ACN 150/21 - DEC 2021 SOLICITATION FOR THE 2021 MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE AND PREPAREDNESS AWARD

R 292040Z DEC 21
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST COMDT NOTICE
BT
UNCLAS
ACN 150/21
SSIC 16000
SUBJ: SOLICITATION FOR THE 2021 MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE AND
PREPAREDNESS AWARD
A. U.S. Coast Guard Marine Environmental Response and Preparedness
Manual, COMDTINST M16000.14A
1. This ACN updates the nomination procedures and eligibility
criteria located within REF (A) and solicits nominations for
the RADM Sidney A. Wallace Award for Excellence in Marine
Environmental Response and Preparedness (Wallace Award) for the
2021 calendar year.
2. The purpose of the Wallace Award is to provide recognition
to those members who exemplify the high standards of
professionalism and initiative embodied by RADM Wallace
throughout his career. The Wallace Award includes two categories:
Individual and Unit Excellence. The Wallace Award recognizes Coast
Guard individuals and units for the following:
a. Excellence in the area of marine environmental response
and preparedness;
b. Contributions to the Marine Environmental Response (MER)
program;
c. Efforts to improve coordination and cooperation among all
MER partner agencies, the industry, and the public;
d. Professional conduct in carrying out program assignments;
e. Innovations in response and preparedness to pollution
incidents; and
f. Furthering the goals and objectives of the MER program.
3. RADM Sidney A. Wallace served as the first Program Manager
and Chief of the Marine Environmental Protection (MEP) Program
and Division. Under his leadership, the MEP Program quickly
achieved prominence in marine environmental response and
preparedness among federal and state agencies, industry, and
non-governmental organizations. He implemented the provisions
of the Water Quality Improvement Act of 1970, which, among
other things, created the National Response System (NRS).
RADM Wallace was a frequent delegate to the International
Maritime Organization (IMO) and was a delegate to the
International Marine Pollution Conference in 1973, which adopted
the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution
from Ships (MARPOL), the main international convention covering
prevention of pollution to the marine environment from vessels.
He later served as Chair of IMO's Marine Environment Committee
during work on the International Convention on Oil Pollution
Preparedness Response and Cooperation (OPRC).
4. Paragraph 1.F.3. of REF (A) regarding the Application Process is
updated to read:
"a. Area, District, and Sector Commanders, O-6 or above Commanding
Officers of DCMS/DOL units, and the Commander, National Strike Force
nominate individuals and/or units whose performance in carrying out
MER program assignments during the preceding calendar year was
notable and deserving of national attention. Each nominating
authority may put forward as many nominations that they find meet
the criteria for selection. Commanding Officers of sub-units below
the Sector level must continue to seek a nomination from one of the
above nominating authorities, even for those units with distinct
Captain of the Port or Federal On-scene Coordinator authorities.
b. Nominations for the Wallace Award are restricted to units or
personnel who engaged in a Marine Environmental Response
operational mission over the previous calendar year (including
Sectors, District Response Advisory Teams (DRATs), Marine Safety
Units (MSUs), Marine Safety Detachments (MSDs), cutters, National
Strike Force Strike Teams, National Strike Force Coordination
Center, Public Information Assist Team (PIAT), or the Incident
Management Assistance Team IMAT). Nominees for Individual
Excellence awards may be civilian, military, or Auxiliary members
located at any Coast Guard unit; however the nomination must be
routed through one of the commanders identified in section 1.F.3.a.
for approval.
c. Unit Excellence nominations should generally include only the
performance associated with a single Operating Facility (OPFAC),
even when the Federal On-Scene Coordinator authority and oversight
is held by the parent command. Parent commands should generally not
aggregate the routine performance of their unit and sub-units in
determining nominations, and should instead nominate each individual
unit on its own merits. However, in exceptional cases when a parent
command and sub-unit (or units) are primarily nominated based off a
single incident which directly impacted each unit (or units) at a
similar level based on the wide geographic impact (e.g., hurricane
response or major coastal spill), operational commanders may choose
to submit a single joint nomination identifying both units and
recognizing each unit equally.
d. Submit applications to Commandant (CG-MER) no later than 01
March following the end of the calendar year. A separate message
(e.g., administrative notification) will provide additional details
on application requirements and formats."
5. Nominations are limited to two pages of text in a standard
memorandum format. Format requirements and RADM Wallace's biography
are posted on the COMDT (CG-MER) portal page:
(Copy and Paste URL Below into Browser)

https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/units/cgmer/wallaceaward/default.aspx

6. Nominations must be received NLT COB Tuesday, 1 March 2022.
Individual and Unit nominations must be submitted electronically
as an email attachment to the POC listed below. Recipients of
the 2021 Wallace Award will be announced via ALCOAST.
7. The provisions of this ACN will be incorporated into the next
revision of REF (A), which will be released within the next year.
8. POC: LT Justin R. Valentino, COMDT (CG-MER) at
Justin.R.Valentino@uscg.mil or (202) 372-2248.
9. Released by Ms. Dana Tulis, Director, Emergency Management
(CG-5RI).
10. Internet release is authorized.