FACTUAL INFORMATION - Montford Point Marines

CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL AWARD CEREMONY
UPDATED INFORMATION
29 APRIL 2012
The following facts are provided to ensure accurate information is disseminated for interested
parties regarding the Congressional Gold Medal Award Ceremony to honor the Montford Point
Marines.
A concerted effort was established by the Montford Point Marine Association, Inc. (MPMA) to
identify all Montford Point Marines, living and deceased. A validation process to identify
Marines who trained and served at Montford Point Camp, a segregated training facility from
1942-1949 has been underway since 2006. The final deadline date of 15 April 2012 was
established to receive DD214/Discharge Papers for those living Montford Point Marines who
desire to attend the Congressional Gold Medal Award Ceremony to be held in Washington, D.C.
The deadline date was set to gather accurate information in order to notify and invite all by
special invitation. The Montford Point Marines Association, Inc., will continue to collect
DD214/Discharge documentation, training information, photos and artifacts for those Montford
Point Marines (living and deceased) after the ceremony has concluded.
FACTUAL INFORMATION
1. Fact: The U.S. Marine Corps is planning to provide logistical and financial support to all
living Montford Point Marines and one escort/caregiver/family member to attend the award
ceremony. Additionally, one bronze replica medal will be presented to all certified living
Montford Point Marines in attendance at a Special Reception hosted by the 35th Commandant of
the Marine Corps, Gen James F. Amos.
2. Fact: The MPMA, and the United States Marine Corps will not pay the personal expenses
(Travel/Lodging) of those family members of deceased Montford Point Marines who wish to
attend this event.
3. Fact: The Congressional Gold Medal (CGM) Ceremony is expected to take place during the
week of 25-29 June 2012.
4. Fact: The Congressional Gold Medal design has been approved, molded and ready for
striking.
5. Fact: All discharge documentation must be postmarked by 15 April 2012 for the Montford
Point Marine to be included on the invitation list.

6. Fact: Invitations to the Congressional Gold Medal Award Ceremony are limited to:
- All properly documented living Montford Point Marines who register with the MPMA by 15
April 2012, plus one family member, caregiver or guest who the Montford Point Marine
officially designates.
- One lineal descendent of each Montford Point Marine killed in action during combat operations
in World War II.
- One lineal descendent of each properly documented and MPMA registered Montford Point
Marine who was alive when the bill awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the Original
Montford Point Marines was signed into law by President Obama on 23 November 2011.
- Lineal descendants submitting Discharge Documents under this exemption must provide a copy
of the death certificate and specify the lineal descendent who will accept the Congressional Gold
Medal on behalf of the deceased Montford Point Marine. The Montford Point Marine
Association, Inc., and Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) will not be involved in making this
decision on behalf of the Montford Point Marine or his family.
7. Fact: A lineal descendent is defined as a person who is in direct line to an ancestor, such as a
child, grandchild, great-grandchild, etc. A lineal descendent is distinguished from a “collateral”
descendent which would be from the line of a brother, sister, aunt, uncle or other first-degree
relative.
8. Fact: Documentation of the individual’s DD214 or discharge paperwork verifying
completion of training/service at the Montford Point Camp, NC between 1942 and 1949 must be
submitted to the MPMA by 15 April 2012 in order to receive an invitation to the CGM Awards
Ceremony.
9. Fact: When submitting the documentation, the requestor must have specified whether the
Montford Point Marine was living or deceased and provided current contact information, to
include name, address, telephone number and email address for the Montford Point Marine and
the next of kin.
10. Fact: Other than those specified above, relatives of a deceased Montford Point Marine will
not be eligible to attend the Congressional Gold Medal events in Washington, D.C., but will be
recognized with Certificates of Service which denote their relative, Montford Point Marine
status. These certificates will be prepared and delivered to one living relative of each Montford
Point Marine at a later date to be determined.
11. Fact: Designated representatives from Montford Point Command Center, located in the
Pentagon have started the necessary preparation, coordination and logistics surrounding the
Congressional Gold Medal Award Ceremony. Calls are being made to each Montford Point
Marine listed in the database to confirm every data point required for the logistical planning and
execution of the CGM Award Ceremony events. There are well over 500 calls that must be made
and we request your patience in this effort.

