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***THIS IS A 2 SECTION MESSAGE COLLATED BY OIX GATEWAY NORFOLK VA*** QQQQ
SUBJ: OCEANOGRAPHER OF THE NAVY AWARDS PROGRAM UNCLASSIFIED/ PASS TO ALL 
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FM CNO WASHINGTON DC
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NAVADMIN/023/14

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N2N6/FEB//

SUBJ/OCEANOGRAPHER OF THE NAVY AWARDS PROGRAM//

RMKS/1.  THIS NAVADMIN PROVIDES BACKGROUND, GUIDANCE, AND SOLICITS 
NOMINATIONS FOR A SET OF NEW OCEANOGRAPHER OF THE NAVY-SPONSORED AWARDS TO 
ANNUALLY RECOGNIZE MILITARY AND CIVILIAN NAVAL OCEANOGRAPHY PROFESSIONALS FOR 
EXPERTISE, ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND LEADERSHIP IN THE APPLICATION OF METEOROLOGY, 
OCEANOGRAPHY, HYDROGRAPHY, AND PRECISE TIME AND ASTROMETRY.  THESE AWARDS ARE 
COMPARABLE TO OTHER AWARDS WITHIN THE OTHER SPECIALTIES OF THE INFORMATION 
DOMINANCE CORPS.

2.  AS THE FOUNDATION OF BATTLESPACE AWARENESS WITHIN INFORMATION DOMINANCE 
WARFARE, NAVAL OCEANOGRAPHY TRACES ITS ROOTS TO 6 DECEMBER 1830 WHEN THE NAVY 
ESTABLISHED THE DEPOT OF CHARTS AND INSTRUMENTS TO CORRECT DEFICIENCIES IN 
NAUTICAL CHARTS AND NAVIGATION INSTRUMENTS.  A DOZEN YEARS LATER, LT MATTHEW 
FOUNTAINE MAURY INSTITUTED THE CHANGES THAT ESTABLISHED NAVAL OCEANOGRAPHY AS 
WE KNOW IT TODAY.  MAURY WAS THE FIRST TO CHART WIND, CURRENT, AND WATER 
DEPTH CONDITIONS GLEANED FROM SHIP LOGS.  UNDER HIS DIRECTION, THE NAVY 
DEVELOPED A SYSTEM TO SUPPLY SHIPS WITH ACCURATE CHARTS AND NAVIGATIONAL 
EQUIPMENT. FROM THOSE HUMBLE BEGINNINGS, NAVAL OCEANOGRAPHY, TO INCLUDE 
METEOROLOGY, OCEANOGRAPHY, HYDROGRAPHY, PRECISE TIME, AND ASTROMETRY, HAS 
BECOME ESSENTIAL TO SAFE AND EFFECTIVE FLEET OPERATIONS WORLDWIDE.

