Clarification Of Nato Medal Eligibility For Marines Deployed To Iraq And Afghanistan

CLARIFICATION OF NATO MEDAL ELIGIBILITY FOR MARINES DEPLOYED TO IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN

Date Signed: 5/8/2009
MARADMIN Number: 0304/09

R 080930Z MAY 09
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 0304/09
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MM//
SUBJ/CLARIFICATION OF NATO MEDAL ELIGIBILITY FOR MARINES DEPLOYED TO IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/CMC MMMA/02FEB2008//
REF/B/MSGID:DOC/DOD/12SEP1996//
REF/C/MSGID:DOC/NATO/YMD:20070515//
NARR/REF A IS AWARDS UPDATE MARADMIN 418/08. REF B IS AWARDS UPDATE MARADMIN 602/08. REF C IS ACO DIRECTIVE 40-8, NATO MEDAL DIRECTIVE.//
POC/D. M. MCKINNON/YA2/HQMC MMMA/-/TEL:703-784-9206/-//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MARADMIN IS TO CLARIFY AND AMPLIFY INFORMATION CONTAINED IN REFERENCES (A) AND (B) REGARDING AWARDING OF THE NATO MEDAL (NON-ARTICLE 5) FOR THE FOLLOWING NATO OPERATIONS:
A. NATO TRAINING IMPLEMENTATION MISSION-IRAQ (NTIM-I)
B. NATO TRAINING MISSION - IRAQ (NTM-I)
C. NATO INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE FORCE (ISAF)-AFGHANISTAN.
2. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.
A. NATO MEDAL FOR NTIM-I AND NTM-I.
(1) GENERAL. PER REFERENCE (C), PERSONNEL ELIGIBLE ARE THOSE MEMBERS OF UNITS OR STAFFS TAKING PART IN NTIM-I OR NTM-I AS SET OUT IN OPLAN 10303 AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE QUALIFYING CONDITIONS. ENTITLEMENT WILL BE ACQUIRED BY THOSE FORCES UNDER NATO COMMAND AND CONTROL (NATO OPCON / NATO TACOM) WHILE IN THE JOINT OPERATIONS AREA (JOA).
(2) AREA OF OPERATION. THE JOA INCLUDES IRAQ AND ALL NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES THAT HAVE BORDERS CONTIGUOUS WITH IRAQ AND HOST ELEMENTS OF THE FORCE THAT PROVIDE DIRECT SUPPORT TO NTIM-I AND NTM-I.
(3) QUALIFYING SERVICE. ELIGIBLE MEMBERS MUST HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED TO THE APPLICABLE JOA UNDER NATO COMMAND AND CONTROL (NATO OPCON / NATO TACOM) FOR A PERIOD OF THIRTY (30) DAYS (CONTINUOUS OR ACCUMULATED) FROM 18 AUGUST 2004 TO A TERMINATION DATE NOT YET PUBLISHED.
(4) AIRCREW. AIRCREW WILL ACCUMULATE ONE (1) DAY'S SERVICE FOR THE FIRST SORTIE FLOWN OF ANY DAY IN THE APPLICABLE JOA; ADDITIONAL SORTIES FLOWN ON THE SAME DAY RECEIVE NO FURTHER CREDIT. THIS REQUIREMENT EXISTS FOR SUPPORT AS WELL AS COMBAT AIRCRAFT; SUPPORT AIRCRAFT TO INCLUDE TANKER, AIRLIFT, AND SURVEILLANCE PLATFORMS. THE REQUIREMENT TO BE UNDER NATO COMMAND AND CONTROL (NATO OPCON/NATO TACOM) REMAINS APPLICABLE FOR AIRCREW.
B. NATO MEDAL FOR NATO ISAF-AFGHANISTAN.
(1) GENERAL. PER REFERENCE (C), PERSONNEL ELIGIBLE ARE THOSE MEMBERS OF UNITS OR STAFFS TAKING PART IN NATO OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE QUALIFYING CONDITIONS. ENTITLEMENT WILL BE ACQUIRED BY THOSE FORCES UNDER NATO COMMAND AND CONTROL (NATO OPCON / NATO TACOM) WHILE IN THE JOA.
(2) AREA OF OPERATION. THE AFGHANISTAN JOA IS DELINEATED AS THE POLITICAL BOUNDARIES AND AIRSPACE OF ISAF OPLAN 10302. THE JOA INCLUDES AFGHANISTAN AND ALL NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES THAT HAVE BORDERS CONTIGUOUS WITH AFGHANISTAN, WHERE THE FORCE BUILD UP WILL BE CARRIED OUT AND HOST ELEMENTS OF THE FORCE THAT PROVIDE DIRECT SUPPORT. POSTS OUTSIDE OF THE JOA ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE MEDAL.
