ENHANCEMENTS TO THE IAPS TO EXPEDITE COMBAT AWARDS FOR VALOR

Date Signed: 9/06/2012
MARADMINS Active Number: 493/12

R 041443Z SEP 12
UNCLASSIFIED/
MARADMIN 493/12
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MM//
SUBJ/ENHANCEMENTS TO THE IAPS TO EXPEDITE COMBAT AWARDS FOR VALOR//
REF/A/MSGID:LTR/MARADMIN 392 12/24JUL2012//
AMPN/REF A IS MARADMIN 392/12, EXPEDITING COMBAT AWARDS FOR VALOR//
POC/S. K. VANCE/CAPT/HQMC MMMA/-/TEL:703-784-9342 /EMAIL:SMB_HQMC_PERS_AWARDS@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  REF A  ANNOUNCED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS FOR ORIGINATING AND ENDORSING VALOR AWARDS OF THE AIR MEDAL AND HIGHER, TO INCLUDE REQUIRED TIMELINES.
THIS MARADMIN ANNOUNCES SEVERAL ENHANCEMENTS TO THE IMPROVED AWARDS PROCESSING SYSTEM (IAPS) THAT WERE IMPLEMENTED ON 30 AUGUST 2012 TO SUPPORT THESE REQUIREMENTS.  THESE ENHANCEMENTS PROVIDE IMPROVED ELECTRONIC QUALITY CONTROL FEATURES DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR ORIGINATION OF AN ADMINISTRATIVELY INCOMPLETE OR INACCURATE AWARD RECOMMENDATION THAT CAN DELAY THE ENDORSEMENT AND APPROVAL PROCESS.  WHILE ACCURACY AND INCLUSION OF MANY OF THE KEY ELEMENTS OF A COMPLETE AWARD RECOMMENDATION CANNOT BE ELECTRONICALLY VALIDATED, THE ENHANCEMENTS TO IAPS OUTLINED IN THIS MARADMIN WILL HELP ELIMINATE MANY OF THE COMMON ERRORS AND OMISSIONS.
2.  SUMMARY OF KEY ENHANCEMENTS TO IAPS:
A.  PREPARERS, ORIGINATORS, AND ENDORSERS ARE NOW REQUIRED TO VERIFY THEY HAVE READ THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ANY AWARD BEING RECOMMENDED PRIOR TO ORIGINATING OR ENDORSING THE AWARD TO ENSURE THE PROPER AWARD IS BEING RECOMMENDED.
B.  ORIGINATORS ARE NOW ABLE TO ADD ADMINISTRATIVE COMMENTS TO ALL AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS IN IAPS PRIOR TO SUBMITTING THE ORIGINATED AWARD.  THESE COMMENTS ARE ARCHIVED WITH THE AWARD AND WILL ASSIST ENDORSING COMMANDERS AND CMC (MMMA) IN MOVING THE AWARD TOWARD APPROVAL.
C.  NUMEROUS PROMPTS AND VALIDATIONS NOW AID THE ORIGINATOR IN ENTERING ACCURATE, COMPLETE, AND CONSISTENT INFORMATION IN BLOCKS 1-21 OF THE NAVMC 11533 (EF) FOR ALL AWARDS.  THESE PROMPTS ASSIST ORIGINATORS IN AVOIDING THE MOST COMMON ADMINISTRATIVE ERRORS.
D.  IAPS NOW PROMPTS ORIGINATORS TO LIST OTHER PERSONNEL RECOMMENDED FOR THE SAME ACTION IN ORDER TO HELP ORIGINATORS AND ENDORSERS ENSURE THAT ALL PERSONAL AWARDS FOR A SINGLE ACTION MOVE TOGETHER AS A GROUP THROUGH THE ENDORSING CHAIN TO THE APPROVAL AUTHORITY OF THE HIGHEST RECOMMENDED AWARD FOR FINAL DECISION.  WHEN SELECTING ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL, IAPS NOW PROVIDES A LIST OF PERSONNEL AND UNITS BASED ON THE INFORMATION ENTERED.  WHEN POSSIBLE, ORIGINATORS WILL SELECT APPROPRIATE PERSONNEL FROM THE LIST PROVIDED TO HELP ENSURE CONSISTENT TRACKING OF GROUPED AWARDS. 
