https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN46021-ALARACT_0082026-000-WEB-1.pdf
ALARACT 008/2026
DTG: R 251715Z FEB 26
UNCLAS
SUBJ/ALARACT 008/2026 – NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS ASSOCIATION
MILITARY VANGUARD AWARD 2026
THIS ALARACT MESSAGE HAS BEEN TRANSMITTED BY JSP ON BEHALF OF
DCS, G–1
1. (U) REFERENCE: AR 600–8–2, SUSPENSION OF FAVORABLE PERSONNEL
ACTIONS (FLAG)
2. (U) PURPOSE: THE NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS ASSOCIATION (NCOA) OF
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ANNUALLY RECOGNIZES ONE ENLISTED
MEMBER FROM EACH OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES FOR ACTS OF HEROISM.
THIS RECOGNITION IS MADE TO HONOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE
PERFORMED A PARTICULARLY HEROIC ACT THAT RESULTED IN THE SAVING
OF A LIFE OR THE PREVENTION OF SERIOUS INJURY. SELECTEES WILL
RECEIVE THE NCOA MILITARY VANGUARD AWARD NAMED IN HONOR AND
MEMORY OF AN ENLISTED RECIPIENT OF THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF
HONOR OF THEIR RESPECTIVE SERVICE.
3. (U) SUBMISSION: THE SENIOR ENLISTED CHIEF OF EACH UNIFORMED
SERVICE WILL BE REQUESTED, BY LETTER FROM NCOA, TO SUBMIT THEIR
RESPECTIVE SERVICE’S SELECTION TO THE PRESIDENT, NONCOMMISSIONED
OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, 9330 CORPORATE DRIVE, SUITE 708, SELMA, TX
78154. NOMINATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED ABSOLUTELY NO LATER THAN 17
APRIL 2026. THE SENIOR ENLISTED CHIEFS ARE REQUESTED TO HONOR THE
CRITERIA LISTED IN PARAGRAPH 4 IN SELECTING THEIR RESPECTIVE
NOMINEE.
4. (U) APPLICABILITY: NOMINEE MUST BE SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY OR AS A
MEMBER OF THE RESERVE OR NATIONAL GUARD IN THE UNITED STATES
ARMY DURING THE PERIOD OF TIME THE HEROIC ACT IS PERFORMED.
NOMINEE THAT MEETS CRITERIA MUST HAVE SERVED IN PAY GRADES E-1
THROUGH E-9 DURING THE PERIOD OF TIME THE ACT IS PERFORMED. ACT
FOR WHICH NOMINEE IS TO BE RECOGNIZED MUST BE VOLUNTARY ACTION
INITIATED BY NOMINEE AND NOT A RESULT OF DIRECTIONS OR ORDERS. ACT
FOR WHICH NOMINEE IS TO BE RECOGNIZED MUST BE AN ACTION
PERFORMED TO SAVE LIFE OR PREVENT SERIOUS INJURY TO ANOTHER
PERSON OR PERSONS. ACT FOR WHICH NOMINEE IS TO BE RECOGNIZED
MUST HAVE OCCURRED WITHIN THE PREVIOUS CALENDAR YEAR (JANUARY
2025–DECEMBER 2025). NOMINEES MUST BE ELIGIBLE FOR FAVORABLE
PERSONNEL ACTIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH AR 600–8–2. VERIFICATION OF
ELIGIBILITY IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE NOMINEE’S CHAIN OF COMMAND
AND STAFF-1.
5. (U) AWARD DISTRIBUTION: ONE E1-E9 ACTIVE COMPONENT/ACTIVE GUARD
AND RESERVE/TROOP PROGRAM UNITS ON TITLE 10, UNITED STATES CODE
ORDERS.
6. (U) NOMINATION PROCEDURES:
6.A. (U) ALL ARMY COMMANDS (ACOMS), ARMY SERVICE COMPONENT
COMMANDS (ASCCS), AND DIRECT REPORTING UNITS (DRUS) WILL SUBMIT
ELECTRONIC VANGUARD AWARD NOMINATION PACKETS ANNUALLY.
6.B. (U) NCOA VANGUARD AWARD NOMINATION PACKETS WILL INCLUDE––
6.B.1. (U) RECOGNITION OPPORTUNITY NOMINATION.
