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2026 Marine Corps Aviation Awards Are Open for Nominations

MARADMIN 493/26·October 14, 2026·1 min read·Official source

HQMC Aviation has put out the annual call for 2026 Marine Corps Aviation Award nominations. There are 34 awards covering the full range of aviation billets, from aviators and flight officers to maintainers, ordnance Marines, supply, avionics, and reserve aviation. The award period runs 1 January 2026 through 31 December 2026.

Heads up: Packages must be received by HQMC no later than 16 January 2027. Late, incomplete, or incorrect nominations will not be considered, no exceptions.

Who it affects

Any command with Marines or units that have distinguished themselves in Marine aviation during 2026. That includes SMCR and IMA aviation billets. Two awards are specifically reserve-focused: the Ted Williams Award (individual exceptional achievement in reserve Marine aviation) and the Jack Bergman Award (Marine Reserve Unit of the Year).

What you need to do

  1. Review MCO 1650.29H (the aviation awards order) and the HQMC Aviation Aircrew Programs (ACP) website for eligibility criteria and nomination instructions.
  2. Build your nomination package per both the order and the website instructions. Do not rely on one source alone.
  3. Submit photographs IAW the 2027 Marine Corps Aviation Awards Instructions found on the same website (the photo guidance lives in next year's instructions by design).
  4. Submit your complete package to HQMC AVN ACP no later than 16 January 2027.

The nomination website is: https://www.aviation.marines.mil/Branches/Aviation-Manpower-and-Support-Branch/Aircrew-Programs/Marine-Corps-Aviation-Awards/

POC: Maj J.L. Adair, HQMC AVN ASM. Phone: (703) 693-9875 or DSN 223-4108. Email: jesse.adair@usmc.mil

Key dates

  • Award period: 1 January 2026 through 31 December 2026
  • Package submission deadline: 16 January 2027 (hard cutoff, no exceptions)

The official version

This is MARADMIN 493/26. The governing order is MCO 1650.29H. Full eligibility criteria and submission instructions are on the HQMC AVN ACP website linked above.

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.

Resources & references

The documents this bulletin points to, with a plain-English note on why each matters. Links marked CAC required need a government login.

  • Aviation Awards Order (MCO 1650.29H)Reference

    This order governs eligibility criteria and requirements for Marine Corps Aviation Awards nominations. Commands are directed to review it in full before building and submitting nomination packages.

  • HQMC Aviation Aircrew Programs (ACP) Website — Marine Corps Aviation Awards

    This page lists the annual Marine Corps Aviation Awards, covering categories from aviator of the year to aviation maintenance and supply Marines, along with the submission deadlines, format rules, and endorsement requirements for nomination packages. Reserve aviation Marines who want to nominate someone from their unit, or who have been nominated, can find the specific criteria, file naming conventions, and submission procedures here.

awardsleadershippolicy

Take it to drill

A one-page brief you can print or save. Built for SNCOs to brief their Marines.

2026 Marine Corps Aviation Awards Are Open for Nominations — Reservable