12. Fact: All travel/lodging arrangement will be made by HQMC. NO EXCEPTION.
13. Fact: MPMA membership is not required to attend the CGM Award Ceremony.
14. Fact: The Montford Point Command Center Representative will identify himself/herself and
state the purpose of the call. We will confirm information listed in the database regarding the
Montford Point Marine.
15. Fact: We cannot confirm the President of the United States will be in attendance at the
CGM Award Ceremony events.
16. Fact: There will be a limit of two (2) tickets for the Congressional Gold Medal event at
the Capital Visitor's Center (CVC) for each invited Montford Point Marine, caregiver and
Guest. NO EXCEPTIONS.
17. Fact: You will not be able to get near the CVC without a ticket. We are in the process of
obtaining live feed for remote locations and CSPAN in order to allow relative not invited to the
Ceremony an opportunity to witness the historic event on TV at a remote location.
18. Fact: We are not expressing any terms for the invitations to the 35th Commandant of the
Marine Corps’ (CMC) Reception event; this initiative is still in the planning phase.
19. Fact: The wearing of the MPMA uniform attire is not required for the CGM Award Events.
However, members of MPMA are encouraged to represent the association by wearing the official
designated uniform.
20. Fact: Agenda:
- Day One - Travel Day. Arrive by 1500 (3:00 p.m.) There will be a Meet and Greet
Reception at a hotel (TBD) and a tour of monuments the evening of the travel day. Attire:
(Casual)
- Day Two - Congressional Gold Medal Award Day includes two events: CGM Award
Ceremony at the Capital Visitor’s Center at approximately 11:00 a.m. Attire: (Suit and Tie,
Female equivalent)
- CMC, Reception at 8th and I (Commandant's residence later in the evening). Attire: (Suit and
Tie, Female equivalent). The Bronze Replica Medals will be awarded in the evening at this
event, not at the Capital Visitor's Center.
- Day Three - Travel Day. Return home. Attire: (Casual)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. Q- Does the Montford Point Marine have to be living to be awarded the Congressional
Gold Medal (CGM) at the ceremony?
A- Yes. In order to be invited to the award ceremony and to be awarded the bronze replica CGM
free of charge, the Montford Point Marine must be living.
2. Q- If my relative is deceased may I receive the CGM on their behalf?
A- Yes. Replica medals will be available for purchase from the U.S. Mint website:
http://www.usmint.gov the same day the medal will be awarded.
3. Q- If I am the family member of a living Montford Point Marine, may I attend the CGM
Ceremony?
A- Due to limited seating, each living Montford Point Marine and one caregiver, or guest
(only) will be invited to the CGM Award Ceremony to be held at the Capital Visitor’s Center.
4. Q- If I am a family member of a deceased Montford Point Marine, may I attend the
CGM Ceremony?
A. No you cannot attend the CGM Award ceremony at the Capital Visiting Center. Priority
seating will go to living Montford Point Marine and one designated family member, caregiver, or
guest.
A. There will be an attempt to host a live broadcast of the CGM Award Ceremony at alternate
locations to accommodate individual desiring to witness this historic event. More information
will be provided regarding this initiative at a later date.
5. Q- How do I provide a Montford Point Marine’s name to the roster after the CGM
Ceremony?
A- In order to be counted as an OMPM (whether living or deceased), one must provide DD214
or Discharge documentation verifying attendance of training at Montford Point Camp from
1942-1949. Please specify whether the Montford Point Marine is living or deceased when
sending the documentation. Such documentation, as well as current contact information (name,
address, telephone number, email, etc.) for the Montford Point Marine or the next of kin in the
case of deceased member. Provide documentation to the below address:
Montford Point Marine Association, Inc.
National Business Office
P.O. Box 64066
Virginia Beach, VA 23467
Email: cgm@montfordpointmarines.com

If the requestor does not have the DD214/Discharge documents, the request for service
documentation can be made from the following website:
http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/standard-form-180.html
Or mail a request by submitting Standard Form--SF180 to:
National Personnel Records Center
1 Archives Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63138
6. Q- After the Congressional Gold Medal Award Ceremony what happens then?
A- The Montford Point Marine Association, Inc., will continue to collect DD214/Discharge
documentation, training information, photos and artifacts for those Montford Point Marines
Living and Deceased after the ceremony is complete. Please send letters or email to:
Montford Point Marine Association, Inc.
National Business Office
P.O. Box 64066
Virginia Beach, VA 23467
Email: cgm@montfordpointmarines.com
If there are questions regarding this fact sheet, please do not hesitate to call me directly at the
below number.
Respectfully Submitted,
James T. Averhart Jr.
Dr. James T. Averhart, Jr.
(540) 288-6129
nationalpresident@montfordpointmarines