Citation and Certificate Mechanics

Two Citation Format Tiers

Per SECNAV M-1650.1SECNAV M-1650.1 Appendix 2E, citation format splits at the NC/NAM boundary.SECNAV M-1650.1 App 2E Get the tier wrong and the citation returns from the awarding authority before it ever reaches presentation.

The NAM and NC use the combination citation/certificate format. The MSM and above use a separate citation document.

The Two Authorized Closing Sentence Formats

Per the standard closing rule. Two formats, no mixing. Mixing produces a grammatically incorrect sentence.

Format 1, name first.

"Sergeant Watson's attribute, attribute, and dedication to duty reflected credit on him and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service."

Format 2, attributes first.

"By her attribute, attribute, and dedication to duty, Petty Officer Pidgeon reflected credit upon herself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service."

Service-Specific Closing Variations

The closing sentence tail adjusts to the recipient's service.

NAM and NC Use "Credit," Not "Great Credit"

A tier-specific phrasing rule embedded in the citation language.

• NAM and NC. "...reflected credit on him..." or "...reflected credit upon herself..."
• MSM and above. "...reflected great credit on him..." or "...reflected great credit upon herself..."

The single word "great" matters at the tier boundary. The awarding authority's office reads for it.

Pre-Routing Review Checklist

Before the citation routes, verify each item.

• Full name and middle initial verified for consistency across SOA, citation, and certificate.
• Action dates match between SOA and citation. End date is the last duty date or the day before terminal leave commencement.
• No abbreviations in the citation.
• No misspellings in the citation.
• All citation information is drawn from the SOA. No new facts in the citation that do not appear in the SOA.
• Tier-correct format applied (Table 17 or Table 20).
• One closing sentence format used consistently.
• Service-specific closing tail correct for the recipient.
• "Great credit" or "credit" matches the tier.
• Character limit respected (1250 for NAM/NC, 1670 for MSM and above).
• Line limit respected (8 lines for NAM/NC, 23 lines for MSM and above).
• No bold, italic, underline, classified, jargon, or abbreviations.

A citation routing past these checks lands at the awarding authority clean. A citation routing without the checks creates rework.

Certificate Production Rules

Per the MM+ Citation Template guidance and standard practice.

• The awarding authority who approved the award in IAPS must sign the certificate.
• Verify the produced certificate matches what was approved in IAPS before presentation. The award produced for signature must be the award approved.
• Verify gold star or silver star count in MCTFS or Navy Service Record before producing the certificate. The 5/16-inch silver star replaces five gold stars on the ribbon.
• Posthumous awards add "posthumously" after the medal name.
• Use the rank the recipient held during the meritorious period, regardless of approval date.
• Verify component on the certificate (USMC, USN, USMCR, USNR, etc.).
• Confirm the opening sentence matches the approved citation.

Date Format Rules

Date format on the citation depends on whether the award is impact or non-impact.

• Impact awards. Short period of time. Format as dd month year (e.g., "5 May 2024").
• Non-impact awards. Period of meritorious service. Format as month year only (e.g., "September 2022 to July 2024").

Mixing formats reads as a drafting error to the awarding authority's office.

Unit Naming Standard

Name units high enough to clearly identify the specific unit the recipient belonged to.

• "Assigned to 3d Battalion" is INADEQUATE. The Marine Corps has many 3d Battalions.
• "Assigned to 3d Battalion, 5th Marines" is ADEQUATE. There is only one 3d Battalion, 5th Marines.

Walk the unit name up the hierarchy until it disambiguates.

Once Presented, Only SECNAV Revokes

After the certificate is presented to the recipient, only the Secretary of the Navy can revoke the award. The unit cannot rescind. The chain cannot pull it back. Verify the production matches the IAPS approval before the ceremony, not after.

Common Citation and Certificate Failures

• Wrong tier format applied. NAM citation drafted in Courier New portrait. Returns.
• Closing sentence formats mixed. Grammar breaks. Returns.
• "Great credit" used on a NAM. Returns.
• Service-specific tail wrong for an Army or Navy recipient. Returns.
• Character limit exceeded. Forces a rewrite at the awarding authority's office.
• Citation contains facts not in the SOA. Endorsers spot the mismatch.
• Rank on the certificate is the approval-date rank instead of the meritorious-period rank. Recipient gets the wrong title.
• Star count on the certificate does not match MCTFS or Navy Service Record.
• Component wrong (USMC versus USMCR). Recipient gets the wrong component.
• Ceremony scheduled before final IAPS verification. Presentation produces the wrong certificate.

Where to Go Next

• Drafting narrative for the OTTER methodology and SOA writing rules upstream of the citation.
• Routing and endorsements for the chain mechanics around the citation package.
• OMPF verification for the post-presentation records check.