Rules

GRAND ALLIANCE UNIT EXCELLENCE PROGRAM (GAUEP)

ORIGIN: The program reflects real-world, year-long Command Excellence and Battle Effectiveness (or Battle Efficiency) awards found in several of the world’s navies. (HERE)

STRUCTURE: To have chapters self-select and then engage in a series of Command Excellence Challenges to promote chapter activity as well as echelon and fleet unity.

OBJECTIVE: To promote activity, friendship, camaraderie, and a sense of belonging for all TRMN members and to foster collaboration and cooperation between chapters and echelons.

OVERVIEW:  The Grand Alliance Unit Excellence Program (GAUEP) is designed specifically to focus on chapter activities and on how individual TRMN members can work to make a difference in their chapters.  Each chapter will ideally identify four (4) Command Excellence Challenges annually from four different areas within the program.  These challenges can be short- or long-term and are to be accomplished in that calendar year for recognition at the beginning of the following year.

The challenge awards areas along with generalized descriptors are as follows:

1.    White “C” Award - Command - Reporting/Awards/Promotions/Meetings

2.    Gray “A ” Award - Administration - Fundraising

3.    Brown “L ” Award - Logistics - Convention and uniforming activities

4.    Red “T ” Award - Tactical - Gaming/Marksmanship Awards

5.    Orange “E ” Award - Engineering - Volunteering time/Service

6.    Yellow/Green “C ” Award - Communications - Recruitment, Publications, Reading

7.    Blue “A ” Award - Astrogation - Organizing/hosting/participating in non-con events

8.    Purple “F ” Award - Flight Ops – Aeronautic and Aerospace Program Awards

9.    Green “H ” Award - Heath and Medical - Anything health related

The challenges can be something that just the chapter does (a large list of sample ideas are appended at the end of the document) or can be part of one of the TRMN-wide challenges that are sometimes offered by one of the branches, fleets, and/or bureaus (e.g., RMMC ‘Toys for Tots’, Home Fleet ‘Run for the Cats’, Astro-Control blood drive, various IAN challenges, etc.). 

10% of the chapter's membership (inclusive of civilians, allied personnel, and MARDETS) must participate in the challenge for credit for that challenge to be issued.  In addition, regardless of chapter size, at least 1 triad and 1 non-triad member must participate.  For chapters of less than 30 members, a minimum of 3 members must participate.

As each challenge is accomplished, a member of the command triad will submit the details into an on-line tracking form for evaluation and confirmation.  At the end of that calendar year, each chapter will be recognized with the Command Excellence Challenges Awards they earned during that year.  The chapter will then be able to ‘display’ those awards for the balance of that year and the award will become part of the chapter’s historical record in subsequent years.  Earning the same award over consecutive years, will also lead to higher levels of recognition.

In addition, if 50% or more of the chapters within an echelon complete at least four Command Excellence challenges in four different areas, those chapter that helped earn it will also be able to earn the Grand Alliance Echelon Excellence Award – the Gold “E”.  This is earned not only by the echelon/participating chapters, but members within those chapter will be able to wear in on their ribbon rack.

Similarly, if a threshold number of chapters with a fleet complete at least four Command Excellence challenges in four different areas, those chapter that helped earn it will also be able to earn the Grand Alliance Fleet Excellence Award – the Silver “E”. This is earned not only by the fleet/participating chapters, but members within those chapter will be able to wear in on their ribbon rack.

Eligibility for both the Gold “E” and Silver “E” require no additional action from individual TRMN members or chapter command triads.  The tracking system will calculate eligibility based on each chapter’s submission.  If each chapter takes the time and effort to complete a minimum of four Command Excellence Challenges in four different award areas, earning the echelon and fleet awards should come naturally.

Individual TRMN members should approach their command triad and volunteer to ‘own’ one of the challenges their chapter has identified to pursue for that year.  Organize the challenge or event, get chapter members to participate, and then have a command triad member submit the results into the tracker.  The GAUEP program is all about chapter activity and member engagement.

