UNCLASSIFIED// ATTENTION INVITED TO ROUTINE R 032026Z FEB 14 PSN 237476K29 FM CNO WASHINGTON DC TO NAVADMIN INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC BT UNCLAS ***THIS IS A 2 SECTION MESSAGE COLLATED BY OIX GATEWAY NORFOLK VA*** QQQQ SUBJ: OCEANOGRAPHER OF THE NAVY AWARDS PROGRAM UNCLASSIFIED/ PASS TO ALL OFFICE CODES: FM CNO WASHINGTON DC TO NAVADMIN INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N2N6// UNCLAS//N01650// 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.// BT #3294 NNNN UNCLASSIFIED//