SURFACE NAVY ASSOCIATION OLD TAR
UNCLASSIFIED// ROUTINE R 101608Z SEP 08 BT UNCLAS PASS TO ALL OFFICE CODES: FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N8// TO NAVADMIN INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N8// UNCLAS NAVADMIN 258/08 MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/DNS/SEP// SUBJ/SURFACE NAVY ASSOCIATION OLD TAR// POC/MONTAGUE SARAH/CTR/N861A/-/TEL:(703) 692-4608// RMKS/1. THIS MESSAGE SOLICITS NOMINATIONS FOR THE SURFACE NAVY ASSOCIATION'S "OLD TAR" AWARD. 2. THE "OLD TAR" AWARD WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE SURFACE NAVY ASSOCIATION (SNA) IN 1996 TO RECOGNIZE THE ACTIVE DUTY ENLISTED SURFACE WARFARE SPECIALIST (ESWS) WITH THE EARLIEST DATE OF QUALIFICATION. THE AWARD IS A REPLICA OF THE STATUE "THE CHIEF" WHICH STANDS AT THE NAVY MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON, DC. THE STATUETTE IS MOUNTED ON ORIGINAL PLANKING FROM THE USS CONSTITUTION AND REMAINS IN THE SACRED CUSTODY FOR DISPLAY BY THE "OLD TAR" AS LONG AS HE/SHE SERVES ON ACTIVE DUTY. THE STATUETTE IS SHIFTED UPON RETIREMENT TO THE NEXT "SELECTED" RECIPIENT. 3. THE CURRENT "OLD TAR" IS RECENTLY RETIRED MASTER CHIEF MARK DAVIDSON. 4. THE CRITERIA FOR THE "OLD TAR" AWARD IS: ACTIVE DUTY ESWS WITH THE EARLIEST DATE OF QUALIFICATION AS RECEIVED BY THE SNA BEFORE THE ANNOUNCED CLOSING DATE. SNA CURRENTLY HAS AN INDIVIUDAL IDENTIFIED WITH AN ESWS QUALIFICATION DATE OF 23 NOVEMBER 1983. NEW NOMINATIONS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED IF THE DATE IS EQUAL TO OR EARLIER THAN 23 NOVEMBER 1983. NOMINEES MUST SUBMIT APPROPRIATE CERTIFIED TRUE COPIES OF PAGE 4 OR ESWS CERTIFICATE. NOMINATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE CLOSING DATE THAT ARE OF AN EARLIER DATE OF QUALIFICATION OF THE SELECTED AWARD WINNER WILL RECEIVE A LETTER OF RECOGNITION ONLY. IN THE EVENT OF MORE THAN ONE NOMINEE HAVING THE SAME ESWS QUALIFICATION DATE, THE RECIPIENT WILL BE DETERMINED FIRST BY THE MOST TIME AT SEA, AND SECONDLY, BY THE PAY ENTRY BASE DATE. IF A CANDIDATE IS QUALIFIED IN MORE THAN ONE SPECIALTY AREA, THEIR PRIMARY DESIGNATION MUST BE SURFACE WARFARE. 5. THE CHANGE IN CUSTODY OF THE "OLD TAR" STATUETTE IS RECOGNIZED AT THE SNA'S ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM HELD IN JANUARY IN WASHINGTON, DC. ALSO, A REPLICA OF THE CHIEF STATUETTE IS PRESENTED TO THE RETIRING "OLD TAR". THE REPLICA PRESENTATION SERVES TO RENEW KNOWLEDGE OF THE RECOGNITION, AND AS A REAFFIRMATION OF FAITH BY THE SNA NATIONALLY THAT BECOMING AN ESWS IS, WAS, AND WILL REMAIN IMPORTANT. THE REPLICA IS PROVIDED TO THE RETIRING "OLD TAR" FOR HIS/HER RETENTION FOR LIFE WITH A "VERY WELL DONE". 6. IT IS REQUESTED THAT ALL NOMINATIONS BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE SNA AT 2550 HUNTINGTON AVE., SUITE 202, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22302 NO LATER THAN 30 SEPTEMBER 2008. 7. RELEASED BY VICE ADMIRAL B. J. McCULLOUGH, DEPUTY CNO FOR INTEGRATION OF CAPABILITIES AND RESOURCES (N8)// BT #0001 NNNN