text: Chapter 4
  regarding preparation of multi-name award orders. Award orders and memoranda are forwarded for
  placement in the AMHRR.
  4-6. The approval authority for military awards and decorations is prescribed by AR 600-8-22, Military
  Awards; AR 672-20, Incentive Awards, for DA Civilian personnel; and DODI 1400.25, Volume 451, DOD
  Civilian Personnel Management System: Awards, for DOD civilian personnel. Wartime awards approval
  authority may be delegated to the senior Army General Officer in a documented joint command
  commensurate with the officer’s rank.
  4-7. Initiate, process, and submit recommendations for awards and decorations through the chain of
  command to the approval authority. Commanders in the chain of command process the award expeditiously
  with the goal of presenting the award before the individual’s departure from the unit. For posthumous awards,
  the goal is to have the award approved for presentation to the family at the funeral. Posthumous valorous
  awards require special handling IAW Army policy.
  4-8. Commanders may establish award boards to review award recommendations and recommend award
  decisions. Awards boards, if established, should reflect the composition of the command as much as possible.
  For example, if an organization is task organized with Regular Army and RC units, then the board should
  have representatives from each component. Awards and decorations are historical in nature and approval
  authorities maintain a record of each recommendation and decision.
  4-9. During joint operations, HR elements (J-1, G-1/AG, and S-1) must determine Soldier eligibility for
  joint awards and decorations. During the deployment planning process, commanders with award approval
  level need to ensure sufficient stocks of individual awards and certificates are included.
  INDIVIDUAL AWARDS AND BADGES
  4-10. Combat operations typically see an increase in certain individual awards. Published award criteria and
  processing guidance may be supplemented via military personnel messages from HQDA. Awards clerks and
  supervisors should frequently consult their G-1/AG or S-1 to ensure they have the most current guidance.
  UNIT AWARDS
  4-11. Commanders authorized to approve unit awards announce awards in permanent orders of their HQ.
  Permanent orders are published announcing the award of a unit decoration and contain the citation of the
  award, name of the unit or units, and inclusive dates. All unit awards approved at HQDA are announced in
  HQDA General Orders. Unit commanders and military records custodians must reference AR 600-8-22,
  in-conjunction with personnel records, to determine and confirm entitlement of individuals to wear the
  insignia pertinent to each type of unit recognition. Verify all entitlements and enter in the Soldier’s personnel
  records IAW AR 600-8-104. Human resources elements should plan accordingly when requesting unit
  awards and anticipate a longer than usual processing timeline.
  EVALUATION REPORTS
  4-12. Evaluation reports provide a systematic approach for assessing the past performance and potential of
  all personnel. For NCOs, warrant officers, and officers, these reports provide information to HQDA for use
  in making personnel management decisions that affect promotions, assignments, centralized selections, or
  qualitative management. For civilian personnel, evaluations assist in making decisions concerning
  compensation, training, rewards, reassignments, promotions, reductions in grade, retention, reductions in
  force, and removal.
  4-13. During deployments, mobilizations, or emergencies, HQDA may implement changes to the evaluation
  policy. These changes may affect report periods, reasons for submission, processing procedures, processing
  timeliness, use of counseling checklists, and appeals procedures. The S-1 is responsible for maintaining
  visibility of evaluation report status to facilitate timely submission.
  4-14. In addition to maintaining visibility on evaluation reports, HR leaders are the subject matter experts on
  all aspects of the evaluation reporting process. One specific area S-1s provide guidance with is how to manage
  an evaluation rating profile. Although the profile is ultimately the responsibility of each rating official, S-1s