What steps are taken to confirm a soldier deserves a silver star medal?

Question

Hi,

I am doing a background check on a fictional story, and we need to just get some facts straight, since none of the researchers has this type of military experience.

I apologize in advance, if my terminology is off.

Okay, so say a Soldier is in a battle, and he does an heroic act. He gets discharged or takes a leave of absence soon after that battle. While he's back home in a small town, he finds out that he's been awarded a silver star medal for that previous battle.

Now, my questions are:

- Would they send someone in person to the town he lives in, and tell him in person?

- Do they have to do some interview process to confirm that he was in that battle, and the facts were true?

- What kind of paperwork would need to be done, and what officer rank would be dealing with it?

Thanks, any help would be appreciated. If I am way off here, Please tell me the actual administration soldiers would have to go through, before getting the Silver Star medal.

take care.

Answer 1

A Silver Star is a senior enough award that he would definitely be contacted if he was receiving it.  Normally they wouldn't just say, "hey, here you go," they'd want to do an awards ceremony for him.  Awards are submitted via the commanding officer of the individual, whether of the specific detatchment to which he is assigned or a larger unit commander.  Under appropriate circumstances, a senior enlisted member can originate the award submission.  They are approved (or not) based on the justification provided by the submitter.  Generally, the heavier the justification provided by the submitter, the more likely the award to be approved.  Like anything else in the military, it is submitted through a chain of command.   The soldier himself would have very little to do with the process; it would be more on the chain of command involved and the approval authority necessary.  They wouldn't necessarily interview him, because the assumption is that the person submitting the award recommendation is being truthful.

The criteria set forth by the Pentagon are:

The Silver Star is awarded to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the U.S. Army, is cited for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force, or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. The required gallantry, while of a lesser degree than that required for award of the Distinguished Service Cross, must nevertheless have been performed with marked distinction. Soldiers who received a citation for gallantry in action during World War I may apply to have the citation converted to the Silver Star Medal.

Normally, awards of such seniority would be approved by a general officer in charge of a force level unit.