R 051726Z FEB 09
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 0074/09
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MM//
SUBJ/CLARIFICATION ON POLICY FOR OTHER U. S. ARMED SERVICE AWARDS FOR COMBAT AREA SERVICE//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/SECNAV/22AUG2006//
REF/B/MSGID:GENADMIN/CMC MMMA/062224ZAUG2008//
NARR/REF A IS SECNAVINST 1650.1H, NAVY AND MARINE CORPS AWARDS MANUAL.  REF B IS CMC MSG TO MARCENT, MARSOC, AND MARFORPAC PROVIDING CLARIFICATION ON AUTHORIZATION FOR OTHER SERVICE AWARDS.//
POC/N. W. MULL/CAPT/CMC WASHINGTON DC MMMA/LOC:HQMC
/TEL:(703) 784-9342/TEL:DSN 278-9342/EMAIL:NICHOLAS.MULL@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  THE PURPOSE OF THIS MARADMIN IS TO PROVIDE CLARIFICATION ON ELIGIBILITY FOR MARINES TO ACCEPT PERSONAL AWARDS FROM OTHER U.S. ARMED SERVICES WHEN TEMPORARILY ASSIGNED TO ANOTHER SERVICE COMMAND IN SUPPORT OF COMBAT OPERATIONS, AS WELL AS ELIGIBILITY FOR PERSONNEL FROM OTHER U.S. ARMED SERVICES TO BE PRESENTED DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY (DON) AWARDS WHEN TEMPORARILY ASSIGNED TO A MARINE CORPS COMMAND IN SUPPORT OF COMBAT OPERATIONS.
2.  AWARDS FROM OTHER SERVICES TO MARINES.  WITH THE EXCEPTION OF JOINT AWARDS FOR MARINES FILLING JOINT BILLETS, MARINES ARE PRIMARILY RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR MERITORIOUS PERFORMANCE OR HEROISM THROUGH DON AWARDS.  THERE ARE ONLY LIMITED OCCASIONS WHEN A MARINE IS AUTHORIZED TO RECEIVE A PERSONAL AWARD FROM ANOTHER SERVICE AS SPECIFIED IN ARTICLE 114 OF REFERENCE A.  THE MARINE CORPS' EXTENSIVE INVOLVEMENT IN OPERATIONS ENDURING FREEDOM AND IRAQI FREEDOM HAS FREQUENTLY RESULTED IN SITUATIONS WHERE MARINE CORPS UNITS OF VARYING SIZES HAVE BEEN TACTICALLY INTEGRATED INTO TASK FORCES LED BY SERVICE COMMANDERS OTHER THAN MARINE CORPS OR NAVY. WHEN THESE SITUATIONS HAVE INVOLVED SMALLER MARINE CORPS UNITS, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME INSTANCES OF MISINTERPRETATION OF THE POLICY OUTLINED IN ARTICLE 114 OF REFERENCE A PERTAINING TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF ARMY AND AIR FORCE PERSONAL AWARDS BY INDIVIDUAL MARINES.  THE RESULT OF THIS MISINTERPRETATION HAS BEEN THAT SOME MARINES HAVE RECEIVED PERSONAL AWARDS FROM THE ARMY THAT WERE NOT AUTHORIZED UNDER THE CRITERIA OUTLINED IN REFERENCE A.  UPON RECOGNITION OF THIS SITUATION, CMC (MMMA) RELEASED REFERENCE B TO ENSURE COMMANDERS OF THE MARFORS WERE AWARE OF THE CORRECT INTERPRETATION OF REFERENCE A.  THIS MARADMIN IS INTENDED TO ENSURE ALL COMMANDERS ACROSS THE MARINE CORPS ARE AWARE OF THE POLICY FOR AWARDS FROM OTHER SERVICES TO MARINES.  THIS POLICY ALSO APPLIES TO PERSONAL AWARDS FOR SAILORS ASSIGNED TO MARINE CORPS UNITS.