3.  THE FOLLOWING AWARDS ARE INTENDED TO COMPLIMENT THE COMMANDER, NAVAL 
METEOROLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY COMMAND SAILOR OF THE YEAR AND JUNIOR SAILOR OF 
THE YEAR AWARDS, AND WILL BE DELIVERED ANNUALLY BY THE OCEANOGRAPHER OF THE 
NAVY TO INDIVIDUALS WHO DISPLAY EXPERTISE, ACCOMPLISHMENT, AND LEADERSHIP IN 
THE APPLICATION OF METEOROLOGY, OCEANOGRAPHY, HYDROGRAPHY, AND PRECISE TIME 
AND ASTROMETRY TO WARFIGHTING AND FLEET
OPERATIONS:
    A.  THE CAPTAIN RICHARD C. STEERE AWARD FOR NAVAL OFFICERS IN PAYGRADES 
O1-O3.  CAPTAIN STEERE SERVED DURING WORLD WAR II AS GENERAL GEORGE S. 
PATTON'S FORECASTER FOR THE ALLIED LANDINGS IN NORTH AFRICA IN 1942 AND WAS 
AMONG THE NAVY GROUP THAT FORECASTED SURF AND SWELL CONDITIONS FOR THE D-DAY 
LANDINGS AT NORMANDY.
    B.  THE COMMANDER MARY SEARS AWARD FOR NAVAL OFFICERS IN THE PAYGRADE OF 
O4. DURING WORLD WAR II, COMMANDER SEARS GREATLY EXPANDED THE UNDERSTANDING 
AND APPLICATION OF OCEANOGRAPHY TO NAVAL WARFARE, AND USED REFINED TIDAL 
PREDICTIONS AND WAVE REFRACTION CHARTS TO RECOMMEND SUCCESSFUL LANDING 
LOCATIONS FOR THE AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULTS ON LUZON AND ISLANDS AROUND OKINAWA IN 
1945.
    C.  CHIEF AEROGRAPHER LUTHER JONES AWARD FOR NAVY AEROGRAPHER'S MATES 
PAYGRADES E7 AND E8.  CHIEF JONES WAS STATIONED ON GUAM WHEN JAPANESE FORCES 
OVERRAN THE ISLAND.
EVADING CAPTURE FOR OVER A YEAR, HE WAS FINALLY CAPTURED, TORTURED, AND 
EXECUTED BUT REFUSED TO REVEAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE LOCAL PEOPLE WHO HELPED 
HIM.
    D.  THE MATTHEW HENSON AWARD FOR NAVY CIVILIANS AT OR BELOW THE GRADE OF 
GS-13.  HENSON WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ARCTIC EXPLORER, AND SERVED AS 
NAVIGATOR FOR ROBERT PEARY ON SEVEN VOYAGES TO THE REGION.

4.  PROCEDURES
    A.  NOMINATIONS MUST BE FULLY SUBSTANTIATED AND REFLECT A CAREFUL AND 
CONSCIENTIOUS EVALUATION OF THE NOMINEE FOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS 1 OCTOBER THROUGH 
30 SEPTEMBER.  ALL NOMINEES MUST BE IN THE ELIGIBLE PAYGRADE AS OF 30 
SEPTEMBER OF THE AWARD YEAR.  EACH NOMINATION PACKAGE SHALL INCLUDE:
        (1) A COVER PAGE CONTAINING THE MILITARY NOMINEE'S PERSONAL 
INFORMATION AND PROFESSIONAL HISTORY.
        (2) A LETTER OF ENDORSEMENT FROM CURRENT COMMAND.
        (3) A ONE-PAGE BIOGRAPHY.
        (4) A NOMINATION ACHIEVEMENT/JUSTIFICATION SECTION IN BULLET FORMAT.
        (5) A PROPOSED CITATION IN STANDARD PARAGRAPH FORM.
    B.  THE OCEANOGRAPHER OF THE NAVY WILL ANNOUNCE THE ANNUAL OCEANOGRAPHY 
AWARDS PROGRAM VIA MESSAGE TRAFFIC IN AUGUST OF EACH YEAR.  THE AWARDS 
MESSAGE WILL INCLUDE SPECIFIC NOMINATION PACKAGE GUIDELINES.  NOMINATIONS 
MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN 15 OCTOBER OF EACH YEAR.
    C.  THE OCEANOGRAPHER OF THE NAVY AND COMMANDER, NAVAL METEOROLOGY AND 
OCEANOGRAPHY COMMAND WILL CONVENE A JOINT BOARD CONSISTING OF THEIR 
RESPECTIVE TECHNICAL DIRECTORS, SENIOR ENLISTED ADVISOR/COMMAND MASTER CHIEF, 
AND DEPUTY/ CHIEF OF STAFF WHO WILL SELECT AWARDEES BASED UPON THE CRITERIA 
ABOVE AND CONTENT OF THE RESPECTIVE NOMINATION PACKAGES.
    D.  THE OCEANOGRAPHER OF THE NAVY WILL ANNOUNCE THESE AWARDS BY MESSAGE 
ON THE BIRTHDAY OF NAVAL OCEANOGRAPHY, QQQQ
6 DECEMBER, AND WILL RECOGNIZE EACH MILITARY OR CIVILIAN AWARDEE IN PERSON OR 
VIA THE SERVICE MEMBER'S RESPECTIVE COMMANDING OFFICER.

5.  RELEASED BY VICE ADMIRAL TED BRANCH, OPNAV N2N6.//

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