R 141749Z NOV 25
MARADMIN 546/25
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC DCI WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/SOLICITATION FOR THE MARINE CORPS ASSOCIATION INFORMATION
AWARDS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2025//
REF/A/DOC/DC I/09 JAN 20//
REF/B/DOC/DC I/14 SEP 23//
REF/C/DOC/DC I/14 SEP 23//
REF/D/DOC/DC I/14 SEP 23//
REF/E/DOC/DC I/14 SEP 23//
AMPN/REF A IS DCIO 1650.2 THE MARINE CORPS ASSOCIATION & FOUNDATION
ANNUAL INFORMATION AWARDS. REF B IS THE AWARDS CATEGORIES AND
PERFORMANCE AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA DOCUMENT. REF C IS THE CURRENT
NOMINATION LIMITS BY COMMAND. REF D IS THE INDIVIDUAL NOMINATION
PACKAGE FORMAT TEMPLATE. REF E IS THE UNIT/ORGANIZATION NOMINATION
PACKAGE FORMAT TEMPLATE.//
POC1/JOSE R. VALLE/MAJ/DC I STAFF SECRETARY/EMAIL:
JOSE.VALLE@USMC.MIL/TEL: 703-692-7714//
POC2/KELVIN R. AGUILAR/MSGT/DC I ADMIN CHIEF/EMAIL:
KELVIN.AGUILAR@USMC.MIL/TEL: 703-692-3119//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. Purpose. This MARADMIN solicits awards
nominations throughout the Marine Corps Information Environment
Enterprise (MCIEE) community for CY 2025 and announces the convening
of the Deputy Commandant for Information awards selection board.
The Marine Corps Association (MCA) Information Awards are
administered by the Deputy Commandant for Information (DC I) and
consist of 25 individual awards, three unit/organization awards, and
one individual or team award for the information communities
comprised of Intelligence, C4, Cyber, Psychological Operations,
Space, Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations, Strategic Communication
and Operations, and Civil Affairs. The DC I will convene a board of
senior field grade officers, senior enlisted Marines, and civilian
Marines to review nominations and select award winners.
2. Nomination packages must be submitted to the DC I Front Office
NLT 31 January 2026. Reference (a) is currently undergoing
revision, and the information provided in this MARADMIN supersedes
the Order. Performance and eligibility criteria, updated nomination
limits by Commands, and Nomination Package Format templates can be
found at the following link which are listed as references (b)
through (e) of this MARADMIN:
https://usmc.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/DCI/Awards/SitePages/MCA_INFO_
Award.aspx. Commands listed in reference (c) will accept nomination
packages from their subordinate commands and conduct a board to
select and forward the best qualified packages based on the
quantities outlined for each award category. Each nomination
package will be endorsed by the Commander of the MARFOR as listed in
reference (c). All units not listed in reference (c) may submit
nominations directly to DC I via the first General Officer in their
administrative chain of command.
3. The Information Award categories are listed below, the
Performance and Eligibility Criteria can be found in reference (b).
3.a. The James Hamilton Information Technology Management Civilian
Marine of the Year Award.
3.b. The Private First Class Herbert A. Littleton Enlisted
Communications Awards.
3.c. The Chief Warrant Officer 5 Brian “Joe” Graniero Restricted
Officer Communications Award.
3.d. The General (Gen) Alfred M. Gray Award.
3.e. The Lieutenant Colonel (LtCol) Kevin M. Shea Memorial Unit of
the Year Award.
3.f. The John J. Guenther Intelligence Civilian of the Year Award.
3.g. The Lance Corporal James E. Swain Intelligence Enlisted Marine
of the Year Award.
3.h. The Master Sergeant Charles C. Arndt Intelligence
Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) of the Year Award.
3.i. The Master Gunnery Sergeant Samuel C. Plott Intelligence Staff
Non-Commissioned Officer (SNCO) of the Year Award.
3.j. The LtCol Michael D. Kuszewski Intelligence Officer of the
Year Award.