SPECIFIC DETAILS OF THE GAUEP PROGRAM

COMMAND EXCELLENCE CHALLENGES and AWARDS: Each chapter is encouraged to self-identify Command Excellence challenges annually.  These may be either short-term or year long.  It is highly recommended that chapter command triads involve their entire chapter’s membership in brainstorming and identifying these challenges each year.  For all TRMN chapters, four (4) Command Excellence challenges from different areas are suggested annually.  Of course, more than four challenges may be completed.  In addition, chapters are encouraged to work with other chapters within their echelons and fleets in completing challenges.  When multiple chapters achieve Command Excellence challenges within echelons and fleets, this will lead to higher level awards found in the Echelon and Fleet Awards sections found below.

Command Excellence challenges will be categorized into one of the below generalized areas.  These correspond to the technical specialty areas/departments identified in Honorverse canon and in the TRMN BuTrain technical specialty schools.  They are color coded like real world navy programs, but in the same manner as department designations in the RMN Uniform Manual.  The challenge awards areas along with generalized descriptors are as follows:

1.    White “C” Award - Command - Reporting/Awards/Promotions/Meetings

2.    Gray “A ” Award - Administration - Fundraising

3.    Brown “L ” Award - Logistics - Convention and uniforming activities

4.    Red “T ” Award - Tactical - Gaming/Marksmanship Awards

5.    Orange “E ” Award - Engineering - Volunteering time/Service

6.    Yellow/Green “C ” Award - Communications - Recruitment, Publications, Reading

7.    Blue “A ” Award - Astrogation - Organizing/hosting/participating in non-con events

8.    Purple “F ” Award - Flight Ops – Aeronautic and Aerospace Program Awards

9.    Green “H ” Award - Heath and Medical - Anything health related

NOTE: A partial list of suggested activities that fall into each of these challenge areas may be found appended at the end of this document. 

GENERAL COMMAND EXCELLENCE CHALLENGES RULES:

1. 10% of the chapter's membership (inclusive of civilians, allied personnel, and MARDETS) must participate in the challenge for credit for that challenge to be issued.  In addition, regardless of chapter size, at least 1 triad and 1 non-triad member must participate.  For chapters of less than 30 members, a minimum of 3 members must participate.

2. Holding chapters (space stations) do not count as chapters, and their members cannot be counted towards other chapter's attendance.

3. Two or more challenges from the same area can be completed each year, but only one Command Excellence Challenge Award will be issued per chapter for that area within that year.  (That said, completing more challenges in the same area may assist chapters in earning higher level awards as will be seen in the Echelon and Fleet Awards sections found below.)

4. All challenges must be reported by the chapter command triad.  Submissions will be made in a Google Form tracker developed for this purpose annually and must be submitted in a timely manner (within 30 days of the challenge completion) for them to be counted.

5. A chapter may choose to participate in TRMN-wide challenges that are sometimes offered by one of the branches, fleets, and/or bureaus (e.g., RMMC ‘Toys for Tots’, Home Fleet ‘Run for the Cats’, Astro-Control blood drive, various IAN challenges, etc.).  It is suggested that only one of these challenges should be used toward the basic four (4) challenges each chapter is asked to complete.  Once those basic four are accomplished, however, additional TRMN-wide challenges may be used to pursue higher levels of qualification. (See the GRAND ALLIANCE FLEET EXCELLENCE AWARD - Silver “‘E ’” program below).

DISPLAYING COMMAND EXCELLENCE AWARDS:  A chapter can earn a single Command Excellence Challenge Award in each area annually.  Additional challenges in an area can be completed, but only one award per area will be issued in each year.  Awards are valid for only one year and are awarded to the chapter as a whole, not individuals.  Such honors are not worn on individual TRMN uniforms, but are displayed on the chapter’s unit pennant.  They will also appear on the wiki for that chapter and may be displayed on all chapter communications and sites.  After one year, they have to be removed from the chapter’s current honors if the chapter does not qualify for the award again, though they can be maintained in a separate sub-section of the chapter’s wiki for historical purposes.

If a chapter won an award and qualified for the same award the next year, the first award is underlined in the same color with a hash mark or ‘service stripe’. So, if a chapter bears a triply underlined Red “T”, the unit has won the Tactical Command Excellence Award in four consecutive years. Instead of the letter and four service stripes for winning the award five consecutive times, the letter and a star of the same color will be shown for the fifth consecutive award, replacing the service stripes – in this case the Red “T” with a red star above it.  Another star shall be added for each five successive annual awards, and a combination of stars and service stripes shall be used for 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, etc.

