Awards at WEST 2026

Copernicus Award

About the Award:

The Copernicus Award was established in 1997 as a result of a discussion among Lieutenant General C. Norman Wood, USAF (Ret.), then President and CEO of AFCEA International, Captain James A. Barber, USN (Ret.), then Publisher and CEO of the U.S. Naval Institute, and the late Vice Admiral Art Cebrowski, USN, who was the Navy N6 at that time. The name for the award came from the Copernicus Architecture used as the blueprint for the future C4I structure of the Navy. Recipients are selected based on their sustained superior performance in a C4I/IT-related job. The board of judges make selections each year after reviewing active-duty and civilian applicants from the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. AFCEA International and the U.S. Naval Institute present the awards at their annual WEST Conference held in San Diego each winter. Click Here to read more.

Enlisted Superior Performer Award

About the Award:

Nominate your superior enlisted Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen for the 2026 Enlisted Superior Performer (ESP) program at WEST.

The Enlisted Superior Performer (ESP) Award presented by the U.S. Naval Institute and AFCEA International recognizes the service of those military members who have been selected by their commands for particularly superior service in the past year.

Don’t miss this great opportunity to recognize your top performers and recognize them by bringing them to WEST. Find out more about how to nominate your superior enlisted Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen for the ESP program at WEST. Nominations will be accepted through January 16, 2026. Click Here to read more.

Emerging Leaders Awards

About the Awards:

Individual Award: Distinguished Young Professional

The Distinguished Young Professional Award recognizes and rewards exceptional performance in four areas: leadership and guidance for the Emerging Leader program; superior technical achievement in the professional arena; a record of going "above and beyond" at the local AFCEA chapter or region level; and mentoring provided for other Emerging Leaders. Nominees for this award are evaluated through September of the current year. Click Here to read more.

Individual Award: Emerging Leadership

The Emerging Leadership Award is given for exceptional service to AFCEA at the local and/or international level. This award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated continuous leadership in Emerging Leader activities since winning the Distinguished Young AFCEAN or Distinguished Young Professional award. Nominees for this award are evaluated through September of the current year. Click Here to read more.

Emerging Leader Chapter of the Year Award

The Emerging Leader Chapter of the Year Award is given to the one chapter which has most significantly contributed to the professional development of Emerging Leaders by providing a forum of programs and initiatives geared to their unique needs. Chapters of similar sizes compete for this award and there are five different size categories.

Model Emerging Leader Program

The purpose of the Model Emerging Leader Program recognition is to strengthen the program of activities for Emerging Leaders at chapters, and to encourage chapters to create Emerging Leader programs if they do not already have one. The program will measure the strength, growth and activities of a chapter’s Emerging Leader program over the period of a full fiscal year. Click Here to read more.

U.S. Naval Institute Essay Contest Awards

About the Award:

The U.S. Naval Institute provides an independent forum for those who dare to read, think, speak, and write to advance the professional, literary, and scientific understanding of sea power and other issues critical to global security. Each year, the Institute sponsors a number of essay contests. The winners of four of these contests will be recognized at WEST 2026

Essay contests have been central to the work of the Naval Institute since 1879. They fulfill the Institute’s educational mission by encouraging writing on issues of concern to the Sea Services and provide thought-provoking articles that spur ongoing discussion—not only in Naval Institute media (print and digital) but also in other leading defense and national security forums.

2025 Essay Contest Winners

  2025 Enlisted Prize Essay Contest

Funded by The Honorable Ellen Lord

The Enlisted Prize Essay Contest dared enlisted personnel in the Sea Services to write on a topic that makes the naval profession stronger. No subject was too large or too small.

First Prize:
Petty Officer First Class Marcus Lewis, USNR
“Bases Are for Service Members” - Published in the July issue of Proceedings

Second Prize:
Petty Officer Second Class Andréa Mayrose, USN
“A Schoolhouse Built on Trust” – Published in the September issue of Proceedings

Third Prizes:
Petty Officer First Class Kenneth Vidmar, USN
“Readiness Is About More than Sailors” – Published in the October issue of Proceedings

  2025 Coast Guard Essay Contest

Co-Sponsored by Susan Curtin and the Naval Institute

The Coast Guard Essay Contest asked authors what the U.S. Coast Guard can do today to be more effective tomorrow. The contest, open to all contributors, challenged authors to consider topics such as changes required to meet global missions, barriers to mission execution and how to remove them, and how to better leverage partnerships at home and abroad.

First Prize:
Lieutenant Isaac LaLonde, USCG
“Close the Icebreaker Gap with ICE Pact” – Published in the August issue of Proceedings

Second Prize:
Coauthors: Ensign Merrill Magowan, USCG and Ensign Travis Moore, USCG
“How Unmanned Systems Can Improve SAR” – Published in the August issue of Proceedings

Third Prizes:
Chief Petty Officer William Bleyer, USCG
“Time to Evolve the Boatswain’s Mate Rating” – Published in the August issue of Proceedings

  2025 Marine Corps Essay Contest

Co-sponsored by MajGen Charles F. Bolden Jr., USMC (Ret.), and Mr. Dirk P. Mosis III

The Marine Corps Essay Contest challenged authors to advance new thinking about how the U.S. Marine Corps will tackle the diverse and difficult security challenges of the 21st century. Authors were encouraged to write about the toughest and most difficult issues—the topics everyone knows need addressing but some are hesitant to even acknowledge.

First Prize:
Major Dilan Swift, USMCR 
“Thinking Like Insurgents: COIN Lessons for Stand-In Forces” – Published in the November issue of Proceedings

Second Prize:
Major Sean Harper, USMC
“Give the King of Battle Wings” - Published in the November issue of Proceedings

Third Prizes:
Majors Aaron Barlow, Major Patrick Moecher, and Major Caleb Kadrmas, USMC
“First to What Kind of Fight?” – Published in the November issue of Proceedings

  2025 Innovation for Sea Power Essay Contest

Sponsored by The Waters Family

The Innovation for Sea Power Essay Contest asked authors to examine how the Sea Services can integrate emerging technologies, innovation, and a culture of rapid learning to maintain strategic advantage in an increasingly complex threat environment.

First Prize:
Lieutenant Colonel Frank G. Hoffman, USMC (Ret.)
“Naval Leaders Need to Think Fast, Slow, and Augmented”

Second Prize:
Co-authors: Captain Michael Kidd, USN and Ms. Giana Farry
“Nano-scale Weapons vs. Full-Scale Productivity”

Third Prizes:
Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Warren, USMC
“Defend the Iron Mountain”