MCA&F's Awards Dinners Recognize Deserving Marines and Sailors

The Marine Excellence Awards Program recognizes the professional achievements of Marines and sailors with special emphasis on recognizing the honor graduates throughout the Marine Corps officer and enlisted formal schools and leadership courses.  MCA&F has provided more than 9,000 awards annually over the last three years, with 10,613 being distributed in 2011, a high water mark. MCA&F hosts five professional awards dinners throughout the year and recognizes superior performance in a variety of occupational fields including Ground Combat and Logistics, C4, Intelligence and Ammunition Technology. In addition, MCA&F host other professional dinners in the North Carolina, Washington, D.C. and Virginia areas. This month MCA&F participated in the Marine West Expo at Camp Pendleton, California and hosted a professional dinner for west coast guests.  Here are just a few top awards recognizing outstanding Marines and Sailors.

Prominent Awards provided through the Marine Excellence Awards Program

C4 Awards:

• General Alfred M. Gray Trophy for Outstanding Communications Leadership
• James Hamilton Information Technology Management Civilian Marine of the Year Award
• LtCol Kevin M. Shea Memorial Unit Award
• The PFC Herbert A. Littleton Awards ( for SNO’s, NCO’s and Enlisted Marines)

Ground Awards:

• Leftwich Trophy for Outstanding Leadership ( Award provided by H. Ross Perot Foundation)
• Zembiec Award for Outstanding Leadership in the USMC Forces Special Operations Command
• Hulbert Award for outstanding Leadership by a Marine Gunner
• Chambers Award for Outstanding Leadership by a Company Grade Officer in the Marine Reserve Component

General Alfred M. Gray Trophy for Outstanding Communications Leadership
Photo caption: General Alfred M. Gray, USMC (Ret)

The Gray trophy is awarded annually to a Marine Captain on active duty in a communications Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) billet within the Operating Forces or Supporting Establishment. Officers recommended for this award are recognized by seniors, contemporaries, and subordinates as the officer who best exemplifies outstanding leadership with the Communications environment.   The Gray Trophy is presented in honor of General Alfred M. Gray, U.S. Marine Corps.

General Alfred M. Gray, USMC (Ret) enlisted in the Marines Corps in 1950 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1952. He was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in Vietnam and later served as the 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps. He institutionalized and published a new warfighting philosophy and implemented a new long-range strategic planning process for the Marine Corps. General Gray is the “God Father” of Marine modernization C4 efforts.

Recipient of the 2010 General Alfred M. Gray Trophy for Outstanding Communications Leadership
Photo caption: BGen Kevin Nally, LtGen George Flynn and Bill White VP, Federal Programs of Sprint Nextel with Gray Recipient Captain David Valentino.

Captain David A. Valentino was recognized for his leadership and dedication in improving communication capabilities within Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).  He developed a series of courses designed to take communications Marines and train them on all the various communications and networking equipment resident in MARSOC.

Through the support of our MCA&F members and revenue from our retail activities by The MARINE Shop, and Marineshop.net, MCA&F recognizes deserving Marines. You can support today’s Marines by joining MCA&F and can stay informed of issues affecting Marines as well as stay connected on unfolding Marine history.  Members receive many benefits including access to magazines, discounts with affinity partners and member value pricing at MCA&F retail locations. You can also make a tax deductible donation to the Foundation here.