Reply #52: The regulations covering the awarding of the AFOUA are in AFI 36-2803

[Walt Starr]

First, who can get it is in Chapter 4, Section 4.3, and I quote:

"4.3.1. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (AFOUA). Awarded in the name of the SAF. The following
types of units are eligible for consideration:
4.3.1.1. Numbered Units such as Air Forces, Air Divisions, Wings, Groups, and Squadrons to
includes provisional units.
4.3.1.2. Medical Facilities, such as hospitals, clinics, medical centers (numbered or unnumbered).
4.3.1.3. Detachments, operating locations, training sites or Air Force elements on their own merit
or identified by the parent unit or organization to share in the award (do not consider under both)."

Next, units sharing in it is in Section 4.5, and I quote:

"4.5. Units Sharing in the AFOUA or AFOEA:
4.5.1. Subordinate activities do not automatically share in an award with the parent unit or organization.
Organizations can share their award only with like subordinate organizations (i.e., for a numbered
parent organization, only numbered subordinate units may share; for an unnumbered parent
organization, only unnumbered subordinate units may share unless otherwise specified in this AFI).
4.5.2. Identify each sharing subordinate activity in the parent organization nomination.
4.5.3. Host organizations may identify tenant units to share in the award providing the tenant units’
parent major commands concur."

Now, how to reccomend and process is Section 4.6 and other applicable information through Section 4.8:

4.6. Preparing and Processing Recommendations. Include:
4.6.1. Letter of recommendation, which includes the name of the unit being recommended, name of
award being recommended, type of service, and inclusive dates of the award. List all previous awards
to nominated unit. List all assigned and attached subordinate units that will share in the award and the
inclusive dates if they differ from the parent unit. The recommending official signs the letter of recommendation
(see Table 4.1.).
4.6.2. Summary of unit’s specific accomplishments.
4.6.3. Proposed citation to accompany the award (when the recommendation is classified include an
unclassified citation).
4.6.4. Process a recommendation for award to a unit of one of the other US armed forces branches or
to an armed forces unit of a friendly nation through USAF channels to the awarding authority using
the same criteria as listed above.
4.6.5. Publish award of the unit decorations and battle honors in orders of the awarding authority.
Include in the special order: Type of award, name of unit, subordinate units entitled to share in the
award, and the inclusive period for each sharing unit if the period differs from the parent unit. Submit
a listing of each unit with all of the above information to HQ AFPC/DPPPRA by 31 December each
year, along with a summary listing the number of like units in the command and the number of unit
awards for those units in each cycle. HQ AFPC/DPPPRA publishes information on unit awards annually.
Forward a copy of the approved award orders to the Air Force Historical Research Agency (HQ
AFHRA/RSO), 600 Chennault Circle, Maxwell, AFB AL 36112-6424.
4.6.6. Award elements:
4.6.6.1. Streamer. Streamer, embroidered with the name of the act or period of service. Do not
issue a streamer to a unit not authorized a flag or guidon.
4.6.6.2. Citation. See Attachment 4 and Attachment 5.
4.6.6.3. Certificate. Issue certificates only to the awarded unit, not to sharing units. Air Force
Form 2262, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award (Achievement); AF Form 2085, Air
Force Organizational Excellence Award Certificate (Service); AF Form 2269, Air Force Outstanding
Unit Award (Service); AF Form 2271, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (Achievement).
4.6.6.4. Unit Decorations. Include:
4.6.6.4.1. The specific award and decoration.
4.6.6.4.2. Authority and descriptive basis for the award.
4.6.6.4.3. The period during which the unit distinguished itself.
4.6.6.4.4. Statement describing the unit’s cited action or service.
4.6.6.4.5. Component elements of the cited organization and other attached units and detachments
that share in the award.
4.6.6.4.6. The specific period (if different from the inclusive dates of the award) during which
each unit shares.
4.6.6.4.7. Both the new and old unit designations (name and number) of units that share in the
award, if redesignated during the cited period (for example, 4 Military Airlift Squadron formerly
4 Air Transport Squadron).
4.6.6.4.8. The statement: "With V Device," if the award is for meritorious service or outstanding
achievement in a combat area.
4.7. Notifying National Guard Bureau (NGB). Awarding authorities for unit awards notify NGB Public
Affairs when awarding any unit award for an ANG unit.
4.8. Battle Honors. Include authority and description of the award; statement whether it is the basic theater
award, or an award for taking part in a campaign, in an amphibious or assault landing, and the inclusive
dates; a listing of units cited; administrative instructions for issuing emblems, ribbons, bronze service
stars, or arrowheads to eligible members of cited units; administrative instructions concerning entries to
be made in unit and personnel records.
4.9. Sister Service Unit Awards. These awards are similar to Air Force unit awards; Air Force units
may accept them with advanced DAF approval. A unit recommended for an award from another US military
service must ensure the DAF has concurred on the award. If DAF concurrence was not obtained, the
organization must request acceptance through the appropriate command channels to HQ AFPC/DPPPRA."

If you plug "AFI 36-2803" into Google, you can get a copy of this manual.