R 171515Z JAN 13
UNCLASSIFIED/
MARADMIN 038/13
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MM//
SUBJ/REVISED ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR AWARD OF THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON (CAR) AND UPDATED COORDINATING INSTRUCTIONS//
REF/A/MSGID:MSG/SECNAV/151534Z NOV 12//
REF/B/MSGID:DOC/SECNAV/22AUG2006//
REF/C/MSGID:MSG/SECNAV/051544ZMAY08//
NARR/REF A IS ALNAV 068/12, CHANGES TO COMBAT ACTION RIBBON (CAR) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA. REF B IS SECNAVINST 1650.1H, NAVY AND MARINE CORPS AWARDS MANUAL. REF C IS ALNAV 036-08 DON POLICY ON CONVERSION OF THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE AND COMBAT MEDICAL BADGE TO THE CAR.//
POC/M. NEWMAN/CMC MMMA-3/-/TEL:703-784-9340/ EMAIL:MARK.T.NEWMAN(at)USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/ 1.  THE PURPOSE OF THIS MARADMIN IS TO INFORM COMMANDERS OF THE MOST RECENT CHANGE TO THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON (CAR) APPROVED BY SECNAV AND ANNOUNCED IN REF A. THIS CHANGE ALLOWS AWARD OF THE CAR TO MARINES AND SAILORS WHO TAKE DIRECT ACTION TO DISABLE, RENDER SAFE, OR DESTROY AN ACTIVE ENEMY EMPLACED IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE (IED), MINE, OR SCATTERABLE MUNITION. ELIGIBILITY FOR THIS REVISED CRITERIA WAS EFFECTIVE ON 15 NOVEMBER 2012 AND IS RETROACTIVE TO 7 OCTOBER 2001. THE PROCESS FOR SUBMISSION AND REVIEW OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RETROACTIVE AWARDS OF THE CAR UNDER THIS REVISED CRITERIA IS OUTLINED IN PARA 5 OF THIS MARADMIN. IN ADDITION, THIS MARADMIN PROVIDES THE FULL REVISED CONTENT OF THE CAR CRITERIA CONTAINED IN ARTICLE 230.14, CHAPTER 2 OF REF B, TO INCLUDE CHANGES PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED IN REF C.
2.  THE REVISED ARTICLE 230.14 OF REF B WILL NOW READ AS FOLLOWS: COMBAT ACTION RIBBON
 A.  AUTHORIZATION:  SECNAVNOTE 1650 OF 17 FEBRUARY 1969.
 B.  ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
  (1) AWARDED TO MEMBERS OF THE NAVY, MARINE CORPS, AND COAST GUARD (WHEN THE COAST GUARD, OR UNITS THEREOF, OPERATE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE NAVY) IN THE GRADE OF CAPTAIN/COLONEL (O-6) AND BELOW, WHO HAVE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN GROUND OR SURFACE COMBAT.
  (2) THE PRINCIPAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERION IS THAT ON THE DATE/S OF ACTION THE INDIVIDUAL MUST HAVE RENDERED SATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE UNDER ENEMY FIRE WHILE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN A GROUND OR SURFACE ENGAGEMENT.  THE FOLLOWING AMPLIFYING GUIDANCE IS PROVIDED:
   (A) AS APPLIED TO IEDS, MINES, AND SCATTERABLE MUNITION, WITH OR WITHOUT THE IMMEDIATE PRESENCE OF ENEMY FORCES, THE FOLLOWING CONSTITUTE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN A GROUND OR SURFACE ENGAGEMENT:
    (I)  DIRECT EXPOSURE TO THE DETONATION OF AN IED, MINE, OR SCATTERABLE MUNITION USED BY AN ENEMY.
    (II)  DIRECT ACTION TAKEN TO DISABLE, RENDER SAFE, OR DESTROY AN ACTIVE ENEMY-EMPLACED IED, MINE, OR SCATTERABLE MUNITION WHILE IN THE IMMEDIATE PROXIMITY OF THE WEAPON SUCH THAT THE INDIVIDUAL IS AT INCREASED RISK FROM THE ANTICIPATED EFFECTS OF THE WEAPON IF DETONATED.  AN ACTIVE IED, MINE, OR SCATTERABLE MUNITION IS DEFINED AS ONE HAVING BOTH A MAIN EXPLOSIVE CHARGE AND A FUNCTIONAL FUSING/TRIGGERING MECHANISM.  CACHES OF ENEMY IEDS, MINES, OR SCATTERABLE MUNITION THAT HAVE NOT BEEN EMPLACED BY THE ENEMY FOR DETONATION DO NOT SATISFY THIS CRITERION.  ACTIONS TAKEN SOLELY TO MARK A SUSPECTED MINE OR IED DO NOT SATISFY THIS CRITERION, NOR DOES EMPLOYING REMOTE MINE CLEARING SYSTEMS OR DIRECT FIRE WEAPONS TO NEUTRALIZE OR DESTROY THE MINE OR IED FROM OUTSIDE THE ANTICIPATED BLAST AREA OF THE WEAPON.
