Announcement of the Calendar Year (CY) 2026 Gunnery Sergeant Fred W. Stockham Trophy for Outstanding CBRN Unit Leadership Selection Board

1. Situation.  This MARADMIN announces the convening of the
2026 Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt) Fred W. Stockham Trophy for
Outstanding CBRN Unit Leadership selection board and
solicits nominations from throughout the Marine Corps.
Presented in honor of Medal of Honor and Silver Star
recipient GySgt Fred W. Stockham, U.S. Marine Corps, the
trophy recognizes exceptional enlisted leadership within
the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense
(CBRND) community.  The Deputy Commandant for Plans,
Policies, and Operations (DC, PP&O) will convene a board of
senior field-grade officers and CBRND staff
non-commissioned officers in early March 2027 to review
nominations and forward a recommendation to the Commandant
of the Marine Corps (CMC) for final selection and
announcement of winner.

1.a. During the Battle of Belleau Wood, France, on the
night of 13-14 June 1918, GySgt Stockham gave his gas mask
to a wounded Marine and continued to direct and assist in
the evacuation of wounded Marines despite his own exposure
to gas.  His moral courage, leadership, and selfless
commitment directly align with the CBRND mission of
developing disciplined and resilient Marines capable of
operating effectively in contaminated and contested
environments.  His legacy exemplifies the leadership and
commitment necessary to train, lead, and protect Marines
against increasingly complex CBRN threats and hazards while
reinforcing the warfighting ethos recognized by this
trophy.

2. Mission.  Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command
(COMMARFORCOM); Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific
(COMMARFORPAC); Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve
(COMMARFORRES); and commanders of supporting establishments
and organizations with eligible Marines serving in external
billets shall nominate eligible Marines for the 2026
Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt) Fred W. Stockham Trophy for
Outstanding CBRN Unit Leadership and submit nomination
packages to DC, PP&O NLT 19 February 2027.

3. Execution.

3.a. Prerequisites.  Commanders will use the following
prerequisites to submit nominations:

3.a.1. Actions included in each nomination must have
occurred within the period of eligibility (1 January-31
December 2026).

3.a.2. Nominees must be enlisted Marines in the grade of
Sergeant through Gunnery Sergeant, serving in the Active or
Reserve Component during the period of eligibility and
holding Primary Military Occupational Specialty 5711 or
5769.  Eligibility is not limited by assignment and
includes Marines serving within the Fleet Marine Force,
Marine Forces Reserve, supporting establishments, the CBRN
Defense School at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and external
billets.

3.a.3. Nominees should be recognized by seniors, peers, and
subordinates as CBRN unit leaders who exemplify exceptional
leadership, superior technical expertise, and a selfless
commitment to training and preparing Marines for operations
in complex and evolving CBRN threat environments.

3.a.4. Nominees should exemplify moral courage, sound
judgment, technical excellence, and selfless leadership in
preparing Marines to operate in contaminated, contested,
and austere environments; employ innovative strategies to
overcome training limitations; and advance CBRN readiness,
advocacy, doctrine, and esprit de corps.

3.a.5. Nominations may be submitted posthumously, provided
the Marine nominated would have met the eligibility and
award criteria outlined in this message.

3.b. Requirements.

3.b.1. COMMARFORCOM and COMMARFORPAC shall nominate one (1)
Marine from each Marine Expeditionary Force, and
COMMARFORRES may nominate one (1) Marine who meets the
eligibility criteria outlined in paragraph 3.a through
3.a.5.

3.b.2. Commands and organizations not identified in
paragraph 3.b.1, including supporting establishments, the
CBRN Defense School at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and
organizations with eligible Marines serving in external
billets, may each nominate one (1) Marine who meets the
eligibility criteria outlined in paragraph 3.a through
3.a.5.  These nominations will not count against the
allocations established in paragraph 3.b.1.

3.b.3. Nominations shall be submitted through the nominee's
appropriate Marine Corps chain of command to DC, PP&O (PO)
NLT 19 February 2027.

3.b.4. Nomination packages will consist of the following:

3.b.4.a. An official photograph of the nominee taken within
12 months of the convening date of the selection board.

3.b.4.b. Biographical information of the nominee.

3.b.4.c. A summary of performance during the eligibility
period supporting the nominee's qualifications for the
trophy.

4. Administration and Logistics.

4.a. DC, PP&O (PO) will process nomination packages.
Packages will include the nominating command's address,
point of contact, and phone number (Comm and DSN).
Packages must be received by DC, PP&O (PO) NLT 19 February
2027 to be considered.

4.a.1. Nomination packages shall be submitted
electronically via unclassified email to the POCs
identified in this message.

4.a.2. Submit the complete nomination package as a single
.pdf file.  Ensure the entire package is legible after
scanning.

4.b. The GySgt Fred W. Stockham Trophy for Outstanding CBRN
Unit Leadership will be presented at the Annual Ground
Awards Dinner.

5. Command and Signal.

5.a. This MARADMIN applies to the Total Force.

5.b. Ensure widest dissemination of the contents of this
message.

5.c. Direct all questions regarding this MARADMIN to the
POCs listed above.

6. Release authorized by BGen Michael R. Nakonieczny,
Director, Operations Division, Plans, Policies, and
Operations.