The Marine Corps is soliciting nominations for the 2026 Marine Corps Engineer Association (MCEA) Awards Program. This is an annual program recognizing standout performance across engineer, utilities, expeditionary fuels, and EOD communities. There are 24 award categories covering individual Marines from E1 through O4 and warrant officers, plus unit-level awards. Nominations go through the chain of command and are due to HQMC by end of April.
Heads up: If you have a strong performer in an engineer, utilities, fuels, or EOD MOS, your command needs to move on this now. The deadline is firm and late packages will not be considered.
Who it affects
This applies to the total force, including RC units. The relevant communities are:
- Combat Engineers (all grades, E1 through O3)
- Engineer Equipment (all grades, WO through E1)
- Utilities (all grades, WO through E1)
- Expeditionary Fuels (tactical units only, all grades, WO through E1)
- EOD (officers WO through Captain, technicians E5 through E7)
- Units: Combat Engineer Battalions, Engineer Support Battalions, Marine Wing Support Squadron Engineer Companies, and Naval Construction Force (NCF) units at battalion size or smaller
Two categories are sponsored by the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) and are limited to senior engineers at the O4/CWO3-4 or E8 level.
What you need to do
If your command has a nominee, here is the process:
- Identify your nominee and confirm they fall within an eligible category and grade range.
- Notify MGySgt Elge at
forrest.elge@usmc.milwith your command's officer or SNCO POC info by 11 April 2026. - Submit a complete nomination package (one PDF per nominee or unit) through your endorsing chain of command, ending with the first General Officer or Flag Officer. No additional endorsements beyond that.
- Email the complete package with all attachments to MGySgt Elge by 30 April 2026.
- If your command will NOT submit a nomination, a negative report via email is still required by 25 April 2026.
Individual nomination packages must include (in this order, one PDF):
- Chain of command endorsements including first GO/FO
- Summary of action (two pages max)
- Proposed citation (20 to 30 lines)
- Career biography
- Command photo in Service Alphas or service equivalent
- Personal data form from
www.marcorengasn.org/fyi/awards-program - Unit POC with phone and email
Unit nomination packages must include (in this order, one PDF):
- Chain of command endorsements including first GO/FO
- Unit chronology of events for the award period (three pages max)
- Proposed citation (20 to 30 lines)
- Statistical summary (text only, no photos)
- Personal data forms for the CO or Company Commander and Senior Enlisted Advisor
- Unit POC with phone and email
- Unit logo and unit photo if available
Each Marine Corps Major Command (Marine Division, Marine Logistics Group, Marine Air Wing) may submit only one nomination per category. NECC may submit up to three nominations for the NCF unit award.
Key dates
- Award coverage period: 1 April 2025 through 31 March 2026
- Command POC info due to HQMC: 11 April 2026
- Negative reports due: 25 April 2026
- All nominations due: 30 April 2026
- Awards banquet: 18 September 2026, DoubleTree Hilton, Sacramento, CA
The official version
See MARADMIN 044/26 for the full text. The governing order is MCO 1650.61 Admin CH, Marine Corps Installations and Logistics Awards Program (MCILAP). Citation samples are in Enclosure (4) of that order.
POC: MGySgt Forrest S. Elge, I&L LPE. Phone: 571-256-7159. Email: forrest.elge@usmc.mil.
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.