R 140731Z MAR 06
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)
TO AL MARADMIN(UC)
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 118/06
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MM//
SUBJ/COORDINATING INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE RETROACTIVE AWARDING OF THE
/COMBAT ACTION RIBBON (CAR)//
REF/A/MSGID:MSG/CMC MM/240022ZFEB2006//
REF/B/MSGID:DOC/SECNAV/07JAN2002//
NARR/REF A IS ALMAR 010/06, CLARIFICATION OF COMBAT ACTION RIBBON
(CAR) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA. REF B IS SECNAVINST 1650.1G, NAVY AND
MARINE CORPS AWARDS MANUAL.//
POC/M. K. SCHON/1STLT/CMC MMMA-2/-/TEL:703-784-9342
/EMAIL:MELINDA.SCHON@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MARADMIN IS TO ESTABLISH THE
PROCESS TO BE FOLLOWED FOR RETROACTIVE CAR RECOMMENDATIONS.
2. PER REF A, CMC PROVIDED CLARIFICATION OF THE CAR ELIGIBILITY
CRITERIA OUTLINED IN REF B. THIS GUIDANCE, WHICH STATES THAT
MARINES WHO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS DURING EXPOSURE TO THE
DETONATION OF AN IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE (IED) MEET THE CAR
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, WAS EFFECTIVE UPON PUBLICATION OF REF A
AND IS RETROACTIVE TO 7 OCTOBER 2001.
3. AS THE MARINE COMPONENT COMMANDER FOR OPERATIONS ENDURING
FREEDOM AND IRAQI FREEDOM, U.S. MARINE CORPS FORCES, CENTRAL COMMAND
(MARCENT) IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING THE RETROACTIVE CAR
PROCESS FOR MARINES DEPLOYED SINCE 7 OCTOBER 2001. TO FACILITATE
THIS PROCESS, MARCENT MAY DELEGATE RETROACTIVE CAR AWARDING
AUTHORITY TO MAJOR SUBORDINATE COMMAND (MSC) COMMANDERS WHO OPERATED
IN THE AOR. THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, STRICT ADHERENCE TO REF A AND
THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS CONTAINED IN PARAGRAPH 230.14 OF REF B
IS REQUIRED.
4. THE ADJUDICATION OF RETROACTIVE CAR CASES WILL BE CONDUCTED IN
THREE PHASES:
A. PHASE I. MARCENT SHALL ENSURE THAT A REVIEW OF ALL CAR
RECOMMENDATIONS PREVIOUSLY DISAPPROVED BY MSC COMMANDERS IS
CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY. THIS REVIEW PROCESS SHOULD BE
COMPLETED BY 31 MAY 2006.
(1) THERE ARE CURRENTLY 194 CAR RECOMMENDATIONS (WHICH MAY CONTAIN A
ROSTER OF ELIGIBLE PERSONNEL) THAT HAVE BEEN DISAPPROVED VIA THE
AWARDS PROCESSING SYSTEM (APS) SINCE 7 OCTOBER 2001. ADDITIONALLY,
MARCENT HAS DISAPPROVED NUMEROUS HARD-COPY CAR RECOMMENDATIONS
SUBMITTED BY NON-USMC COMMANDS (E.G., U.S. ARMY).
(2) ACCORDINGLY, THE MILITARY AWARDS BRANCH (MMMA) WILL PROVIDE
MARCENT A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS CONTAINED IN THE APS AND RETURN TO
MARCENT ALL HARD-COPY CASES NOT CURRENTLY HELD BY MARCENT. THE LIST
WILL INCLUDE THE MSC THAT MADE THE INITIAL DECISION. HARD-COPY
RECOMMENDATIONS PREVIOUSLY DECISIONED BY MARCENT ALSO REQUIRE A
REVIEW FOR ELIGIBILITY.
(A) IF THE LISTED MSC CURRENTLY HAS DELEGATED CAR AWARDING
AUTHORITY, MARCENT MAY FORWARD THE PREVIOUSLY DISAPPROVED
RECOMMENDATION TO THE INCUMBENT MSC COMMANDER FOR A SUBSEQUENT
DETERMINATION OF THE CAR. IF APPROVED, MARCENT SHALL NOTIFY MMMA IN
WRITING OF THIS DECISION. ACCORDINGLY, MMMA WILL TAKE CORRECTIVE
ACTION TO: (1) CHANGE THE APS TO REFLECT APPROVAL OF THE
RECOMMENDATION, (2) UPDATE THE CAR DATABASE TO REFLECT THE PERSONNEL
APPROVED, AND (3) MAKE THE APPROPRIATE ENTRIES INTO THE MARINE CORPS
TOTAL FORCE SYSTEM (MCTFS).
(B) IF THE LISTED MSC NO LONGER HAS DELEGATED CAR AWARDING
AUTHORITY, MARCENT MAY FORWARD THE PREVIOUSLY DISAPPROVED
RECOMMENDATION TO THE INCUMBENT MSC COMMANDER FOR A SUBSEQUENT
RECOMMENDATION OF THE CAR. IF THE COMMANDER BELIEVES THE CAR IS
WARRANTED, A RECOMMENDATION SHALL BE MADE AND FORWARDED TO MARCENT
FOR DETERMINATION. IF APPROVED BY MARCENT, MMMA SHALL BE NOTIFIED
IN WRITING OF THIS DECISION. ACCORDINGLY, MMMA WILL TAKE THE
AFOREMENTIONED ACTIONS.
