AWARD GUIDANCE FOR DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL RESPONSE

R 202111Z OCT 10

ALCOAST 515/10
COMDTNOTE 1650
SUBJ: AWARD GUIDANCE FOR DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL RESPONSE
A. MEDALS AND AWARDS MANUAL, COMDTINST M1650.25 (SERIES)
B. AWARDS COORDINATION FOR DEEPWATER HORIZON RESPONSE, LANTNOTE 1650
1. AS THE FOCUS OF OPERATIONS IN THE GULF TRANSITIONS FROM SPILL
CONTAINMENT TO CLEANUP AND RECOVERY EFFORTS, OPERATIONAL COMMANDERS
ARE UNDERSTANDABLY COMMITTED TO RECOGNIZING THE SUPERB EFFORTS OF THE
MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN SUPPORTING THIS
DIFFICULT MISSION. THE NATIONAL INCIDENT COMMANDER (NIC) AND DISTRICT
EIGHT HAVE ESTABLISHED DEEPWATER HORIZON (DWH) AWARDS TEAMS TO
FORMALLY RECOGNIZE ACTIONS OF THE INDIVIDUALS, TEAMS, AND UNITS
PARTICIPATING IN THE RESPONSE.
2. GENERAL GUIDANCE. THE EFFORTS OF ALL PERSONNEL DEPLOYED IN SUPPORT
OF DWH LED TO THE SUCCESS OF THE RESPONSE, BUT MAY NOT HAVE RISEN TO
THE LEVEL OF A PERSONAL AWARD SOLELY FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS
DURING THE DWH RESPONSE. RECOGNITION MAY BE MORE APPROPRIATE VIA THE
EVALUATION OR MARKS PROCESS, OR OTHER RECOGNITION PROCESSES. IN
ACCORDANCE WITH REFERENCE (A), MILITARY DECORATIONS ARE AWARDED IN
RECOGNITION OF INDIVIDUAL AND/OR SUSTAINED ACTS OF HEROISM,
MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT OR MERITORIOUS SERVICE ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT
ORDINARILY EXPECTED, AND WHICH DISTINGUISH AN INDIVIDUAL OR UNIT
AMONG THOSE PERFORMING SIMILAR ACTS OR SERVICES. AWARDS ARE TO BE
APPROVED BASED ON PERFORMANCE RELATIVE TO EXPECTATIONS RATHER THAN
RELATIVE TO NORMAL OPERATIONS. WEIGH EACH RECOMMENDATION FOR AN AWARD
BASED ON THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE ACTION(S). ONLY
IF THE RECOMMENDATION WARRANTS AN INDIVIDUAL AWARD BASED ON HEROISM,
INDIVIDUAL RISK, ACHIEVEMENT, OR EXCEPTIONAL SKILL SHOULD THE AWARD
BE APPROVED. IN DETERMINING THE LEVEL OF RECOGNITION, FACTORS TO BE
CONSIDERED INCLUDE:
     A. IMPACT ON THE OUTCOME OF THE OPERATION OR EVENT,
     B. DURATION OF THE PERFORMANCE BEING CONSIDERED,
     C. COMPARISON WITH EXPECTATIONS FOR THE SITUATION PRESENTED,
     D. SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY,
     E. RISK INVOLVED IN THE OPERATION OR EVENT, AND,
     F. ABILITY OR INNOVATION TO OVERCOME EXCEPTIONAL HARDSHIPS OR
OBSTACLES.
3. THE FOLLOWING AWARD APPROVAL AUTHORITY IS PROVIDED FOR PROCESSING
DWH AWARDS:
     A. THE DEPUTY NIC IS AUTHORIZED AWARDING AUTHORITY FOR NIC
MEMBERS UP TO AND INCLUDING THE MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL.
     B. THE DISTRICT EIGHT COMMANDER IS THE AWARD AUTHORITY FOR ALL
MEMBERS ASSIGNED TO D8, THE UAC, OR THE ICPS UP TO AND INCLUDING THE
MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL.
     C. MILITARY AWARDS WITH A HIGHER PRECEDENCE THAN THE MERITORIOUS
SERVICE MEDAL WILL BE PROCESSED IAW REF (A).