A.  AS STATED IN REFERENCE B, INDIVIDUAL MARINES AND SAILORS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF MARINE CORPS UNITS ASSIGNED TEMPORARILY UNDER THE CONTROL OF ANOTHER U.S. ARMED SERVICE COMMAND OR A JOINT TASK FORCE (JTF) IN A COMBAT AREA (E.G., OPCON OR TACON) ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR EITHER PERSONAL AWARDS FROM THE OTHER SERVICE OR FOR JOINT PERSONAL AWARDS, REGARDLESS OF THE DURATION OF THE OPCON/TACON PERIOD. THEY ARE ONLY ELIGIBLE FOR DON PERSONAL AWARDS ORIGINATED, ENDORSED, AND APPROVED THROUGH THE UNIT'S MARINE CORPS CHAIN OF COMMAND.  THIS GUIDANCE APPLIES TO ALL PERSONAL AWARDS INCLUDING THE PURPLE HEART MEDAL AND THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON.  IT ALSO APPLIES TO ALL MARINE UNITS DOWN TO DETACHMENT AND TEAM LEVEL, INCLUDING TASK ORGANIZED OR COMPOSITE UNITS SPECIFICALLY TAILORED FOR THE ASSIGNED MISSION.
B.  WHILE ARTICLE 114 OF REFERENCE A DOES ALLOW DON PERSONNEL TEMPORARILY ASSIGNED TO ANOTHER SERVICE IN SUPPORT OF COMBAT OPERATIONS TO ACCEPT ACHIEVEMENT AND COMMENDATION MEDALS (WITHOUT COMBAT 'V') FROM THE OTHER SERVICE WITHOUT CONCURRENCE, AND TO ACCEPT HIGHER AWARDS AND PERSONAL AWARDS WITH COMBAT 'V' AFTER CONCURRENCE FROM DON, THIS ELIGIBILITY APPLIES SOLELY TO MARINES AND SAILORS ASSIGNED TO THE OTHER SERVICE COMMAND AS INDIVIDUALS. IT DOES NOT APPLY TO MARINES WHO ARE MEMBERS OF A MARINE UNIT OPERATING UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE OTHER SERVICE COMMANDER.  THIS AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS WAS INTENDED TO ALLOW AUTHORITY FOR THE COMMANDER OF THE OTHER SERVICE COMMAND OR JTF TO PROPERLY RECOGNIZE THOSE INDIVIDUAL MARINES AND SAILORS WHO DEPLOYED TO THE COMBAT AREA TO FILL INDIVIDUAL AUGMENTEE (IA) BILLETS IN THE OTHER SERVICE COMMAND OR IN BILLETS IN A JTF HEADQUARTERS NOT ON THE JOINT MANNING DOCUMENT (JMD). THESE TEMPORARY INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENTS ARE NORMALLY EXPECTED TO BE FROM 6 TO 12 MONTHS IN DURATION.  IAW REF A, MARINES SERVING WITH NAVY COMMANDS AND SAILORS SERVING WITH MARINE COMMANDS ARE ELIGIBLE TO ACCEPT AND RETAIN ALL LEVELS OF DON AWARDS WITHOUT PARENT SERVICE CONCURRENCE.
C.  IN THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE THE COMMANDER OF ANOTHER SERVICE COMMAND OR JTF DESIRES TO INITIATE A RECOMMENDATION FOR A PERSONAL AWARD ON AN INDIVIDUAL MARINE WHOSE MARINE UNIT IS TEMPORARILY ASSIGNED UNDER THEIR CONTROL, THE COMMANDER SHOULD FORWARD THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE MARINE UNIT COMMANDER OR OFFICER-IN-CHARGE (OIC) FOR CONSIDERATION FOR A DON PERSONAL AWARD PROCESSED THROUGH THE MARINE CORPS CHAIN OF COMMAND.