(3) QUALIFYING SERVICE. ELIGIBLE MEMBERS MUST HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED TO THE APPLICABLE JOA UNDER NATO COMMAND AND CONTROL (NATO OPCON / NATO TACOM) FOR A PERIOD OF THIRTY (30) DAYS (CONTINUOUS OR ACCUMULATED) FROM 01 JUNE 2003 TO A TERMINATION DATE NOT YET PUBLISHED.
(4) AIRCREW. AIRCREW WILL ACCUMULATE ONE DAY'S SERVICE FOR THE FIRST SORTIE FLOWN OF ANY DAY IN THE AREA OF OPERATIONS; ADDITIONAL SORTIES FLOWN ON THE SAME DAY WILL RECEIVE NO FURTHER CREDIT. THIS REQUIREMENT EXISTS FOR SUPPORT AS WELL AS COMBAT AIRCRAFT; SUPPORT AIRCRAFT INCLUDE TANKER, AIRLIFT AND SURVEILLANCE PLATFORMS.
3. COMMAND RELATIONSHIPS. ELIGIBILITY FOR THE NATO MEDAL (NON-ARTICLE 5) FOR NTIM-I, NTM-I, AND NATO ISAF - AFGHANISTAN ULTIMATELY DEPENDS UPON SERVICE PERFORMED WHILE UNDER NATO COMMAND AND CONTROL. FOR THE PURPOSES OF AWARD ELIGIBILITY, NATO COMMAND AND CONTROL IS DEFINED AS ASSIGNMENT TO A UNIT OR STAFF THAT IS UNDER NATO OPCON OR NATO TACOM.
A. NATO OPCON. NATO OPCON IS DEFINED AS THE AUTHORITY DELEGATED TO A COMMANDER TO DIRECT FORCES ASSIGNED SO THAT THE COMMANDER MAY ACCOMPLISH SPECIFIC MISSIONS OR TASKS THAT ARE USUALLY LIMITED BY FUNCTION, TIME, OR LOCATION. IT FURTHER INCLUDES THE DEPLOYMENT OF UNITS CONCERNED AND THE RETENTION OR DELEGATION OF TACON TO THOSE UNITS. IT DOES NOT, OF ITSELF, INCLUDE ADMINISTRATIVE OR LOGISTICAL CONTROL. OPCON IS MORE LIMITED THAN OPCOM. OPCON DOES NOT INCLUDE THE AUTHORITY TO REASSIGN FORCES OR EMPLOY A FORMATION, OR ANY PART OF IT, OTHER THAN ON THE ASSIGNED TASK, OR TO DISRUPT ITS BASIC ORGANIZATION SO THAT IT CANNOT READILY BE GIVEN A NEW TASK OR REDEPLOYED ELSEWHERE. COMMANDERS MUST EXERCISE CAUTION NOT TO INTERCHANGE US AND NATO TERMS.
B. NATO TACOM. NATO TACOM IS DEFINED AS THE AUTHORITY DELEGATED TO A COMMANDER TO ASSIGN TASKS TO FORCES UNDER HIS COMMAND TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION ASSIGNED BY HIGHER AUTHORITY. TACOM IS NARROWER IN APPLICATION THAN OPCOM BUT INCLUDES THE AUTHORITY TO DELEGATE OR RETAIN TACON.
4. THE PREPONDERANCE OF MARINE FORCES AND INDIVIDUAL MARINES DEPLOYED TO IRAQ AND NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES THAT HAVE BORDERS CONTIGUOUS WITH IRAQ ARE NOT DEPLOYED OR SERVING UNDER NATO COMMAND AND CONTROL. THESE INCLUDE: THE MNF-W MAGTF; TRANSITION AND TRAINING TEAMS (TT'S); AND JOINT INDIVIDUAL AUGMENTS (JIA'S). HOWEVER, AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE NATO MEDAL FOR THE NTIM-I AND NTM-I FOR MARINES SERVING IN UNIQUE BILLETS WILL BE REVIEWED AND CONSIDERED ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS (SEE PARAGRAPH 7.A.).
5. THE COMMAND RELATIONSHIPS IN AFGHANISTAN ARE COMPLEX AND CAREFUL CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE NATO MEDAL FOR NATO ISAF-AFGHANISTAN. NATO AND U.S. COMMAND AND CONTROL STRUCTURES SIMULTANEOUSLY EXIST WITHIN AFGHANISTAN; THEREFORE, UNIT ASSIGNMENT AT THE TIME OF SERVICE WILL BE CONSIDERED RELATIVE TO THE COMMAND AND CONTROL RELATIONSHIP IN PLACE AT THE TIME OF SERVICE.
6. ADMINISTRATION.
A. THE AWARDING AUTHORITY FOR NATO MEDALS IS THE SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE); HOWEVER, THIS AUTHORITY MAY BE DELEGATED.
B. PER REFERENCE (C), SHAPE J1 WILL PROCURE, STORE, AND ISSUE THE NATO MEDALS AND CERTIFICATES FOR OPERATIONS.
C. PER REFERENCE (C), SHAPE J1 WILL MAINTAIN A CENTRAL DATABASE CONTAINING A LIST OF ALL PERSONNEL APPROVED FOR NATO MEDALS.
D. ONLY THOSE MARINES WHO HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED BY THEIR COMMAND, RECEIVED APPROVAL FROM SHAPE HQ, AND HAVE RECEIVED A SIGNED NATO CERTIFICATE WITH THEIR NAME ON IT ARE AUTHORIZED TO WEAR THE NATO MEDAL AND TO HAVE IT ENTERED INTO THEIR OMPF.
