UNCLASSIFIED//
ROUTINE
R 101608Z SEP 08
BT
UNCLAS
PASS TO ALL OFFICE CODES:
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N8//
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N8//
UNCLAS
NAVADMIN 258/08

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/DNS/SEP//

SUBJ/SURFACE NAVY ASSOCIATION OLD TAR//
POC/MONTAGUE SARAH/CTR/N861A/-/TEL:(703) 692-4608//

RMKS/1. THIS MESSAGE SOLICITS NOMINATIONS FOR THE SURFACE NAVY 
ASSOCIATION'S "OLD TAR" AWARD.

2. THE "OLD TAR" AWARD WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE SURFACE NAVY ASSOCIATION 
(SNA) IN 1996 TO RECOGNIZE THE ACTIVE DUTY ENLISTED SURFACE WARFARE 
SPECIALIST (ESWS) WITH THE EARLIEST DATE OF QUALIFICATION. THE AWARD IS 
A REPLICA OF THE STATUE "THE CHIEF" WHICH STANDS AT THE NAVY MEMORIAL 
IN WASHINGTON, DC. THE STATUETTE IS MOUNTED ON ORIGINAL PLANKING FROM 
THE USS CONSTITUTION AND REMAINS IN THE SACRED CUSTODY FOR DISPLAY BY 
THE "OLD TAR" AS LONG AS HE/SHE SERVES ON ACTIVE DUTY. THE STATUETTE IS 
SHIFTED UPON RETIREMENT TO THE NEXT "SELECTED" RECIPIENT.

3. THE CURRENT "OLD TAR" IS RECENTLY RETIRED MASTER CHIEF MARK DAVIDSON.

4. THE CRITERIA FOR THE "OLD TAR" AWARD IS: ACTIVE DUTY ESWS WITH THE 
EARLIEST DATE OF QUALIFICATION AS RECEIVED BY THE SNA BEFORE THE 
ANNOUNCED CLOSING DATE. SNA CURRENTLY HAS AN INDIVIUDAL IDENTIFIED WITH 
AN ESWS QUALIFICATION DATE OF 23 NOVEMBER 1983. NEW NOMINATIONS WILL 
ONLY BE ACCEPTED IF THE DATE IS EQUAL TO OR EARLIER THAN 23 NOVEMBER 
1983. NOMINEES MUST SUBMIT APPROPRIATE CERTIFIED TRUE COPIES OF PAGE 4 
OR ESWS CERTIFICATE. NOMINATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE CLOSING DATE THAT 
ARE OF AN EARLIER DATE OF QUALIFICATION OF THE SELECTED AWARD WINNER 
WILL RECEIVE A LETTER OF RECOGNITION ONLY. IN THE EVENT OF MORE THAN 
ONE NOMINEE HAVING THE SAME ESWS QUALIFICATION DATE, THE RECIPIENT WILL 
BE DETERMINED FIRST BY THE MOST TIME AT SEA, AND SECONDLY, BY THE PAY 
ENTRY BASE DATE. IF A CANDIDATE IS QUALIFIED IN MORE THAN ONE SPECIALTY 
AREA, THEIR PRIMARY DESIGNATION MUST BE SURFACE WARFARE.

5. THE CHANGE IN CUSTODY OF THE "OLD TAR" STATUETTE IS RECOGNIZED AT 
THE SNA'S ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM HELD IN JANUARY IN WASHINGTON, DC. ALSO, A 
REPLICA OF THE CHIEF STATUETTE IS PRESENTED TO THE RETIRING "OLD TAR".  
THE REPLICA PRESENTATION SERVES TO RENEW KNOWLEDGE OF THE RECOGNITION, 
AND AS A REAFFIRMATION OF FAITH BY THE SNA NATIONALLY THAT BECOMING AN 
ESWS IS, WAS, AND WILL REMAIN IMPORTANT. THE REPLICA IS PROVIDED TO THE 
RETIRING "OLD TAR"
FOR HIS/HER RETENTION FOR LIFE WITH A "VERY WELL DONE".

6. IT IS REQUESTED THAT ALL NOMINATIONS BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE SNA AT 
2550 HUNTINGTON AVE., SUITE 202, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22302 NO LATER THAN 30 
SEPTEMBER 2008.

7. RELEASED BY VICE ADMIRAL B. J. McCULLOUGH, DEPUTY CNO FOR 
INTEGRATION OF CAPABILITIES AND RESOURCES (N8)//

BT
#0001
NNNN