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Copernicus Award: Recognizing the Best and Brightest of the Sea Services

One of the AFCEA Educational Foundation's important functions includes administering the Copernicus Award program.

One of the AFCEA Educational Foundation’s important functions includes administering the Copernicus Award program. Each year since 1997, the sea services (Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard) have recognized individuals who have made a significant, demonstrable contribution to naval warfare in command, control, communications, computers and intelligence (C4I), information systems and information warfare by the presentation of the Copernicus Award. These awards are cosponsored by the U.S. Naval Institute and the AFCEA Educational Foundation.

The Copernicus Award represents a powerful demonstration of teamwork. The chief of Naval Operations for Communication Networks (N-6) issues the call for nominations to all of the sea services. The individuals’ contributions are not restricted to technical solutions or innovations and may arise from doctrinal, financial, organizational or other dimensions of information systems. The contributions must demonstrate exceptional initiative, leadership and insight within the nominee’s area of expertise. All sea service active duty, reserve and civilian personnel who work in the C4I community are eligible for nomination.

Each nomination must be submitted by the individual’s commanding officer. A selection board of professionals representing all of the sea services reviews each submission and prepares recommendations through the AFCEA Educational Foundation’s judging process. Once completed, the selection board’s recommendations are sent to the N-6 for review and final selections.

For the 2016 Copernicus Award, which recognizes 2015 performance, there were more than 100 nominations from superlative performers, representing enlisted, officers and civilian personnel. The competition was incredible, as every nomination illustrated the outstanding work, roles and responsibilities in which all nominees made significant contributions within the C4I profession. Twenty-five winners were selected. These individuals will be recognized at the 2016 AFCEA/USNI West Conference in San Diego on February 17.

The 2016 Copernicus Award recipients are:

Lt. Kirsten M. Ambors-Casey, USCG
Coast Guard Base New Orleans

Joseph M. Andrew
Naval Special Warfare Command

Lt. Cmdr. Daniel W. Berger, USN
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command

Lt. Jeremy E. Blanchette, USN
USS Preble (DDG-88)

Mary A. (Annie) Brereton
Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division

Lt. Cmdr. Terrell A. Burnett, USN
U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Bahrain

Capt. Richard S. Clay, USMC
U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa

Lt. John J. Dannemiller, Jr., USN
Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron One Two Five

Cmdr. George Dewey Davis, III, USN
Combined Joint Task Force–Horn of Africa

Maj. Nathan D. Faught, USMC
Marine Air Ground Task Force

Cmdr. Joseph G. Feltovic, USN
U.S. Pacific Fleet

ITC Tammy S. Fields, USN
USS Chafee (DDG-90)

IT2 Andrew P. Guthrie, USCG
Coast Guard C4IT Service Center

Anne (Beth) Heiner
Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps

CTR1 Paul J. Langreck, USN
Special Reconnaissance Team Two

Lance Cpl. Kevin M. Murphy, USMC
Marine Wing Communications Group 28

Tuan H. Nguyen
Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific

ITC Robert A. Parthun, USN
Joint Communications Unit

Martin J. Pfeifle, USMC
Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps

Capt. Andrew T. Rapisardo, USMC
U.S. Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command

Andrew B. Schrader, Jr., USN
Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Far East

Lt. Cmdr. Richard S. Slocum, USCG
Coast Guard Communications Command

IT1 Valentine Yurievich Votinov, USCG
Coast Guard Cyber Command

Phillip J. Williams, USCG
Coast Guard Telecommunication and Information Systems Command

IT1 Blake L. Wilson, USN
Naval Computer and Telecommunications