   (B) ELIGIBILITY UNDER SUBPARA (A) ABOVE IS RETROACTIVE TO 7 OCTOBER 2001.
   (C) BEING AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY MAKE A SERVICE MEMBER ELIGIBLE FOR THE CAR, NOR DOES MERELY SERVING IN A COMBAT AREA OR BEING EXPOSED TO ENEMY FIRE OR THREAT OF ENEMY FIRE.
   (D) PERSONNEL PARTICIPATING IN CLANDESTINE OR SPECIAL OPERATIONS, WHO BY THE NATURE OF THEIR MISSION ARE RESTRICTED IN THEIR ABILITY TO RETURN FIRE, AND WHO ARE OPERATING IN CONDITIONS IN WHICH THE RISK OF ENCOUNTERING ENEMY FIRE WAS GREAT, MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE CAR.
   (E) PERSONNEL WHO ARE EXPOSED TO INDIRECT FIRE ARE NOT NORMALLY ELIGIBLE FOR THE CAR UNLESS THEY ACTIVELY ENGAGE THE ENEMY IN OFFENSIVE COUNTER-FIRE ACTIONS.
   (F) THE CAR WILL NOT BE AWARDED IN CONNECTION WITH AERIAL FLIGHT. THE STRIKE/FLIGHT AIR MEDAL PROVIDES RECOGNITION FOR AERIAL COMBAT EXPOSURE.  HOWEVER, A PILOT OR CREWMEMBER FORCED TO ESCAPE OR EVADE, AFTER BEING FORCED DOWN, MAY BE ELIGIBLE IF THE CAR ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA ARE OTHERWISE MET.
 C.  ELIGIBLE OPERATIONS.  SECNAV DESIGNATES THE OPERATIONS AND AREAS FOR WHICH AWARD OF THE CAR IS AUTHORIZED.  COMMANDERS WITH DELEGATED CAR AWARDING AUTHORITY MAY ONLY AWARD THE CAR FOR ACTIONS OCCURRING IN THESE SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED OPERATIONS AND AREAS.  APPENDIX E TO THIS CHAPTER LISTS THE OPERATIONS FOR WHICH THE CAR HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED.  THE LIST IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE, AS THE CAR HAS BEEN AWARDED IN MINOR OPERATIONS, AS WELL AS FOR SPECIFIC ACTIONS NOT WITHIN A NAMED OPERATION.  AUTHORITY TO AWARD THE CAR OUTSIDE THE LISTED OPERATIONS, AREAS, AND TIME PERIODS IS RETAINED BY SECNAV.
 D.  ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES.
  (1) AN INDIVIDUAL MAY ONLY RECEIVE ONE AWARD OF THE CAR PER OPERATION.  FOR EXAMPLE, ONLY ONE CAR MAY BE RECEIVED FOR OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM, EVEN IF THE INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATED IN MULTIPLE COMBAT ENGAGEMENTS DURING MULTIPLE DEPLOYMENTS.
  (2) THE CAR IS TREATED AS A PERSONAL AWARD, VICE A UNIT, SERVICE, OR CAMPAIGN AWARD.  RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CAR WILL BE INITIATED AND PROCESSED PER ARTICLE 220 OF THIS INSTRUCTION.
  (3) AUTHORITY TO APPROVE THE CAR IS SPECIFICALLY DELEGATED IN WRITING, AND IS NOT INHERENT IN DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY TO AWARD OTHER HIGHER PRECEDENCE DECORATIONS.
  (4) ONLY THE CAR RIBBON IS ISSUED UPON APPROVAL OF THIS AWARD.  NO CORRESPONDING MEDAL, CITATION, OR CERTIFICATE IS AUTHORIZED. SUBSEQUENT AWARDS OF THE CAR ARE DENOTED BY 5/16 INCH GOLD/SILVER STARS ON THE RIBBON.
  (5) THE CAR MAY BE AWARDED RETROACTIVELY FOR ACTIONS ON OR AFTER 7 DECEMBER 1941.  THE CAR CRITERIA IN EFFECT DURING THE TIMEFRAME IN WHICH THE ACTION OCCURRED WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY.  SEE CHAPTER 8 OF THIS INSTRUCTION FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING RETROACTIVE ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATIONS.
