10 May 1998

NSCC ACTION LETTER 9-98

1. Purpose. To set forth requirements and conditions under which a MAA Badge may be worn by cadets.

2. Backround. Master at Arms course of instruction has grown in numbers and locations over the past three summers. A growing number of NSCC cadets have attended and are signed up to attend the MAA courses. In the past, the practice has been for the commanding officer of the training school to issue a MAA badge to cadets satisfactorily completing the course.

3. Discussion. The issuance of an MAA badge to graduates of the MAA course is a problem within the NSCC and external to the NSCC organization. With the course growing more popular with cadets, and more graduates being issued the MAA Badges, issuance of the badge has been reviewed because of the developing concerns on when the badge may be worn. The badge that is issued is ordered through regular MAA supply channels. It is an official Navy MAA Badge that because of its official status authorizes the wearer certain recognized authority within a military jurisdiction. This is a problem because NSCC personnel have no police jurisdiction on a military base or off the base unless they are a police official operating in their own jurisdiction. A few years back, two former NSCC cadets tried to arrest personnel on base using the badge issued to them as graduates of the MAA training course. In order to preclude further instances of this type, it has been determined that the MAA badge will be authorized only under the following conditions:

• The wearer of the MAA badge must be a graduate of an authorized MAA training school.
  
  
• The MAA Badge can only be worn at unit functions.
  
  
• The badge will not be worn unless the wearer is performing master at arms duties within the unit.
  
  
• The MAA school will ship the Badge to the unit direct, for use by graduates of the MAA course
  

Units who do not have a graduate of a MAA School will be required to identify their MAA personnel by use of an arm band or some other means. Only graduates of the MAA School are authorized to wear the MAA badge.

4. Action. Commanding officers shall implement the MAA policy as soon as possible and inform members of their command of this policy change.

5.Cancellation. This action letter is cancelled upon incorporation of the contents into the NSCC/NLCC Uniform Regulations Manual and Awards Manual.

M.D. FORD

Distribution:
NSCC National Chairman/National President
Commanding Officers/Regional Directors
Headquarters Representatives