Fort Gordon Military Personnel Services DivisionPersonnel Operations Branch
Awards | Request for Compassionate Reassignment | Chapter & Elimination Process | Emergency Leave | Leave Outside CONUS | Vacation Outside CONUS | Naturalization | Officer Cadidate School | Warrant Officer School
Awards
Awards are processed in Room 102 of Darling Hall. For more information, telephone 791-4374. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 0730 until 1600.
Soldiers Medal For Reservists
As a result of a change in the 1998 Defense Authorization Act, members of the Reserve and National Guard may now be awarded the Soldiers Medal for acts performed while off duty. Previously the Soldiers Medal could only be awarded to a reserve or guard member for heroic acts performed while on active duty, at annual training or attending an active-duty school. The 1998 defense act amendment changed Title 10 of the U.S. Code to authorize the Soldiers Medal, the Army's highest peacetime medal, to be awarded to a member of the Ready Reserve who distinguished himself (or herself) by heroism while not in a duty status. Several medals have already been awarded to reservists who have been involved in rescuing civilians in perilous situations.
Delegation of Awards Approval Authority for Awards to Personnel of Other Services
1. To more effectively and efficiently process recommendations for awards to members of other services, the Navy and Marine Corps proposed a plan to streamline this procedure. On 9 Jan 01, the Adjutant General of the Army approved an administrative change to the procedures for obtaining and providing service concurrences on awards to members of other services and other service members to members of the Army.
2. Effective immediately, award recommendationsE for Army personnel permanently assigned to other service commands may be approved by the award approval authority of the other service without seeking the Army's concurrence. Members of other services permanently assigned to Army units may accept Army awards without seeking concurrence from the other service. A copy of the approved award will be forwarded to the respective services' awards office for permanent records purposes. For personnel 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.
3. The Army's level of concurrence for soldiers temporarily assigned to another service will be commensurate with the current award approval authority (see Table 3-2, AR 600-8-22) for the recommended award (e.g., brigade cdr would concur with recommendation for ARCOM).
4. The Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard concur with this delegation and procedural change. The Air Force also agrees but limits the delegation of approval authority to the Meritorious Service Medal and below (Ref C).
5. IAW Para 1-18, AR 600-8-22, only one decoration will be awarded to an individual for the same act, achievement, or period of meritorious service.
6. Ref A will be rewritten to reflect this delegation and procedural change and Ref B is now obsolete.
7. Point of contact for this action is Awards Section, 791-4374.
Request for Compassionate Reassignment
Soldier prepares application and forwards through chain of command for endorsement to MPSD. As a minimum, application must contain the following.
- DA Form 3739 (Request for Compassionate Reassignment)
- DA Form 31 (if attached to Fort Gordon)
Medical Problems: A signed statement from the attending physician giving the specific medical diagnosis and prognosis of illness. The statement will include date of onset, past and anticipated periods of hospitalization, period of convalescence, and anticipated life expectancy for terminal cases. The statement will list any other factors, which establish the soldier’s presence as having a bearing on the medical condition.
Legal Problems: A signed statement from a licensed attorney stating the problems and the reasons why alternative solutions other than reassignment of the soldier are unacceptable. If applicable, a copy of court order, divorce decree, or other pertinent legal documents will be submitted.
Rape and child abuse: Statements from police, social service agencies and/or examining physicians.
Other Problems: Supporting statements from responsible persons (for example clergymen, social workers, court clerks, American Red Cross personnel), who have personal knowledge of the problem.
Military Personnel Services Division ensures requests are in compliance, request authority from PERSCOM to attached soldier, processes and forwards application to PERSCOM for decision.
Chapter & Elimination Process
Chapters and elimination cases are processed by Room 237 of Darling Hall. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 0730 until 1600 (except Federal Holidays). For information, telephone 791-1967.
Emergency Leave
Commanders must ensure emergency leaves meet provisions of regulation and understands that fund cites for travel is charged against their account. Personnel Operations Branch, Military Personnel Services Division receives approved emergency leave request from commander.
POB verifies soldier’s Home of Record (HOR), and authorized dependents, adds them to the soldier’s DA Form 31/travel order, if they will be traveling with soldier and provides Fund cite for the DA Form 31/travel order. Travel arrangements are made with Transportation and Soldier is provided orders and POC at Transportation in order to execute leave.
Copy of emergency leave order is faxed to DRM Budget Office. For information, telephone 791-9087.
Request Leave (Vacation) Outside CONUS
Soldier should submit request at the Personnel Administration Center (PAC) via DA Form 4187, DA Form 31 and Level 1 Antiterrorism Training Verification (taught by a qualified Level II instructor or via the approved online training tool) within one year. PAC forwards to Military Personnel Services Division (MPSD). Soldiers desiring to take leave to or within U.S. possessions of Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Mariana Islands do not require travel clearance.
All requests must reach Personnel Operations Branch not later than 30-60 days prior to leave start date. Request that need foreign clearance take longer to process. MPSD ensures requests are complete, processes, and returns finalized action to soldier through Chain of Command. Those requiring foreign clearance are sent via message to country for approval. For information, telephone 791-9087.
