Military Awards Recognizing the Best of the Best
The SFA awards program is designed to recognize the “best of the best” in military space operations, as well as leadership in innovation, government, education and industry. Please reach out to [email protected] for any questions or submissions.
Military Award Categories
Individual Awards
Starting in 2024, the Space Force Association annual awards will recognize officers, enlisted members, and civilian personnel from the Space Force, as well as from the Air Force Reserve or Air National Guard, in three categories for Space Operations, Cyber Operations, and Intel Operations.
Nominations should be submitted through leadership and returned to the SFA Awards Committee. SFA will accept one Active-Duty Space Force and one Guard/Reserve nomination per Grade/Category from Headquarters Space Force staff, Combatant Commands, Space Force Field Commands, Space Force Component Field Commands, Space Force Elements, and Air Force (AFRC/ANG) Components.
Nominees do not need to be a registered member of the SFA at the time of nomination; however they must be Active Duty or be in the Air Force Reserve or Guard working in space related fields. Nominees will be evaluated based upon operational, national security, acquisition, or warfighting achievements.
For the purposes of delineating whether a nominee is eligible for submission under active duty/active status versus Reserve/Guard, anyone on orders for 180 days or more in a calendar year will be considered for the active duty/active status award.
Military Professional of the Year for Space Operations
One Active-Duty and one Reserve or Guard Member per subcategory
- Officer of the Year: O1 through O4
- Junior Enlisted or Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year: E1 through E7
- Civilian of the Year: (both supervisory and non-supervisory)
Military Professional of the Year for Cyber Operations
One Active-Duty and one Reserve or Guard Member per subcategory
- Officer of the Year: O1 through O4
- Junior Enlisted or Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year: E1 through E7
- Civilian of the Year: (both supervisory and non-supervisory)
Military Professional of the Year for Intel Operations
One Active-Duty and one Reserve or Guard Member per subcategory
- Officer of the Year: O1 through O4
- Junior Enlisted or Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year: E1 through E7
- Civilian of the Year: (both supervisory and non-supervisory)
Award Recipients
2023 Award recipients
SENIOR OFFICER: MAJOR JASON A. ALTENHOFEN, SSC
Major Jason Altenhofen is the Director of Operations for the Space Safari Program Office. He leads a growing 126-member launch, space, and ground segment team that is revolutionizing the way the Space Force delivers capabilities to support high-priority and urgent combatant commander needs. Space Safari rapidly acquires and integrates low-cost, mature off-the-shelf technology to execute Tactically Responsive Space missions from cradle-to-grave.
JUNIOR OFFICER: CAPTAIN NICHOLAS J. RUIZ, STARCOM
Captain Nicholas J. Ruiz is a Space Operations Officer assigned to the Commander’s Action Group as the Chief of Executive Actions at Space Training and Readiness Command HQ on Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. He is from Mesa, AZ and was an enlisted Weather Forecaster for 8 years before commissioning. As an officer, he has commanded two separate satellite constellations and integrated space assets at the tactical level while deployed to Qatar.
SENIOR NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER: SMSGT KEITH A. CARPENTER, SSC
SMSgt Keith Carpenter is the Senior Enlisted Leader of the 5th Space Launch Squadron. Keith leads a uniquely blended USAF/USSF squadron of 215 members. He is charged with delivering launch site mission assurance for National Security Space Launch operations. He has led his team through a record-high 54 launches, achieved historic space launch milestones and establish processes of continued operations in contested, degraded and operationally limited environments.
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER: TSGT ANDREW J. WHITE, SPOC
TSgt Andre White serves as the Flight Chief of Mobile Operations for the 4th Space Operations Squadron. He oversees 34 officer and enlisted members across 6 AFSCs in support of mobile satellite cryptographic control. These operations are accomplished by operating and maintaining three Mobile Satellite Constellation Control stations, each valued at approximately $15M, and capable of deployment via road or air transport.
JR ENLISTED: SPC3 TAYLOR D. MORGAN, SPOC
Specialist 3 Taylor Morgan is an Operations Analyst at the 71st ISR Detachment 3, Peterson SFB, Colorado. In her current position, she serves as the NCOIC of training for intelligence analysts assigned to the 4th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron to execute intelligence integration for 172 space operators. Additionally, Specialist Morgan was hand-selected to be a member of Space Delta 3’s Quick Reaction Force where she partners with the Rapid Reaction Branch to develop, train, operate, and advocate for Quick Reaction Capabilities to meet Combatant Command Urgent Operational Need requirements.
SENIOR CIVILIAN: MRS. JESSIE L. CHARLTON, SPOC
Mrs. Jessie Charlton is the Course Management Director leading in the 8th Combat Training Squadron, Space Delta 8, Schriever SFB, CO. She is responsible for leading current and future training development to ensure OT&E readiness for the DOD’s largest Delta encompassing 1.2K operators across 3 operational squadrons and 11 GSUs, and operating 64 satellites worth more than $43 billion.
MID-TIER CIVILIAN: MR. ALEXANDER V. SMALLDON, SPOC
Mr. Alexander Smalldon is the Budget Analyst and Resource Advisor for the 21st Security Forces Squadron. He secured a unit record $1.2M in Anti-Terrorism Force Protection funds. This critical funding facilitated the payment of $200K in central contracts and enabled eight long-needed security initiatives increasing the protection of 18K joint-service personnel and ultimately assuring the continuity of a $75B multi-national defense strategy.
TEAM: SPACE DELTA 10, OL-A, STARCOM
Space Delta 10, Operating Location Alpha (OL-A) is the United States Space Force (USSF) lead for the development and publication of Service doctrine and ensures USSF equities are incorporated into Joint doctrine. OL-A remains central in the creation and progression of USSF tactics though the Space-Wiki knowledge management system and is defining the tactics development process for all Guardians. OL-A is a key partner with Space Force HQ for the development of concepts and remains the service lead for the Air Land Sea Space Application Center which addresses multi-service interoperability issues.
2022 Award Recipients
Senior Officer of the Year: Major Kenneth M. Jenkins, 73rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron, Detachment 2, Osan AB, Republic of Korea.
Junior Officer of the Year: First Lieutenant Lt Benjamin D. Hagan, 4th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron, Peterson SFB Colorado.
Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year: Senior Master Sergeant Daniel J. Hill, 8th Combat Training Squadron, Schriever SFB, Colorado.
Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year: Technical Sergeant Wesley E. Bear, 57th Space Aggressor Squadron, Schriever SFB, Colorado.
Junior Enlisted of the Year: Senior Airman, Hanna Rica A. Tolfo, 71st Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron, Detachment 4, Buckley SFB Colorado.
Senior Civilian of the Year: Ms. Patricia M. O’Sullivan, 73rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
Mid-tier Civilian of the Year: Ms. Michelle J. Madrid, Headquarters Section, Delta 2, Peterson SFB, Colorado.
Junior Civilian of the Year: Ms. Nadia E. Reyes Cruz, 319th Combat Training Squadron, Peterson SFB, Colorado.
Team of the Year: SZIX Space Operations Team, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico.
