FORT BELVOIR, Va. -- Thirty-five military and civilian cyber professionals have been honored this year with the St. Isidore Army Cyber Award for 2017.
The award, sponsored by the Armed Forces Communications-Electronics Association, recognizes "individuals who demonstrate exceptional initiative, leadership, insight, and cyber excellence within their area of expertise," according to nomination criteria on AFCEA's website.
There are three levels of the annual award -- gold, silver and bronze medals presented based on categories of recipients and levels of achievement.
The award was created in 2011 after St. Isidore of Seville (560-636) was chosen to "represent the highest ideal of the essence of cyber security and the study of the evolving world of challenges of tomorrow." The saint is considered by many to be the patron of the Internet, though Pope John Paul II never made a final decision on his official selection. A scholar who coined the word etymology -- the study of origins -- his publication of a 20-volume series of books on a wide range of topics earned the saint the title of "father of the encyclopedia."
Although considered an Army award, an Air Force member was among the recipients this year for the first time. Maj. James Crawford of the 24th Air Force's 67th Cyberspace Operations Group earned a medal for his service as deputy chief of operations for Joint Task Force Ares. The task force, which provides unified, sustained cyberspace support to counter-ISIL efforts in Iraq and Syria, is within the purview of Army Cyber Command, making its personnel, who come from all branches of service, are eligible for the Saint Isidore Award.
ARCYBER commander Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone, presented several of the medals during the August 19 Cyber Ball here (denoted with an asterisk* in the list below). The remainder will be presented in appropriate venues by the recipients' organizations.
The 2017 recipients are:
GOLD:
Maj. Gen. George Franz
Col. David Kim*
Command Sgt. Maj. Jack Nichols
CWO4 Charles Zavorka
Tom Barnes
SILVER:
Lt. Col. Stephen Bultmann
Lt. Col. John Transue
Maj. Michael Arner
Maj. Scott Bobier
CWO3 Justin Hunsaker
Sgt. Maj. Jeremy Lerette*
Sgt. Maj. Joshua Smith
Master Sgt. Matthew Varney
Leonard Lewis
Donald Tyler*
BRONZE:
Lt. Col. Andrew Byrd
Maj. James Crawford*
Maj. Michael Stokes
Maj. John Truax*
CWO4 Kevin Kim
CWO4 Gerry William
CWO3 James Elliott
CWO3 Keri Fischer
CWO3 Jason Hurst
CWO3 Shawn Johnson
Sgt. Maj. Jesse Potter*
Master Sgt. Michael Bishop
Master Sgt. Joshua Hoy
Sgt. 1st Class Francisco Estrada
Sgt. 1st Class Thaddeus Watson
Sgt. Mandy Chamberlain
Gregory Conti
Salinas Rodolfo
Katie Ward
Larry Williamson
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ABOUT US: United States Army Cyber Command directs and conducts integrated electronic warfare, information and cyberspace operations as authorized, or directed, to ensure freedom of action in and through cyberspace and the information environment, and to deny the same to our adversaries.
Interested in becoming an Army cyber Soldier or civilian employee? Check out the career links at www.arcyber.army.mil
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