GENERAL INFORMATION

On 18May2020, Navy Personnel Command launched the new BUPERS OnLine (BOL) NDAWS application. BOL NDAWS is the authoritative source for Navy personal, Unit, Campaign, and Expeditionary medals data.

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/contract 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.
 

• Step 1 - Check to see that the award has been entered into the Navy Department Awards Web Service (NDAWS) by logging onto BOL. Once on BOL, click on ‘Navy Personnel Command Documents Services’.  Once this page opens, select “NDAWS” from the left side of the screen.  Click on “Search Awards”.  From there you can search for personal and unit awards.  If you click on “Personal Awards Search”, your personal awards should be displayed. 

• Step 2 - If the award(s) is/are reflecting accurately in BOL 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 BOL NDAWS but not in the OMPF”. PERS-312 staff will verify the award is correctly showing in BOL NDAWS and then have it manually scanned into the OMPF.

• Step 3 - If the award(s) has/have not been entered into BOL NDAWS, contact your administrative office for assistance.  It is their responsibility to update BOL NDAWS with your award in accordance with the NDAWS User’s Guide (Apr 2021).

• Step 4 - Once an award has been submitted into BOL NDAWS, the application will create a digitally-signed 1650/3 and upload it along with the wet-signed certificate to the OMPF.  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 command that does not have the ability to enter awards, PERS-312 can assist. 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.

PERSONAL AWARDS (FLOC, MOVSM, NAM & HIGHER)

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

• Administrative offices are to enter awards into BOL 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 BOL 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.

UNIT, CAMPAIGN, EXPEDITIONARY AND SERVICE AWARDS

• The Electronic Service Record (ESR) displays personal, unit, campaign, expeditionary and service awards.  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.

OSR/PSR UPDATES FOR AWARDS

If the PSR is missing awards or if the awards listed on the PSR are incorrect, the Data Quality Management Branch (BUPERS-072) can assist in updating those records.  The Data Quality Management branch manages the functionality and data contained within many of the Navy corporate data systems.  Visit their page for information on requesting corrections.

 
MEDALS AND RIBBONS

Members on active duty and drilling reservists 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 or write a letter 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. If 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 Jun 1995:

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

Veterans separated before Jun 1995:

NATIONAL PERSONNEL RECORDS CENTER
1 ARCHIVES DRIVE
ST. LOUIS, MO 63138