R 162221Z FEB 21
MARADMIN 074/21
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MM//
SUBJ/COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS' DELEGATION OF AWARDING AUTHORITY FOR MILITARY AWARDS//
REF /A/ MSGID: MSG/CMC/DTG: 161556Z SEP 09//
REF /B/ MSGID: MSG/CMC/DTG: 231734Z JUL 12//
REF /C/ MSGID: MSG/CMC/DTG: 231731Z JUL 12//
REF /D/ MSGID: MSG/CMC/DTG: 101642Z JUL 15//
REF /E/ MSGID: MSG/CMC/DTG: 241428Z JUL 15//
REF /F/ MSGID: MSG/CMC/DTG: 080731Z DEC 17//
REF /G/ MSGID: DOC/SECNAV/YMD: 2019MAY29//
REF /H/ MSGID: DOC/SECNAV/YMD: 2019AUG16//
REF /I/ MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 2020JUN19//
REF /J/ MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 2020JUN19//
REF /K/ MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 2012OCT15//
NARR/ REF A IS CMC MSG TO COMUSMARCENT, DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY TO AWARD THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS COMMENDATION MEDAL AND LESSER AWARDS, WITH COMBAT DISTINGUISHING DEVICE (COMBAT V) TO FOREIGN MILITARY PERSONNEL. REF B IS CMC MSG TO COMUSMARSOC, SUBJ: MODIFICATION TO DELEGATION OF WAR TIME AWARDING AUTHORITY. REF C IS CMC MSG TO COMUSMARCENT, SUBJ: MODIFICATION TO DELEGATION OF WAR TIME AWARDING AUTHORITY. REF D IS CMC MSG TO COMUSMARCENT, SUBJ: SUPPLEMENTAL DELEGATION OF WAR TIME AWARDING AUTHORITY TO COMUSMARCENT ISO OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE. REF E IS CMC MSG TO COMUSMARSOC, SUBJ: SUPPLEMENTAL DELEGATION OF WAR TIME AWARDING AUTHORITY TO COMUSMARSOC ISO OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE. REF F IS MARADMIN 665/17, SUBJ: ADDITIONAL MARINE CORPS GUIDANCE ON NEW DEVICES AUTHORIZED FOR WEAR ON CERTAIN MILITARY MEDALS AND RIBBONS. REF G IS SECNAVINST 1650.1J, DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY MILITARY AWARDS POLICY. REF H IS SECNAV M-1650.1, NAVY AND MARINE CORPS AWARDS MANUAL. REF I IS CMC MEMORANDUM, DELEGATION OF MILITARY AWARD AUTHORITY (NON-COMBAT). REF J IS CMC MEMORANDUM, DELEGATION OF AWARDING AUTHORITY FOR VALOR AND COMBAT MILITARY AWARDS. REF K IS MCO 1650.19J WITH CH1, ADMINISTRATIVE AND ISSUE PROCEDURES FOR DECORATIONS, MEDALS, AND AWARDS.//
POC/N. D. HOOKER/CAPT/HQMC MMMA/-/TEL: 703-784-9342/ EMAIL: SMB_HQMC_PERS_AWARDS@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. Cancellations. References (A-F) are hereby cancelled.
2. The purpose of this MARADMIN is to publish the updated Commandant of the Marine Corps' delegation of awarding authority for military awards in accordance with references (G-K).
3. Delegation of military awarding authority (non-combat). The authority to approve non-combat and non-valor military awards is delegated by CMC to subordinate commanders subject to the following limitations.
3.a. Awards not listed below will continue to be approved by SECNAV, CMC, or those authorized to sign for CMC; see paragraph 9.
3.a.1. Awarding authority delegated to Marine Force commanders in grades no lower than O-9.
3.a.1.a. Legion of Merit (LM) in cases of retirement only.
3.a.1.b. Distinguished Flying Cross(DX).
3.a.2. Awarding authority delegated to Marine commanders in grades no lower than O-7.
3.a.2.a. Meritorious Service Medal(MM).
3.a.2.b. Meritorious Service Medal with Remote Impact "R" device.
3.a.2.c. Air Medal (Individual) (AF) for non-valor or non-combat heroism.
3.a.3. Awarding authority delegated to Marine commanders in grades no lower than O-6.
3.a.3.a. Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (NC).
3.a.3.b. Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Remote Impact "R" device (C2).
3.a.3.c. Unit Certificate of Commendation (CT) for actions in which the end of the action date is within the last 3 years.
3.a.4. Awarding authority delegated to Marine commanders in grades no lower than O-5.
3.a.4.a. Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (NA).
3.a.4.b. Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Remote Impact "R" device (N2).
3.a.4.c. Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal(MOVSM).
3.a.4.d. Individual Certificate of Commendation (CF) for actions in which the end of action date is within the last 3 years.
3.a.5. Marine commanders in grades O-3 and above are delegated authority to award the Meritorious Mast (MT) to their subordinate Marines for actions that occur during their tenure in command.
