2019 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Mr. Richard T. Childress, Senior League Policy Advisor; 8-year NSC Director for Asian Affairs during the Reagan Administration
LIFETIME SERVICE AWARD Mrs. Liz Flick, Central Region Coordinator; Annual Meeting Registration & Dinner Chairman
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Mr. Rudy de Leon, former Deputy Secretary of Defense; decade’s long League supporter
League Award BG Steve Redmann, USA (Ret), former (and last) JTF-FA Commander, Deputy Staff Director/Army Chief of Staff Mr. Les Brown, Northern Nevada State Coordinator Ms. Nicki Chopski, Western Region Communications Coordinator; Annual Dinner Assistant Chairman Ms. Marty Eddy, Michigan State Coordinator
Certificate of Appreciation Ms. Sandra Kolb, US Air Force Casualty Mrs. Robin Olsen, Nevada Assistant State Coordinator Mr. Torrey Whitaker, Special Support Annual Meeting Staff Mrs. Grace Brown, Special Support Annual Meeting Staff Mr. Mike Cassata, Executive Director, Cecil Field National POW/MIA Memorial & Museum MSgt Henry Harlow, USAF (Ret), Active Ohio Veteran
2018 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Mrs. Betty Bartels Murphy
League Award Father Paul Hurley, MG, USA, Chief of Chaplains SOA/SFA, POW/MIA Committee John Goines, DPAA Laboratory Manager, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
Certificate of Appreciation Nicki Chopski Wendy Coble Loretta Sherod, POW/MIA Flag Guard, KY Ms. Hattie Johnson. Chief, Marine Corps Casualty Office
2017 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD VFW National, accepted by Bob Wallace, National Adjutant Mr. Ron Ward, Casualty Resolution Specialist, Vietnam
League Award Stony Beach: Brad Taylor, SB Chief; Vietnam, Mike Najim & David White; Laos, Duffy Spivey; Cambodia, Eric Phillips; Thailand, Dustin Roses Archival Research Committee: Jay Veith, Merle Pribbenow, Lou Shwetzer, Joseph Mortati
Certificate of Appreciation Frank Plescia, DAV, Florida
2016 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Mr. Johnie E. Webb
League Award Mr. Peter Loverde, DIA’s Stony Beach Mr. Bill Habeeb, DPMA.RA Dr. Thomas Holland, DPAA, former Science Director, CILHI
2015 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD William F. Batdorf (posthumously), League Volunteer Auditor
League Award The Honorable Chuck Hagel, former Sec. of Defense Pocatello POW/MIA Rally Association Boise Valley POW/MIA Corporation
2014 League Award Major General Kelly K McKeague, JPAC Commander VVA (national), accepted by Richard DeLong, National POW/MIA Chairman Rob Richeson, Director, JPAC/RA (J2), presented in February on retirement.
Certificate of Appreciation VFW Motorcycle Club Post 5108, Marietta, OH
2013 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Gary Sydow, retired DPMO Senior VN Analyst
2012League Award General Robert “Doc” Fogelsong, USAF Ret., USRJC Co-Chairman Mr. Ron Ward, JPAC Det. 2, Hanoi, Vietnam, Casualty Resolution Specialist
Certificate of Appreciation Citizens of Elko County South Lakes High School POW/MIA Advocates Francine Nesson, MA, decades-long, active League Volunteer Kathleen Eckmeyer, MA, decades-long, active League Volunteer
2011 League Award POW*MIA Elko Awareness Assn. Tom & Nancy Engkilterra, long-serving League Coordinators Jewish War Veterans of the U.S., accepted by COL Herb Rosenbleeth, ED Defense Intelligence Agency, accepted by LTG Ron Burgess, USA, Director Bill Batdorf- William Batdorf & Company, P.C., League Auditor
Certificate of Appreciation LTC Todd Emoto, USA, JPAC Det. 2 CO, Hanoi, Vietnam Ken Terry, USN Casualty Chief, upon imminent retirement Barney Frampton, USAF Casualty office, upon imminent retirement Bob Smith, Veteran Activist, Northern VA Boise Valley POW/MIA Association LtCol Danny Davis, USAF, decades-long active-duty supporter
2010 League Award Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States – accepted by Bob Wallace, ED
2009 League Award Betty Bartels Murphy, NV State Coordinator and Silent Auction Chairman Jennifer Nasarenko, dedicated USG employee, DPMO, CIL, JTF-FA & JPAC Disabled American Veterans - accepted by Joe Violante Nat’l Legis. Director, Dept. of OH American Legion, accepted by Liz Flick, Region III Coord.
