R 231442Z JUL 12
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 392/12
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MM//
SUBJ/EXPEDITING COMBAT AWARDS FOR VALOR//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/SECNAV/22OCT2006//
AMPN/REF A IS SECNAVINST 1650.1H, NAVY AND MARINE CORPS AWARDS MANUAL.//
POC/S. K. VANCE/CAPT/HQMC MMMA/-/TEL:703-784-9342 /EMAIL:SUSAN.KOZA@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  AS STATED IN THE REF, TIMELY AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ESSENTIAL TO A SUCCESSFUL AWARDS PROGRAM.  FOR COMBAT AWARDS FOR VALOR, COMMANDERS MUST MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO ENSURE THAT DESERVING MARINES AND SAILORS ARE RECOGNIZED WITH THE APPROPRIATE AWARD IN AS SHORT A PERIOD AS POSSIBLE AFTER THEIR VALOROUS ACTIONS.  MARINE LEADERS MUST BALANCE TIMELY AWARD ORIGINATION AND PROCESSING WITH THE REQUIREMENT TO PROPERLY INVESTIGATE AND SUFFICIENTLY DOCUMENT THE FACTS OF THE VALOROUS ACTION IN ORDER TO ALLOW PROPER EVALUATION AND DECISION BY THE DESIGNATED APPROVAL AUTHORITY. THIS MARADMIN PROVIDES GUIDANCE ON HOW MARINE LEADERS WILL ACHIEVE THAT BALANCE.
2.  THIS MARADMIN ANNOUNCES NEW ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS FOR ORIGINATION AND ENDORSEMENT OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COMBAT AWARDS FOR VALOR THAT WILL REDUCE THE OVERALL TIME BETWEEN A MARINE'S OR SAILOR'S VALOROUS ACTION IN COMBAT AND THE APPROVAL OF THE APPROPRIATE AWARD.  THESE REQUIREMENTS APPLY TO ALL FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AWARDS OF THE AIR MEDAL (INDIVIDUAL ACTION WITH COMBAT 'V') AND HIGHER AWARDS THAT ARE BASED ON HEROISM IN DIRECT COMBAT ACTION WITH THE ENEMY. WHILE PROCESSING TIMES FOR ALL VALOR AWARDS WILL BE REDUCED, THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THESE REQUIREMENTS IS TO ALLOW SILVER STAR AND NAVY CROSS RECOMMENDATIONS TO REACH HQMC IN LESS THAN 6 MONTHS FROM THE DATE OF ACTION.
3.  EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, ORIGINATORS AND ENDORSING COMMANDERS WILL ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING TIMELINES AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COMBAT AWARDS FOR VALOR:
A.  ORIGINATION.  AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER AN OFFICER IS MADE AWARE OF A MARINE'S OR SAILOR'S VALOROUS ACTION WARRANTING RECOGNITION WITH A VALOR AWARD, BUT NO LATER THAN 45 DAYS, A COMPLETE AND PROPERLY DOCUMENTED AWARD RECOMMENDATION MUST BE SUBMITTED IN IAPS TO THE NEXT COMMANDER IN THE REPORTING CHAIN.
(1) IN CASES WHERE CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND THE ORIGINATOR'S CONTROL (E.G., MEDICAL EVACUATION OF EYEWITNESSES) DO NOT ALLOW THE ORIGINATOR TO MEET THE 45 DAY TIMELINE, THE ORIGINATOR IS REQUIRED TO MAKE AN ENTRY IN 'HISTORY AND COMMENTS' IN IAPS EXPLAINING THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT DELAYED ORIGINATION OF THE AWARD RECOMMENDATION.
(2) CMC (MMMA) HAS DEVELOPED TWO TOOLS TO ASSIST ORIGINATORS IN DRAFTING COMPLETE AND EFFECTIVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR VALOR AWARDS WITHIN THIS TIMELINE.  THE FIRST IS A LIST OF 'RECOMMENDED STEPS FOR ORIGINATING VALOR AWARDS' TO HELP ORIGINATORS CREATE COMPLETE AND EFFECTIVE AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE IMPROVED AWARDS PROCESSING SYSTEM (IAPS). THE SECOND IS A LIST OF 'COMMON MISTAKES IN VALOR AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS' THAT WILL ENSURE ORIGINATORS, AS WELL AS ENDORSERS, HAVE THOROUGHLY REVIEWED THE RECOMMENDATION TO AVOID COMMON ERRORS AND OMISSIONS THAT ALL TOO FREQUENTLY DELAY TIMELY PROCESSING OF VALOR AWARDS.  THESE TOOLS CAN BE FOUND  BOTH ON THE IAPS SPLASH PAGE AND ON THE CMC(MMMA) WEBPAGE WHICH CAN BE REACHED BY GOING TO  WWW.MANPOWER.USMC.MIL  AND SELECTING 'AWARDS' UNDER 'TOP REQUESTS'.
