MARADMIN 665/17 - Additional Marine Corps Guidance on New Devices Authorized for Wear on Certain Military Medals and Ribbons

Scope

MARADMIN 665/17 announces Marine Corps procedures for processing personal awards with the V (Valor), C (Combat Conditions), and R (Remote Impact) devices authorized in ALNAV 055/17. The MARADMIN provides citation and certificate language, awarding authority delegation to COMUSMARCENT and COMUSMARSOC, and retroactivity rules for actions on or after 7 January 2016. The MARADMIN coincided with iAPS updates and MCTFS reporting support for the new devices.

Audience

• Unit awards administrators. Use the citation and certificate language below verbatim. Submit retroactive requests through the iAPS chain of command and the MMMA-2 OMB mailbox.
• Award originators. Apply the directed opening first line of the citation per the award and device combination.
• Awarding authorities at every Marine Corps Commanding Officer level with Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal authority and above. Approve awards with the R device commensurate with the existing awarding authority delegation in SECNAVINST 1650.1H.
• COMUSMARCENT and COMUSMARSOC. Hold combat awarding authority for BV and below per the supplemental delegations in AMHS MSG DTG R 101642Z JUL 15 and DTG R 241428Z JUL 15.
• HQMC MMMA-2. Final adjudication of retroactive requests processed after 31 December 2018.

V device (Valor)

• Citation language: "The V device for valor is authorized."
• Certificate language: "with V device for valor" beneath the name of the decoration.
• Authorized awards: Distinguished Flying Cross (DV), Bronze Star Medal (BV), Air Medal (AH), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (CV).
• Legion of Merit and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal are NOT authorized for the V device for actions after 6 January 2016.

C device (Combat Conditions)

• Citation language: "The combat conditions C device is authorized."
• Certificate language: "with combat C device" beneath the name of the decoration.
• Authorized awards: Distinguished Service Medal (S1), Legion of Merit (L1), Distinguished Flying Cross (D1), Air Medal (A1), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (C1), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (N1).
• The Bronze Star Medal is NOT authorized for the C device. The BS is inherently a combat award per SECNAVINST 1650.1H. C device would be redundant.

R device (Remote Impact)

• Citation language: "The remote impact R device is authorized."
• Certificate language: "with R device" beneath the name of the decoration.
• Authorized awards: Legion of Merit (L2), Meritorious Service Medal (M2), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (C2), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (N2).
• The Bronze Star Medal is NOT authorized for the R device. The R device would contradict the combat nature of the BS.

Bronze Star Medal opening line

The directed opening first line of the BS citation: "For meritorious achievement (or service) in connection with combat operations against the enemy while serving as with [unit] in support of Operation [NAMED OPERATION] from [beginning date] to [end date]." The BS is authorized only where the recipient was personally exposed to hostile action or at significant risk of exposure.

Awarding authority delegation

• COMUSMARCENT and COMUSMARSOC hold delegated authority for the following combat awards and devices: Bronze Star Medal (BS), Bronze Star Medal w/V (BV), Purple Heart, Air Medal Individual Action (AF), Air Medal Individual Action w/V (AH), Air Medal Individual Action w/C (A1), Air Medal Strike/Flight (AS), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal w/V (CV), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal w/C (C1), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal w/C (N1), Combat Action Ribbon (CR).
• Sub-delegation floors: BV, BS, and AH no lower than the Commanding General of the senior MAGTF at Major General rank. AF, AS, A1, CV, and CR no lower than Major Subordinate Command commanders at Brigadier General rank. C1 and N1 no lower than Major Subordinate Element commanders at Colonel rank. Purple Heart is NOT authorized for sub-delegation below COMUSMARCENT and COMUSMARSOC.
• Award recommendations higher than BV route to CMC MMMA.
• Combat award recommendations outside the COMUSMARCENT and COMUSMARSOC AOR route through the chain of command to CMC MMMA.

Retroactivity

• Reference (a) (ALNAV 055/17) authorizes retroactive C and R device awarding for applicable awards recognizing acts or services on or after 7 January 2016.
• Retroactive policy is an individual action handled case by case.
• Retroactive requests originate with the operational commander at the time the action took place and route through the original award chain of command.
• Original awarding authority adjudicates retroactive requests submitted on or before 31 December 2018. Requests processed after 31 December 2018 adjudicate at HQMC MMMA.
• Request templates for C and R retroactive actions: https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/webcenter/portal/MMMA2.
• Submission mailbox: smb_hqmc_pers_awards@usmc.mil.

Connection to higher policy

• ALNAV 055/17 (SECNAV MSG R 211924Z AUG 17). Precedent directive. Provides the DON criteria for awarding the new devices.
• SECNAVINST 1650.1H. Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual. Source for awarding authority delegations.
• AMHS MSG DTG R 101642Z JUL 15. Supplemental delegation of wartime awarding authority to COMUSMARCENT in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
• AMHS MSG DTG R 241428Z JUL 15. Same delegation extended to COMUSMARSOC.

Implementation venues

• iAPS (Improved Awards Processing System). Routes V, C, R device awards and supports originating, endorsing, and approving with the new devices.
• MCTFS (Marine Corps Total Force System). Reports approved awards with the new devices.
• HQMC Awards Branch citation examples: https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/webcenter/portal/MMMA.

Status

In effect until superseded. Released 8 December 2017 (DTG R 080731Z DEC 17) by MajGen Robert F. Castellvi, Director, Manpower Management Division. Applies to the Total Force Marine Corps. Points of contact: MMMA-2 at 703-784-9342/9343 or DSN 278-9342/9343. Capt B.A. Felty (brian.felty@usmc.mil). MMMA OMB (smb_hqmc_pers_awards@usmc.mil).