2023 BOB FELLER ACT OF VALOR AWARDS

[Tony]

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R 281201Z MAR 23 MID200080859024U 
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SUBJ/2023 BOB FELLER ACT OF VALOR AWARDS// 
 
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/DNS/MAR// 
 
RMKS/1.  This NAVADMIN solicits nominations for the eleventh annual 
Bob Feller Act of Valor Award for a Chief Petty Officer (CPO) and for 
the Junior Sailor Peer-to-Peer Mentorship Chapter Award for both 
afloat and ashore commands. 
 
2.  Background.  The Bob Feller Act of Valor Foundation established a 
prestigious award in 2013, named in honor of Major League Baseball 
(MLB) pitcher, National Baseball Hall of Fame (NBHOF) inductee, and 
Navy veteran Bob Feller.  Mr. Feller enlisted in the Navy shortly 
after the attack on Pearl Harbor while he played for Cleveland, where 
he served onboard USS Alabama (BB 60) as a Gun Captain.  During his 
time onboard the ship, he fought in both World War II theaters, 
earning eight battle stars.  Mr. Feller was released from active-duty 
having earned the rank of Chief Petty Officer (CPO). 
 
3.  Award.  This unique award is intended to recognize a 
representative from three critical areas of Mr. Feller's life:  his 
MLB career, his service in the Navy as a CPO, and his enshrinement in 
the NBHOF.  Accordingly, the award will be presented to one active 
MLB player, one CPO, and one member of the NBHOF.  The Bob Feller Act 
of Valor Foundation will also recognize a group of Sailors, 18-25 
years-old, who have most effectively worked together as a team (in 
either a personal or professional capacity) to promote peer-to-peer 
mentorship and a reduction in Sailor destructive decision making and 
behavior in both afloat and ashore categories.  The awards will be 
presented at the Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C. on 16 November 
2023. 
 
4.  Eligibility and selection criteria.  Nominees for the CPO award 
must be a CPO (E7), active or reserve, and must be outstanding 
military professionals and leaders in their communities.  The 
following selection criteria for Navy nominees have been prescribed 
by the Bob Feller Act of Valor Foundation and are based upon the 
principles by which Mr. Feller lived his life.  Nominees must: 
    a.  Be outstanding leaders in the performance of all professional 
responsibilities and serve as an example to peers and subordinates as 
inspirational leaders.  Nominees must display good character and 
humility in their achievements. 
    b.  Demonstrate community leadership through volunteer service, 
holding leadership positions within the organizations they serve. 
Display a genuine desire to be better today than they were yesterday, 
and better tomorrow than they are today.  Provide an outstanding 
example of character and dedication to service for all to emulate. 
    c.  Put the needs of others before the needs or wants of 
themselves.  This may be documented through evaluations and awards. 
Both should show they led in the Navy or in their community to 
benefit the professional and personal development of others. 
Accomplishments or achievements must be above and beyond the scope of 
their primary responsibilities. 
    d.  Show unyielding support of the United States of America and 
fellow service men and women by having participated in patriotic 
events that celebrate all who serve our great nation.  These events 
should be documented individually in the nomination to show the depth 
of participation in various events over the past three years. 
    e.  Above all else, prove to be beyond reproach in the manner in 
which they conduct themselves, treat others, and live by the Navy 
core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment. 
 
