Hehe.... I'm just trying to put together the list of end of year awards for the unit, and I've got a guy who has about 600 hours in MS over the last couple of years plus he has finished 6 or 7 PQS's including some active duty ones. He just got his conditional Trident (needs 2 more years of hours) this morning actually..
From the AuxMan 11.A.4. Medal of Operational Merit
quote:
The Medal of Operational Merit is given to Auxiliarists in recognition of outstanding skill in performing an assist, rescue, or other meritorious operational service. The Medal of Operational Merit may be awarded by any Coast Guard Commanding officer (06 and above) of an operational unit or serving as DVC or higher at a district office, MLC, HQ, or serving as a Director.
The DVC in the above is a CG officer not an Aux DVC.
Keep reading at 11.A.4.a. Eligibility Criteria:
quote:
This award recognizes outstanding achievement or service of an operational nature (defined as direct, hands on, underway, surface or airborne aviation mission activity) worthy of special recognition. For this award, the key words are outstanding operational performance, skill, assist, rescue or other meritorious operational service. To receive the Medal of Operational Merit, only skill is required, not extreme skill, and therefore does not have to be a risk to the Auxiliarist’s life. Outstanding operational performance and other meritorious operational service have been included in this category. This was added to allow recognition of a cumulative series of operational services, none of which, standing alone, would merit this award, but taken as a group, do merit this level of recognition
So it appears on the surface that he could be eligible. However, what is "outstanding performance" - is it just more then anyone else in the flotilla, division or district? Is it a specific numerical target and who sets it? Is it "outstanding" by a whole lot or just a little bit?
How does his hours compare to the hours or missions for the Annual Service Performance Awards?
Annual Service VE - 60 VSCs or PVs or 20 CFVEs (or any combination that totals 60)
Annual Service PE - 30 leads hours in PE or MT or 60 assisting or any combo that totals 30.
Annual Service Ops- (keep this restriction in mind
quote:
Operations support does not include administrative support to operational units, such as answering the office phones, filing case files, and service in the Director’s office.
There are a few 'flavors' of the Ops Award:
Displays the support “S” device for support activities not involving the movement of a facility, (i.e., watchstanding). - 200 hours required - see what doesn't count in the 200 above.
You would get to wear the "O" device for being underway. You need either 60 hours on a surface facility (any qualified position) or 30 hours in the air (any qualified postion) - however unlike the other awards you cannot combine the hours from surface and air to earn the award. You have to have sufficient hours on the surface or in the air.
Now the whole point of that exercise was to show what levels of activity earn a low level Annual Service Award (it is one of the lowest awards in the Aux). So I think the PTB would expect to see something much higher then that for an Ops Merit Award.
BTW - if the member augmented and the station/MSO/MSD liked him - you might want to consider sending the award thru the Gold Side. Usually the Gold Side is more open to interpretation and is definitely faster at processing awards then the Aux is.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: FL51D7,
Originally posted by baloo0136: Hehe.... I'm just trying to put together the list of end of year awards for the unit, and I've got a guy who has about 600 hours in MS over the last couple of years plus he has finished 6 or 7 PQS's including some active duty ones. He just got his conditional Trident (needs 2 more years of hours) this morning actually..
Not to suggest that he doesn't deserve special recognition but the Trident IS a special award for all the hours, PQS, etc.
Originally posted by baloo0136: Hehe.... I'm just trying to put together the list of end of year awards for the unit, and I've got a guy who has about 600 hours in MS over the last couple of years plus he has finished 6 or 7 PQS's including some active duty ones. He just got his conditional Trident (needs 2 more years of hours) this morning actually..
Originally posted by baloo0136: Hehe.... I'm just trying to put together the list of end of year awards for the unit, and I've got a guy who has about 600 hours in MS over the last couple of years plus he has finished 6 or 7 PQS's including some active duty ones. He just got his conditional Trident (needs 2 more years of hours) this morning actually..
sorry, couldn't resist...
