AFCEA Announces Copernicus Award Winners
Since 1997, the sea services—the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard—have presented the Copernicus Award to recognize individuals who have made significant, demonstrable contributions to naval warfare in command, control, communications, computers and intelligence (C4I), information systems and information warfare.
Every year, the AFCEA Educational Foundation administers the Copernicus Award. Since 1997, the sea services—the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard—have presented the Copernicus Award to recognize individuals who have made significant, demonstrable contributions to naval warfare in command, control, communications, computers and intelligence (C4I), information systems and information warfare. The awards are presented by the U.S. Naval Institute (USNI) and the AFCEA Educational Foundation.
The Copernicus Award was established as a result of a discussion among Lt. Gen. C. Norman Wood, USAF (Ret.), then president and CEO of AFCEA International; Capt. James A. Barber, USN (Ret.), then publisher and CEO of the USNI; and the late Vice Adm. Art Cebrowski, USN, who was the Navy N-6. The name of the award came from the Copernicus architecture used as the blueprint for the Navy’s future C4I structure.
The nomination process is an impressive demonstration of teamwork. First, the deputy chief of naval operations for information dominance (N-2/N-6) issues the call for nominations. All sea service active-duty, Reserve and civilian personnel who work in the C4I community are eligible for nomination. Their contributions must demonstrate exceptional initiative, leadership and insight within their areas of expertise. Contributions are not restricted to technical solutions or innovations and may arise from doctrinal, financial, organizational or other dimensions of information systems.
A nomination must be submitted by the individual’s commanding officer or supervisor. Next, a selection board of professionals representing all the sea services reviews each submission and prepares recommendations using the AFCEA Educational Foundation’s judging guidelines. Once completed, the recommendations are sent to the N-2/N-6 for review and final selections.
Award winners will be honored February 6 during the West Conference, co-sponsored by AFCEA and the USNI, in San Diego or at the Defensive Cyber Operations Symposium May 15-18 in Baltimore.
Following is a complete list of the 2018 Copernicus Award winners
for accomplishments in 2017.
Lt. Daniel M. Ballance, USN
Navy Cyber Defense
Operations Command
Lt. Cmdr. Timothy W.
Bierbach, USN
Patrol Squadron 45
Lt. Andrew A. Blanco, USN
Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center
Lt. Richard G. Dobias, USN
Navy Information Operations Command, San Diego
Stuart L. Farlin
Naval Information Forces
John C. Fincannon
Marine Corps Cyberspace Operations Group
Lt. Cmdr. Jacob P. Galbreath, USN
Naval Computer and Telecommunications
Station, San Diego
Travis D. Gibson
U.S. Coast Guard Command, Control and Communications Engineering Center
Chief Petty Officer
Shaun J. Hoban, USN
USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20)
Lt. Timothy G. Laufer, USN
U.S. Naval Forces Korea
Maj. Stephanie A. Mafrici, USMC
Marine Wing Communications Squadron 18
Ensign Craig L. McKnight, USN
USS Farragut (DDG-99)
Lt. Tyson B. Meadors, USN
National Security Council
Gunnery Sgt.
Robert M. Moore, USMC
Communication Training
Battalion, Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School
Petty Officer Michael R. Scarborough, USN
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76)
Chief Warrant Officer
Stephen J. Schmid, USCG
U.S. Coast Guard
Aviation Logistics Center
Chief Petty Officer
Mitchell A. Sheppard, USN
Navy Information Operations Command Hawaii
Lt. Gabriella M. Smyth, USCG
U.S. Coast Guard
Cyber Command
Cryptologic Technician
(Collection)
First Class Petty Officer
Eugene A. Stewart, USN
Special Reconnaissance Team 1
Lt. Cmdr. Christopher A. Weis, USN
U.S. Fleet Cyber Command
Chief Petty Officer
Peter J. Zemore, USN
USS Sampson (DDG-102)
