Chief Stuart Hedley Leadership Award

THE CHIEF STUART HEDLEY LEADERSHIP AWARD

Purpose. To provide guidance and procedures for administering the annual Chief Stuart Hedley Leadership Award. 

Background.  Pearl Harbor Survivor, Navy Chief Petty Officer Stuart Hedley has led and lived a legacy of service.  Twenty years of active duty service to our country and fifty years to his San Diego community.  He was an active member of the San Diego Pearl Harbor Survivor Association (SDPHSA), holding the office of President or Vice President numerous times until it was disbanded.  Over a forty-year span, Stuart was the driving force behind the SDPHSA speakers’ bureau speaking to public schools, civilian organizations and military commands sharing his memories of December 7th 1941 and teaching a history lesson of what led up to the attacks and what happened afterwards.  Chief Hedley has been awarded: The 2015 LifeTime Patriot Award (Midway Museum), 2005 San Diego Veteran of the Year and 2001 Veteran of the Year for Veterans Journal. 

Award.  This award recognizes the single-minded loyalty and selfless dedication of individuals whose influence reflects the enduring example of “service” set by Chief Hedley.   The Chief Hedley Leadership Award recognizes one E5, E6, and E7 (any branch) for their outstanding leadership as a volunteer that positively impacted their command and/or community.  The main criterion of this award is the level, scope and impact of volunteer community service for the paygrade of the nominee. 

Eligibility. 

1. Active duty or reserve component E5, E6, and E7
2. Must display leadership during the volunteer event(s).  Simply volunteering is insufficient for this award.  Coordinating, overseeing, or leading others at volunteer event(s) are examples of what we like to see.
3. Nominees should be in their current paygrade for at least 6 months of the award period covering 1 January - 31 December 2023.  The  accomplishments must be covering this same year.  Any inclusion of justification events from earlier than 2023 may disqualify the nominee. Impact must bring credit to the individual’s command/community through increased moral or welfare of those impacted.
4. Showing evidence that the nominee is progressing towards being awarded the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (MOVSM) by providing a description of volunteer service performed during the award period, though not required, is recommended. 
5. Although not required, letters of appreciation, notes of “thanks”, or the like may be included.

Nominations.

1. There are three ways to nominate: Peer-to-peer (i.e., an E4 can nominate an E5), Community (i.e., an organization may nominate someone) and Command. The formats for all are identical.
2. Letters of endorsement are not required but nice to have.  Peer nominations, the nominating person can write an endorsement letter and sign themself and does not require command letterhead. Community nominations should have an endorsement letter from the Executive Director, CEO, or someone in a leadership position.   Command nominees should have Commanding Officer endorsement on official letterhead.
3. Description of personal command and/or community performance in leadership, volunteerism, and service. These efforts should have both command and community impact.
4. Nomination packages should not exceed five pages in length (not counting supporting awards, letters, etc.): 
5. Page 1 - Letter of Endorsement. Cover letter from the nominee's command, endorsed by the Commanding Officer.  Peer-to-Peer nominations (for E5’s only) may, if desired, be submitted without Commanding Officer endorsement but the command will be notified of the nomination upon receipt.
6. Page 2: Leadership displayed during the volunteer service performed covering the calendar year and the impact on the community and/or command as a result of leadership. 
7. Page 3 - Description of 2023 calendar year volunteer service limited to two pages.  Achievement must include how the nominee exhibited leadership during the volunteer service commensurate with the paygrade of the nominee. Any supporting documents (thank you letters, letters of appreciation, MOVSM awarded in 2023) include as an Enclosure and attached when submitting. 
8. Page 4 - nominee’s biography limited to one page (to be used during award ceremony only). 
9. Page 5 - Command point of contact information to include: Commanding Officer and Senior Enlisted Leader, email, phone number, and commanding mailing address, and submittors’s name, email, and phone number. 
10. Selection Process.
11. Packages must be uploaded/submitted through the Enlisted Leadership Website no later than 15 February 2024.  Incomplete packages will not be considered.  Incomplete packages may include but are not limited to incomplete or missing endorsement, missing signature, etc.
12. Upon selection, parent command, nomination originator, and awardees will be notified. Award presentation will be coordinated with command.  There is no guarantee and Enlisted Leadership Foundation Board member will be available to attend, but the awardee materials will be mailed for presentation.
13. Any questions about the Stuart Hedley Leadership Award can be addressed via email to admin@elf365.org or telephone at 619-354-7447.