6.B.2. (U) NOMINEE’S NARRATIVE.
6.B.3. (U) COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR (CSM) NOMINATION ENDORSEMENT.
6.B.4. (U) OFFICIAL PHOTO.
6.C. (U) ALL NOMINATIONS MUST BE ENDORSED IN A MEMORANDUM FORMAT
BY THE SOLDIER’S (ACOM/ASCC/DRU) CSM. ONE NOMINATION PER COMMAND
WILL BE ACCEPTED, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.
6.D. (U) NOMINATIONS WILL BE SUBMITTED IN NARRATIVE FORMAT AND
INCLUDE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF ACTS OF HEROISM.
6.E. (U) NOMINATIONS WILL INCLUDE AWARD NOMINATION ENDORSED BY CSM
AND DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY PHOTO.
6.F. (U) EACH COMMAND WILL SUBMIT AN ELECTRONIC COPY OF THE
NOMINATION PACKET NO LATER THAN 2 APRIL 2026 TO THE POINT OF
CONTACT (POC), SFC DEJAVON TORRES AT:
DEJAVON.M.TORRES.MIL@ARMY.MIL. THE PACKET WILL CONSIST OF THE
SOLDIER’S NOMINATION, ACOM/ASCC/DRU CSM ENDORSEMENT, AND SHORT
BIOGRAPHY. THE DOCUMENTS WILL BE RELEASED TO A NON-DEPARTMENT
OF DEFENSE ENTITY.
7. (U) SCREENING PROCESS:
7.A. (U) THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF (DCS), G–1 SENIOR ENLISTED PANEL OF
SERGEANT MAJORS WILL REVIEW AND NOMINATE THE TOP SIX CANDIDATES
FROM THE ACOMS/ASCCS/DRUS. DCS, G–1 WILL PROVIDE THE OFFICE OF THE
SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE ARMY WITH THE NAMES OF THE TOP CANDIDATES
NO LATER THAN 10 APRIL 2026.
7.B. (U) THE OFFICE OF THE SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE ARMY WILL REVIEW
NOMINATION PACKETS AND NOMINATE THE TOP THREE CANDIDATES. DCS, G–1
WILL PROVIDE NCOA WITH THE NAMES OF THE TOP THREE NOMINATIONS NO
LATER THAN 17 APRIL 2026.
7.C. (U) UPON THE RECEIPT OF THE INDIVIDUAL HONOREES’ INFORMATION BY
NCOA, THE NCOA CONFERENCE MANAGER WILL NOTIFY, BY LETTER OR
EMAIL, THE SENIOR ENLISTED CHIEF OF THE RESPECTIVE BRANCH OF
SERVICE AND THE SELECTEE THROUGH THE FIRST FLAG RANK OFFICER IN
THE SELECTEE’S CHAIN OF COMMAND. THE NCOA WILL PROVIDE FOLLOW-UP
INFORMATION TO EACH SELECTEE AFTER NOTIFICATION BY THE SELECTEE’S
CHAIN OF COMMAND.
8. (U) AWARD PRESENTATION:
8.A. (U) THE SELECTED RECIPIENT WILL BE THE GUEST OF THE NCOA AT THE
CONFERENCE/RECEPTION AND WILL BE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO
HAVE ONE FAMILY MEMBER (SPOUSE, MOTHER, AND FATHER ONLY) ALSO
ATTEND THE CONFERENCE/RECEPTION AS A GUEST OF THE ASSOCIATION.
8.B. (U) THE NCOA WILL NOTIFY THE NEXT OF KIN OF EACH SERVICEMEMBER
FOR WHOM THE NCOA MILITARY VANGUARD AWARD IS NAMED OF THE
SELECTEE AND PROVIDE A DESCRIPTION OF THE HEROIC ACT FOR WHICH
THE SELECTEE IS BEING RECOGNIZED.
8.C. (U) THE NCOA MILITARY VANGUARD AWARD WILL BE PRESENTED AT THE
NCOA NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN NORFOLK, VA 21–24 JULY 2026.
9. (U) POC: DAPE-ZA, SFC DEJAVON TORRES, DCS, G–1 AT
DEJAVON.M.TORRES.MIL@ARMY.MIL.
10. (U) THIS ALARACT MESSAGE EXPIRES ON 31 JULY 2026.