  (6) THE CAR IS NOT AUTHORIZED TO BE AWARDED TO CIVILIANS OR TO U.S. ARMY, U.S. AIR FORCE, OR FOREIGN PERSONNEL.
 E.  CONVERSION OF AIR FORCE AND ARMY COMBAT BADGES AND MEDALS TO THE CAR.
  (1) NAVY AND MARINE CORPS PERSONNEL ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO WEAR THE U.S. AIR FORCE COMBAT ACTION MEDAL (CAM) OR THE U.S. ARMY COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE (CIB), COMBAT MEDICAL BADGE (CMB), OR COMBAT ACTION BADGE (CAB), UPON THE NAVY OR MARINE CORPS UNIFORM.  HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH THE CAR MAY BE AUTHORIZED TO BE WORN IN PLACE OF THESE OTHER SERVICE COMBAT AWARDS.
  (2) U.S. MARINE CORPS PERSONNEL PERMANENTLY OR TEMPORARILY ASSIGNED TO U.S. ARMY OR U.S. AIR FORCE COMMANDS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO ACCEPT, WEAR OR RETAIN THE CIB, THE CAB, OR THE CAM.  IN CASES WHERE A MARINE'S ACTIONS IN COMBAT MEET THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THE CIB, CAB, OR CAM, THE U.S. ARMY OR U.S. AIR FORCE COMMANDER MAY SUBMIT A PERSONAL AWARD RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CAR TO CMC (MMMA) FOR CONSIDERATION.
  (3) U.S. NAVY PERSONNEL PERMANENTLY OR TEMPORARILY ASSIGNED TO U.S. ARMY COMMANDS IN COMBAT, WHO, WITH THE OFFICIAL CONCURRENCE OF CNO (OR HIS DESIGNEE), ARE AWARDED THE CIB/CMB BY THE ARMY, ARE AUTHORIZED TO WEAR THE CAR UPON COMPLETION OF THEIR ASSIGNMENT WITH THE ARMY.  THE NAVY DEPARTMENT AWARDS WEB SERVICE (NDAWS) WILL BE UPDATED TO REFLECT CONVERSION OF THE CIB/CMB TO THE CAR AT THE TIME CNO CONCURRENCE IS GRANTED.
  (4) U.S. NAVY PERSONNEL PERMANENTLY OR TEMPORARILY ASSIGNED TO U.S. ARMY OR U.S. AIR FORCE COMMANDS IN COMBAT, WHO QUALIFY FOR THE COMBAT ACTION BADGE (CAB) OR THE COMBAT ACTION MEDAL (CAM), ARE NOT AUTOMATICALLY ELIGIBLE FOR THE CAR.  IF NAVY CONCURRENCE IS APPROVED FOR THE CAB OR CAM, CNO WILL DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT CAR CRITERIA HAVE BEEN MET, AND NDAWS WILL BE UPDATED TO SPECIFICALLY REFLECT APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF CAR CONVERSION.
  (5) NAVY AND MARINE CORPS PERSONNEL WHO, WHILE FORMERLY MEMBERS OF THE U.S. ARMY OR U.S. AIR FORCE, WERE AWARDED THE CIB OR CMB, MAY UPON SUBMISSION OF OFFICIAL MILITARY DOCUMENTATION TO THEIR COMMANDING OFFICER, BE AUTHORIZED TO WEAR THE CAR ON THEIR NAVY/MARINE CORPS UNIFORM IN PLACE OF THE CIB/CMB.
  (6) FOR PERSONNEL WHO PREVIOUSLY EARNED THE CAB OR CAM AS MEMBERS OF THE U.S. ARMY OR U.S. AIR FORCE:
   (A) MARINES ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO WEAR THE CAR IN PLACE OF THE CAB OR CAM UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
   (B) COMMANDING OFFICERS OF U.S. NAVY PERSONNEL MAY SUBMIT A PERSONAL AWARD RECOMMENDATION (OPNAV FORM 1650/3) TO CNO FOR CONSIDERATION OF AUTHORIZATION TO WEAR THE CAR IN PLACE OF THE PREVIOUSLY AWARDED CAB OR CAM.  A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENTS THAT LED TO THE AWARD OF THE CAB OR CAM MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE SUMMARY OF ACTION, AND OFFICIAL MILITARY DOCUMENTATION OF THE ORIGINAL CAB OR CAM APPROVAL MUST BE INCLUDED.
