SOLICITATION FOR THE MARINE CORPS ASSOCIATION INFORMATION AWARDS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2026

R 272000Z OCT 26
MARADMIN 535/26
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC DCI WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/SOLICITATION FOR THE MARINE CORPS ASSOCIATION INFORMATION
AWARDS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2026//
REF/A/DOC/DC I/09 JAN 20//
REF/B/DOC/DC I/20 OCT 26//
REF/C/DOC/DC I/14 SEP 23//
REF/D/DOC/DC I/14 SEP 23//
REF/E/DOC/DC I/14 SEP 23//
AMPN/REF A IS DCIO 1650.2 THE MARINE CORPS ASSOCIATION &
FOUNDATION ANNUAL INFORMATION AWARDS. REF B IS THE AWARDS
CATEGORIES AND PERFORMANCE AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA DOCUMENT.
REF C IS THE CURRENT NOMINATION LIMITS BY COMMAND. REF D IS
THE INDIVIDUAL NOMINATION PACKAGE FORMAT TEMPLATE. REF E IS
THE UNIT/ORGANIZATION NOMINATION PACKAGE FORMAT TEMPLATE.//
POC1/JOSE R. VALLE/MAJ/DC I STAFF SECRETARY/EMAIL:
[email protected]/TEL: 703-692-7714//
POC2/KELVIN R. AGUILAR/MSGT/DC I ADMIN CHIEF/EMAIL:
[email protected]/TEL: 703-692-3119//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. Purpose. This MARADMIN solicits awards
nominations throughout the Marine Corps Information Environment
Enterprise (MCIEE) community for CY 2026 and announces the
convening of the Deputy Commandant for Information awards selection
board. The Marine Corps Association (MCA) Information Awards are
administered by the Deputy Commandant for Information (DC I) and
consist of 26 individual awards, three unit/organization awards,
and one individual or team award for the information communities
comprised of Intelligence, C4, Cyber, Psychological Operations,
Space, Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations, Strategic Communication
and Operations, and Civil Affairs. The DC I will convene a board
of senior field grade officers, senior enlisted Marines, and
civilian Marines to review nominations and select award winners.
2. Nomination packages must be submitted to the DC I Front Office
NLT 15 January 2027. Reference (a) is currently undergoing
revision, and the information provided in this MARADMIN supersedes
the Order. Performance and eligibility criteria, updated
nomination limits by Commands, and Nomination Package Format
templates can be found at the following link which are listed as
references (b) through (e) of this MARADMIN:
https://www.information.marines.mil/mca-awards/.
Commands listed in reference (c) will accept nomination packages
from their subordinate commands and conduct a board to select and
forward the best qualified packages based on the quantities outlined
for each award category. Each nomination package will be endorsed
by the Commander of the MARFOR as listed in reference (c). All
units not listed in reference (c) may submit nominations directly
to DC I via the first General Officer in their administrative chain
of command.
3. The Information Award categories are listed below, the
Performance and Eligibility Criteria can be found in reference (b).
3.a. The James Hamilton Information Technology Management Civilian
Marine of the Year Award.
3.b. The Private First Class Herbert A. Littleton Enlisted
Communications Awards.
3.c. The Chief Warrant Officer 5 Brian "Joe" Graniero Restricted
Officer Communications Award.
3.d. The General (Gen) Alfred M. Gray Award.
3.e. The Lieutenant Colonel (LtCol) Kevin M. Shea Memorial Unit of
the Year Award.
3.f. The John J. Guenther Intelligence Civilian of the Year Award.
3.g. The Lance Corporal James E. Swain Intelligence Enlisted Marine
of the Year Award.
3.h. The Master Sergeant Charles C. Arndt Intelligence
Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) of the Year Award.
3.i. The Master Gunnery Sergeant Samuel C. Plott Intelligence Staff
Non-Commissioned Officer (SNCO) of the Year Award.
3.j. The LtCol Michael D. Kuszewski Intelligence Officer of the
Year Award.
3.k. The Lieutenant General Vincent R. Stewart Intelligence Unit of
the Year Award.
3.l. The Identity Attribution Activities (IA2) Marine of the Year
Award.
3.m. Marine Corps Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance
Enterprise (MCISRE) Restricted Officer of the Year Award.