ECHELON AWARDS - GRAND ALLIANCE ECHELON EXCELLENCE AWARD - GOLD “‘E”:  TRMN would like to see chapters working together to complete challenges and earn Command Excellence Awards.  To that end, chapters that are organized into task echelons (e.g., task force, task group, etc.), squadrons, and LAC echelons are eligible to earn the Grand Alliance Gold “‘E” Award.

This award is earned by the echelon and all of the chapters that helped the echelon earn the award.  In addition, all echelons within a command structure can simultaneously earn the award, though only one is displayed and again only by those chapters that helped earn the award.

GENERAL GRAND ALLIANCE ECHELON EXCELLENCE AWARD - GOLD “E” RULES:

1. Within a given calendar year, 50% or more of an echelon’s component chapters must have earned four or more Command Excellence Challenge Awards. 

2. Only those chapters that earned four or more Command Excellence Challenge Awards from within an echelon are eligible to earn the Gold “‘E’”. 

○     So, two chapters within a 3-chapter division earn four or more Command Excellence Challenge Awards to help earn the Gold “‘E’”.  Therefore, the division as a whole earns the Gold “‘E’”, but only the two chapters who helped earn the award and their individual members are authorized to display and wear the award.

3. Each echelon within a command structure that earns it will be recognized with the Gold “‘E’” separately, but only one Gold “‘E ’” will be awarded to any chapter annually.

○     So, for example, chapters within two different divisions of a squadron are both separately eligible for the Gold “‘E’”, but as a result the squadron as a whole has now also earned the Gold “‘E’”.  When the awards are announced, the squadron as well as the two different divisions will be recognized.  The Gold “‘E’” will be appended to both the squadron and the two division pennants, wikis, etc, but only one Gold “‘E’” will appear on the chapter’s wiki, pennant, etc. and only one Gold “‘E’” will be worn by those chapter’s members, provided that the chapter helped earn the award (see #2 immediately above).

4. Submission and verification to earn the Gold “‘E’” will be drawn from the same Google Form tracker developed for the submission of individual chapter Command Excellence Challenge Awards noted above.

DISPLAYING ECHELON AWARDS - GRAND ALLIANCE ECHELON EXCELLENCE AWARD - GOLD “‘E’”:  This award can be displayed by: (1) all of the chapters that helped the echelon earn the award, and (2) all of the individual members of those chapters.  The award will be displayed on the echelon’s and chapter’s unit pennants.  It will also appear on the wiki for that echelon and chapter and may be displayed on all echelon and chapter communications and sites.  After one year, it has to be removed from the echelon and chapters’ current honors if the echelon and/or chapter does not qualify for the award again, though it can be maintained in a separate sub-section of the echelon/chapter’s wiki for historical purposes.

If an echelon and chapter won the award and qualified for the award the next year, the first Gold “‘E’” is underlined in gold with a hash mark or ‘service stripe’. So, if an echelon and chapter bears a triply underlined Gold “‘E’”, they have won the Grand Alliance Echelon Excellence Award in four consecutive years. Instead of the letter and four service stripes for winning the award five consecutive times, the letter and a gold star will be shown for the fifth consecutive award, replacing the service stripes – in this case the Gold “‘E’” with a gold star above it.  Another star shall be added for each five successive annual awards, and a combination of stars and service stripes shall be used for 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, etc.

In addition, all members of those chapters that helped the echelon earn the award may wear the Grand Alliance Excellence Award ribbon with the Gold “‘E’” device on their uniforms for the year following the award.

FLEET AWARDS - GRAND ALLIANCE FLEET EXCELLENCE AWARD - Silver “‘E’”: 

TRMN would like to see chapters working together to complete challenges and earn Command Excellence Awards.  To that end, chapters within numbered fleets are eligible to earn the Grand Alliance Silver “‘E’” Award.  This award is earned by all of the chapters that helped the fleet earn the award.

GENERAL GRAND ALLIANCE FLEET EXCELLENCE AWARD - Silver “‘E’” RULES:

1. Within a given calendar year, a numbered fleet may earn the Silver “‘E’” if a threshold number of chapters within the fleet have earned four or more Command Excellence Challenge Awards (see #4 below). 

