In May, the chapter hosted the 18th Annual Military IT & Cyber Leadership Awards Banquet at the Army-Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia. The event honored 18 outstanding officers and enlisted service members from across the Department of Defense for their exceptional contributions to advancing military information technology and cyber operations.
• U.S. Army Officer Awardee: Chief Warrant Officer 3 Eugy W. Zermeno
• U.S. Army Enlisted Awardee: Sgt. Jaime Flores
• U.S. Marine Corps Officer Awardee: Chief Warrant Officer 2 Michael Huck
• U.S. Marine Corps Enlisted Awardee: Staff Sgt. Alec M. Durbin
• U.S. Navy Officer Awardee: Lt. Marley Rakow
• U.S. Navy Enlisted Awardee: ITC Shane Callaghan
• U.S. Air Force Officer Awardee: Maj. Matthew G. Darby
• U.S. Air Force Enlisted Awardee: Master Sgt. Duane Bailey
• U.S. Coast Guard Officer Awardee: Lt. Kent H. Altobelli
• U.S. Coast Guard Enlisted Awardee: Petty Officer 1st Class Sean Ayers
• U.S Space Force Officer Awardee: Maj. Joshua McFarland
• U.S Space Force Enlisted Awardee: Sgt. John Paul Hernandez
• National Guard Officer Awardee: Chief Warrant Officer 2 Brandon Dixon
• National Guard Enlisted Awardee: Tech. Sgt. Byron Estrada
• Joint Officer Awardee: Chief Warrant Officer 3 Zachary DeLong
• Joint Officer Awardee: Lt. Rooya Khalid Khan
• Joint Enlisted Awardee: Tech. Sgt. Andrew Chantell
• Joint Enlisted Awardee: Tech. Sgt. Walker K. Luck
The awards recognize individuals whose leadership and technical innovation have directly strengthened warfighter readiness, cybersecurity posture and mission effectiveness. This year, 105 nominations were submitted from across all branches and components of the military. An executive selection board composed of nine retired general officers reviewed the nominations and selected 18 awardees representing each of the services (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Space Force), joint assignments and the National Guard.
Lt. Gen. Jeth Rey, U.S. Army chief information officer/G-6, delivered the keynote address, emphasizing the critical importance of information technology (IT) and cyber professionals in today's evolving operational environment. He highlighted how these honorees embody the dedication and skill required to maintain decision dominance across domains in the joint environment.
Approximately 240 military leaders, federal civilians and industry partners attended the event. Industry participation was made possible exclusively through sponsorship, either by standalone Military IT & Cyber Awards packages or bundled AFCEA DC sponsorships. More than 20 sponsors supported this year's program, underscoring the shared commitment between government and industry to recognize IT and cyber excellence in national defense.
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