D.  IN THOSE CASES WHERE A MARINE RECEIVED A PERSONAL AWARD FROM ANOTHER SERVICE OUTSIDE THE AUTHORIZED CIRCUMSTANCES OUTLINED IN ARTICLE 114 OF REFERENCE A AND PARAGRAPH 2E OF THIS MESSAGE, THE MARINE IS NOT AUTHORIZED TO RETAIN OR WEAR THE AWARD.  THE MARINE'S COMMANDER MUST RETURN THE AWARD AND CITATION/CERTIFICATE TO THE OTHER SERVICE APPROVAL AUTHORITY UNDER A COVER LETTER REQUESTING THAT THE AWARD BE RESCINDED IAW WITH REFERENCE A AND EXPLAINING THAT THE MARINE COMMANDER WILL CONSIDER AN APPROPRIATE DON AWARD. IF THE AWARD WAS PREVIOUSLY ENTERED INTO THE MARINE'S MCTFS AND OMPF, THE MARINE COMMAND SHALL PROVIDE A COPY OF THE COVER LETTER AND AWARD TO CMC (MMMA-2) SO PROPER ACTIONS CAN BE TAKEN TO REMOVE THE AWARD FROM THE MARINE'S OMPF AND DELETE UNIT DIARY (MCTFS) ENTRIES FOR THE UNAUTHORIZED AWARD. MARINES WHOSE AWARD FROM ANOTHER SERVICE HAS BEEN RESCINDED SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO COORDINATE WITH THEIR OIC DURING THE PERIOD OF SERVICE FOR WHICH THE MARINE RECEIVED THE OTHER SERVICE AWARD, SO THAT OIC CAN DETERMINE WHETHER THERE IS SUFFICIENT JUSTIFICATION TO ORIGINATE A DON PERSONAL AWARD RECOMMENDATION THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE MARINE CORPS CHAIN OF COMMAND.  
E.  DUE TO THE UNIQUE CHAIN OF COMMAND FOR THE MARINE CORPS EMBEDDED TRAINING TEAMS (ETT) IN AFGHANISTAN, AUTHORIZATION HAS BEEN GRANTED TO ALLOW ACCEPTANCE OF CERTAIN ARMY AWARDS PRESENTED TO THESE MARINES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CRITERIA OUTLINED IN THIS PARAGRAPH. (NOTE THAT THIS AUTHORIZATION APPLIES ONLY TO THE MARINE ETT MEMBERS IN AFGHANISTAN AND DOES NOT EXTEND TO MARINES ASSIGNED TO THE TRANSITION TEAMS IN IRAQ OR TO ANY OTHER MARINE CORPS UNITS OPERATING IN IRAQ OR AFGHANISTAN.)
(1) THOSE ARMY ACHIEVEMENT AND COMMENDATION MEDALS (WITHOUT "V") APPROVED FOR MARINES ASSIGNED AS ETT MEMBERS IN AFGHANISTAN PRIOR TO 1 JAN 09 ARE AUTHORIZED TO BE ACCEPTED AND RETAINED.  ADDITIONALLY, HIGHER LEVEL AWARDS AND ALL AWARDS WITH 'V' APPROVED PRIOR TO 1 JAN 09 FOR THE MARINES ASSIGNED AS ETT MEMBERS IN AFGHANISTAN THAT PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED CONCURRENCE FROM COMMANDER, MARCENT ARE AUTHORIZED TO BE ACCEPTED AND RETAINED.  TO ENSURE CONSISTENT AND APPROPRIATE APPLICATION OF THIS AUTHORIZATION, COMMANDS ARE REQUIRED TO FORWARD ALL SUCH AWARDS TO CMC (MMMA-2).  CMC (MMMA-2) WILL MAKE FINAL DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY, AS WELL AS MAKE ALL APPROPRIATE UNIT DIARY (MCTFS) ENTRIES AND SUBMISSION OF ELIGIBLE AWARDS TO CMC (MMSB) FOR INCLUSION IN THE MARINE'S OMPF.  LOCAL ADMIN CENTERS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO MAKE UNIT DIARY (MCTFS) ENTRIES FOR THESE AWARDS. ALL SUCH AWARDS PREVIOUSLY ENTERED IN MCTFS OR SUBMITTED TO CMC (MMSB) FOR INCLUSION IN THE OMPF SHALL ALSO BE SUBMITTED TO CMC (MMMA-2) FOR VERIFICATION OF PROPER MCTFS ENTRIES AND AUTHORIZATION IAW THIS MSG.
(2) THOSE HIGHER LEVEL AWARDS AND AWARDS WITHOUT 'V' APPROVED FOR MARINES ASSIGNED AS ETT MEMBERS IN AFGHANISTAN PRIOR TO 1 JAN 09 THAT DO NOT YET HAVE SERVICE CONCURRENCE MUST BE FORWARDED TO COMMANDER, MARCENT TO OBTAIN SERVICE CONCURRENCE PRIOR TO BEING AUTHORIZED FOR ACCEPTANCE AND RETENTION.  COMMANDER, MARCENT IS DIRECTED TO PROVIDE A COPY OF ALL AWARD CONCURRENCES TO CMC (MMMA-2) FOR ENTRY INTO MCTFS AND SUBMISSION TO THE MARINE'S OMPF.
