MARADMIN 398/10 - Awards Update

Scope

MARADMIN 398/10 publishes an awards update for the Marine Corps. The message authorizes new unit awards in NAVMC 2922, announces Humanitarian Service Medal (HSM) approvals for three operations, and clarifies Department of the Navy personal awards routing for foreign military personnel. The message supersedes the previous awards update at MARADMIN 211/10 only for the specific entries it adds. Applicability is the Marine Corps Total Force. NAVMC 2922 ceased paper distribution at this release. ARD pushes quarterly updates to NAVMC 2922 online.

Audience

• Commanders endorsing unit award recommendations. Apply the new NAVMC 2922 entries and the HSM eligibility criteria.
• Adjutants and S-1 staff (0102, 0111). Process IAPS submissions for personal awards involving foreign military personnel. Record HSM entitlement on the unit diary into MCTFS. Update the CAR-HSM database posted on the MMMA website.
• Marines deployed to the listed JMUA-eligible joint headquarters with official orders. Match the period of assignment against the eligibility window.
• Marines with direct participation in the three HSM-approved relief operations. Physical presence inside the defined area and direct contribution required.
• HQMC MMMA-2. Receives approved HSM eligibility submissions for record purposes.
• CDR USSOUTHCOM and CDR USPACOM. Route additional HSM eligibility determinations through their chain.
• CDR MARFORCENT. Sub-delegated approval authority for Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat V and lesser awards for foreign military personnel in support of OEF and OIF.

Unit awards authorized

• Joint Meritorious Unit Award (JMUA). HQ Multi-National Security Transition Command Iraq, Baghdad IZ, 2008-05-01 to 2009-04-30. HQ MNSTC-Iraq, 2009-05-01 to 2009-12-31. HQ Multi-National Corps Iraq, 2009-04-05 to 2009-12-31. US Central Command Deployment and Distribution Operation Center, Camp Arifjan Kuwait, 2008-07-02 to 2009-09-30. HQ Gulf Region Division, Baghdad Iraq, 2009-01-01 to 2009-10-23. HQ Multi-National Force Iraq, 2008-12-17 to 2009-12-31.
• JMUA limit. Awarded to the headquarters only. Service units and individuals deployed in support of a JTF without official orders to the JTF are not eligible.
• Meritorious Unit Commendation. 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, 2008-01-11 to 2008-11-15. Modification to MARADMIN 211/10 adds MWSS-271 in place of MWSS-27.
• CMC Certificate of Commendation. MCAS New River, North Carolina, 2006-07-01 to 2008-12-31.

Humanitarian Service Medal approvals

• Unified Response. Haiti Earthquake, 41 mile radius of Port-au-Prince, 2010-01-13 to 2010-02-04.
• Pacific Wave. American Samoa Earthquake and Tsunami (JTF-Homeland Defense), 2009-09-29 to 2009-10-10.
• Assistance and Disaster Relief. Chile Earthquake, cities of Angol, Santiago, and Talcahuano, 2010-03-06 to 2010-03-29.

Eligibility requires physical presence in the immediate area of operations and direct contribution to the relief effort. Deployment to the area alone does not establish entitlement. Marines approved for HSM under Unified Response sit in the CAR-HSM database. Additional eligibility submissions route through the chain of command to USSOUTHCOM or USPACOM as applicable, then to HQMC MMMA-2 for record and MCTFS unit diary entry.

DON personal awards for foreign military personnel

• Awarding authority. Secretary of the Navy holds final approval for all personal awards to foreign military personnel.
• Routing. Submit through the chain of command via Improved Awards Processing System (IAPS) to SECNAV.
• Delegation. SECNAV delegated the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat V (CV) and lesser awards for foreign military personnel in direct support of OEF and OIF to the CMC. CMC sub-delegated to CDR MARFORCENT. Delegation is retroactive to recommendations after 2008-02-01. Delegation runs until the end of OIF, the end of OEF, or rescission in writing by SECNAV, whichever occurs first.
• Background checks. NCIS Code 22 (themmer@ncis.navy.mil, 202-433-9165), DIA Military Awards Office (dia_awards@dia.mil, 202-231-3350), and US Chief of Mission and Defense Attache at the recipient nation. Required by NAVMC 2922 and DOD 1348.33M.
• Foreign military personnel permanently assigned to a US Navy or Marine Corps command on official orders are exempt from the background check requirement if the checks were completed before assignment and are included in the orders.

Action items

1. Confirm NAVMC 2922 entries reflect the JMUAs, MUC, and CMC Certificate of Commendation listed above.
2. Submit individual HSM entitlement records through MCTFS unit diary and update the CAR-HSM database under the MMMA website Verification of Awards tab.
3. Route any personal award nomination for foreign military personnel through IAPS to MMMA. Attach background check confirmation or orders showing the prior check.
4. Pull NAVMC 2922 from www.usmc.mil for the current quarterly version. Paper distribution stopped.

Connection to higher policy

• DOD 1348.33M. Manual of Military Decorations and Awards, 1996-08-13.
• SECNAVINST 1650.1H. Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual, 2006-08-22.

Connection to Marine Corps doctrine

• NAVMC 2922. Marine Corps Unit Awards Manual. Holds the canonical list of awarded units.
• MARADMIN 211/10. Prior awards update. The MWSS-271 entry modifies the MUC line in 211/10.
• CMC MMMA delegation message dated 2009-09-16. Source of the foreign military personnel delegation chain.
• IGMC FAC for awards. Inspection program drawing evidence on awards processing.

Status

Released 2010-07-19, DTG R 161029Z JUL 10. Originator CMC Washington DC MRA MM. Release authorized by Major General A. Salinas, Director, Manpower Management Division. Applicability is the Marine Corps Total Force. Modifies entries in MARADMIN 211/10 (MWSS-271 substitution). The CV foreign military personnel delegation in paragraph 4 sunset with the end of OIF and OEF. Verify current foreign military awards delegation against SECNAVINST 1650.1H and any successor SECNAV memo before applying.