Roger. Understand that the gouge/anecdotes from squadrons may not be apples to apples, but I'm still interested to hear about other parts of the Navy that I don't have the opportunity to directly observe.
The SELRES has much administrivia - or so I've been told by LCDRs coming to SELRES off AD. Admin O (PERSO) is a DH job in my SELRES unit, and the paperwork required to keep the trains running on time is way more than 16 hours a month. So, where possible, other Admin-y duties are delegated by our Skipper to several JOs (first tour FNGs like me): Awards O, Safety O, RESPAY O, Muster O, CMEO, UPC, etc. Our Training O is actually a CDR, but YMMV. Awards aren't a huge lift every drill weekend, but the nomination/review process for them is apparently a big paperwork drill for the Awards O during crunch time.
I'm still learning the difference between a NAVCOM and a NAM, and what's the right criteria for each, let alone all the other possible ribbons and medals that are out there. (I've read the SECNAVINST but it doesn't give real world insights that experienced fleet O's have.)
Some people get butthurt tying awards to ranks, but it's a thing. Generally as follows.
NAM = E-6 to E-7 or O-1 to O-3. Exceptions on the E side for an impact award for outstanding performance. I once got one of my E-5s a spot NAM. On the flight deck, on a black-ass night, standing five feet and not much more, she stopped a clueless helo E-3 from walking too close to a turning Prowler intake via a flying tackle. I wish I'd have been there to see it, but I'm told it was impressive. The Safety O wanted to put her in for "Safety Pro of the Month," but I circular-filed that shit, wrote up a 1650, and got it approved. NAM approving authority is generally any O-5 or above CO of the AC and SELRES hardware squadron COs.
NCM = E-7 to E-8 or O-4. I've seen shoe O-3s walking around with them, but hey . . . they're shoes. Approving authority is generally the CO's boss, and usually an O-6 of some variety.
MSM = this is what the CMC and CO get as EOT awards; that's all an Ensign really needs to worry about. Let alone anything higher. On the reserve side, note that many (most) reserve units are not commissioned units. This means the CO doesn't get NJP authority, doesn't wear the sheriff's badge, and can't award decorations. Thus, they go to the gaining active CO. So you need to know the timeframe it takes to chop an award through your SELRES unit AND the timeframe it takes to get it approved on the active side. Plan for a month when a NAM hits the AC's inbox initially. Add a month for every layer in the COC for an NCM or MSM.
Spot awards are generally less likely to be seen the more senior you get.
More junior Sailors who don't rate impact NAMs generally get a CO's Letter of Commendation. They don't get advancement points for that, but it beats giving them nothing.
Oh, and when it comes to advancement points, one of the reasons NAMs get handed out like candy is because they get the Sailor 2 points and can get approved by an O-5. Flag letters of commendation are a thing. But see my above comment about layers of bureaucracy . . . a FLOC is approved by an O-7 and only gets a Sailor one point. Why bother if you're not serving on a flag staff?