R 222055Z SEP 20
MARADMIN 549/20
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC AVN ASM//
SUBJ/SOLICITATION FOR THE 2021 MARINE CORPS AVIATION AWARDS//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/MCO 1650.29H/YMD:20100922//
AMPN/REF A IS THE AVIATION AWARDS ORDER.//
POC/D.H. HOWARD/LTCOL/UNIT: HQMC AVN ASM/TEL: DSN 223-9852/TEL: COML (703) 693-9852/EMAIL: DOUGLAS.H.HOWARD@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. Purpose.  To solicit nominations for the annual Marine Corps Aviation Awards, to be presented during the 2021 Marine Aviation Readiness and Operations Summit in San Diego, CA, from 12-15 May 2021.  These prestigious awards recognize those Marines an units that have distinguished themselves as the best in Marine aviation during the award period from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020.
2. The 2021 Marine Corps Aviation Awards are listed below:
 a. Alfred A. Cunningham Award- Marine Aviator of the Year
 b. Robert Guy Robinson Award- Marine Naval Flight Officer of the Year
 c. Earle Hattaway Award- Marine Aviation Ground Officer of the Year
 d. Robert F. Gibson Award- Marine Aviation Command and Control Officer of the Year
 e. Silver Hawk Award- Marine Aviator with earliest Designation Date
 f. Frank E. Petersen Award- Marine Flight Student of the Year
 g. Danny L. Radish Award- Marine Enlisted Aircrew of the Year
 h. Willie D. Sproule Award- Aviation Maintenance Marine of the Year
 i. Kenneth W. Southcomb Award- Aviation Supply Marine of the Year
 j. Paul G. Vess Award- Avionics Marine of the Year
 k. Gaines B. Gilbert Award- Aviation Ordnance Marine of the Year
 l. Kenneth A. Innis Award- Aviation Command and Control Marine of the Year
 m. Jack W. Demmond Award- Aviation Ground Marine of the Year
 n. James E. Nicholson Award- Noncommissioned Officer Leadership Award
 o. James Maguire Award- Exceptional Achievement
 p. Michael A. Hough Acquisition Award- Acquisition Excellence in Marine Aviation
 q. Commandant Aviation Trophy for Superior Performance in Marine Aviation
 r. Robert M. Hanson Award- Marine Fighter Attack Squadron of the Year
 s. Lawson H. M. Sanderson Award- Marine Attack Squadron of the Year 
 t. Henry Wildfang Award- Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron of the Year
 u. Fred McCorkle Award- Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron of the Year
 v. Keith B. McCutcheon Award - Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron of the Year
 w. John P. Giguere Award- Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron of the Year
 x. John I. Hudson  Award- Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron of the Year
 y. Donald E. Davis Award- Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron of the Year
 z. James E. Hatch Award- Marine Wing Support Squadron of the  Year.
 aa. Edward S. Fris Award- Marine Air Command and Control Unit of the Year
 ab. Pete Ross Award- Superior Performance in Marine Aviation Safety
3. Selection of award recipients will be made by an awards board convened by Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) Department of Aviation (AVN), and will be comprised of senior members of the aviation community.  Announcement of award winners and details regarding presentation of awards will be provided in future correspondence.
4. Action
 a. Commands with personnel and/or organizations meeting the criteria contained in the reference are encouraged to submit nominations. Commands are directed to review the reference and HQMC AVN Manpower and Support Branch (ASM) website in its entirety for changes and ensure that individual and unit nomination packages are created and submitted in accordance with the reference and the information contained in this MARADMIN.
 b. Award eligibility, criteria and instructions for completing and submitting nomination packages can be found on the HQMC AVN ASM sharepoint website at http:(slash)(slash)usmc.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/MarineCorpsAviationAwardsPortal
 c. Due to follow on publication requirements, all photograph submissions to HQMC AVN ASM shall be submitted IAW the guidelines in the 2021 Marine Corps Aviation Awards Instructions located on the website.
 d. Nomination packages must be received by HQMC AVN ASM NLT 0730 EST 15 January 2021. Due to the volume of award recommendations received, late, incorrect, or incomplete nominations will not be considered.
5. Release authorized by LtGen M. R. Wise, Deputy Commandant for Aviation.//