3.n. The Information Civilian of the Year Award.
3.o. Cyberspace Warfare Enlisted Marine of the Year.
3.p. Cyberspace Warfare NCO of the Year.
3.q. Cyberspace Warfare SNCO of the Year.
3.r. Cyberspace Restricted Officer of the Year.
3.s. Cyberspace Warfare Officer of the Year.
3.t. Maritime Space Officer of the Year.
3.u. Influence NCO of the Year.
3.v. Influence SNCO of the Year.
3.w. Influence Officer of the Year.
3.x. The MCIEE Technical Leadership Award.
3.y. The MCIEE Innovation Award.
3.z. The Information Unit of the Year Award.
3.aa. Meteorology and Oceanography (METOC) Marine of the Year
Award.
4. Eligibility Period and Status.
4.a. The period of service eligible for consideration of these
awards are 1 January 2026 through 31 December 2026 (CY 2026).
4.b. Marine Corps nominees must have been serving on active duty
in the FMF, SE, or Marine Corps Reserve during the calendar year
specified. Activated Reservists from the Selected Marine Corps
Reserve (SMCR), Active Reserve (AR), or Individual Ready Reserve
(IRR) are eligible for these awards based upon any active duty
service occurring throughout the calendar year specified.
4.c. Previous individual award recipients are ineligible for
consideration of the same award.
5. Nomination Package Requirements and templates can be found on
the link mentioned in paragraph 2.
5.a. Summary of Performance (SoP) write-ups will be no more than
two pages and must include a one-page biography. Classified SoPs
will be accepted up to the Secret level. In the case of a
classified SoP, all other requirements will still be submitted as
prescribed in this MARADMIN via unclassified channels. Classified
SoPs can be submitted online to
https://usmc.spo.microsoft.scloud/sites/DCDCI/Lists/MCA%20INFO%20
AWARDS%202026/MyView.aspx.
5.b. A command-style official photograph is required for
submissions for the winners to be mentioned in the MCA awards dinner
program. High resolution .jpg pictures are requested to be
submitted with the submission to DC I per reference (d).
5.c. For civilian award nominees, letters of recommendation will
also be submitted as part of the nomination package.
5.d. Unit awards must include a recommendation from the supported
unit/organization commander(s).
5.e. Unit award nominations should originate at the next higher
echelon of command above the unit recommended for the award. Under
no circumstances should units submit nominations via multiple chains
of command.
6. Submitting Nomination Packages.
6.a. DC I will process the nomination packages. Packages must be
submitted online at
https://usmc.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/DCI/Awards/SitePages/
MCA_INFO_Award.aspx.
6.a.1. If you are submitting for an individual award, please input
the First and Last Name of the nominee for "Nominee/Team Name".
For example, Joseph Matos III.
6.a.2. For "Rank/Pay Grade" input current information. For a
Marine an example would be LtGen/O9. For a civilian employee an
example would be Civ/GS15 or Civ/GG15.
6.a.3. If you are submitting for a Unit award, please input "TEAM"
for "Nominee/Team Name" as well as for the "Rank/Pay Grade". Please
do not abbreviate Unit Name when answering "Unit Name". For
example, a package submitted for DC I will read Deputy Commandant
for Information not DC I for the "Unit Name".
6.b. All nomination packages must be in pdf format, include a .jpg
command style photo, and a .jpg Unit Logo photo separately. The two
.jpg photos need to be uploaded separately from the pdf nomination
package. Utility uniform will only be accepted if the Nominee is
currently deployed and cannot wear Service Alphas uniform for
Military and business professional for Civilians.
7. Notification. Award winners will be notified via MARADMIN NLT
early March 2027.
8. Presentation. The Information Awards will be presented during
the MCA Information Awards Dinner during CY27. The exact date and
coordinating instructions will be announced at a later date to the
award winners.
9. Additional information, including access to the references can
be found at: https://www.information.marines.mil/mca-awards/.
10. This MARADMIN is applicable to the Marine Corps Total Force.
Ensure widest dissemination of this MARADMIN. Please direct all
questions to the POCs identified in this MARADMIN.
11. Release authorized by Lieutenant General J. A. Matos III,
Headquarters Marine Corps, Deputy Commandant for Information.//