The unit line under UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS, in capital letters.
Meritorious Mast Recommendation (letter)
A standard naval letter recommending a Marine for meritorious mast, with the justification and the proposed mast wording ready for the NAVMC 10935.
What this worksheet covers
Name, rank, and unit prefill from your service profile.
Form details
- Unit name
- Unit address
- SSIC / originator's code
SSIC 1650 (awards) over the originator's code, placed in the identification block per SECNAV M-5216.5.
- Date
- From
Your billet (not your name).
- To
In a naval letter this is the "To:" line: the commander who approves the mast.
- Via
Each intermediate endorser, numbered, in routing order. Omit if none.
- Subj
All capital letters. If you cite references, add a Ref: line after the subject in the final letter, e.g. "Ref: (a) MCO 1650.19J W/CH 1", and refer to it as reference (a) in the text.
- Recommendation
- Justification
The specific actions and results, quantified. Write it so the commander can see why this Marine stands out among peers.
- Proposed text
- Signature block
Initials and last name in capitals. Add "By direction" when signing for the commander.
- Enclosure
- Copy to
Enclosure
- Enclosure (1): proposed meritorious mast text (NAVMC 10935)
The wording printed on the NAVMC 10935. Many commands use all capitals, one paragraph, about 14 lines, opening with the period and billet and closing with a standard credit sentence. Follow your command's awards order.
Marine recommended
- Marine recommended (Last, First, MI)
The Marine being recognized (not you).
- Grade
- Unit
- Period / occasion
Draft / worksheet aid. Prepare it here, then transcribe into the commander's approval, the mast printed on NAVMC 10935 and presented at formation, and a copy for the Marine's official record. This is not an official submission. Check it against the current official Letter (SECNAV M-5216.5); mast on NAVMC 10935 before use.
How to fill out the Letter (SECNAV M-5216.5); mast on NAVMC 10935
A meritorious mast is the commander's formal public recognition of a Marine's performance that deserves more than a verbal thank-you but less than a personal award. The recommendation usually travels as a standard naval letter to the commander, and the approved mast is printed on the NAVMC 10935. When: Soon after the achievement or at the end of an evaluation period, while the details are fresh. Check your command's awards order for who can approve and the format it wants.
Step by step
- Fill the letterhead, SSIC (1650), originator code, and date.
- From: your billet. To: the commanding officer. Via: each intermediate commander.
- Subject in capitals: RECOMMENDATION FOR MERITORIOUS MAST ICO the Marine's grade, name, and EDIPI/MOS.
- Paragraph 1 recommends the mast; paragraph 2 gives the specific, quantified justification; paragraph 3 points to the proposed wording in the enclosure.
- Draft the mast text as the enclosure, in the command's style (commonly all capitals, one paragraph, about 14 lines).
- Sign, attach the enclosure, and route.
What a strong one looks like
- Name the period, the billet, and two or three results with numbers. Commanders approve specifics.
- Keep acronyms out of the mast text; spell out unit names.
- A meritorious mast is not commendatory material for FITREP purposes, but it does appear in the record and is worth documenting.
Common mistakes
- Generic praise with no facts.
- Recognizing the same achievement twice (a mast and an award for the same act and period).
- Wrong naval letter format: missing SSIC and code, or the subject not in capitals.
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