2008 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Carol Bates Brown, former DIA, DPMO, League Ex. Dir, originator of VIVA POW/MIA Bracelet
League Award AFDIL Ambassador Ravic R. Huso, US Ambassador to Laos Ambassador Patricia Haslach - former US Ambassador to Laos Senator Saxby Chambliss, USRJC Commissioner Representative Sam Johnson, USRJC Commissioner
Certificate of Appreciation Peter J. McCluskey, Jr., Universal Manufacturing Mr. William Batdorf, League Auditor
2007 League Award Johnie E. Webb, Jr., Dep to JPAC CO – External Relations, JPAC George “Jay” Veith, League Advisor – Research & Intelligence Michael Schlee, Director – Nat’l Security & For. Rel. Director, The American Legion Tom McKay, Chief – DIA’s Stony Beach Team
Certificate of Appreciation Torco Fuels – Bobby Bennett, accepting Pocatello POW/MIA Rally Assn. – accepted by Mark Stephensen
2006 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Liz Flick
League Award Georgia Power, extraordinary generosity & support. The American Legion Post 351, Dept. of New Jersey LtCol Paul Mather, USAF (Ret), former JCRC and JTF-FA
2005 -0-
2004 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Dr. Paul Wolfowitz, Deputy Secretary of Defense
League Award James A. Kelly, AS/EAP Mathew P. Daley, DAS/EAP Raymond F. Burghardt, US Ambassador to Vietnam Douglas A. Hartwick, US Ambassador to Laos Charles A. Ray, US Ambassador to Cambodia Kingdom of Cambodia. Kingdom of Thailand
2003 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD CILHI
League Award Sos Kem, League Advisor on Cambodian Affairs
2002 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Betty A. Bartels (posthumous), accepted by daughters Ginny Haenel & Betty Murphy
League Award John K. Kiehm, Chief of Staff, DIA
2001 League Award Joint Task Force - Full Accounting, accepted by CO Capital One Services, Inc., advertising and fund-raising campaign.
2000 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Richard T. Childress
League Award Kate Jones, League Volunteer Webmaster Theresa Montani, Asst. Annual Meeting Chairman
1999 League Award Rudy de Leon, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness Tom Nielsen, Artist - Vietnam Veteran
1998 League Award Life Sciences Equipment Laboratory Florence W. Madden, Associate General Counsel, USAF C. Gary Sydow, Defense POW/MIA Office, Research & Analysis
1997 League Award George Atkinson, USAF Casualty Robert C. “Bud” McFarlane, National Security Advisor to Reagan Paul D. Wolfowitz, Bush Admin USDP, Reagan Admin AS/EAP The U.S. Army Chorus
1996 League Award John Sommer, Jr., Executive Director, The American Legion Ladies Aux. to the VFW - National Charles Trowbridge, DPMO Chief of R&A, former DIA
1995 League Award Senator Bob Dole Senator Bob Smith Representative Ben Gilman Jane Durgom-Powers, Volunteer League Counsel Paola Riva, League Staff Volunteer from Switzerland
1994: -0-
1993 League Award Carl Ford, Jr., PDASD/ISA COL John Cole, USA, Commander, Stony Beach/DIA Liz Flick, State & Regional Coordinator Rosemary Jersak, State & Regional Coordinator
1992 League Award Garnet “Bill” Bell, Chief, POW/MIA Office, Hanoi Tommy Clack, Vietnam Veteran-GA Lynne Gilcoine, MA, Annual Meeting Chairman, Sergeants at Arms Massachusetts Vigil Society
1991 -0-
1990 League Award Senator Bob Dole - Special Commitment Award Ambassador David Lambertson, former DAS/EAP
1989 League Award CILHI
1988 League Award Richard L. Armitage, Reagan Admin. ASD/ISA BG Jim Shufelt, USA, DIA USAF Casualty Office USA Casualty Office USN Casualty Office USMC Casualty Office
1987 -0-
1986 League Award Everett Alvarez, Deputy Administrator of Vets. Affairs, R-POW Rep. Gerald B.H. Solomon, Ranking Member, Sub. Comm. on Asian & Pacific Affairs Rep. Stephen J. Solarz, Chairman, Subcommittee on Asian & Pacific Affairs Senator Frank Murkowski, Chairman, Veterans Affairs Committee
1985 League Award General John W. Vessey, Jr., Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard T. Childress, NSC Director for Asian Affairs The American Legion The Air Force Association
1984 League Award Arnold Air Society Dr. Larry Ward, humanitarian leader/supporter
1983 League Award Anne Keegan, Chicago Tribune Eddie Schwartz, WGN Chicago Diana Collins Real People, Television Show Brian Burke Ron Mischler Ron Burdette Joint Casualty Resolution Center (JCRC)
1982 League Award Senator S.I. Hayakawa, Chairman, Sub. Senate Comm. Asian & Pacific Affairs Rep. Stephen J. Solarz, Chairman, Sub. Comm. Asian & Pacific Affairs Fred Travalena, Entertainer Ron Miller, ABC News Dave Hatcher, Journalist Patti Sheridan, Ex. Dir., Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association Al Chapin, TX State Coordinator Joel Cook, NY State Committee Chairman Betty Bartels, Support Our POW/MIA Organization Peg Treadway, Regional Coordinator, TX Tom Kaiser, NY State Veteran Activist and Supporter
1981 League Award General Richard L. Lawson, USAF, former JCS/J5 LTG Eugene F. Tighe, Jr., USAF, Director, DIA RADM Jerry G. Tuttle, USN, Director of Operations, DIA Jon D. Holstine, House International Relations Committee Minority Staff Director
The League Award, Certificate and DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD recipients are determined by vote of the Board of Directors and presented only to non-family members and/or organizations. Family members are not eligible to receive awards. League Awards were first presented in 1981; the DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD was first presented in 2000, Certificates of Appreciation were first presented in 2007. The “one time only” LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD and LIFETIME SERVICE AWARD were presented June 20, 2019, during the 50th Anniversary Annual Meeting.