The Marine Corps is looking for nominations for the 2026 Department of War (DoW) Spirit of Hope Award. This is an annual award that recognizes private citizens, organizations, or current and former DoW military or civilian personnel who go well above and beyond to improve the quality of life for service members and their families. Each major USMC command gets one nomination. The deadline is tight.
Heads up: Each major USMC command can submit one nomination, and it must be endorsed by a commander or senior official at the O-6/GS-15 level or above. The package is due to MPC-40 by March 31, 2026.
Who it affects
This is primarily an action item for commands and their awards coordinators, not individual Marines. If you know someone, military or civilian, who has done exceptional work supporting service members and families, flag it to your command's awards coordinator or S-1 so they can initiate a nomination.
Eligible nominees include:
- Private citizens and organizations
- Current or former DoW military or civilian personnel
The Marine Corps gets one nominee total. That nomination goes through DC M&RA and is endorsed by the CMC before being forwarded to the Pentagon awards section.
What you need to do
If you want to nominate someone, contact your command's awards program coordinator at your servicing Human Resources Office. They can provide the nomination template and submission procedures.
If your command's nominee is selected, be aware of two additional requirements:
- The nominating command must designate a POC responsible for logistical support at the award ceremony.
- The nominating command must be prepared to provide a GO/SES-level sponsor to represent the awardee at the ceremony if required.
- Funding for the nominee to attend the ceremony is the nominating command's responsibility.
Key dates
- 31 March 2026: All USMC nomination packages due to MPC-40 at
SMB_CIVILIAN_AWARDS@usmc.mil
The official version
This comes from MARADMIN 039/26. The reference document is an HQMC memo dated January 6, 2026, on file with your command.
POCs at MPC-40:
- Mylechia Smalls:
mylechia.smalls@usmc.mil/ COM 703-784-9560 - Michelle DelMedico:
michelle.delmedico@usmc.mil/ COM 703-432-8537
This is written by a reservist, for reservists. It is not an official publication of HQMC or MARFORRES. Always verify guidance with your command or unit S-1 before acting on any article or summary.