E. BY 1 SEPT 2009, COMMANDERS WILL ENSURE THAT SUPPORTING IPACS IDENTIFY ALL NATO MEDALS FOR IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN ENTERED IN MCTFS SINCE AUGUST 2004 FOR THOSE MARINES CURRENTLY UNDER THEIR COMMAND. COMMANDERS WILL ENSURE THE IPACS VERIFY THAT EVERY NATO MEDAL MCTFS ENTRY WAS VALIDATED WITH A SIGNED NATO CERTIFICATE BEARING THE NAME OF THE INDIVIDUAL MARINE. NO OTHER DOCUMENTATION CAN BE SUBSTITUTED FOR THIS VALIDATION. IN THE CASE OF MARINES WHO CANNOT PROVIDE A SIGNED NATO CERTIFICATE BEARING THEIR NAME, THE ENTRY FOR THE NATO MEDAL MUST BE DELETED AS ERRONEOUS. COMMANDERS ARE ALLOWED FLEXIBILITY IN WORKING WITH MARINES PREPARING TO DEPLOY, CURRENTLY DEPLOYED, OR JUST RETURNING FROM DEPLOYMENT. HOWEVER, THE DESIRED END STATE IS TO ENSURE THAT EACH NATO MEDAL ENTRY IN MCTFS IS BASED ON A VALID SOURCE DOCUMENT AND THAT A COPY OF THE NATO CERTIFICATE IS SENT TO HQMC, MANPOWER MANAGEMENT SUPPORT BRANCH (MMSB) FOR PLACEMENT IN THE MARINE'S OMPF.
7. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS. REQUESTS FOR NATO MEDALS FOR QUALIFYING PERSONNEL MUST BE PREPARED PER INSTRUCTIONS OUTLINED IN REFERENCE (C), WHICH IS POSTED ONLINE UNDER THE REFERENCE COLUMN AT WWW.MANPOWER.USMC.MIL/AWARDS. HOWEVER, SUBMISSION OF REQUESTS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AUTHORITY TO WEAR THE NATO MEDAL. SUBMISSIONS WILL BE RETURNED TO THE ORIGINATING ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT IF THEY ARE NOT COMPLETED CORRECTLY OR IF THERE IS INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO CONFIRM ELIGIBILITY. OTHER FORMS OF SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION SUCH AS FITNESS REPORTS OR MCTFS ENTRIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
A. FOR VERIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR NATO MEDAL FOR NTIM-I AND NTM-I, CONTACT THE MARFOREUR POC LISTED BELOW.
B. UNIT COMMANDERS WILL SUBMIT REQUESTS FOR THE NATO MEDAL FOR NATO ISAF - AFGHANISTAN VIA THE NATO CHAIN OF COMMAND TO NATO NATIONAL SUPPORT ELEMENT (NSE) AT BAGRAM AIR FIELD. NATO NSE WILL COORDINATE WITH THE ISAF CJ1 IN KABUL FOR APPROVAL. NATO NSE POC CAN BE REACHED AT DSN 318-237-1326.
8. RETROACTIVE AWARDS.
A. FOR ALL RETROACTIVE NATO MEDAL REQUESTS OR REPLACEMENT OF LOST NATO MEDAL CERTIFICATES, THE UNIT COMMANDER OR INDIVIDUAL WILL SUBMIT THE REQUEST VIA THEIR OPERATIONAL CHAIN OF COMMAND (AT THE TIME OF QUALIFYING SERVICE) TO MARFOREUR FOR REVIEW AND COORDINATION WITH THE NATIONAL MILITARY REPRESENTATIVE AT SHAPE FOR APPROPRIATE ACTION. REQUESTS CAN BE SENT TO THE MARFOREUR ORGANIZATIONAL E-MAIL ADDRESS: G1AWARDS@MFE.USMC.MIL OR MAILED TO: COMMANDER U.S. MARINE FORCES, EUROPE ATTN: AC/S G-1/ADJ SECTION UNIT 30401 APO AE 09107-0401
B. FOR QUESTIONS CONTACT THE MARFOREUR ADJ OR G-1 CHIEF AT DSN 314-431-2016/2748. MARFOREUR WILL ARRANGE MEDAL AND/OR CERTIFICATE DELIVERY TO THE UNIT LISTED ON THE ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION.
9. THIS MARADMIN IS APPLICABLE TO THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE.
10. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY SES MR. C. F. SWAIN, DIRECTOR, MANPOWER MANAGEMENT DIVISION, (ACTING).//

Ellie

I forsee a ton of questions on this one, so I'm locking it down at this time. Marines, take your questions FIRST to admin if you don't understand the order. If you have a question as to *if* you rate this medal, then DON'T WEAR IT UNTIL YOU HAVE THE ANSWER.