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The Marine Excellence Awards Program

The Awards Program was established to recognize the professional achievements of Marines and sailors (serving in Marine Corps units) and to recognize the honor graduates throughout the Marine Corps officer and enlisted formal schools. Awards are a valuable incentive and an appropriate means of recognizing Marines and sailors who excel in their commands and formal schools and leadership courses. The MCAF is the largest contributor of awards given to the U.S. Marine Corps.  Each year MCAF gives awards to nearly 9,000 deserving Marines and sailors.  About 95 percent of the awards go to enlisted men and women.  For additional information on Marine Corps Association Foundation Awards, please review Marine Corps Order 1650.31G (PDF format). Here are just a few of the awards given to outstanding Marines and sailors:

  • Recruiter of the Year
  • Drill Instructor of the Year
  • Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Writing Award
  • Recruit Training (Honor Recruit, High Shooter, and High Physical Fitness Test)
  • The Basic School Honor Grad 
  • Officer Candidates School Honor Grad
  • Expeditionary Warfare School Honor Grad
  • Staff Noncommissioned Officer Academy Honor Grad

ROTC

The Reserve Officer Training Program is a great leadership development tool in our schools at both the High School and University levels.  The Program provides valuable training and focused, military oriented education, which builds discipline and character in those who participate. A challenging program, ROTC helps build leaders.

The Marine Corps Association Foundation enthusiastically supports the ROTC programs throughout the country as a great means of encouraging leadership development in potential, future Marines.  The primary support MCA provides to the ROTC program is in the form of superior performance recognition.  MCAF sponsors an awards program to recognize deserving ROTC and JROTC participants who have distinguished themselves while drilling with their ROTC unit. 

MCA recognizes hundreds of superior ROTC / JROTC program performers each year.  The MCAF Awards program, which is authorized under Marine Corps Order 1650.31G, provides a personalized plaque to the honor graduate at every NROTC, MJROTC and NJROTC unit annually.  Enclosed with each plaque is a congratulatory letter from the MCAF.  

While all ROTC / JROTC are eligible to participate in the Awards Program, not all do so. MCAF urges all units to participate in order to provide valuable incentives and, well- deserved recognition for their unit members.

For more information about ROTC awards or to discuss other ways MCAF can support an ROTC unit, call Stacey Lynn at 800-336-0291 ext. 156.  We look forward to supporting you in your efforts.

Administrative Note.  To enable MCAF to process recognition requests responsively, we request that ROTC/JROTC instructors send us a letter with detailed award recipient information at least four weeks prior to the recognition occasion.  Please include the full name of the award winner with rank, (if any), the exact date of the occasion, Senior Military Instructor's information, and any other information that should be included on the plaque.

Office: 703-640-0156
Fax to: 703-630-9147
Stacey Lynn ext. 156
s.lynn@mca-marines.org

To send a request, click here and fill out the attached form (PDF Format) and e-mail to s.lynn@mca-marines.org or fax to 703-630-9147.

Send via mail to:
Awards Program
Marine Corps Association Foundation
Box 1775
Quantico, VA 22134

  • If you would like more information on the MCAF Awards Program, please contact Stacey Lynn at any of the following:
    Tel: 800-336-0291, ext. 156 or 703-640-0156
    Fax: 703-630-9147
    s.lynn@mca-marines.org .
  • To send an award request, click here and fill out the attached form (PDF Format) and e-mail to s.lynn@mca-marines.org or fax to 703-630-9147.
  • The Marine Corps depends on MCA to support its programs for which the use of appropriated funds is inappropriate. The Marine Corps Association Foundation Professional Military Education / Training Awards Program is just such a program and continues only through funding received from MCAF membership dues or through individual donations. MCAF members should be proud to know that thousands of Marines and sailors benefit each year from the Awards program as a result of their membership support. To become a Marine Corps Association member and continue support of the MCAF Awards Program, Click Here.
    MCAF welcomes additional support for the Awards Program and urges members and those interested to make donations to the program. Donations can be made by phone by calling MCAF toll-free at 1-877-469-6223, ext 156 or 703-640-0156. Award donations can also be made electronically by credit card. 
  • For a complete schedule of upcoming events, click here.

MCAF would like to extend a special thank you to Tompkins Builders for their support of the expanded awards program for Marine Corps Detachment 2100 at Aberdeen Proving Grounds.

Some documents listed above are in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF). To view the document, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your system. This software is available for download from Adobe Systems at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.

Past MCAF Events

MCAF Ground Logistics Awards Dinner
On Thursday, 10 June 2010, the Marine Corps Association Foundation (MCAF), in conjunction with Headquarters Marine Corps, Installations and Logistics Division (I&L) held the 6th Annual Ground Logistics Awards Dinner at the Hilton Mark Center, Alexandria, Virginia.
More Past Events

Donations

donate

This is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation which means that your support may qualify for tax deductions.