5.  Nominations for the Junior Sailor Peer-to-Peer Mentorship Chapter 
Awards (afloat and ashore) can be any group of Sailors 18-25 years- 
old, who have worked effectively as a team to enhance their command's 
mission and community's success in a manner consistent with the high 
ideals and personal example of Bob Feller.  Nominated teams of 
Sailors must consist of junior Sailors who have worked together to 
promote peer-to-peer mentorship and a reduction in Sailor destructive 
decision making and behavior.  Nominations must reflect 
accomplishments achieved during the 2023 Fiscal Year.  Nomination 
packages must reflect: 
    a.  How the leadership of nominated junior Sailors has provided 
an example that others desire to emulate and develops a desire for 
other Sailors to participate in peer-to-peer mentoring.  Provide the 
total number of 18-25 year-old Sailors onboard, the total number of 
Sailors involved in the peer-to-peer mentoring program, along with 
the names, rates, and ranks of the Sailors being recognized.  Provide 
the name of the group or team of Sailors (e.g., USS SHIP Junior Petty 
Officer Association) through which the nominated Sailors worked and 
describe the group's composition, function, and mission. 
    b.  Community leadership through volunteer service and a genuine 
desire to be better today than they were yesterday, and better 
tomorrow than they are today.  Outstanding examples of character and 
dedication to service for all to emulate may be documented in 
submitted letters of appreciation and documented proof of community 
service hours in the nomination package. 
    c.  The group put the needs of others before the needs or 
wants of themselves.  This may be substantiated through awards or 
evaluations that show actions were performed that are above and 
beyond their primary scope of responsibilities in the Navy or in 
their community to benefit the professional and personal development 
of others.  Provide examples of special programs that were promoted 
with a description of the event and the level of participation and 
impact that enabled the greater success of others. 
    d.  Unyielding support of the United States of America and fellow 
service men and women by having participated in patriotic events that 
celebrate all who serve our great nation.  These events should be 
documented individually in the nomination to show the depth of 
participation in various events. 
    e.  The group is, above all else, beyond reproach in the 
manner in which they conduct themselves, treat others, and live the 
Navy core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment. 
 
6.  Travel and lodging.  Travel to and from as well as lodging at the 
award site will be the responsibility of the award winner's command. 
For group recognition awards, consideration should be given to remote 
participation and/or acceptance by a representative on behalf of the 
award winning group in order to minimize travel costs. 
 
7.  Nominations.  Fleet Master Chiefs from Commander, U.S. Fleet 
Forces Command (USFFC), Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet 
(COMPACFLT), Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Naval Forces 
Africa (CNE-CNA), Chief of Naval Personnel (CNP), and the Chief of 
Naval Operations (OPNAV) Command Master Chief (for direct-report 
Echelon 2 commands) will each nominate one CPO and up to two (one 
ashore and one afloat) Junior Sailor peer-to-peer mentoring groups 
from their area of responsibility. 
 
8.  Nomination packages.  Nomination packages must contain four 
elements: 
    a.  Commanding Officer (CO) endorsement.  Each nominee's CO must 
endorse the nomination and express a commitment to facilitate the 
nominee's attendance at the award ceremony, if selected. 
    b.  Narrative description.  Substantiate the nominee's or group's 
embodiment of the award criteria specified above.  This may include 
quantitative and qualitative data.  Anecdotal evidence, such as 
newspaper articles, letters of commendation and appreciation, and 
other recognition may be included. 
    c.  Nominee biography and photo or photo of the group's 
participants.  Group pictures should include as many participating 
members as possible.  If chosen as the award recipient, the 
nominee's biography along with a high-resolution photo will be used 
in printed and online material to publicize and document the award 
ceremony.  The biography and photo should be similar to those commonly 
associated with Navy leader biographies and official portrait photos. 
    d.  Evaluations.  CPO nomination packages should include the 
nominee's evaluations from the past three years. 
 
9.  Submission procedures.  Nominations must be received by 15 June 
2023. Nominations will be submitted electronically to the applicable 
point of contact. 
 
10.  Selection process.  The Office of the Master Chief Petty Officer 
of the Navy will consolidate nominations and provide the recommended 
winners to the Bob Feller Act of Valor Foundation.  Notifications of 
selection, or non-selection, will be provided by the Office of the 
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy. 
 
11.  Points of contact are: 
     a.  USFFC: MCCS Peter Lawlor, peter.d.lawlor.mil(AT)us.navy.mil 
     b.  COMPACFLT: YNC Ryan Bagtas, ryan.a.bagtas.mil(AT)us.navy.mil 
     c.  CNE-CNA: NCC John Davis, john.l.davis9.mil(AT)us.navy.mil 
     d.  CNP: YNC Jose Diaz, jose.a.diaz3.mil(AT)us.navy.mil 
     e.  OPNAV: MCC Elisandro Diaz, elisandro.diaz.mil(AT)us.navy.mil 
 
12.  For more information about the Bob Feller Act of Valor 
Foundation please visit their website (actofvaloraward.org).  This 
NAVADMIN should not be interpreted to imply or extend a Department of 
Defense endorsement to any non-federal entity. 
 
13.  Released by Mr. Andrew S. Haeuptle, Director, Navy Staff.// 
 
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