(3) ALL ARMY AWARDS APPROVED FOR MARINES ASSIGNED AS MARINE ETT MEMBERS IN AFGHANISTAN ON OR AFTER 1 JAN 09, REGARDLESS OF LEVEL OF AWARD, MUST BE RESCINDED IAW PAR 2D. IF WARRANTED, NEW DON AWARDS MAY BE SUBMITTED BY THE MARINE CHAIN OF COMMAND AS OUTLINED IN PARAGRAPH 2D.
F.  THIS MESSAGE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A CHANGE TO REGULATIONS, BUT INSTEAD SERVES AS CLARIFICATION OF EXISTING REGULATIONS.  THEREFORE, CASE-BY-CASE EXCEPTIONS NOT MEETING THE CRITERIA STATED IN PAR 2E OF THIS MESSAGE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED ON THE GROUNDS OF PREVIOUS MISINTERPRETATIONS OF ARTICLE 114 OF REFERENCE A.
G.  MARINE UNIT COMMANDERS AND OIC'S OF MARINE UNITS/DETACHMENTS ASSIGNED TEMPORARILY UNDER THE CONTROL OF ANOTHER SERVICE COMMAND OR A JTF IN A COMBAT AREA SHOULD PROVIDE A COPY OF THIS MARADMIN TO THE
G-1/J-1 OF THE RESPECTIVE COMMAND IN ORDER TO CLARIFY MARINE CORPS POLICY ON PERSONAL AWARDS FROM OTHER SERVICES TO MARINES AND SAILORS UNDER THESE TYPES OF COMMAND RELATIONSHIPS.  REQUESTS FROM OTHER SERVICES FOR AUTHORITY TO PRESENT AWARDS TO MARINES SERVING IN INDIVIDUAL TEMPORARY COMBAT ASSIGNMENTS LESS THAN SIX MONTHS DURATION MUST BE APPROVED IN ADVANCE BY CMC (MMMA) VIA MARCENT OR MARSOC AS APPROPRIATE.
3.  DON AWARDS TO OTHER SERVICE PERSONNEL.  MARINE COMMANDERS WHO DESIRE TO RECOMMEND PERSONAL AWARDS ON INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF UNITS FROM ANOTHER SERVICE THAT ARE TEMPORARILY ASSIGNED UNDER THEIR CONTROL IN THE COMBAT AREA SHOULD PROVIDE THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE COMMANDER OR OIC OF THAT MEMBER'S UNIT FOR CONSIDERATION FOR A PERSONAL AWARD FROM THE PARENT SERVICE.
A.  INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF OTHER SERVICES WHO ARE TEMPORARILY ASSIGNED TO IA BILLETS IN A MARINE CORPS COMMAND IN A COMBAT AREA FOR PERIODS OF SIX MONTHS OR MORE ARE ELIGIBLE FOR DON PERSONAL AWARDS IAW ARTICLE 114 OF REFERENCE A.  MARINE COMMANDERS ARE REMINDED THAT APPROVAL AUTHORITY FOR DON AWARDS ON PERSONNEL FROM OTHER SERVICES UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IS RETAINED BY THE CMC AND HAS NOT BEEN DELEGATED TO SUBORDINATE MARINE COMMANDERS. 
B.  REQUESTS FROM MARINE COMMANDERS FOR AUTHORITY TO ORIGINATE DON AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PERSONNEL FROM OTHER SERVICES IN TEMPORARY COMBAT IA BILLETS LESS THAN SIX MONTHS DURATION MUST BE REQUESTED IN ADVANCE THROUGH CMC (MMMA) VIA MARCENT OR MARSOC AS APPROPRIATE FOR APPROVAL BY THE RESPECTIVE SERVICE HEADQUARTERS.
4.  ANY QUESTIONS ON THE GUIDANCE CONTAINED IN THIS MARADMIN SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE POC LISTED ABOVE.
5.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY BGEN J. A. KESSLER, DIRECTOR, MANPOWER MANAGEMENT DIVISION.//