MARADMIN 077/25 - Commandant of the Marine Corps Delegation of Awarding Authority for Military Awards

Scope

MARADMIN 077/25 publishes the current delegation of awarding authority for military awards across the Marine Corps. The MARADMIN sets which grades of commanders approve which awards for non-combat and combat military decorations. CMC retains authority over Silver Star Medal and above, valor and combat awards to general officers, and retroactive Purple Heart and Combat Action Ribbon decisions past three years.

Audience

Awarding officials at every command level. Awards clerks and S-1 personnel preparing nominations in iAPS (improved Awards Processing System). Marine Corps Component Commanders requesting valor and combat awarding authority.

Non-combat awarding authority (delegated)

Listed by minimum commander grade required to sign.

• O-9 and above. Legion of Merit for retirement only. Legion of Merit with Remote Impact R device (L2). Distinguished Flying Cross (DX).
• O-7 and above. Meritorious Service Medal (MM). Meritorious Service Medal with Remote Impact R device (M2). Air Medal Individual Action (AF) for non-valor or non-combat heroism.
• O-6 and above. Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (NC). NC with Remote Impact R device (C2). Unit Certificate of Commendation (CT) for actions ending within the last three years.
• O-5 and above. Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (NA). NA with Remote Impact R device (N2). Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (MOVSM). Individual Certificate of Commendation (CF) for actions ending within the last three years.
• O-4 and above (Recruiting Station Commanding Officers and Director, Marine Corps Recruiters School). NA. CF for actions ending within the last three years.
• O-3 and above. Meritorious Mast (MT) for actions during tenure in command.

Campaign, Expeditionary, and Service medals or ribbons enter a Marine's record after the awarding authority recommends approval using official source documents and the eligibility rules in SECNAV M-1650.1.

Any General Officer holds authority to award the individual CF and MT to service members in grades E-1 to O-6.

Valor and combat awarding authority (delegated)

Marine Corps Component Commanders supporting operations in their AOR have valor and combat awarding authority. Sub-delegation rules.

• O-8 and above. Bronze Star Medal (BS). BS with V device (BV). Air Medal with V device (AH).
• O-7 and above. Air Medal with C device (A1). Air Medal Strike Flight (AS). NC with V device (CV). Combat Action Ribbon (CR).
• O-6 and above. NC with C device (C1). NA with C device (N1).

Marine Corps Component Commanders are authorized to award the Purple Heart (PH). Sub-delegation prohibited.

Retroactive PH and CR exceeding three years are authorized to Commander, MARFORCENT for actions or wounds from 11 September 2001 to 30 August 2021, and to Commander, MARFORSOC for actions or wounds from 19 April 2007 to 30 August 2021.

Authority retained by CMC or higher

• Valor awards of the Silver Star Medal and above.
• Distinguished Flying Cross with C device (D1).
• Valor or combat awards to General and Flag Officers.
• Retroactive PH past three years (except as noted above) and retroactive mTBI cases prior to 15 April 2011.
• Retroactive CR past three years (except as noted above).
• Valor or combat awards outside the published time limits or for operations not listed in SECNAV M-1650.1.
• Valor or combat awards for foreign military service members.
• Legion of Merit with C device (L1) (except retirement only by an O-9 Component Commander).

Awards to foreign military personnel

SECNAV has delegated CMC authority to approve NC and NA for foreign military personnel. NC is limited to O-6 equivalent and below. NA is limited to O-4 equivalent and below. CMC retains approval authority. Submission processes and procedures do not change.

Letter of Appreciation and Certificate of Appreciation

LA is issued by a commissioned officer or GS-11 senior in rank or billet for contributions below the level of an MT or CF. Service members in grades E-1 to O-6 are eligible. CE covers commendatory correspondence outside other Marine Corps Specific Recognition categories. iAPS allows entry by any user when the end of the meritorious period is within the past three years. Outside three years routes to MMPB-3.

Awarding authority policy

• Frocked commanders are eligible for awarding authority commensurate with the grade to which selected. The frocking letter goes to CMC MMPB-3 for the iAPS permission grant.
• No commander exercising delegated awarding authority is authorized to sub-delegate further except as listed for valor and combat awards.
• Assumption of Command (AoC) letter or directive routes to CMC MMMA with full name, rank, EDIPI, Unit Name, and iAPS Unit Identification Code (UIC). Email the AoC PDF to MMPB-3 after the commander is joined to the iAPS UIC.
• Acting commanders receive awarding authority commensurate with their own grade and the awarding-authority grade limits in this MARADMIN. Acting permissions in iAPS only land when the appointed commander absence exceeds 30 days.

Connection to higher policy

• SECNAV M-1650.1. Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual. Supplies the eligibility rules, listed operations, and time limits this delegation applies. Cited throughout the message.
• SECNAVINST 1650.1J. Department of the Navy Military Awards Policy. The DoN policy layer above this delegation. Portal awards pages cite it alongside this MARADMIN.
• SECNAV delegation to CMC covers NC and NA approval for foreign military personnel, as restated in this message.

Connection to Marine Corps doctrine and lower policy

• MCO 1650.19J. Administrative and Issue Procedures for Decorations, Medals, and Awards. The Marine Corps procedural manual portal awards pages pair with this delegation.
• MARADMIN 093/25. Military Awards Guidance for PCS Season. The companion processing message in the portal registry.
• iAPS. System of record for nominations and for awarding-authority permission grants under this delegation.
• Portal admin awards pages, covering nomination preparation, the awards board process, verification of awards, and HQMC APS submission, cite this MARADMIN.

Status

Active. Cancels MARADMIN 074/21. Released by MajGen Ryan S. Rideout, Director, Manpower Management Division.