Navy Achievement Medal Recommendation
References:
OPNAV 1650/3 Personal Award Recommendation (PDF Form)
OPNAVINST 1650.26 Naval Awards Program (PDF)
Prepare recommendations for personal decorations on the Personal Award Recommendation Form (Navy: OPNAV 1650/3; Marine Corps: NAVMC 11533 (EF)). Use a separate form for each award being recommended. When additional space is required, add sheets of standard size paper, however, use continuation pages sparingly. Marine Corps units will use the electronic awards submission system to prepare, forward and record all awards. All awards for the same act are forwarded together to the highest award level for final approval.
Since each recommendation is evaluated on the merits of the justification, the Summary of Action (block 25) is required for all decorations except Navy command awarded Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals; Marine Corps requires all the specific achievement awards to have a short, bullet-format summary. Avoid generalities and excessive use of superlatives. Present an objective summary giving specific examples of the performance and manner of accomplishing it, together with the results and benefits derived. The amount of detail and supporting documentation required will depend upon the circumstances and the nature of the award being recommended, but, in general, a single page will suffice.
A proposed citation, which is a condensation of the summary of action, must accompany the recommendation.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR OPNAV 1650/3 Personal Award Recommendation
FROM: Include command long and short titles of the originator listed in block 22 with complete address and a point of contact (POC) and DSN phone number.
TO: Proper awarding authority (see SECNAVINST 1650.1G, Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual, Appendix B, chapter 1) with complete address and UIC.
1. SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER: Social Security Number of the person who is being recommended for an award.
2. DESIG/NEC/MOS:
a. DESIG is for officer designator, such as 1110, 1705, etc.
b. NEC is Navy Enlisted Classification Code. The primary NEC should be used. If the person has no code, enter 0000 (four zeros).
c. MOS: This is the USMC Military Occupational Specialty.
3. NAME. Type the person's last name first (ALL CAPITAL LETTERS), followed by a comma (,), then type first name, middle initial and any suffixes, i.e., Jr., Sr., II, III etc.
4. COMPONENT: As shown on the form, either USN, USNR, USNR (TAR), USNR-R, USMC, or USMCR.
5. GRADE/RATE: For the person being recommended use the authorized abbreviation, i.e., CAPT, CDR, LCDR, LT, LTJG, ENS, CW04, YNCM, YNC, or DPSA. (Don't use O2, E7, E5 etc.)
6. WARFARE DESIGNATOR: Use primary warfare designator, e.g., SW, AW, etc. If multiple, only the first one will be recognized.
7. UIC/RUIC: This is the Unit Identification Code (UIC) to which the person was/is assigned during the period of recommended award.
8. RECOMMENDED AWARD: NAVY AND MARINE CORPS ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL - NA.
9. SPECIFIC ACHIEVEMENT. Mark Yes if award is for specific achievement. If award is a tour award, mark No.
10. SELF-EXPLANATORY. The majority of peacetime awards will be "meritorious".
11. NUMBER OF AWARD OF THIS MEDAL: If the person being recommended has never received an Achievement Medal before, type in "FIRST". If this will be the "second" or "third" award, then indicate, "SECOND", "THIRD", etc.
12. ACTION DATE/MERITORIOUS PERIOD: This block requests the complete start/stop dates of period covered for recommended award.
13. GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF ACTION/SERVICE: e.g. CONUS, WESTPAC, MED, EUROPE, CARIBBEAN, etc.
14. EXP. OF ACTIVE DUTY: For officers, this is usually "INDEFINITE," unless the officer is retiring or otherwise leaving the Naval Service, in which case, type in retirement date or last day of active duty. For enlisted personnel, type in EAOS (expiration of active obligated service).
15. EST. DETACHMENT DATE: The date the person is scheduled to depart the command, whether departing for PCS or terminal leave. Include exact date if known. Mark appropriate box - retirement etc. If ceremony is scheduled on a different date, type it in parenthesis, i.e., (ceremony 17 May 2001).
