Awards
The Air Combat Survivability Division recognizes superior achievement in the air combat survivability field through four awards that are presented at the annual symposium. The Leadership Award is presented to a person who has made major contributions to enhancing air combat survivability. The Technical Award is presented to a person who has made significant technical contributions to any aspect of aircraft survivability. NDIA has established a Young Professional Award to recognize the contributions of young professionals within the aircraft survivability community. In addition, a Lifetime Achievement Award may be presented from time to time to individuals who have made distinctive contributions to the air combat survivability discipline throughout their careers.
Division awards are presented each year at the annual Aircraft Survivability Symposium, hosted at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA.
How to Nominate
Please complete one of the online forms below no later than September 22, 2023. and email it to gierard.llc@gmail.com and tkienzle@ndia.org to submit your nomination.
Award Categories and Criteria
RADM Robert H. Gormley Air Combat Survivability Award for Leadership
This award is presented to a person who has made major leadership contributions to combat survivability. It is named for RADM Gormley who was the founder and initial chairman of the Division. The individual selected must have demonstrated outstanding leadership in enhancing overall air combat survivability or played a significant role in a major aspect of survivability design, program management, research and development, test and evaluation, modeling and simulation, education, or the development of standards. The emphasis for this award is on demonstrated superior leadership over an extended period of time.
Patrick S. Sharp Air Combat Survivability Award for Technical Achievement
This award is presented to a person who has made significant technical contributions to any aspect of aircraft survivability. It is named for Mr. Sharp who provided technical direction and oversight to numerous aircraft RDT&E organizations and programs across the Department of Defense. It may be presented for a specific achievement or for exceptional technical excellence over an extended period. Individuals at any level of experience are eligible for this award.
Professor Robert E. Ball Young Professional Award for Air Combat Survivability
This award is presented to a person who has made a significant technical, analytical, or tactical contribution to any aspect of survivability. It is named for Naval Postgraduate School Professor Emeritus Ball, who has been synonymous with aircraft survivability and the aircraft survivability discipline for over 45 years. It may be presented for a specific technical achievement, an original analytic effort, or new development of tactics, techniques, and procedures that increase the survivability of aircraft in combat. Individuals must be age 35 or younger to be eligible for this award.
Dale B. Atkinson Air Combat Survivability Award for Lifetime Achievement
The Lifetime Achievement Award may be presented from time to time to individuals who have made distinctive contributions to the air combat survivability discipline throughout their careers. This award is named for Mr Atkinson, who along with RADM Gormley, were the driving forces for over 50 years, that established this aircraft survivability community, and this collaborative Government, Industry and academia division. This award is nominated by the Air Combat Survivability Division executive board.