E.  PREPARERS AND ORIGINATORS OF VALOR AWARDS (AIR MEDAL AND ABOVE) ARE REQUIRED TO VERIFY THAT THEY HAVE READ THE "RECOMMENDED STEPS FOR ORIGINATING VALOR AWARDS" TO ENSURE ALL REQUIRED AND RELEVANT AWARD INFORMATION IS COLLECTED AS SOON AFTER THE ACTION AS POSSIBLE AND ATTACHED IN THE AWARD RECOMMENDATION.  THE RECOMMENDED STEPS CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON THE TOOLS TAB AND ON THE INITIAL SPLASH PAGE OF IAPS.
F.  IAPS NOW REMINDS PREPARERS AND ORIGINATORS OF MEDAL OF HONOR, NAVY CROSS, AND SILVER STAR RECOMMENDATIONS COVERING MULTI-DAY PERIODS THAT THESE AWARDS ARE RESTRICTED TO SINGLE ACTS OF VALOR.  ONLY IN EXCEPTIONAL CASES CAN THE SILVER STAR BE AWARDED FOR A SERIES OF MINOR ACTS OF VALOR.  IAPS ALLOWS THESE MULTI-DAY AWARDS TO BE ORIGINATED, BUT ORIGINATORS SHOULD INCLUDE COMMENTS ON THE PERIOD OF ACTION FOR CLARITY.
G.  IAPS REQUIRES ORIGINATORS TO CONFIRM THAT A MINIMUM OF TWO SIGNED AND NOTARIZED EYE WITNESS STATEMENTS ARE ATTACHED TO EACH VALOR AWARD RECOMMENDATION.
H.  AFTER PREPARING THE AWARD RECOMMENDATION, BUT PRIOR TO SUBMITTING THE ORIGINATED AWARD, ORIGINATORS ARE REQUIRED TO ANSWER SEVERAL QUESTIONS VERIFYING THE CONTENT AND QUALITY OF THE VALOR AWARD RECOMMENDATION.
I.  IAPS REQUIRES THE ORIGINATOR TO ENTER A COMMENT EXPLAINING THE REASON FOR DELAY WHEN MORE THAN 45 DAYS PASS BETWEEN THE END DATE OF AN ACTION AND THE ORIGINATION OF A VALOR AWARD.
J.  IAPS REQUIRES ENDORSERS TO ENTER A COMMENT EXPLAINING THE REASON FOR DELAY WHEN MORE THAN 21 DAYS PASS BETWEEN THE DATE THEY RECEIVED THE AWARD AND THE DATE THEY ENDORSE AND FORWARD THE AWARD.  ENDORSERS APPEAR IN BLOCK 23 OF THE COMPLETED NAVMC11533 (EF) AND ARE PART OF THE FINAL AWARD DOCUMENTATION.  AS SUCH, ENDORSING OF AWARDS SHOULD BE RESTRICTED TO COMMANDERS AT EACH LEVEL.  OTHER PERSONNEL SERVING AS REVIEWERS SHOULD COMMENT ON AWARDS IN THE APPROPRIATE IAPS COMMENT BLOCK RATHER THAN AS AN ENDORSER.
3.  FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING THE ENHANCEMENTS TO IAPS ANNOUNCED IN THIS MARADMIN, UNIT AWARD ADMINISTRATORS SHOULD CONTACT THE PERSONAL AWARDS SECTION (CMC (MMMA-2)) AT COMM (703) 784-9342/9343 OR BY EMAIL AT SMB(UNDERSCORE)HQMC(UNDERSCORE)PERS(UNDERSCORE)AWARDS@USMC.MIL.
4.  THIS MARADMIN IS APPLICABLE TO THE TOTAL FORCE MARINE CORPS.
5.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY MR. C. F. SWAIN, DIRECTOR, MANPOWER MANAGEMENT DIVISION (ACTING).//