3.  THE ONLY CURRENTLY AUTHORIZED ONGOING OPERATION FOR WHICH THE CAR MAY BE AWARDED BY DELEGATED AUTHORITY IS OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, FROM 7 OCTOBER 2001 TO A DATE TBD.  ELIGIBILITY DATES FOR RECENTLY CONCLUDED OPERATIONS ARE: OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM 19 MAR 2003 TO 31 AUG 2010 OPERATION NEW DAWN      01 SEP 2010 TO 31 DEC 2011 REFER ALL OTHER CAR RECOMMENDATIONS TO SECNAV VIA CNO OR CMC AS APPROPRIATE. NOTE: BECAUSE OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM AND OPERATION NEW DAWN WERE BOTH CONDUCTED IN THE AREA OF ELIGIBILITY (AOE) FOR THE IRAQ CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ONLY ONE AWARD OF THE CAR IS AUTHORIZED FOR ACTIONS IN THAT AOE.
4. CAR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MARINES WHO ARE CURRENTLY DEPLOYED WHOSE ACTIONS, EITHER PRIOR TO OR AFTER 15 NOVEMBER 2012, MEET THE REVISED CRITERIA ANNOUNCED IN REF A CAN BE RECOMMENDED FOR THE CAR BY AN OFFICER IN THEIR CHAIN OF COMMAND USING THE EXISTING PROCESS FOR SUBMISSION OF RECOMMENDATIONS IN IAPS VIA THE CHAIN OF COMMAND TO THE DELEGATED APPROVAL AUTHORITY.
5.  IN THE CASE OF MARINES WHO ARE NO LONGER DEPLOYED, THE MILITARY AWARDS BRANCH (CMC(MMMA)), HEADQUARTERS, U.S. MARINE CORPS, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING THE PROCESSING OF ALL RETROACTIVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AWARD OF THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON (CAR) TO MARINES WHO MET THE REVISED CRITERIA ANNOUNCED IN REF A BASED ON COMBAT ACTIONS DATING BACK TO 7 OCTOBER 2001. THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE UPDATED ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS CONTAINED IN THIS MARADMIN IS REQUIRED.
 A.  ACTIVE DUTY, RETIRED, AND VETERAN MARINES, OR THE NEXT OF KIN FOR DECEASED MARINES, WHO BELIEVE THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE CAR UNDER THE REVISED CRITERIA, CAN CONTACT THE FIRST OFFICER IN THEIR CHAIN OF COMMAND AT THE TIME OF THE ACTION VIA LETTER OR EMAIL AND REQUEST THAT THE OFFICER RECOMMEND THEM FOR THE CAR BASED ON THEIR ACTIONS ON A SPECIFIC DATE. INFORMATION ON CONTACTING MARINES VIA THE CMC(MMSB) WORLD WIDE LOCATOR CAN BE FOUND IN PARA G. IN THOSE CASES WHERE AN OFFICER IS ALREADY KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE PREVIOUS COMBAT ACTIONS OF ONE OF THEIR MARINES THAT MET THE REVISED CRITERIA, THE OFFICER CAN ORIGINATE THE RECOMMENDATION WITHOUT RECEIVING A REQUEST FROM THE MARINE.  IN ALL CASES, THE OFFICER ORIGINATING THE RECOMMENDATION MUST SUBMIT AN ADMINISTRATIVELY COMPLETE NAVMC 11533 PERSONAL AWARDS RECOMMENDATION FORM TO THIS HEADQUARTERS VIA THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AT THE TIME OF THE ACTION, UP TO AND INCLUDING THE BATTALION/SQUADRON COMMANDER. A PDF VERSION OF THE NAVMC 11533 WITH INSTRUCTIONS CAN BE
DOWNLOADED FROM HTTPS: (SLASH)(SLASH)NAVALFORMS.DOCUMENTSERVICES.DLA.MIL/FORMSDIR/ (UNDERSCORE)NAVMC(UNDERSCORE)11533(UNDERSCORE)EF(UNDERSCORE) 10040.PDF
 B.  PRIOR TO SUBMITTING A RECOMMENDATION FOR A CAR BASED ON ACTIONS DURING A PRIOR DEPLOYMENT THAT MEET THE REVISED CRITERIA, THE ORIGINATING OFFICER MUST CHECK THE CAR DATABASE LOCATED AT THE MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS WEBSITE AT WWW.MANPOWER.USMC.MIL, TO ENSURE THAT A CAR HAS NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY AWARDED FOR THE SAME OPERATION FOR WHICH THE NEW CAR RECOMMENDATION IS BEING ORIGINATED.