     D. THE CG CHIEF OF STAFF, DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR OPERATIONS,
LANTAREA COMMANDER AND PACAREA COMMANDER WILL WORK WITH AWARDING
AUTHORITIES TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY AND APPROPRIATENESS OF AWARD LEVELS
ACROSS THE SERVICE.
4. ALL PERSONAL, UNIT, AND TEAM AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE DWH
RESPONSE, EXCLUDING MEMBERS ASSIGNED TO THE NIC, SHALL BE ROUTED TO
THE DWH DISTRICT EIGHT AWARDS CELL FOR PROCESSING PER THE GUIDELINES
CONTAINED IN REF (B). ALL UNIT AND TEAM AWARDS WILL BE PROCESSED IAW
REF (A). MEMBERS WHO WERE ASSIGNED TO THE NATIONAL INCIDENT COMMAND
WITH QUESTIONS REGARDING THE STATUS OF A PERSONAL, TEAM, OR UNIT
AWARD SHOULD CONTACT THE POC LISTED IN PARA 10.C. BELOW.
     A. PAST AND PRESENT UNIFIED AREA COMMAND CHIEFS OF STAFF OR
INCIDENT COMMAND POST (ICP) INCIDENT COMMANDERS, DWH SUPERVISORS, OR
THE PARENT COMMAND OF MEMBERS DEPLOYED SHALL NOMINATE MEMBERS, UNITS,
OR TEAMS FOR AWARDS. ALL AWARD NOMINATIONS MUST BE ENDORSED BY THE
APPROPRIATE PAST OR PRESENT INCIDENT COMMANDER OR CHIEF OF STAFF
PRIOR TO FORWARDING TO THE DWH DISTRICT EIGHT AWARDS CELL FOR
PROCESSING. THE AWARD CELL STAFF IS AVAILABLE TO ASSIST IN
DETERMINING THE PROPER ENDORSER.
     B. THE DWH DISTRICT EIGHT AWARDS CELL SUPPORT STAFF WILL
MAINTAIN
A MASTER ROSTER OF ALL RECOMMENDATIONS RECEIVED BY THE CELL FOR
PROCESSING AND WILL TRACK THE PROGRESS OF SUBMISSIONS THROUGHOUT THE
PROCESS. ANY QUESTIONS ON WHETHER A RECOMMENDATION WAS SUBMITTED
SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE SUPPORT STAFF FOR CLARIFICATION. CONTACT
INFORMATION PROVIDED IN PARA 10.B.
     C. MEMBERS OF OTHER MILITARY SERVICES PERMANENTLY ASSIGNED (PCS)
TO THE COAST GUARD ARE AUTHORIZED TO ACCEPT AND WEAR AWARDS, WITHOUT
OBTAINING CONCURRENCE AT THE MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL AND BELOW
LEVEL, PROVIDED THE AWARD IS NOT GIVEN FOR THE SAME ACT OR SERVICE
FOR WHICH AN AWARD HAS BEEN MADE OR IS PLANNED BY THEIR SERVICE.
     D. MEMBERS OF OTHER MILITARY SERVICES TEMPORARILY ASSIGNED MAY
BE
RECOMMENDED FOR A PERSONAL AWARD, WHICH MUST BE FORWARDED THROUGH
COMDT (CG-1221) TO THE PARENT SERVICE FOR PROCESSING.
     E. A CGPORTAL SITE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED AND PROVIDES DETAILED
GUIDANCE ON SUBMITTING AWARD NOMINATIONS TO THE DWH DISTRICT EIGHT
AWARDS CELL. THIS SITE WILL BE FOUND AT: (LOWER CASE TYPE)
HTTPS://CGPORTAL.USCG.MIL/ LOTUS/MYQUICKR/DEEPWATER-HORIZON-AWARDS.
5. COAST GUARD CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:  THE SKILL
EXPERTISE, PROFESSIONALISM, AND LEADERSHIP OF CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, IN
VARIOUS ROLES, HAS POSITIVELY IMPACTED THE SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME OF THE
DWH OIL SPILL RESPONSE. FOR SOME, THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS WERE
RECOGNIZED LAST FISCAL YEAR BY SPECIAL ACT AWARDS VIA THE CIVILIAN
AWARDS SYSTEM. ANY ADDITIONAL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE NOMINATIONS FOR DWH
RECOGNITION WILL BE REVIEWED AND CONSIDERED THIS FISCAL YEAR.
6. THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS SERVICE RIBBON (SOS) IS APPROVED FOR ALL
PERSONNEL DIRECTLY SUPPORTING DWH CONTAINMENT, CLEANUP, AND RECOVERY
EFFORTS FOR 21 DAYS OR MORE AND WHO MEET THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
OUTLINED IN REF (B). ROSTERS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE DISTRICT
EIGHT AWARDS CELL. THE DWH DISTRICT EIGHT AWARDS BOARD WILL MAKE
FINAL DETERMINATION REGARDING DWH SOS ELIGIBILITY AND MAINTAIN A
MASTER ROSTER OF PERSONNEL AUTHORIZED THE SOS. THE DATES OF ACTION
FOR THIS AWARD ARE 22 APRIL 2010 TO A DATE TBD AND WILL BE ANNOUNCED
IN A FUTURE ALCOAST. ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS INCLUDE:
     A. ACTIVE DUTY PERSONNEL,
     B. RESERVE PERSONNEL,
     C. AUXILIARY PERSONNEL, AND,
     D. FEDERAL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES.
NOTE: BP PERSONNEL, CONTRACTORS, AND VOLUNTEERS NOT ON FEDERAL
ORDERS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THIS AWARD.
7. DOD SERVICE PERSONNEL, INCLUDING NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS, ARE
ELIGIBLE FOR THE SOS. CONCURRENCE REQUESTS FOR MEMBERS NOT
PERMANENTLY ASSIGNED TO A COAST GUARD UNIT WILL BE SUBMITTED BY
CG-1221 TO OTHER MILITARY SERVICES. RESPONSES WILL BE FORWARDED TO
THE DWH DISTRICT EIGHT AWARDS CELL UPON RECEIPT.
8. THE SOS DOES NOT HAVE AN EQUIVALENT CIVILIAN LAPEL PIN ISSUE.
THEREFORE, A RIBBON WITH SINGLE BAR MOUNT WILL BE ISSUED TO CIVILIANS
AND AUXILIARY PERSONNEL. THE SOS IS A SERVICE AWARD AND DOES NOT
PREVENT FURTHER ISSUANCE OF UNIT OR PERSONAL AWARDS.
9. THE ARMED FORCES RESERVE MEDAL (AFRM) WITH M DEVICE IS AUTHORIZED
=SECTION 02=========================================
FOR RESERVE PERSONNEL CALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY AND SERVED UNDER U.S.
CODE, TITLE 10, SECTIONS 12301(A), 12302, 12304, 12406, OR CHAPTER
15, OR IN THE CASE OF U.S. COAST GUARD RESERVE, 14 USC 712. THE AFRM
WILL BE PROCESSED BY THE MEMBER'S PARENT COMMAND PER REF (A).
10. FOR FURTHER GUIDANCE IN PROCESSING DWH AWARDS, PLEASE DIRECT
QUESTIONS TO:
     A. COMDT (CG-1221). MEDALS AND AWARDS, MS DAY, (202) 475-5386,
E-MAIL DENEEN.A.DAY(AT)USCG.MIL OR CWO HUGHES (202) 475-5384, E-MAIL
VICTOR.E.HUGHES(AT)USCG.MIL.
     B. DISTRICT EIGHT AWARDS CELL AND SUPPORT STAFF,
D08-PF-DWH-AWARDSCELL(AT)USCG.MIL, (504) 671-2336, (504) 671-2072,
(504) 671-2338, CAPT DAIGNAULT, E-MAIL SUSAN.F.DAIGNAULT(AT)USCG.MIL,
OR CAPT WALKER, E-MAIL SAMUEL.WALKER(AT)USCG.MIL.
     C. NATIONAL INCIDENT COMMAND POC, CDR ARGUIN, E-MAIL
WAYNE.R.ARGUIN(AT)USCG.MIL.
11. VICE ADMIRAL JOHN P. CURRIER, CHIEF OF STAFF, SENDS.
12. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.