GENERAL INFORMATION

The Navy Department Awards Web Service (NDAWS) is the Navy’s authoritative source of awards data.  It is the primary means by which personal military decorations (also known as PMDs or personal awards) are uploaded to the OMPF.  Upon entry of an award in NDAWS, the OMPF is normally updated within 24 hours.  NDAWS provides a weekly feed of data that is used to update other corporate data applications.  These include NSIPS, FLTMPS and the OSR/PSR.  It should take about 3 - 4 weeks from the time an award is entered into NDAWS before it is populated completely across all platforms.  Campaign, Expeditionary and Service awards (also referred to as CE&S or unit awards) are entered into NDAWS for commands (not individuals). 

The Department of the Navy Military Awards Policy, SECNAVINST 1650.1J, establishes policy and SECNAV-M1 contains procedures concerning awards available for use in recognizing individuals and units of the naval service.  The Chief of Naval Operations (DNS-13) is the Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR) within the Navy for implementing this policy.  PERS-312 works hand-in-hand with DNS-13 to maintain the Navy Department Awards Web Service (NDAWS).  NDAWS is located on BUPERS Online (BOL) and requires a CAC to access the application.

All active duty and selected reserve personnel have BOL access and therefore have access to NDAWS.  Civilian/contractor personnel with BOL access also have access to NDAWS.  Civilians/contractors who require access to NDAWS but do not have a BOL account will need to submit an approved SAAR-N to the BOL Helpdesk at bupers07_it_eoc.fct@navy.mil requesting access.

How do I get an approved award certificate into my OMPF?

Note:  PERS-312 is no longer the primary office for entering personal awards in NDAWS.  Sailors are to work with their administrative support offices to have all valid awards entered into NDAWS.  Awards mailed to Navy Personnel Command will be returned without action. 
 

• Check to see if the award has been entered into NDAWS by logging onto BOL. Once on BOL, click on ‘Navy Personnel Command Document Services’.  Once the page opens, select ‘NDAWS’ from the left side of the screen.  Click on ‘Search Awards’.  From there you can search personal awards for individuals and unit awards for commands. 

Note:  Unit awards for individuals are not entered in NDAWS.  They are entered in the Electronic Service Record (ESR) of NSIPS by admin support personnel.
 

• If the personal award(s) is/are reflecting accurately in NDAWS but not in your OMPF, the administrative office may send a “quality” (it will be a permanent document in the OMPF) .pdf scanned copy of the missing award to MILL_NavyAwards.fct@navy.mil and state in the email “This award is showing in NDAWS but not in the OMPF”. PERS-312 staff will verify the award is correctly showing in NDAWS and then give it to PERS-313 to be scanned into the OMPF.

• If the personal award(s) has/have not been entered into NDAWS, contact your administrative office for assistance.  It is their responsibility to update NDAWS with your award in accordance with the NDAWS User’s Guide (Apr 2021).

• Once a personal award has been submitted into NDAWS, the application will create a digitally-signed 1650/3 that is uploaded to the OMPF along with the wet-signed certificate.  DO NOT upload the locally-created, wet-signed 1650/3.  This will create a duplicate in the OMPF.

If you are attached to a Joint/NATO/USMC or other command that does not have the ability to enter Navy personal awards into NDAWS, PERS-312 may be able to assist provided there is no ISIC support for routing/handling of awards. In such cases, the administrative office may send the award, scanned as a quality PDF, to PERS-312 at MILL_NavyAwards.fct@navy.mil.  PERS-312 will not accept award submissions directly from the Sailor whose record is to be updated.  Joint/NATO awards are not entered by supporting admin offices.  They are to be sent to CNO Awards for verification of eligibility and CNO’s concurrence.  Personal awards (achievement and higher) presented from other branches of service, i.e. Army, Space Force, etc. must also be sent to CNO Awards.  Guidance for these award submissions may be found in the Navy Awards FAQ.

PERSONAL AWARDS 

• NDAWS is the authoritative source for personal awards data. Awards will not be ingested into the Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) if they are not reflected in NDAWS.

• Administrative offices are to enter personal awards into NDAWS.  The application creates a digitally-signed 1650/3 that is uploaded to the OMPF along with the award certificate.

• Older awards not reflecting in NDAWS must be entered into NDAWS by the awarding authority's administrative department or the member's current administrative department after authentication of validity of each award.
   

CAMPAIGN, EXPEDITIONARY AND SERVICE AWARDS (also referred to as CE&S or unit awards)

• These awards will be entered into NDAWS for commands.  Entry is normally performed by SECNAV, CNO or TYCOM.

• CE&S awards will be entered for individuals in NSIPS (ESR) by command admin personnel.

• Awards issued prior to 2006 were entered on a paper NAVPERS 1070/604 and should be filed in your OMPF.  Awards issued after 2006 should be displayed in the ‘Honors and Awards, section of the ESR and automatically submitted to the OMPF as a NAVPERS 1070/880 (Award Record) upon reenlistment or separation.

• If errors are discovered in the ESR, the servicing administrative/personnel office must be contacted for assistance.
   

OFFICER SUMMARY REPORT (OSR)/PERSONNEL SUMMARY REPORT (PSR) CORRECTIONS

If the OSR or PSR is missing awards or the awards listed are incorrect, the Data Quality Management Branch (BUPERS-072) via MNCC/HRSC can assist in correcting those records.  The Navy Awards FAQ contains guidance for requesting OSR/PSR corrections.

MEDALS AND RIBBONS

Sailors should receive the original award (medal/ribbon) from their commanding officer.

Replacements:  Navy Personnel Command, PERS-312 will (on a one-time basis) replace medals and ribbons when they have been lost or destroyed, through no fault of the member or have become unfit for wear because of age/deterioration.  Replacement under other circumstances is the responsibility of the individual.

VETERANS WISHING TO REQUEST AWARDED DECORATIONS

Navy veterans to whom a military decoration has been awarded, or the immediate next of kin of a deceased recipient may also receive a replacement set of decorations on a one-time basis without cost if the previously issued medal, ribbon, or other device has been lost, destroyed, or rendered unfit for use without fault or neglect on the part of the recipient.  Miniature decorations are not replaced by the Department of Navy.

Veterans or next-of kin of deceased veterans can obtain and fill out SF 180, Request Pertaining To Military Records to request replacement awards.  Each request should be filled out neatly and should include the veteran’s complete name used while in service, rank, service number, social security number, branch of service, dates of service (date entered and date released), and it should be signed by the veteran or the next of kin if the veteran is deceased. When using the SF 180, check the “Other” box in section II, paragraph 1, and enter “replacement awards”.  Mail your request to one of the following addresses:
 

Veterans separated on or after 1 Jan 1995:

NAVY PERSONNEL COMMAND
PERS-312
5720 INTEGRITY DRIVE
MILLINGTON, TN  38055-3120
 

Veterans separated on or before 31 Dec 1994:
NATIONAL PERSONNEL RECORDS CENTER
1 ARCHIVES DRIVE
ST. LOUIS, MO 63138