16. NEW DUTY STATION: Type in the SNDL-authorized short title of the new duty station and full mailing address, including ZIP code. If the individual is retiring or leaving the service, type in full HOME address, including ZIP code. (This is of utmost importance.)
17. UNIT AT TIME OF ACTION/SERVICE: The unit to which the individual being recommended was assigned during the period covered by the proposed award.
18. DUTY ASSIGNMENT: Type in a brief general description of the person's title during the period the award is recommended for, e.g., Commanding Officer, OPS Officer, Flight Instructor, Flag Writer, Command Master Chief, Clerk, etc.
19. PREVIOUS PERSONAL DECORATIONS AND PERIOD RECOGNIZED: Examples of personal decorations are the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal. Do not list Service awards (such as the Navy Good Conduct Medal) or Unit awards (such as the Navy Unit Commendation). Ensure the period covered for each personal award is included. Attach a copy of any award(s) which overlap the period of the recommended award.
20. PERSONAL AWARDS RECOMMENDED - NOT YET APPROVED: Normally, "NONE."
21. OTHER PERSONNEL BEING RECOMMENDED FOR SAME ACTION: Normally, "NONE." For life-saving actions when a group is recommended for the same action, list other personnel. Forward awards together.
22. NAME, GRADE, TITLE OF ORIGINATOR: For example, John P. Jones, RADM, Director of Naval Intelligence. The originator must sign and date the form as well as check one of the two boxes above the signature block.
23. FORWARDING ENDORSEMENTS: As required by the chain of command.
24. To be completed by the Awarding Authority. This must be completed by the command making final disposition. Use the two-letter code for the approved award and check the appropriate boxes. All awarding authorities must sign and date the approval. (Signature should correspond to the "To: (Awarding Authority) Block" above.
25. SUMMARY OF ACTION: The summary is not required for Command-approved Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals (Navy only). For Marine Corps, all awards require a bullet summary. Specific information/accomplishments are essential to the narrative summary. Ensure that the dates in Block 11 match exactly with the dates in Block 25, as well the proposed citation. A one-page summary of action will suffice in most cases.
Example:
* LPO Headquarters Detachment (35) Personnel and Operations Department (7) Personnel.
* Recognized SME for C4SI.
* Leads and Coordinates EXW Program for 10-15 Sailors serving in Headquarters and Boat Det Bravo. Working from program stand up, Petty Officer Gibson has lead front runners to between 25 and 40% qualification.
* Expended more than 40 hours of personnel time in preperation of 20 or more training lectures and power point presentations for EXW lecturers.
* Put in over 30 hours of personnel time in preperation of Training Plans and Watch Bills for N3/N6 combined Field EX.
FOR NONCOMBAT AWARDS
- Brevity is encouraged.
- Outline or bullet format limited to one page is sufficient in the majority of cases.
- Emphasis should be on specific accomplishments of individual that set that person apart from his/her peers.
COMBAT AWARDS
- Must be fully justified.
- Eyewitness statement (at least two if practicable).
FOR LIFE SAVING/ATTEMPTED LIFE SAVING AWARDS
- If practicable, include statements of at least two eyewitnesses. Such statements should furnish accounts of the incident, including opinions as to whether the person for whom the award is sought imperiled his/her life. Police reports and newspaper accounts can also be submitted.
- The precise locality of the rescue or attempted rescue, or heroic action.
- The date, time of day, nature of weather, including force of the wind, condition and temperature of the water if applicable, and amount and source of light if at night.
- The names of all persons rendering assistance and the nature of the assistance.
- A freehand sketch of the scene, including distances, location of assistance, and heights of piers or vessels from which rescue efforts were started, as applicable.
- A statement as to the swimming qualifications of the rescuer if applicable. (See art. 6610120, MILPERS Manual for Navy personnel; and NAVMC 2779 for Marine Corps personnel.)
- An account of the cooperation or lack thereof on the part of the person being rescued.
- A rescue from burning should be described in great detail, including the aid received by the rescuer, the extent of the burns, and a description of the outer clothing of the rescuer.
- It is emphasized that recommendations should include the above, but should not necessarily be limited to that information.