Request for TDY Outside CONUS
Individuals requesting OCONUS TDY must complete TRADOC Form 712-R (Request for Official OCONUS Temporary Duty Travel). All information on TRADOC Form 712-R must be completed and forwarded to Chief of Staff USASC&FG for approval.
Once the Chief of Staff has approved the travel, the TRADOC Form 712-R will be forwarded to the OCONUS Travel Manager in the office of the Personnel Operations Branch. The Travel Manager will forward requests for travel clearances to the applicable country in accordance with the procedures outlined in the Federal Clearance Guide (FCG) for that country. TRADOC Form 712-R should be submitted 30-60 days prior to travel in order for country clearance to be processed and approved. Approved travel clearances must be obtained prior to the commencement of travel.
Naturalization
Soldier’s applying for U.S. Citizenship must have 3 years Active Duty for category D, before applying or 5 years continuous U.S. residency with less than three years Active Duty for category A filing.
Required forms:
- Form N-426 (Request for Certification of Military or Naval Service)
- Form G-325B (Biographic Information)
- Form N-400 (Application of Naturalization)
- Form 86 (1) Authorization for the Release of Information and (2) Medical Information Release
Forms are available and may be downloaded from the INS website.
Following receipt of a background check and upon completion of all forms, soldiers must provide the following documentation:
- Alien Resident Card
- Two passport photos
- A money order in the amount of $310. $260 is for naturalization and $50 is fingerprint fee.
- POB sends completed packet to Nebraska for processing.
Application for Officer Cadidate School
Soldier prepares application (one original and three copies) and forward through the chain of command for endorsement to Military Personnel Services Division. Applicant must be a United States citizen, have a GT score of 110 or higher, be at least 18 years old, and less than 30 years of age at the time of enrollment in OCS. Waivers for age may be favorably considered provided the applicant can complete 20 years of active prior to his/her 55th birthday. Applicant must have completed at least 90 semester hours of study from an accredited college or university and be able to complete a bachelor degree in 1 year or less. Soldiers who do not have a bachelor degree but have college credits from several sources must submit copies of transcripts along with a letter from the installation education advisor that certifies the completion of 90 or more semester hours of college credit. Applicant who has less than a Bachelor Degree must also attain a minimum score of 850 or higher on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), or a minimum score of 19 or higher on the American College Test (ACT). Test scores must be less than six (6) years old. As a minimum, application must contain the following:
- DA Form 61 (Application for Appointment, Part IIa must include unit commanders comments and a recommendation on request for waiver if applicable)
- DA Form 4187 (Request for waiver if applicable)
- SAT/ACT Results
- Copies of college transcripts
- Current official photograph
- DA Form 5339-R (Unit Commander�s evaluation sheet) (In remarks section Commander�s statement of applicant�s compliance with Army height and weight standards and include actual height and weight)
- DA Form 705 (Army Physical Fitness Evaluation Scorecard with two scores and one being within two months of local board date and score at least 60 points in each event)
- DA Form 5500-R (Body Fat Content Worksheet if applicable)
- Letters of Recommendation or character reference must be on letterhead (optional, and no more than four letters)
- ERB
- Statement of SAT of ACT results from the education center (If applicable)
- DA Form 4255-R (Initial Active Duty Assignment Instructions Request)
- Documented evidence of birth or statement of citizenship for applicants not born in the United States. (Copies of naturalization certificates or certificates of citizenship will not be made)
- Statement of final SECRET security clearance or statement that clearance has been initiated.
- DA Form 4322-R (Army Officer Candidate Contract and Service Agreement)
- Medical Examination (Type �A� medical examination within 9 months before date of application, must state physical is for OCS).
The Military Personnel Services Division will ensure application is complete, applicant is qualified, and then schedule the applicant for a structured interview with the local OCS Board which consists of 3 officers, (2 Captains and 1 Major). On the day of the interview, the applicant will write a one-page narrative, titled �Why I Want To Be an Army Officer�, and will be read by the members of the board.
Call the Personnel Operations Branch (791-4776) for the next OCS Board.
Application for Warrant Officer School
- Application packets are available at Darling Hall, Room 102.
- Soldier prepares application (one original and three copies) and forwards through the chain of command for endorsements to Military Personnel Services Division.
As a minimum, application must contain the following:
- DA Form 61 (Application for Appointment)
- Secret security clearance (Interim secret is acceptable to apply).
- DA Form 160 (Application for Active Duty).
- DA Form 2A & 2-1 (Personnel Qualification Records) or ERB.
- Official Photograph
- Request for Waiver, if applicable
- Resume
- Documentary evidence of educational requirements
- Appointment physical
- Microfiche or paper copies of all documents that would be in a microfiche.
- Current company commanders letter of recommendation (less than 90 days old)
- Current battalion commanders letter of recommendation (less than 90 days old)
- Statement of understanding
- Height, Weight, Body Fat % (include BF% worksheet). APFT score/date (less than 6 months old)
Depending on the MOS being applied for, additional documentation may be needed.