WORKFORCE
Writing an award nomination without understanding the rules is a bit like taking an exam without ever going to class—you might pass, but it’s not the smartest approach.
their job description. A strong nomina- tion should show that, not only did they do their job well, but they even did more.
USE STAR POWER Who will be listed as the main nominator on the packet? Tis is an important way to add credibility to the things you say in the write-up itself. Starting with your immediate leader, begin asking the ques- tion and working your way up the chain of command. “Who should be the nominator for Maj. Murphy?” If your boss suggests the commander, then find out what the commander thinks. He or she might suggest a general officer or senior execu- tive, and reach out to that person to ask. In general, having a more senior person in the signature block will strengthen your nomination packet.
However, there is one big, HUGE caveat to this. Never, never list someone—whether a two-star or a captain—unless they agree to it ahead of time. What you don’t want is for the judging panel to call the person listed in the nominator block and surprise them with the news. “I’m sorry, who? I don’t even know a Maj. Murphy.”
LIMIT JARGON Te Army has a love-love relationship with jargon, but it’s not the best option for writ- ing award nominations. Tis is especially true for industry awards. Federal 100 award winners, for example, are selected
by a panel of distinguished judges who may not be as familiar with some terms. Best not to make them wade through acronyms and shop talk. “Te ASA(ALT) G-1 NCO transitioned to the 51C MOS, attained DAWIA Level II certification in PQM and excelled in the DAU ACQ 0500 VILT course.” Clear as mud, right? Right.
Tis can be tricky, because acronyms are often the shortest way to get your message across, and space in award nominations is typically limited. Try to think about the simplest way to describe the person’s achievements, with no acronyms or jargon, and start from there. It’s important to make the write-up concise and under- standable for anyone who reads it.
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE Who is going to be reading your nomi- nation? Is it going to a board of Army officers? An internal group within your agency or organization? Perhaps a panel of industry experts? When writing a nomina- tion, always keep your audience in mind. Use language that they understand and consider their priorities and experiences when listing achievements and accolades.
For example, a group of Army acquisi- tion officers might not understand Maj. Murphy’s experimental testing meth- ods for hypersonic flight, but they would readily grasp the value of her Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act
(DAWIA) Level III certifications and her selection to lead Product Manager Flying Widgets. Make sure you are speaking the same language as your audience.
PULL THE PLATITUDES “Maj. Murphy is a real tip-of-the-spear Soldier, go-getter and disruptor who shakes things up and gets the job done.” What does this mean, exactly—she has a good work ethic? Unfortunately for Maj. Murphy, there is not a lot of “there” there. We want the good major to be recognized for her outstanding work, so don’t waste valuable space on this kind of fluff. A little bit goes a long way.
With these tips in hand, go write some great nominations! Maj. Murphy is count- ing on you.
ELLEN SUMMEY provides contract support to the U. S. Army Acquisition Support Center at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, as a writer and editor for SAIC. She holds an M.A.
in human relations from
the University of Oklahoma and a B.A. in mass communication from Louisiana State University. She is certified as a Project Management Professional and Change Management Professional, and has more than 15 years of communication experience in both the government and commercial sectors.
https://asc.ar my.mil
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