3.k. The Lieutenant General Vincent R. Stewart Intelligence Unit of
the Year Award.
3.l. The Identity and Attribution Activities (IA2) Marine of the
Year Award.
3.m. The Information Civilian of the Year Award.
3.n. Cyberspace Warfare Enlisted Marine of the Year.
3.o. Cyberspace Warfare NCO of the Year.
3.p. Cyberspace Warfare SNCO of the Year.
3.q. Cyberspace Restricted Officer of the Year.
3.r. Cyberspace Warfare Officer of the Year.
3.s. Maritime Space Officer of the Year.
3.t. Influence NCO of the Year.
3.u. Influence SNCO of the Year.
3.v. Influence Officer of the Year.
3.w. The MCIEE Technical Leadership Award.
3.x. The MCIEE Innovation Award.
3.y. The Information Unit of the Year Award.
3.z. The Meteorology and Oceanography (METOC) Marine of the Year
Award.
4. Eligibility Period and Status.
4.a. The period of service eligible for consideration of these
awards are 1 January 2025 through 31 December 2025 (CY 2025).
4.b. Marine Corps nominees must have been serving on active duty
in the FMF, SE, or Marine Corps Reserve during the calendar year
specified. Activated Reservists from the Selected Marine Corps
Reserve (SMCR), Active Reserve (AR), or Individual Ready Reserve
(IRR) are eligible for these awards based upon any active duty
service occurring throughout the calendar year specified.
4.c. Previous individual award recipients are ineligible for
consideration of the same award.
5. Nomination Package Requirements and templates can be found on
the link mentioned in paragraph 2.
5.a. Summary of Performance (SoP) write-ups will be no more than
two pages and must include a one-page biography. Classified SoPs
will be accepted up to the Secret level. In the case of a
classified SoP, all other requirements will still be submitted as
prescribed in this MARADMIN via unclassified channels. Classified
SoPs can be submitted online to
https://usmc.spo.microsoft.scloud/sites/DCDCI/SitePages/MCA-INFO.
aspx.
5.b. A command-style official photograph is required for
submissions for the winners to be mentioned in the MCA awards dinner
program. High resolution .jpg pictures are requested to be
submitted with the submission to DC I per reference (d).
5.c. For civilian award nominees, letters of recommendation will
also be submitted as part of the nomination package.
5.d. Unit awards must include a recommendation from the supported
unit/organization commander(s).
5.e. Unit award nominations should originate at the next higher
echelon of command above the unit recommended for the award. Under
no circumstances should units submit nominations via multiple chains
of command.
6. Submitting Nomination Packages.
6.a. DC I will process the nomination packages. Packages must be
submitted online at https://usmc.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/DCI/Awards/
SitePages/MCA_INFO_Award.aspx. If you are submitting for a Unit
award, please input "TEAM" for "Nominee/Team Name” as well as for
the “Rank/Pay Grade". Please do not abbreviate Unit Name when
answering "Unit Name". For example, a package submitted for DC I
will read Deputy Commandant for Information not DCI for the “Unit
Name”.
6.b. All nomination packages must be in pdf format, include a .jpg
command style photo, and a .jpg Unit Logo photo separately. The
two .jpg photos need to be uploaded separately from the pdf
nomination package. Utility uniform will only be accepted if the
Nominee is currently deployed and cannot wear Service Alphas uniform
for Military and business professional for Civilians.
7. Notification. Award winners will be notified via MARADMIN NLT
early March 2026.
8. Presentation. The Information Awards will be presented during
the MCA Information Awards Dinner during CY26. The exact date and
coordinating instructions will be announced at a later date to the
award winners.
9. Additional information, including access to the references can
be found at https://usmc.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/DCI/Awards/Site
Pages/MCA_INFO_Award.aspx.
10. This MARADMIN is applicable to the Marine Corps Total Force.
Ensure widest dissemination of this MARADMIN. Please direct all
questions to the POCs identified in this MARADMIN.
11. Release authorized by Lieutenant General M. G. Carter,
Headquarters Marine Corps, Deputy Commandant for Information.//