(C) IF IT IS DETERMINED THAT THE CAR IS NOT WARRANTED, MARCENT SHALL
NOTIFY MMMA IN WRITING THAT THE PREVIOUS DECISION REMAINS UNCHANGED.
(D) MARCENT SHALL TAKE REQUIRED ACTION ON ALL PREVIOUSLY DISAPPROVED
CAR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ANY MSC NO LONGER IN EXISTENCE (E.G., TASK
FORCE TARAWA).
B. PHASE II. MARCENT SHALL ENSURE THAT CAR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
PERSONNEL EXPOSED TO IED DETONATIONS BETWEEN 7 OCTOBER 2001 AND THE
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF REF A ARE APPROPRIATELY CONSIDERED.
(1) EFFECTIVE 1 JUNE 2006, ANY COMMISSIONED OFFICER HAVING KNOWLEDGE
OF ANY ACT, ACHIEVEMENT OR SERVICE PERFORMED BY INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY
WARRANT THE CAR UNDER THE GUIDANCE CONTAINED IN REF A MAY INITIATE
AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE APS AND SUBMIT FOR APPROVAL VIA THE
FORMER MARINE CORPS OPERATIONAL CHAIN OF COMMAND IN WHICH CAR
ELIGIBILITY WAS MET.
(2) THESE RECOMMENDATIONS SHOULD BE INITIATED AND FORWARDED FOR
APPROVAL NLT 30 NOVEMBER 2006.
(3) AWARDING AUTHORITIES (E.G., MSC COMMANDERS) SHALL TAKE
APPROPRIATE ACTION ON EACH CAR RECOMMENDATION FORWARDED FOR
CONSIDERATION. ALL ACTION SHOULD BE COMPLETED NLT 31 DECEMBER 2006.
(4) FOR ALL APPROVED RECOMMENDATIONS, MMMA WILL TAKE APPROPRIATE
ACTION TO UPDATE THE CAR DATABASE AND MAKE THE APPROPRIATE ENTRIES
INTO MCTFS.
C. PHASE III. FORMER AND RETIRED MARINES (TO INCLUDE SAILORS
ATTACHED TO MARINE CORPS UNITS), OR THE NEXT OF KIN FOR DECEASED
VETERANS ARE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT REQUESTS FOR THE CAR.
(1) EFFECTIVE 1 JANUARY 2007, FORMER AND RETIRED MARINES (TO INCLUDE
SAILORS ATTACHED TO MARINE CORPS UNITS), OR THE NEXT OF KIN FOR
DECEASED VETERANS WHO FEEL THEY MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE CAR UNDER
THE GUIDANCE OUTLINED IN REF A MUST SUMMARIZE THEIR ACTIONS IN A
BRIEF SYNOPSIS. (NOTE: BEFORE SUBMITTING SUCH A REQUEST, THE CAR
DATABASE LOCATED AT THE MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS WEBSITE AT
WWW.MANPOWER.USMC.MIL, SHOULD BE CHECKED TO ENSURE ACTION HAS NOT
PREVIOUSLY BEEN COMPLETED ON THEIR BEHALF.) THIS SYNOPSIS MUST
INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
(A) THE NAME AND LOCATION OF THE OPERATION IN WHICH THEY
PARTICIPATED,
(B) A DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT IN WHICH THEY WERE EXPOSED TO AN IED
DETONATION,
(C) A DESCRIPTION OF HOW THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA WAS MET, AND
(D) A RETURN MAILING ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ADDRESS.
(2) REQUESTS MUST BE SUBMITTED VIA THE COMMANDING OFFICER UNDER
WHOSE COMMAND THEY SERVED DURING THE OPERATION (COMPANY LEVEL COMMAND
OR ABOVE) FOR CERTIFICATION THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED BY THE
PETITIONER ARE A TRUE AND ACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENTS THAT
TRANSPIRED. THE OFFICER ENDORSING THE REQUEST WILL THEN FORWARD THE
REQUEST WITH ENDORSEMENT TO:
HEADQUARTERS
U.S. MARINE CORPS FORCES, CENTRAL COMMAND
7115 SOUTH BOUNDARY BOULEVARD
MACDILL AFB, FL 33621-5101
(3) ONCE A DECISION HAS BEEN MADE, MARCENT SHALL FORWARD ITS
DETERMINATION TO THE INDIVIDUAL AT THE ADDRESS PROVIDED, AND A COPY
SHALL BE FORWARDED TO MMMA FOR APPROPRIATE ACTION AND INCLUSION IN
THE VETERAN'S OFFICIAL MILITARY PERSONNEL FILE (OMPF).
5. THE POINT OF CONTACT AT THIS HEADQUARTERS (MMMA) IS 1STLT M. K.
SCHON (MELINDA.SCHON@USMC.MIL) AT (703) 784-9342 (DSN 278). THE
POINTS OF CONTACT AT MARCENT ARE MSGT J. M. LIPTOK
(LIPTOKJM@MARCENT.USMC.MIL) OR SSGT LOPEZ (LOPEZM@MARCENT.USMC.MIL)
AT (813) 827-7031 (DSN 651).//