3.b. Campaign, Expeditionary, and Service (CE&S) medals or ribbons, may be entered into a Marine's record when the criteria and eligibility requirements outlined in reference (H) have been met using official source documents/personnel records and the appropriate awarding authority recommends approval. This paragraph does not apply to the Humanitarian Service Medal or Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal; those awards are processed via the Improved Awards Processing System (IAPS).
3.c. The individual CF and MT may be awarded by any General Officer to Marines in Grades E-1 to O-6.
3.d. The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff designates which operations qualify for the HSM, if the operation involved participation by military personnel from multiple Military Departments. Upon approval of the HSM by CJCS, the CMC will determine service criteria, endorsement requirements, and publish guidance via MARADMIN for HSM submission through IAPS. Although reference (H) delegates authority for the HSM to commanders who can approve the NA, the CMC may restrict this authority to commanders in higher grades or specifically designated endorsing commanders.
4. Commanders delegated combat and valor awarding authority. The following Marine Corps commanders in paragraphs 4.a. and 4.b. are authorized to award combat and valor awards per references (G-J).
4.a. Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command
4.b. Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command
4.c. Sub-delegation of combat and valor awarding authority. The commanders listed above are authorized to sub-delegate awarding authority for combat and valor military awards per reference (G-J) and the below restrictions.
4.d. Sub-delegation of combat and valor awards authorized to commanders in grades no lower than O-8
4.d.1. Bronze Star Medal (BS)
4.d.2. Bronze Star Medal with Valor "V" device (BV)
4.d.3. Air Medal with Valor "V" device (AH)
4.e. Sub-delegation of combat and valor awards authorized to commanders in grades no lower than O-7:
4.e.1. Air Medal with Combat Conditions "C" device (A1)
4.e.2. Air Medal-Strike/flight (AS)
4.e.3. Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medal with Valor "V" device (CV)
4.e.4. Combat Action Ribbon (CR) in cases where the action period occurred within the last three years.
4.f. Sub-delegation of combat and valor awards authorized to commanders in grade no lower than O-6:
4.f.1. Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat Conditions "C" device (C1)
4.f.2. Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Combat Conditions "C" device
4.g. The Purple Heart (PH) and Legion of Merit with Combat Conditions "C". The commanders named in paragraph 4.a. and 4.b. are authorized to award the Purple Heart (PH) for wounds received within the last three years. Only the commander named in paragraph 4.a. is authorized to award the Legion of Merit with Combat Conditions "C" device (L1) and only in cases of retirement. Sub-delegation of awarding authority for the PH and L1 is not authorized.
5. CMC (MMMA) notification of sub-delegation. If the commanders listed in paragraph 4.a. and/or 4.b. choose to sub-delegate combat and/or valor awarding authority to their respective subordinate commanders, CMC (MMMA) must be notified via naval letter. The assumption of command directive/letter for the commanders who are sub-delegated this awarding authority must also be included with the notification. Send these documents as scanned PDFs to CMC, MMMA as described in paragraph 9.e. below.
6. Commanders without delegated valor and combat awarding authority may submit award recommendations to the CMC or higher awarding authority via the chain of command.
7. Letters of Appreciation / Certificates of Appreciation. There is no statute or directive regarding letters of appreciation or certificates of appreciation. Although there are Marine Corps Total Forces System Award Codes for these, there is no restriction on who can award them. For the purpose of performance evaluations, it is at the discretion of the Reporting Senior as to whether these constitute commendatory material.
8. Awarding Authority retained by CMC or higher authorities. Any awards not named above for awarding are retained by the CMC or higher authority.
9. Awarding Authority Policy
9.a. All awards approved by delegated awarding authorities must be compliant with laws and regulations pertaining to military awards.
9.b. CMC may revoke awarding authority from Marine commanders at any time for non-compliance with awards regulations.
9.c. Awarding authority may be granted to frocked commanders commensurate with the grade to which selected. The frocking authorization letter must be provided to CMC, MMMA in order to grant awarding authority in IAPS to approve awards for the frocked grade.
9.d. Except the commanders named in paragraph 4.a.-4.b. of this MARADMIN, no other commanders exercising delegated awarding authority are authorized to sub-delegate their own awarding authority.
9.e. For Commanders to be granted awarding authority in IAPS, the command must provide the Assumption of Command (AoC) letter or directive to CMC, MMMA with the Commander's full name, rank, EDIPI, Unit Name, and iAPS UIC. Email the AoC as a PDF to SMB_HQMC_Pers_Awards@usmc.mil.
9.f. Officers fulfilling the role of "Acting" commander during the absence of the appointed or slated commander will only be granted awarding authority commensurate with their own grade and the awarding authority grade limitations of the references and this MARADMIN. Awarding authority permissions for acting commanders will only be granted in IAPS if the period of absence of the appointed or slated commander is greater than 30 days.
10. The above delegations of awarding authority will be incorporated into reference (K), currently under revision.
11. Release authorized by BGen Michael J. Borgschulte, Director, Manpower Management Division.//