DC M&RA is calling for nominations to recognize standout Marines, civilians, and programs for FY26 (1 October 2025 through 30 September 2026). There are more than a dozen award categories spanning administration, career counseling, equal opportunity, MCCS, postal, and family programs. The Marine Corps Association sponsors these awards, and recipients are invited to an awards dinner at Quantico in May 2027.
Heads up: Most nomination packages are due 1 November 2026. Miss that date and your Marine doesn't compete.
Who it affects
This applies to the Total Force, meaning active and reserve component units alike. A few categories are specific to the RC:
- Administration NCO of the Year, RC (SMCR/IMA), E4-E5 is the category most directly carved out for reservists.
- All other MCMPAAP categories (Administration Marine of the Year, Administration SNCO of the Year, Personnel Officer of the Year, Manpower Officer of the Year, and the civilian categories) are open to both components.
- MCCS Marine of the Year (E5-E8), EOA of the Year (E6-E8, MOS 0147 required), Postal Marine of the Year (E4-E7), and the Child Development Center and Marine Family Program employee categories round out the list.
One nomination per award category per major subordinate command. The first general officer in the chain of command must endorse the package.
What you need to do
The submission process varies by category. Here is how each one gets submitted:
- MCMPAAP categories (Administration, Personnel Officer, Manpower Officer, Civilian awards, Personnel Administration Center): Submit via the MCMPAAP Microsoft Teams portal by 1 November 2026. G-1 reps can contact the M&RA Secretariat POCs for access. Sample packages are also available there.
- MCCS Marine of the Year: Route through your operational chain of command, then email a PDF to
michael.huff@usmc-mccs.orgby 1 November 2026. Name the fileEDIPI_Lastname(example:1234567890_Huff.pdf). Subject line format:FY26 MCCS Marine of the Year ICO (Rank/Name). - EOA of the Year (MOS 0147 required): Email to
mpe_eo@usmc.milby 1 November 2026. - Postal Marine of the Year: Email to
billy.gillenwater@usmc.milby 1 November 2026. - Child Development Center Employee of the Year: Nominations solicited via formal tasking. Questions to
kari.ratcliffe@usmc.mil. - Marine Family Program Employee of the Year: Nominations solicited via formal tasking. Questions to
bonnie.burns@usmc.mil. - Career Counselor of the Year and AR Career Counselor of the Year: Solicitation and due dates will come via separate correspondence. Watch for follow-on guidance.
Key dates
- 1 November 2026: Deadline for most nomination packages (MCMPAAP, MCCS, EOA, Postal categories)
- 6 May 2027: Awards dinner, Clubs at Quantico
The official version
This is MARADMIN 440/26. The primary governing order is MCO 1650.18 (Marine Corps Manpower, Personnel and Administration Awards Program). Reserve-specific retention and career development guidance falls under MCO 1040R.31.
POC for MCMPAAP and general questions: CWO5 Moseley at joseph.moseley@usmc.mil / 703-432-9217, or MGySgt DeKelaita at ramsen.dekelaita@usmc.mil / 703-432-9738.
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.