 C.  THE SUMMARY OF ACTION IN THE NAVMC 11533 MUST CONTAIN A THOROUGH DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT IN WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL TOOK DIRECT ACTION TO DISABLE, RENDER SAFE, OR DESTROY AN ACTIVE ENEMY-EMPLACED IED, MINE, OR SCATTERABLE MUNITION WHILE IN THE IMMEDIATE PROXIMITY OF THE WEAPON SUCH THAT THE INDIVIDUAL WAS AT INCREASED RISK FROM THE ANTICIPATED EFFECTS OF THE WEAPON IF DETONATED.  THE EVENT DESCRIPTION MUST CONTAIN SUFFICIENT DETAIL TO ALLOW THE HQMC AWARDS BOARD TO CONFIRM THAT THE EVENT CITED MEETS THE REVISED CRITERIA IN REF A.
 D.  ALTHOUGH NOT REQUIRED, MARINES MAY SUBMIT SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION TO THE OFFICER SUBMITTING THE CAR RECOMMENDATION FOR SUBMISSION WITH THE NAVMC 11533.  SUCH DOCUMENTATION MAY INCLUDE, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, EOD INCIDENT RESPONSE SHEETS, PERSONAL AWARD SUMMARIES OF ACTION OR CITATIONS, FITNESS REPORTS, OR EYEWITNESS STATEMENTS THAT DOCUMENT ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE MARINE IN RESPONSE TO LIVE IEDS.  THE USE OF SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION DOES NOT ELIMINATE THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE NAVMC 11533 TO BE ENDORSED BY THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.  NOTE: DO NOT SUBMIT CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTATION.
 E.  THE OFFICER ORIGINATING THE RECOMMENDATION MUST ROUTE THE NAVMC 11533 FOR ENDORSEMENT VIA THE CHAIN OF COMMAND THAT WAS IN PLACE ON THE DATE OF THE ACTION, UP TO AND INCLUDING THE BATTALION/SQUADRON COMMANDERS. AFTER THE BATTALION/SQUADRON COMMANDER HAS ENDORSED THE NAVMC 11533, IT SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THIS HEADQUARTERS VIA THE US POSTAL SERVICE TO:
                  HEADQUARTERS, U.S. MARINE CORPS
                  MILITARY AWARDS BRANCH (MMMA-3)
                  2008 ELLIOT ROAD
                  QUANTICO, VA 22134-5030 OR IT MAY BE SCANNED AND SENT VIA EMAIL TO: SMB(UNDERSCORE)HQMC(UNDERSCORE)PERS(UNDERSCORE)AWARDS(at)USMC.MIL.
 F.  ONCE THE HQMC AWARDS BOARD HAS MADE A DECISION ON THE RETROACTIVE CAR RECOMMENDATION, CMC (MMMA-3) WILL NOTIFY THE OFFICER ORIGINATING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE DECISION VIA LETTER FORWARDED DOWN THE ENDORSING CHAIN OF COMMAND.  IN THE CASE OF APPROVALS, THE APPROVAL LETTER AND RIBBON WILL BE MAILED TO EITHER THE MARINE OR THE AWARD ORIGINATING OFFICER, AS INDICATED ON THE NAVMC 11533.  AN ENTRY WILL BE MADE IN THE CAR DATABASE, MARINE CORPS TOTAL FORCE SYSTEM (MCTFS)(WHEN APPLICABLE), AND A COPY OF THE APPROVAL LETTER WILL BE FORWARDED TO CMC(MMSB) FOR INCLUSION IN THE MARINE'S OFFICIAL MILITARY PERSONNEL FILE (OMPF).
 G. MARINES SEEKING TO LOCATE ACTIVE DUTY, RESERVE, OR RETIRED MARINES FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING COMMAND ENDORSEMENTS MAY CONTACT THE CMC (MMSB) WORLD WIDE LOCATOR FOR ASSISTANCE EITHER BY EMAIL TO SMB.MANPOWER.MMSB(at)USMC.MIL; BY CALLING 1(800)268-3710; OR BY LETTER TO:
                  HEADQUARTERS, U.S. MARINE CORPS
                  MANPOWER MANAGEMENT SUPPORT BRANCH (MMSB-17)
                  2008 ELLIOT RD (SUITE 201)
                  QUANTICO, VA 22134-5030
6.  THE POINT OF CONTACT AT THIS HEADQUARTERS, CMC(MMMA-3), IS MR.M.T. NEWMAN (MARK.T.NEWMAN(at)USMC.MIL) AT (703) 784-9340 (DSN 278).
7.  THIS MARADMIN IS APPLICABLE TO THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE.
8.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY MAJGEN A. SALINAS, DIRECTOR, MANPOWER MANAGEMENT DIVISION.//