AFCEA Presents Its Most Prestigious Awards At AFCEA International Honors

September 25 Ceremony Recognizes GEN Keith Alexander, GEN Dennis Via, Minister H.E. Vlastimil Picek, and Randall Cieslak

FAIRFAX, Va., Sept. 27, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AFCEA International is pleased to announce the presentation of its most prestigious awards.  

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On September 25, three hundred members and guests of the Association gathered in Washington, D.C. to honor the following award winners:

2013 AFCEA David Sarnoff Award Recipient
GEN Keith B. Alexander, USA, Commander, U.S. Cyber Command; Director, National Security Agency/Chief, Central Security Service

2013 Admiral Jon L. Boyes Medal for Distinguished Service to AFCEA Recipient
GEN Dennis L. Via, USA, Commanding General, U.S. Army Materiel Command  

2013 AFCEA James M. Rockwell International AFCEAN of the Year Recipient
His Excellency H.E. Vlastimil Picek, Minister of Defense of the Czech Republic      

2013 AFCEA James M. Rockwell Domestic AFCEAN of the Year Recipient
Mr. Randall Cieslak, SES, Chief Information Officer, U.S. Pacific Command

The winners were chosen by the AFCEA International awards nominating committee, comprised of government and industry senior leaders in the defense and security communities.

AFCEA established the David Sarnoff Award, its highest honor, to recognize individuals who have made lasting and significant contributions to global peace and security. Each recipient in his unique way has demonstrated a sustained and personal commitment to information sharing collaboration across traditional and non-traditional boundaries. AFCEA felt that there was no individual as deserving of this honor this year as GEN Keith Alexander, USA. His exceptional service to the defense and intelligence communities is unparalleled, and he serves as the recognized thought leader on cybersecurity. Throughout his tenure as Director, National Security Agency and Commander, U.S. Cyber Command, the nation's information systems have remained secure despite a growing threat from nation states and other non-traditional actors. AFCEA is grateful for his leadership and was delighted to present him with the David Sarnoff Award. This year's award was presented by the 2012 David Sarnoff Award recipient, The Honorable James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence.

The 2013 Admiral Jon L. Boyes Medal was presented to GEN Dennis L. Via, Commanding General, U.S. Army Materiel Command, for a lifetime of support to AFCEA International and Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR). In his position, General Via ensures dominant land force capability for the U.S. warfighter and our allies. The AFCEA Awards selection committee felt that General Via's distinguished career in both operations and acquisition has consistently shown innovation and leadership not only for the Army but in Joint Service. His commitment and service to AFCEA and the defense community make him very deserving of the Boyes Medal.

The General James M. Rockwell AFCEAN of the Year recognizes the best in service to AFCEA and the C4ISR community. This year, the AFCEA awards nominating committee decided to select a domestic winner and an international winner.  Both have met and surpassed the tough standards for this award.

As the Chief Information Officer of the U.S. Pacific Command, Randall Cieslak manages the evolving information infrastructure to enable the full spectrum of military capabilities. He has provided incredible innovation and leadership for the technical community and has long been known as the authority on the application of technology to communications and information systems in the Pacific. His support of AFCEA in Hawaii and globally is unsurpassed, making him very deserving of the Rockwell award. 

His Excellency Vlastimil Picek, Minister of Defense of the Czech Republic, is the recipient of the 2013 General James M. Rockwell International AFCEAN of the year award. Minister Picek has been a supporter of AFCEA events in Europe and has been the Honorary Vice President of the AFCEA Czech Chapter since 2004. Due to his exceptional support, AFCEA in Central Europe provides a valuable forum for dialogue among industry, academia, and the defense community. Accepting the award on behalf of the Minister was His Excellency Petr Gandolovic, Ambassador of the Czech Republic.

Reflecting on the Honors evening presentations, Kent Schneider, President and CEO, AFCEA International said, "Our most prestigious award winners showcase the global reach of AFCEA. We're delighted to recognize the career accomplishments of these four leaders and are appreciative of their significant contributions to the global security community."

AFCEA International, established in 1946, is a non-profit membership association serving the military, government, industry, and academia as an ethical forum for advancing professional knowledge and relationships in the fields of communications, IT, intelligence, and global security. To learn more about AFCEA International, visit AFCEA.org.

SOURCE AFCEA International