R 121641Z FEB 26 MARADMIN 044/26 MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC L LP WASHINGTON DC// SUBJ/SOLICITATION FOR THE MARINE CORPS ENGINEER ASSOCIATION (MCEA)  AWARDS PROGRAM FOR 2026// REF/A/MSGID/DOC/MCO 1650.61 ADMIN CH// AMPN/REF A IS MCO 1650.61 ADMIN CH, MARINE CORPS INSTALLATIONS AND  LOGISTICS AWARDS PROGRAM (MCILAP)// POC/MGYSGT ELGE, FORREST S./UNIT: I AND L, LPE/TEL: 571-256-7159/ EMAIL: [email protected]// GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  IAW the reference, the purpose of this message  is to solicit nominees for the 2026 annual MCEA Awards.  The MCEA  Awards Program was established in 1995 to recognize the outstanding  Engineer achievements of individual Marines and Marine Corps and  Navy Units.  There are a total of 24 award categories encompassing  all aspects of the Engineers, Utilities, Fuels and Explosive  Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Military Occupational Fields. The categories  are as follows:   SAME Senior Engineer Officer (CWO3-4,O4) (Note 1)   SAME Senior Engineer SNCO (E8) (Note 1)   Combat Engineer Officer (O1-O3)   Combat Engineer SNCO (E6-E7)   Combat Engineer NCO (E4-E5)   Combat Engineer Marine (E1-E3)   Engineer Equipment Officer (WO-CWO5)   Engineer Equipment SNCO (E6-E7)    Engineer Equipment NCO (E4-E5)   Engineer Equipment Marine (E1-E3)   Utilities Officer (WO-CWO5)   Utilities SNCO (E6-E7)   Utilities NCO (E4-E5)   Utilities Marine (E1-E3)   Expeditionary Fuel Officer (WO-CWO5) (Note 2)   Expeditionary Fuel SNCO (E6-E7) (Note 2)   Expeditionary Fuel NCO (E4-E5) (Note 2)   Expeditionary Fuel Marine (E1-E3) (Note 2)   Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer (WO-Capt)   Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician (E5-E7)   Combat Engineer Battalion   Engineer Support Battalion   Marine Wing Support Squadron, Engineer Company   Naval Construction Force (NCF) Unit, Limited to Battalion size or smaller organizations. Note 1:  This award category is sponsored by the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) for outstanding contributions to military  engineering by senior Engineers, Utilities, or Expeditionary Fuels  officer and SNCO. Note 2:  Tactical units only. 2. Selection of recipients will be made by an awards board comprised of members from HQMC.  Recommendations from the board will be  forwarded to DC, I&L for approval.  All individual and unit awards  will be presented at the annual MCEA awards banquet to be held at The Double Tree Hilton Sacremento, CA on 18 Sept 2026. 3. Action 3.A. Commands with personnel and/or organizations which meet the  criteria contained in the reference are encouraged to submit  nominations via the endorsing chain of command, ending with  endorsement by the first General Officer or Flag Officer in the  chain of command.  No additional chain of command endorsements are  required or desired. 3.B. Nominations must be received by the POC no later than 30 April  2026.  The award covers the period 1 April 2025 - 31 March 2026. All  commands anticipating submissions will provide Officer/SNCO POC info  to POC NLT 11 April 2026.  Negative reports via email are required NLT 25 April 2026.  Due to the volume of award recommendations  received, late or incomplete nominations will not be considered.   Commands are to email complete packages, with attachments, to the  POC.  No mailed copies are required or desired. 3.C. Individual award nominations shall consist of one file per  nominee in PDF format in the following order: 3.C.1. Chain of command endorsements, to include first General  Officer in chain of command. 3.C.2. A summary of action (SOA) not to exceed two pages. 3.C.3. Proposed citation (no fewer than 20 lines and no more than 30  lines). 3.C.4. Career Biography. 3.C.5. Command Photograph, (Uniform for the photograph is the  Service Alphas or service equivalent). 3.C.6. Personal data form (IAW format on MCEA website, awards page)  www.marcorengasn.org/fyi/awards-program. 3.C.7. Unit POC to include phone number and email address. 3.D. Organization award nomination packages shall consist of one  file per unit in PDF format: 3.D.1. Chain of command endorsements, to include first General  Officer in chain of command. 3.D.2. Unit chronology of events for award period, not to exceed  three pages. 3.D.3. Proposed citation (no fewer than 20 lines and no more than 30 lines). 3.D.4. Supporting documentation, shall include a complete copy of  the appropriate statistical summary (text only, no photo). 3.D.5. Personal data forms for Commanding Officer or Company  Commander and Senior Enlisted Advisor. 3.D.6. Unit POC to include phone number and email address. 3.D.7. Unit logo and if feasible, a unit photo (electronic) 3.E. Acts of valor recognized by military awards can also be  recognized by one or more of the engineer awards. 3.F. Each Marine Corps Major Command (Marine Division, Marine  Logistics Group, Marine Air Wing) may submit only one nomination for each award category.  Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) may  submit up to three nominations for the NCF unit award.  Supporting  Establishments may also submit one nomination for each individual  award. 3.G. Samples of individual and unit award citations can be found in  Reference A, Enclosure (4). 4. Responsibilities 4.A. DC, IL (LPE) is responsible for coordinating Marine Corps and  NECC participation in all engineer award selections and those  ceremonies conducted by the MCEA. 4.B. Local commanders are encouraged to recognize individual and  unit award recipients at appropriate local ceremonies. 5. This MARADMIN is applicable to the Marine Corps Total Force. 6. Release authorized by MajGen A. M. Niebel, Assistant Deputy  Commandant, Installations and Logistics (LP).//