DECORATIONS, AWARDS, AND HONORS - Ohio Military Reserve

. Any questions relating to thequalifications for any of the above decorations orawards should be directed informally to theAssistant Chief of Staff, Personnel andAdministration (G1), HQOHMR. Differences ofopinion or disputes relating to the abovedecorations or awards will be resolved for theCommander, OHMR, by the Chief of Staff or hisDeputy and that decision will be final.Chapter 3Recommendations and Approval Authority3-1. General. It is the responsibility andprivilege of every individual having personalknowledge of an act, achievement or servicebelieved to warrant a decoration or an award tosubmit a formal recommendation for appropriateconsideration. No decoration or award may beworn unless approved and an order for its awardhas been issued by the proper authority.Persons violating this provision will bedisciplined according to the violation, up to andincluding involuntary separation.3-2. Approval authority.a. The Adjutant General of Ohio or hisdesignated representative is the approvingauthority for the following decorations:(1) Medal of Valor(2) Distinguished Service Medalb. The Commander, OHMR, is theapproving authority for the following awards:(1) Medal of Merit(2) Purple Cross Medal(3) Lifesaving Medal(4) Commendation Award(5) Outstanding Unit Citation Award(6) CG Meritorious Unit Service Awardc. Battalion commanders are theapproving authority within their commands, andthe Chief of Staff is the approving authority forHHD, 4 th CSSB, for all awards not listed inparagraphs 3-2a and 3-2b above.3-3. Recommendation for decoration.a. Recommendations of all decorationswill be on OHMR Form 638(RECOMMENDATION FOR DECORATION),documentation attached and be forwardedthrough command channels to HQOHMR, whereit will be presented to an Awards Board createdherein for appropriate recommendation to theCommander, OHMR, for completion of the finalapproval process. While each intermediatecommand will either recommend “approval” or“disapproval” over his signature he does nothave authority to disapprove decorations orawards and this authority will not be delegated.Letters of transmittal will not be prepared as theydefeat the purpose of the Form 638.b. A separate recommendation will besubmitted for each proposed award of adecoration and only one proposed recipient willbe named in the OHMR Form 638.c. All recommendations fordecorations must be received at least ninety (90)days prior to the desired date of presentation.3-4. Decorations Board. An Awards Board offield grade officers will be assembled as neededat the direction of the G1 to review allrecommendations for decorations prior to therecommendation being forwarded to theCommander, OHMR for the final approvalprocess. While the orders appointing such aboard may contain a number of officers, aquorum shall require only three (3) officers. Inunusual circumstances, the board may summonindividuals, including the recipient, to appear inperson before the board. The oral deliberationsof the Awards Board are confidential and exceptfor their written “approval” or “disapproval”, theywill not be in writing or disclosed.3-5. Recommendation for award.a. All recommendations for awardswill be prepared in memorandum format and acopy of the recommendation memorandum willbe placed in the temporary section of theindividual’s local personnel records (MPRJ). Aseparate recommendation will be submitted foreach proposed award (ribbon) but multiplerecipients may be named on eachmemorandum.b. All recommendations for awardsmust be received at least thirty (30) days prior tothe desired date of presentation.3-6. Processing and announcement.a. Recommendations will beforwarded through channels to the brigade S-1.b. The S-1 will immediately forwardthose recommendations requiring higherauthority (refer to paragraphs 3-2a and 3-2babove) to OHMR-G1.c. Brigade level awards will becertified by the brigade S-1 and submitted to thebrigade commander for approval.d. Award recommendations formembers of HHD, Corps, will be forwarded toOHMR-G1 for certification and forwarding toeither higher authority or the Chief of Staff, asrequired in paragraph 3-2 above.e. After approval, the originalrecommendation will be retained by the approvalauthority. The approving authority will issuepermanent orders, forwarding a copy to therecipient's unit personnel manager. The