(3) PRIOR TO COMPLETING THE AWARD ORIGINATION PROCESS IN IAPS, THE ORIGINATOR MUST REVIEW THE AWARD RECOMMENDATION AGAINST THE 'COMMON MISTAKES IN VALOR AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS' ON THE CMC(MMMA) WEBPAGE AND MAKE AN ENTRY IN IAPS 'HISTORY AND COMMENTS' STATING THAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS ADMINISTRATIVELY COMPLETE.
B.  ENDORSEMENT.  AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER RECEIVING AN AWARD RECOMMENDATION FOR VALOR IN IAPS FROM THE ORIGINATOR OR A JUNIOR ENDORSING COMMANDER, BUT NO LATER THAN 21 DAYS, THE ENDORSING COMMANDER MUST TAKE ONE OF THE TWO FOLLOWING ACTIONS: ENDORSE THE AWARD RECOMMENDATION IAW THE REF AND FORWARD IT IN IAPS TO THE NEXT SENIOR ENDORSING COMMANDER OR APPROVAL AUTHORITY; OR RETURN THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE ORIGINATOR OR PRIOR ENDORSING COMMANDER FOR CORRECTION OF DISCREPANCIES IN THE AWARD DOCUMENTATION. THE ENDORSING COMMANDER MUST LIST THE DISCREPANCIES REQUIRING CORRECTION IN IAPS 'HISTORY AND COMMENTS.'
(1) IF UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES DO NOT ALLOW THE ENDORSING COMMANDER TO MEET THIS TIMELINE, THE COMMANDER MUST CITE THE REASON FOR THE DELAY IN IAPS 'HISTORY AND COMMENTS.
(2) PRIOR TO ENDORSING AND FORWARDING, OR APPROVING, A RECOMMENDATION FOR A VALOR AWARD, THE COMMANDER MUST REVIEW THE AWARD RECOMMENDATION AGAINST THE LIST OF 'COMMON MISTAKES IN VALOR AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS' ON THE CMC(MMMA) WEBPAGE AND MAKE AN ENTRY IN IAPS 'HISTORY AND COMMENTS' STATING THAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS ADMINISTRATIVELY COMPLETE.
4.  AS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS MARADMIN, ALL FORCE COMMANDERS WITH DELEGATED COMBAT AWARD AUTHORITY ARE DIRECTED TO ESTABLISH A 'TIMELINESS TRACKING DATA BASE' FOR VALOR AWARDS (AIR MEDAL (INDIVIDUAL ACTION WITH COMBAT 'V') AND HIGHER) IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE INTENT OF THE TIMELINESS REQUIREMENTS ANNOUNCED IN THIS MARADMIN IS CARRIED OUT.   SIMPLY DOCUMENTING MULTIPLE REASONS FOR DELAYS IN IAPS WILL NOT BE GOOD ENOUGH.  MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS (MOE) REGARDING COMPLIANCE WILL BE TRACKED BY FORCE COMMANDERS AND THE IGMC WILL ADD THESE TIMELINESS REQUIREMENTS TO THE IGMC  AUTOMATED INSPECTION REPORTING SYSTEM (AIRS) CHECKLISTS.
5.  CMC (MMMA) IS COORDINATING WITH MANPOWER INFORMATION DIVISION (CMC (MI)) TO INCORPORATE ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENTS TO IAPS THAT WILL BETTER ASSIST THE ORIGINATOR AND ENDORSERS IN COMPLYING WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE REF AND THIS MARADMIN. THESE ENHANCEMENTS WILL INCORPORATE THE 'RECOMMENDED STEPS FOR ORIGINATING VALOR AWARDS' AND THE 'COMMON MISTAKES IN VALOR AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS', AS WELL ADDING POP-UPS AND REMINDERS OF REQUIRED ACTIONS BY ORIGINATORS AND ENDORSERS.  AN ONLINE VIDEO TUTORIAL IS ALSO PLANNED. THESE ENHANCEMENTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN A FUTURE MARADMIN.
6.  FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING THE REQUIREMENTS ANNOUNCED IN THIS MARADMIN AND UTILIZATION OF IAPS, UNIT AWARD ADMINISTRATORS SHOULD CONTACT THE PERSONAL AWARDS SECTION (CMC(MMMA-2)) AT COMM (703) 784-9342-9343 OR DSN 278.
7.  THIS MARADMIN IS APPLICABLE TO THE TOTAL FORCE MARINE CORPS.
8.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY MAJGEN A. SALINAS, DIRECTOR, MANPOWER MANAGEMENT DIVISION.//