R 121705Z APR 11
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 230/11
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC AVN ASM//
SUBJ/AUTHORIZATION TO WEAR NAVAL AVIATION OBSERVER WINGS//
REF/A/MSGID:MARADMIN 091-11/-/081640ZFEB2011//
REF/B/MSGID:MCO P1000.6G/-/-//
NARR/REF A MARADMIN 091-11: AUTHORIZATION TO AWARD NAVAL AVIATION OBSERVER WINGS TO DIRECT AIR SUPPORT CENTER (AIRBORNE)QUALIFIED MARINES / REF B  IS MCO P1000.6G: ASSIGNMENT, CLASSIFICATION, AND TRAVEL SYSTEMS MANUAL (SHORT TITLE: ACTS MANUAL)//
POC/HAROLD.DOWLING/MAJ/UNIT:APX-23/-/TEL:703-693-0516/EMAIL:HAROLD.DOWLING@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  PURPOSE.  THE PURPOSE OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO FURTHER ENFORCE AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE NAVAL AVIATION OBSERVER DEVICE AS OUTLINED IN THE ACTS MANUAL MCO P1000.6G.
2.  BACKGROUND.  THE NAVAL AVIATION OBSERVER DEVICE IS INTENDED TO RECOGNIZE NON-AERONAUTICALLY DESIGNATED PERSONNEL PERFORMING CRITICAL AIRBORNE FUNCTIONS.  PREVIOUS POLICIES ESTABLISHED IN THE ABOVE REFERENCES HAVE RECENTLY GENERATED QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO THE ISSUANCE OF THE NAVAL AVIATION OBSERVER DEVICE.  ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE AND REQUIREMENTS ARE PROVIDED BELOW:
     A.  BE ASSIGNED TO DUTY INVOLVING FLIGHT FOR A MINIMUM OF SIX (6) MONTHS.
     B.  HAVE ACCUMULATED 100 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME DIRECTLY RELATED TO AIRBORNE SUPPORT CONTROL DUTY.
3.  AUTHORIZATION AUTHORITY RESIDES AT THE SQUADRON COMMANDER LEVEL.
4.  RETROACTIVE AUTHORIZATION OF THE NAVAL AVIATION OBSERVER INSIGNIA REQUIRES THE MARINE TO PRESENT SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION TO THE AWARDING AUTHORITY IOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS AND ARE NOT TO EXCEED THE CALENDAR YEAR 1975.  SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS ENTAIL THAT A MARINE HAD TO BE CERTIFIED BY A FLIGHT SURGEON AS BEING PHYSICALLY QUALIFIED AND AERONAUTICALLY ADAPTED FOR DUTY INVOLVING FLYING IN CONNECTION WITH INDICATED DUTIES AS OUTLINED IN MCO P1000.6G.  TWO TYPES OF PACKAGES FOR SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION ARE ACCEPTABLE WITH CORRESPONDING FLIGHT ORDERS: (1) COPIES OF NAVAL AIRCRAFT FLIGHT RECORDS (NAVFLIRS), OR (2) COPIES OF AIR MEDAL CITATIONS INDICATING NUMBER OF FLIGHTS AND HOURS.
5.  FOR THOSE MARINES ASSIGNED TO COMMANDS OUTSIDE OF A MARINE AIRCRAFT WING, ADJUDICATION AND AWARD AUTHORITY RESIDES WITH HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS AVIATION MANPOWER AND SUPPORT BRANCH (CMC WASHINGTON DC AVN ASM(UC).  OFFICIAL NAVAL CORRESPONDENCE REQUESTS WILL BE FORWARDED TO ASM VIA THE SQUADRON LEVEL COMMANDER.
6.  AIRBORNE AIR SUPPORT CONTROL OPERATIONS CONDUCTED IN A COMBAT ENVIRONMENT SHALL WARRANT SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE NAVAL AVIATION OBSERVER DEVICE.  ACCORDINGLY, REQUIREMENTS FOUND IN PARAGRAPH 2 MAY BE WAIVED BY MARINE AIR WING COMMANDING GENERALS FOR COMBAT PERFORMANCE ONLY.
7.  UPON AWARD, MARINES ARE REMINDED TO SUBMIT A COPY OF THE AWARDING CORRESPONDENCE TO CMC (MMSB) FOR INCLUSION IN THEIR OFFICIAL RECORD.  AUTHORITY TO WEAR THE NAVAL AVIATION OBSERVER INSIGNIA PRESCRIBED IN MCO P1020.34 IS AUTHORIZED UPON COMPLETION OF CERTIFICATION AND CONTINUES UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REVOKED BY THE CMC.
8.  THIS MARADMIN SUPERCEDES AND CANCELS MARADMIN 091/11.  MCO P1000.6G (ACTS MANUAL) WILL BE UPDATED AT NEXT REVIEW TO REFLECT THIS CHANGE.
9.  POLICY QUESTIONS CAN BE DIRECTED TO ASM AT TEL: COMM (703)614-1244/TEL: DSN 224-1244 OR THE POC LISTED ABOVE.
10. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY LTGEN TERRY ROBLING, DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR AVIATION.//