Award Writing Page

Resources:
SECNAVINST 1650.1H, the resource for all Navy Awards
Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness, lists a lot of awarding periods
NDAWS, allows you to check for personal and unit awards

Personal Awards


The Navy and Marine Corp Achievement Medal, Commendation Medal and Meritorious Service Medal are all personal awards.  They will appear in NSIPS, NDAWS and your BUPERS Online Record. Normally your Commanding Officer will sign the award. O-5s are authorized to award Achievement Medals, O-6s are authorized to award Commendation Medals, and O-7s are authorized to award the Meritorious Service Medal.

If you need help writing the award, Navy Writer has a neat website to plug in bullets and help get the citation text correct.

National Defense Service Medal
Sometimes lovingly called the "McDonalds Ribbon," the NDSM is awarded to anyone who has active service during a certain time frame. Currently, anyone serving from 11 SEP 2001 on gets it, although it may not always be this way.  It was established by Executive Order 10448 and modified by Executive Order 12776 and Executive Order 13293.  It's mentioned on page 4-16 of the Navy Awards Manual.  The authorized conflict periods are located here.

To get it on your record, you need to file a page 13.  Most people assume this is done...don't assume! Check your NSIPS awards tab and if it's not there, get it there.

Global War on Terror Service Medal
Similar to the NDSM, the GWOT-SM is awarded to anyone who participated in support of the Global War on Terrorism on or after 11 SEP 2001.  Essentially, you need to be in the service for 30 days.  It was established by Executive Order 13289.

To get it on your record, you need to file a page 13.  Most people assume this is done...don't assume! Check your NSIPS awards tab and if it's not there, get it there.

Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal












The GWOT-EM looks similar to the GWOT-SM, and was even established by the same executive order, but it has more restrictive criteria.  You must actually be deployed to an area or participate in a conflict in order to rate the GWOT-EM.

To get it on your record, you need to file a page 13.  Most people assume this is done...don't assume! Check your NSIPS awards tab and if it's not there, get it there.

UPDATE: Feb 9 2015, you are now authorized service stars. Read the memo. Get a Page 13 for EACH medal, specifically listing the operation you were involved in. Service stars will look like this:


Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
Authorized by the Secretary of the Navy, this ribbon is for those who actually go to sea.  You must be assigned to a sea going command for 12 months AND have deployed away from home port for at least 90 consecutive days.  If you deploys for two 80 consecutive day deployments, that works as well.  If you're assigned to a ship homeported overseas, deployments no longer matter, and you get a ribbon for each 12 month period, AND you still get the Overseas Service Ribbon (discussed below).

To get it on your record, you need to file a page 13.  Most people assume this is done...don't assume! Check your NSIPS awards tab and if it's not there, get it there.

Overseas Service Ribbon

Authorized by the Secretary of the Navy (in SECNAV letter 1650 Ser NDBDM/886 of 17 September 1986, which I can't find a copy of yet), Navy and Marine Corp personnel get this when they accumulate 12 months (consecutive or accumulated) of duty at an overseas location.

To get it on your record, submit a Page 13.

Iraqi Campaign Medal
Established by Executive Order 13363, this medal is awarded for personnel who supported Operation IRAQI FREEDOM AND were inside the borders of Iraq during one of the authorized time periods.

UPDATE: Transition period II is now covered, see http://www.defense.gov/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=17154

To get it on your record, you need to file a page 13.  Most people assume this is done...don't assume! Check your NSIPS awards tab and if it's not there, get it there.

Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Established by Executive Order 13363, this medal is awarded for personnel who supported Operation ENDURING FREEDOM AND were inside the borders of Afghanistan during one of the authorized time periods.

To get it on your record, you need to file a page 13.

Kosovo Campaign Medal

Established by Executive Order 13154, this medal is awarded for personnel who supported operations inside Kosovo AND were inside approved areas during one of the authorized time periods.  The areas are the land and air space of Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Bosnia, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Italy and Slovenia (and 12 nautical miles out) from 24 March to 10 June 1999, and Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, and the Adriatic Sea (within 12 NM of those countries) 11 June 1999 and later.

To get it on your record, you need to file a page 13.