R 081640Z FEB 11
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 091/11
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC AVN ASM//
SUBJ/AUTHORIZATION TO AWARD NAVAL AVIATION OBSERVER WINGS TO DIRECT AIR SUPPORT CENTER (AIRBORNE) QUALIFIED MARINES//
REF/A/MSGID:MCO/P1000.6G/YMD:19991217//
AMPN/REF A IS ASSIGNMENT, CLASSIFICATION AND TRAVEL SYSTEMS MANUAL.//
POC/DOWLING/MAJ/UNIT:APX-4/-/TEL:(703)614-1850/EMAIL:HAROLD.DOWLING@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. PURPOSE. AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF THE NAVAL AVIATION OBSERVER DEVICE FOR QUALIFIED AIR COMMAND AND CONTROL OFFICERS, AIR SUPPORT CONTROL OFFICERS AND MARINES, AND AVIATION COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM TECHNICIANS (MOS 7202/08/42 AND 5939) SUPPORTING DIRECT AIR SUPPORT CENTER AIRBORNE (DASC A) OPERATIONS.
2. BACKGROUND. THE NAVAL AVIATION OBSERVER DEVICE IS INTENDED TO RECOGNIZE NON-AERONAUTICALLY DESIGNATED PERSONNEL PERFORMING CRITICAL AIRBORNE FUNCTIONS. ALTHOUGH THE DEVICE HAS UNDERGONE VARIOUS ITERATIONS SINCE INCEPTION, ITS INTENT TO RECOGNIZE NON-AERONAUTICALLY RATED PERSONNEL CONDUCTING SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS, SUCH AS TECHNICAL SPECIALISTS AND AIRBORNE RADIO OPERATORS, REMAINS UNCHANGED. AS DASC A CREWMEMBERS PERFORM AIRBORNE COMMAND AND CONTROL OPERATIONS, THIS DEVICE IS OPTIMALLY SUITED TO RECOGNIZE THOSE MARINES WHO ARE FORMALLY ASSIGNED AND ACTIVELY SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY.
3. THE PRESENTATION OF NAVAL AVIATION OBSERVER WINGS TO QUALIFIED MARINES, INCLUDING RETROACTIVE AWARDING OF THIS DEVICE, IS AUTHORIZED UPON RELEASE OF THIS MARADMIN. ELIGIBLE PERSONNEL MUST:
A. POSSESS THE FOLLOWING MOS: 7202 (AIR COMMAND AND CONTROL OFFICER), 7208 (AIR SUPPORT CONTROL OFFICER), 7242 (AIR SUPPORT OPERATIONS OPERATOR) OR 5939 (AVIATION COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM TECHNICIAN).
B. BE ASSIGNED TO DUTY INVOLVING FLIGHT FOR A MINIMUM OF SIX MONTHS.
C. HAVE ACCUMULATED 100 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME DIRECTLY RELATED TO AIRBORNE AIR SUPPORT CONTROL OPERATIONS.
4. AWARDING AUTHORITY RESIDES AT THE SQUADRON COMMANDER LEVEL.
5. AIRBORNE AIR SUPPORT CONTROL OPERATIONS CONDUCTED IN A COMBAT ENVIRONMENT SHALL WARRANT SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR THE AWARDING OF THE NAVAL AVIATION OBSERVER DEVICE. ACCORDINGLY, REQUIREMENTS FOUND IN PARAGRAPH 3 MAY BE WAIVED BY MARINE AIR WING COMMANDING GENERALS FOR COMBAT PERFORMANCE ONLY.
6. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY LTGEN TERRY ROBLING, DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR AVIATION.//