# Awards and Decorations Translation

Translates military awards and decorations into plain accomplishment language a civilian hiring manager or HR specialist can understand and value. Use it when your resume lists medals and commendations that mean nothing to a non-veteran rater.

## Prompt

## Context

You are helping [APPLICANT NAME], a [BRANCH OF SERVICE] veteran with [YEARS OF SERVICE] years of service, translate military awards and decorations for a federal resume. The applicant is targeting [TARGET POSITION AND SERIES] at [TARGET AGENCY]. The hiring panel will include civilian HR specialists and program managers who have no military background. A list of the applicant's awards and the citation or justification text for each is provided below.

Awards and citations: [AWARDS LIST AND CITATION TEXT]

## Task

For each award, produce a one to three sentence accomplishment statement written in plain civilian language. The statement must describe what the applicant actually did to earn the award, using the citation text as the source. Place the accomplishment statement in past tense. Do not use military jargon, acronyms, or award names as the primary description. The award name may appear in parentheses at the end as a reference.

## Standards

- Draw only from the citation or justification text provided. Do not invent scope, numbers, dates, or outcomes the citation does not contain.
- Translate unit names (for example, a battalion is roughly 300 to 800 personnel) only when the citation supports that context and the scale is relevant to the accomplishment.
- Remove branch-specific jargon. Replace terms a civilian rater would not know with plain equivalents.
- Keep each statement tight. One concrete accomplishment per award entry. No padding.
- If the citation is too vague to support a specific accomplishment statement, say so and ask the applicant to provide more detail rather than drafting around the gap.
- Do not overstate the award's prestige or claim it guarantees selection or preference.
- Never invent experience, GS grades, dates, operational details, or qualifications the citation does not contain. If a specific named input is missing or ambiguous, ask before drafting.

## Variables

- APPLICANT NAME
- BRANCH OF SERVICE
- YEARS OF SERVICE
- TARGET POSITION AND SERIES
- TARGET AGENCY
- AWARDS LIST AND CITATION TEXT

## Input checklist

- [ ] List every award or decoration you want translated, with the official citation or justification text for each. Orders of the day or award certificates usually contain this text.
- [ ] Paste the USAJOBS announcement text so the accomplishment statements can connect to the duties and specialized experience the job requires.
- [ ] Note whether any citation contains operationally sensitive details. Remove classified or sensitive information before pasting. Do not paste information you are not authorized to share.
- [ ] Remove your Social Security number and personal identifiers before pasting any service record, DD-214, or official document. Never paste classified or operationally sensitive details.
- [ ] Confirm the citation text is the official version, not a rough draft. Errors in the source produce errors in the output.

## Verification checklist

- [ ] Compare every accomplishment statement against the citation word for word. Remove any detail the citation does not support.
- [ ] Check that unit sizes or scope figures (number of personnel, dollar values, geographic area) appear in or are directly calculable from the citation. Delete any figure the AI added that is not sourced.
- [ ] Confirm no classified or sensitive operational detail appears in any statement. What goes on the resume is a public document.
- [ ] Read each statement from a civilian rater's perspective. If a term still requires military knowledge to understand, replace it.
- [ ] Verify the award names in parentheses are spelled correctly and match official Department of Defense nomenclature.
- [ ] Do not use these statements to claim specialized experience or qualifications for a series unless your background actually supports that claim. An award statement is context, not a substitute for demonstrated experience.

## Sample output

Sample output. Generated by AI from sample inputs:

Applicant: Marcus Hale, Army logistics sergeant, 12 years. Target: GS-2030 Distribution Facilities Operations, Department of Veterans Affairs.

Army Commendation Medal (2019)
Citation text: "For meritorious service in support of supply operations at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, from April 2018 to March 2019. Sergeant Hale managed accountability for over 4,200 line items valued at $6.2 million with zero loss, reorganized the receiving section workflow to eliminate a 14-day backlog, and trained seven junior specialists to Army standard."

Accomplishment statement: Managed accountability for more than 4,200 supply line items valued at $6.2 million with no losses during a 12-month overseas assignment. Redesigned the receiving section workflow to eliminate a two-week processing backlog, and trained seven warehouse specialists to meet Army inventory standards. (Army Commendation Medal)

Army Achievement Medal (2021)
Citation text: "For achievement in connection with motor pool operations. Sergeant Hale identified a recurring parts ordering error that had caused repeated vehicle deadlines and corrected the ordering process, returning four vehicles to available status within 72 hours."

Accomplishment statement: Identified a recurring procurement error in a vehicle maintenance operation and corrected the ordering process, returning four vehicles to ready status within 72 hours and preventing future repeated equipment downtime. (Army Achievement Medal)

## Customization notes

This prompt works across all branches. Navy and Marine Corps service members should include the NAVPERS award justification; Air Force and Space Force members can use the AF Form 1206 narrative. For higher-level awards (Silver Star, Bronze Star with Valor), the citation language is usually more detailed and produces richer statements. For routine unit awards with no individual citation, note the unit's mission and your specific role within it and the AI will ask for what it needs.

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From The Federal & GS Job Search Library at vetslearn.com/libraries/federal