Your support will go to fund:

  • Marine Excellence Awards Program (We are the LARGEST provider of awards for Marines in the World!)
  • Commander's Forum Grants Program (Professional Military Education discussions on operational, cultural and historical topics.)
  • Commander's Professional Library Grants Program (Containing the Commandant's Professional Reading List)
  • Leatherneck and The Marine Corps Gazette for Wounded Marines
  • Other important programs as requested by the Marine Corps

Donate Now

MCAF News and Announcements

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Making a donation and helping Marines is now easier than ever!

Would you like to give a large gift to the MCA Foundation, but unsure of what gift type would be best for you and/or your family members? Then please check out our new Gift Calculator

MCAF can now be the recipient of donations through your sales on eBay!

That's right! When you list an item on eBay, you can elect to have 10-100% of the sale price of that item donated directly to MCAF through eBay Giving Works.

A local program supplying Meal Boxes is looking for 100 or more military families in need!

The meal packages consist of USDA choice meats, vegetables, fruits, breads, eggs, milk, etc. The food would normally cost an average of $80.00 a week for a family of four. The meal packages will feed a family of four for one week or more and an individual for a month.

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Testimonials

SgtMaj,

It is good to hear from you.

The MCA was instrumental in the establishment of our company reading program. They provided us a book grant that was the cornerstone of our NCO reading program. By focusing on warfighting ethos, small unit tactics, and combat leadership the reading program greatly contributed to the esprit de corps and combat proficiency of the company.

In addition to the book grant they provided our honor graduates with books and plaques to honor...

1stSgt Kent Cartmill
SOI (West) Camp Pendleton

Sir (John Keenan),

Attached is our Book Request Form.  Again, thank you very much for this grant.  We've already built a year long PME program largely centered on the books that the Marines picked from the lists.  I look forward to their arrival and all the professional growth that will come from them.

Major Chris Tolliver, USMC
Inspector-Instructor, Company I, 3d Bn, 23d MAR

Over the past 4 years while serving as a Sergeant Major at two different units the MCA has provided important support. While stationed at Marine Corps Security Force Battalion, Bangor, Washington I conducted 8 Corporal Courses the MCA provide plaques, certificates, and books. This impacted over 200 Corporals and Petty Officers. Both the Marine and NCO of the Quarter were given the NCO handbook provided by the MCA for the 12 quarters I was the Sergeant Major.

Since being station with...

Sergeant Major Brent Cook
USMC

Dear Marine Corps Association, Please accept my personal thanks for your very generous gift of the 2008 Commandants Reading List library books. They were well received by all the Marines and Sailors of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Your wonderful gift greatly boosted our morale while providing support to the Global War on Terrorism. Even more importantly, you reminded us of the support we have from the Marine Corps Association. Please relay my heartfelt gratitude to your caring people...

Col M. J. Desens Colonel, USMC
Commanding Officer

Dear General Palm, Thank you very much for hosting select EWS students at the MCAF dinner on 16 Sept. It was an honor to be able to attend and hear the remarks of the Honorable Mr. Work. It wa a great night of caraderie and intellectual stimulation. Thanks again for the great support rendered to EWS. Semper Fidelis

Colonel B.D. Beaudreaut, USMC
Director, Expeditionary Warfare School

I wanted to take a moment and thank everyone at the association for sponsoring the Ground Awards Dinner on 3 June at the Crystal City Marriott. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and were tremendously pleased with the hospitality shown to us and the great accommodations. As well, I wanted to thank the association for the DVD of the event that was mailed to me. It is something that I will keep and treasure for the rest of my days. Again, thanks for everything.

Semper Fidelis!...

Capt Chris Conner

To Whom It May Concern:

On behalf of the patients at the Atlanta VA Medical Center, we wish to offer our sincere gratitude and appreciation for yout recent donation of:

Leatherneck & Marine Corps Gazette

No greater expression of caring and concern can be found than in the selfless extension of time and donations you have provided. Please accept our heartfelt thanks for "serving those who served."

Mary Lou Pittman, LISW-CP
Chief, Voluntary Service

Sir (John Keenan),

I would like to personally thank you and the Marine Corps Association for providing the detachments of Region 5, Marine Corps Embassy Security Group with books through the Marine Corps Association. Passed as a “Best Practice” during our Spring Conference, the detachments have been encouraged to build their professional reading libraries over the past six months. With each visit I realized the value added to each detachment and each Marine as we discussed “Brilliance...

Captain JM Covey

Sir, I write to thank you for the Marine Corps Association's kindness in bestowing upon me the Semper Fidelis and Colonel Lemly Awards. The recogntion provided by the MCA was a great source of pride for my family members attending the graduation ceremony. For that, I am ever grateful to you. The awards breakfast was a delightful event; I truly enjoyed the chance to meet with you and the other senior members of the MCA's staff, And of course, the awards themselves are very generous. As a...

2ndLt Christopher R. Angevine
recipient of MCA's Semper Fidelis Award and also, the Colonel William B. Lemly Academic Award following his 1 October 2009 TBS graduation

Email from MCA Sponsored Unit Library Recipient in Iraq Sir, We have received the books sent by MCA. Thank you and MCA again for your generosity and boost to our morale and professional education...

Major Jeff Munoz
Border Transition Team 5th Brigade, 2nd Region

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