2. Only those chapters that earned four or more Command Excellence Challenge Awards from within a numbered fleet are eligible to earn the Silver “‘E’”. 

○     So, six chapters within an 11-chapter fleet earn four or more Command Excellence Challenge Awards to help earn the Silver “‘E’”.  Therefore, the fleet as a whole earns the Silver “‘E’”, but only the six chapters who helped earn the award and their individual members are authorized to display and wear the award.

3. Submission and verification to earn the Silver “‘E’” will be drawn from the same Google Form tracker developed for the submission of individual chapter Command Excellence Challenge Awards noted above.

4. The threshold number of chapters within a fleet that need to meet minimum requirements to earn the Silver “‘E’” for the fleet is variable based on the total number of Command Excellence Challenge Awards each participating chapter has earned individually.  The larger the number of Command Excellence Challenge Awards that each chapter has earned individually, the lower the total percentage of chapters needed for the fleet to earn the Silver “‘E’”.  This is governed by the table below:

Those chapters that contribute to the fleet making one of these minimum threshold amounts, earn the Silver “‘E’”.

DISPLAYING FLEET AWARDS - GRAND ALLIANCE FLEET EXCELLENCE AWARD - Silver “‘E’”:  This award can be displayed by: (1) all of the chapters that helped the fleet earn the award, and (2) all of the individual members of those chapters.  The award will be displayed on the fleet and chapter’s unit pennants.  It will also appear on the wiki for that fleet and chapter and may be displayed on all fleet and chapter communications and sites.  After one year, it has to be removed from the fleet and chapters’ current honors if the fleet and/or chapter does not qualify for the award again, though it can be maintained in a separate sub-section of the fleet/chapter’s wiki for historical purposes.

If a fleet and chapter won the award and qualified for the award the next year, the first Silver “‘E’” is underlined in silver with a hash mark or ‘service stripe’. So, if a fleet and chapter bears a triply underlined Silver “‘E’”, they have won the Grand Alliance Fleet Excellence Award in four consecutive years. Instead of the letter and four service stripes for winning the award five consecutive times, the letter and a silver star will be shown for the fifth consecutive award, replacing the service stripes – in this case the Silver “‘E’” with a silver star above it.  Another star shall be added for each five successive annual awards, and a combination of stars and service stripes shall be used for 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, etc.

In addition, all members of those chapters that helped the fleet earn the award may wear the Grand Alliance Excellence Award ribbon with the Silver “‘E’” device on their uniforms for the year following the award.

NOTE: The Gold “‘E’” and the Silver “‘E’” devices are both are worn on the Grand Alliance Excellence Award ribbon.  For individuals who have earned both the Gold “‘E’” and the Silver “‘E’” in the same year, they may wear two ribbons – one with the Gold “‘E’” device and one with the Silver “‘E’” device.

PARTIAL/SUGGESTED LIST of COMMAND EXCELLENCE CHALLENGES:

What follows is a suggested list of Command Excellence Challenge Award activities that have been categorized into one of the below generalized areas.  For all TRMN chapters, four (4) Command Excellence challenges from different areas are suggested annually.  Of course, more than four challenges may be completed.  In addition, chapters are encouraged to work with other chapters within their echelons and fleets in completing challenges.  It is also suggested that while a chapter may choose to participate in TRMN-wide challenges (e.g., RMMC ‘Toys for Tots’, Home Fleet ‘Run for the Cats’, various IAN challenges, etc.), that only one of these challenges should be used toward the basic four (4) challenges each chapter is asked to complete.  Once those basic four are accomplished, however, additional TRMN-wide challenges may be used to pursue higher levels of qualification.

Be reminded that to complete a challenge in any area, 10% of the chapter's membership (inclusive of civilians, allied personnel, and MARDETS) must participate in the challenge for credit for that challenge to be issued.  In addition, regardless of chapter size, at least 1 triad and 1 non-triad member must participate.  For chapters of less than 30 members, a minimum of 3 members must participate.

What follows below is by no means an exhaustive list and command triads in consultation with the chapter members can come up with any number of additional ideas.  Frankly, it is encouraged. The point is to:

·         work together to identify what you want to do;

·         involve as many chapter members as you can;

·         plan for a successful outcome;

·         record your achievements.

