CGSOC Class of 2020 Individual Awards

CGSS Director Col. Scott Green hosted the awards ceremony for the award recipients of the CGSOC Class of 2020 in Marshall Auditorium of the Lewis and Clark Center on June 11, 2020. The Marshall Award, the first award presented in the ceremony, went to Maj. Sarah M. Gerstein. As the first presenter, Green demonstrates how the COVID-19 compliant ceremony was to be conducted. Awards were to be placed on the table and after photos, the awards were picked up by the recipients.

Prior to the CGSOC Class of 2020 virtual ceremony on June 12, CGSS Director Col. Scott Green conducted an in-person awards ceremony on June 11 in the Marshall Auditorium of the Lewis and Clark Center to present the individual awards to the winners. No other students or outside guests were allowed in order to comply with the COVID-19 restrictions.

CGSOC 2020 Individual Award Recipients:

General George C. Marshall Award for the top U.S. graduate. – Maj. Sarah M. Gerstein, Military Intelligence
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from the Veterans of Foreign Wars

General Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for top International Graduate – Maj. Alessio Battisti, International Military Student, Italy
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from the David G. Beaham Memorial Fund

General Colin L. Powell Interagency Award for the top interagency student – Mr. Dennis Hernandez, Defense Intelligence Agency.
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation

General James M. Wright Master Logistician Award – Maj. Sean A. McFarling, Medical Services.
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from Lt. Col. (Ret.) and Mrs. Robert Myers

General George S. Patton Jr. Master Tactician Award – Maj. Evan E. Roderick, Armor.
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from Col. (Ret.) and Mrs. Doug Tystad

General Douglas MacArthur Military Leadership Writing Award – Maj. Victoria Fernandes Sullivan, Medical Corps. Maj. Kevron W. Henry from Jamaica won the second place award in the category and Maj. Meghan Starr received third place recognition.
Sponsored by the General Douglas MacArthur Foundation

Iron Major Award for outstanding Physical Fitness – Maj. Kyle Payne, Infantry, Male; Maj. Jennifer Purser, Military Intelligence, Female

Arter-Darby Excellence in Scholarship and Writing in Military History – Maj. William A. Watts, Armor
Sponsored by the Edith and Harry Darby Foundation and Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Robert Arter

The Arter-Doniphan Award (Highest GPA in the class) – Maj. Craig Massie, Special Forces
Sponsored by the Alexander Doniphan Committee and Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Robert Arter

General John J. Pershing Award for top Non-Resident Graduate from each of the four annual Advanced Operations Courses of Distance Learning – Maj. Linda K. Chung, Civil Affairs.

Major General Hans Schlup Award (Award is given to the student who best fostered international relations) – Capt. Abdel-Aziz Ali Orou, Beni
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from the CGSOC Class of 1978

Excellence in Information Warfare Writing Award (Presented to the student who excels in research and writing on the subjects of command, control, communications, computers and intelligence.) – Maj. Mark D. Podrazik, Military Intelligence
Sponsored by the Armed Forces Communications Electronics Association (AFCEA) Educational Foundation

Birrer-Brookes Award for Outstanding MMAS Thesis – Maj. Sarah M. Gerstein, Military Intelligence
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from Col. (Ret.) and Mrs. Doug Tystad

Homeland Security Studies Award (best research in Homeland Security topics) – Maj. Nicholas C. Danielson, U.S. Air Force
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation

Excellence in Joint Service Warfare Award – Maj. Andrew D. Sivanich, Special Forces

Father Donald Smythe Military History Award – Maj. Alessio Battisti, International Military Student, Italy
Sponsored by Armed Forces Insurance

Simons Center Interagency Writing Award – Maj. Benjamin E. Chinsky, Special Forces
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation and the Simons Center for Interagency Cooperation

Lt. Col. Boyd McCanna “Mac” Harris Leadership Award (best research in Organizational Leadership) – Maj.Brent J. Stone, Cyber Operations
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from Gary and Moira Sinise

Brigadier General Benjamin H. Grierson Award for Excellence in Strategic Studies – Maj. Sidney H. McMath, Armor
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation and the Buffalo Soldier Foundation

CGSC Military Educator of the Year – Lt. Col. Samuel P. Robino, U.S. Air Force

CGSC Civilian Educator of the Year – Mr. Nils S. Erickson, Dept. of Logistics and Resource Operations

Civilian and Military Instructors of the Year are nominated from the various departments and schools within CGSC based on their excellence in the four domains of teaching, service, scholarship and faculty development. The candidates are observed teaching and also interviewed by a five-member selection board. Once the winners are selected at the College level, they represent CGSC as nominees in the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command’s Educators of the Year selection process. Winners receive the coveted premium front row parking spots outside the Lewis and Clark Center entrance.

During the ceremony CGSOC student Maj. Christopher J. Mattos was also recognized by CGSS Director Col. Scott Green with a challenge coin for his initiative and creativity in planning and executing the Iron Major competition despite the social distancing conditions the class was under.

In a separate ceremony, but also recognized during the main class ceremony on June 11, Maj. Benjamin E. Chinsky was presented with the Lieutenant Colonel Ronald C. Ward Distinguished Special Operations Forces Student Award by Col. James M. Depolo, the director for Special Operations at the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center/Fort Leavenworth, and Ms. Beth Ward, wife of the award’s namesake.

For more photos from the ceremony visit the album on the CGSC Foundation Flickr site

Read the full graduation story

Video – International Officer Badge Ceremony

Video – CGSOC Class of 2020 Graduation Ceremony