Joint Security Area Soldiers Presented ARCOMs for Rescuing North Korean Defector
This will probably be an award these soldiers will remember for the rest of their lives considering the unusual circumstances leading to the award and who presented it to them:
In recognition for their efforts in rescuing a North Korean defector, Nov.13, Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea commander, awarded Joint Security Area Soldiers the Army Commendation medal, during a ceremony Nov. 23.
Awardees are Sgt. 1st Class Noh Yeong Soo, Sgt. 1st Class Song Seoung Hyeon, Sgt. Robert Hartfield, Maj. Jeffery Schmidt, Lt. Col. Kwon Young Hwan, and Lt. Col. Matthew Farmer [USFK Facebook]
You can watch video of the award presentation at this link on the USFK Facebook site as well. Basically the soldiers received an ARCOM because they were able to pull the North Korean defector to safety while at the same not escalating the situation or violating the armistice like the North Korean soldiers had already done.
Anyone who has tried it knows the process for getting a US medal for a ROK soldier is really a pain and takes forever. And for some reason, they are highly coveted by ROK soldiers (never really understood why …). No doubt, having a 4-star involved cuts through the red tape pretty fast though.
Why can’t they at least get Bronze Star medals? I mean gee, rounds were flying!
Probably gives the ROKs bragging rights at their soju gatherings. Maybe helps with career prospects too.
My memory is a little foggy on how the process goes, but IIRC, the request to award a foreign soldier a US medal has to go through an office back in DC. Of course, the smallest of errors or omissions gets it kicked back … and then the write up and justification are never good enough the first 4-5 times. Not to mention there are several layers of command that it has to go through. It takes several months under normal circumstances. Like I said – it’s nice having a 4-star involved in the process.
Ole Tanker wrote: “Why can’t they at least get Bronze Star medals? I mean gee, rounds were flying!”
Not to diminish the rescue effort and the bravery they exhibited, but there weren’t any bullets flying at the time the guys crawled out to pull the guy to safety.
““Why can’t they at least get Bronze Star medals?”
Who says they can’t? From the Korean Army where it should come from if it does. What’s this rush to award ARCOMS and question why more wasn’t awarded? They have their own military with their own awards, let them recognize their own. ARCOM is enough considering it was at the JSA; I’m just wondering what the MAJ and 2 LTC’s did to deserve anything anyway. 🙄
“What’s this rush to award ARCOMs?”
The Norks aren’t the only ones who use propaganda.
What? The ARCOMS didn’t get kicked back by 1SG/CSM and BN 22 times, lost by the S-1 at least 4 times, cursed out by BN CDR before it finally got right ???
It was obviously an impact award. When a 4-star says give them a medal, all he does is sign the order and the certificate. The write up is secondary and won’t stop it. That’s why its an impact award.
@Smokes, I would say the ARCOMs were probably awarded for the field grades because of their decision making and the readiness of the personnel at the JSA to not escalate the situation. With shots being fired across the MDL this situation could have easily escalated.
Refer to paragraph 1-38 of Army Regulation 600–8–22 Military Awards
http://www.apd.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/r600_8_22.pdf
Here are the requirements to award an ARCOM to a foreign soldier:
1. Complete DA Form 638.
2. Biographic sketch on the individual.
3. Coordinate with the appropriate U.S. embassy.
4. Obtain a counterintelligence and security record check on the award nominee.
5. Department of Defense Consolidated Adjudications Facility will provide a statement of concurrence or nonconcurrence.
6. Forward results of the records check to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) for review and concurrence or nonconcurrence.
7. To present the approved decorations, obtain permission from the U.S. Ambassador or the Defense Attaché in the foreign country of the awardee.