1.    White “C” Award - Command - Reporting/Awards/Promotions/Meetings

a.    12 months of chapter reports submitted to BuShips

b.    Chapter members nominated for awards for chapter accomplishments

c.     Space Warfare Pin challenge

d.    Mainline rank course challenge

e.    Leadership course challenge

f.      All auto-promotions processed each month

g.    No less than 6 documented meetings annually

h.    Command Triad succession planning

i.      BuTrain Command Department technical specialties coursework challenge

2.    Gray “A” Award - Administration – Fundraising

a.    Participation in a TRMN fundraising event

b.    Organizing a TRMN fundraising event

c.     Participation in a community/regional fundraising event

d.    Chapter members earning the Grand Alliance Campaign Medal

e.    BuTrain Administration Department technical specialties coursework challenge

3.    Brown “L” Award - Logistics - Convention and uniforming activities

a.    Organizing a TRMN convention presence/program

b.    Chapter members ‘working’ at a convention

c.     Organizing a con party room

d.    Organizing a con game room

e.    Organizing the con recruitment table

f.      Organizing con panels

g.    Organizing the con awards program

h.    Organizing another aspect of TRMNs con presence

i.      Member assembly and wearing of uniforms

j.      BuTrain Logistics Department technical specialties coursework challenge

4.    Red “T” Award - Tactical - Gaming/Marksmanship Awards

a.    Chapter members earning Marksmanship Awards

b.    Host Artemis at a convention or event

c.     Gaming events – World of Warships/Tanks, LOTRO, Stellaris, etc.

d.    Board gaming and card play events

e.    LARPs

f.      BuTrain Tactical Department technical specialties coursework challenge

5.    Orange “E” Award - Engineering - Volunteering time/Service

a.    Chapter members providing volunteer service to the community (NOTE: Working a convention falls under the Brown “L” Award)

b.    Organizing/working a clothing drive

c.     Organizing/working a food drive, at a food kitchen, volunteer at a food bank

d.    Soup kitchen service

e.    Participation in Habitat for Humanity

f.      Adopt a road/highway

g.    Park cleanup

h.    Meals on Wheels

i.      United Way

j.      Big Brothers/Big Sisters

k.     Conservation project

l.      NOTE: Service that results in fundraising may instead be counted under Administration (see above), but may not be counted simultaneously in both areas.

m.   BuTrain Engineering Department technical specialties coursework challenge

6.    Yellow/Green “C” Award - Communications – Recruitment, Publications, Reading

a.    Writing/publishing a chapter newsletter

b.    Developing a recruitment publication

c.     Recruiting three (3) or more new members

d.    Reading Challenge

e.    Book club/leadership forums

f.      Sponsoring a “little free library”

g.    Writing/submitting press releases and articles

h.    BuTrain Communication Department technical specialties coursework challenge

7.    Blue “A” Award - Astrogation – Organizing/hosting/participating in non-con events

a.    5k Run/walk

b.    March of Dimes or other charity walk

c.     Run for the Cats

d.    Laser Tag Event

e.    Museum or observatory visit

f.      Bowling, bocce, driving range

g.    Chapter restaurant meeting/social

h.    Movie night

i.      Escape room

j.      Participation in an orienteering/hiking/geocaching event

k.     BuTrain Astrogation Department technical specialties coursework challenge

8.    Purple “F” Award - Flight Ops – Aeronautic and Aerospace Awards

a.    Chapter members earning an Aerospace Award

b.    Air show event

c.     Aerospace museum visit

d.    Aircraft carrier visit

e.    Flight simulator challenge

f.      Discovery flight event

g.    AOPA coursework challenge

h.    BuTrain LAC and/or aerospace technical specialties coursework challenge

9.    Green “H” Award - Heath and Medical - Anything health related

a.    Organizing/working a blood drive

b.    Community health service project

c.     Making masks or other first aid supplies for donation

d.    Sponsoring an AED device

e.    Hosting a basic first aid or CPR certification course

f.      Members earning basic first aid or CPR certification

g.    Members earning the Sphinx Cross

h.    BuTrain Medical Department technical specialties coursework challenge

As noted above, chapters are encouraged to expand upon these generalized examples.