-401, IVG Corps Mobile Strike Force, B-40, C-4, 5th Special Forces Group (Green Berets). We would deploy out of our small A-site to conduct combat operations usually in the Seven Mountains area. Each Mike Force company of indigenous personal were commanded by two Special Forces NCOs. SSG Greg Skougland and I were in command of 43rd Company made up of 112 Cambodians and 29 Chinese Nungs. The intent of our 30 operation was to find, fix and destroy NVA units. After two weeks in the field the work chopper landed to drop off supplies that were ordered in paragraph 9 of the nightly SITREP (situation report), in addition to the resupply our detachment commander hopped off the HUEY to spend a few days with us. He was not there to command but just observe. Two nights later we were hit by a sizable force of NVA Infantry. Greg went to one side of the perimeter and I the opposite side. The NVA were charging on line like the Japanese did in WWII. Our Cambodians don’t run. When I arrived a few seconds after the initial contact was made by one of our LP/OP (listening post/observation post) all the Cambodians were laying down automatic fire. The M-60 gunner had the trigger engaged firing a steady stream of 7.62 rounds. Normally the 60 gunner will fire 3 round burst otherwise the barrel will overheat and warp. I immediately called in an artillery strike using TRP’s (target reference points) the Army uses a numbering sequence but that takes to long to convey so we used objects. I remember calling in, “ White blossom this is pebble symbol, (two word callsigns which is shortened after the initial call) fire mission, tree house, rock; fire for effect, danger close, I will adjust, over”. Within a few minutes the 105 artillery rounds started landing. We always had a 60mm Mortar that I called for illumination with parachute flairs. They were located in the center of the perimeter with 3 fighting positions (foxholes). An air force gunship called me and said, ‘give me a grid corordinate ( used to indicate a point on the map) I inquired who the f**k are you the voice came back give me a grid square then sit back your war is over. Shortly after that Greg the A-Team medic (today 18D) ran past me with no weapon nor any equipment. His interpreter stopped next to me. I shouted, “where the f**k is Greg going?” He responded, “LP/OP wounded Greg go save. I’m like, sh*t I’m alone especially if he gets hit. I told his interpreter that I wanted six men. In no time I had 6 Cambodians standing in front of me. I told the interpreter to tell the men to follow me for I was going to form a firing line to insure that Greg returned unharmed. I observed Greg returning with the soldier in a fireman’s carry. I took the 6 men back inside of the perimeter. Greg dropped the soldier and started working on him. Will I was exposed about 80 feet beyond the perimeter firing my M-16, my stomach went weak and my knees buckled, it was at that moment I pissed in my pants. Shortly after that the NVA retreated. I was like, “hey, dudes your initial plan isn’t working you better go to plan B; but they had no plan B. In Special Forces we always have three COA’s (courses of action) so if plan A fails we would quickly initiate Plan B.After the three hour battle everything was quiet. I looked at Greg and asked, “BTW, Greg where is the captain?”. He replied “I don’t know” as the conversation continued a head popped out of one of the 60mm foxholes. It was a moonless night and I asked, “Captain bXXXXXX, is that you.” He replied, “yes” I then said “it’s OK now you can come out of the foxhole”. He hid the entire time we were being attacked. It was OK with Greg and I because he was not the best officer and he would have mucked up the battle.I was in the B-Team for some administration paperwork because they were closing A-401 and I was being sent to A-404 the Airboat camp. Greg showed me a DA Form 638, used for writing up someone for an awards or valor. I read the form which contained the narrative of what I had done during the battle. I smiled and told Greg that was a nice gesture. With a sour look he said read the name. Our hero-not Captain had whited out my name and inserted his. MAJ Bridgewater had put both Greg and I in for the Silver Star and left for the States the week before. I told Greg shit he hid the entire time. He said, I know but it needs two signature and that he had already signed. I protested to the new B-Team commander and he ordered me to sign.Both awards were downgraded to Bronze Stars with V device (V-valor) OK, I’ll sign. 24 years later I was able to get in touch with MAJ Bridgewater and he asked about the award that he had submitted on my behalf. I told him no, that CPT BXXXXXXX changed the name on the form and he received the BS/V. Bridgewater was so pissed remarking, “there is nothing more contemptible than someone stealing the valor of another. He took the time to submit the paperwork once again through the Senator office. About 7 months later I received the award.So the short answer, it depends on who witnesses the cowardly act.Taken the morning after the battle.The Cambodians of 43rd Company.