Top Civil Air Patrol public affairs officers, led by the Indiana Wing’s Maj. William Vendramin, were honored today at the ninth annual PAO Conference, held in Anaheim, California, in conjunction with the 2018 National Conference.
Vendramin’s April 2017 Facebook campaign to publicize CAP and the Indiana Wing’s public service in connection with National Volunteer Week was recognized with not only a Maj. Howell Balsem Civil Air Patrol Public Affairs Exceptional Achievement Award but also the Maj. Al Pabon Best in Show Balsem Award.
Balsem Award judges praised Vendramin’s work for its “excellent participation in National Volunteer Week,” citing exceptional analytics on reach and engagement” and “very, very good pictures with text – very clean and easy to read consistently throughout the campaign.”
In all, 40 CAP members and one wing were recognized for exceptional work performed during 2017.
The Balsem awards program is named for CAP’s first PAO, who served as an Army Air Forces officer during World War II and then as the organization’s PAO from 1949-1956. The awards competition provides CAP PAOs with the opportunity for recognition for outstanding achievement in up to 11 categories.
The highest honor is the Best in Show Balsem Award, named for Pabon, former director of public affairs for the North Central Region and former national volunteer team leader for public affairs. He was named National PAO of the Year for 2006, and his newsletter and website were recognized with Balsem Awards in 2007 at the first National PAO Academy in Atlanta, when the inaugural Balsems were presented. He passed away unexpectedly from natural causes at age 46 on July 22, 2011.
Judges in the competition chose first-place Balsem Awards, second-place Awards of Excellence and third-place Certificates of Merit for each category, with the option of not presenting an award in any category. More than one first-, second- or third-place award were selected in some categories.
This year’s field of submissions consisted of 82 entries of public affairs work from 40 members in 25 wings and seven regions – the highest totals in several years. Multiple awards went to nine recipients:
Lt. Col. Brian Berry of the Georgia Wing’s Sandy Springs Cadet Squadron;
Lt. Col. David Miller of Missouri Wing Group 2, who received the first Pabon Award, given in 2012;
Lt. Col. Andrew Oppmann, Southeast Region PAO and recipient of the Pabon Award last year;
Maj. Gregory Hoffeditz of Illinois Wing Group 1;
Maj. Kenny Loui of San Francisco Cadet Squadron 86 in the California Wing;
Maj. Patrick White of the Florida Wing’s Tallahassee Composite Squadron;
1st Lt. Maria Klosterman of the South Dakota Wing’s Sioux Falls Composite Squadron;
2nd Lt. Nancy Flanagan of the Virginia Wing’s Hampton Roads Composite Squadron; and
2nd Lt. Jillian R. Restivo of California Wing Central California Group 6.
Two cadets were honored – Cadet 1st Lts. Lydia Eudy of the South Carolina Wing’s Low Country Composite Squadron and Haseeb Khan of the National Capital Wing’s Challenger 1 Cadet Squadron.
Judges awarded 19 Balsem Awards, 13 Awards of Excellence and 14 Certificates of Merit. Combined with the Best in Show, a total of 46 awards were handed out.
The following awards were presented in 10 categories:
Brochure/Poster/FlyerBalsem Award“Missouri Wing Legislator eUpdate”Lt. Col. David A. MillerGroup 2Missouri Wing
Award of Excellence“San Francisco Cadet Squadron 86 Recruiting Pamphlet”Maj. Kenny LouiSan Francisco Cadet Squadron 86California Wing
“Squadron Cards”1st Lt. Mary AlvaradoMount Airy Composite SquadronMaryland Wing
Certificate of Merit“Milwaukee Composite Squadron No. 5: Building Leaders for 65 Years”Lt. Col. Stephen MichaelsMilwaukee Composite Squadron No. 5Wisconsin Wing
Crisis ManagementBalsem Award“Southeast Region Coverage of Hurricanes Irma, Maria”Southeast Region
Event PromotionBalsem Award“Partnership Promotion between CAP and MTSU”Lt. Col. Andrew OppmannHeadquartersSoutheast Region
“STEMful Night (Open House)”1st Lt. Maria KlostermanSioux Falls Composite SquadronSouth Dakota Wing
Award of Excellence“Congressional Gold Medal for Frank Doolittle”Maj. Franklin BirtSouth Central GroupNew York Wing
Certificate of Merit“Snoopy Patch 50th Anniversary”Lt. Col. Brian BerrySandy Springs Cadet SquadronGeorgia Wing
External Media Coverage of CAPBalsem Award“CAP Assists University’s Relief Efforts in Puerto Rico”Lt. Col. Andrew OppmannHeadquartersSoutheast Region
“Media in Flight”Maj. Patrick WhiteTallahassee Composite SquadronFlorida Wing
“Aerospace Education Outreach and AEM Recruitment”1st Lt. Anna FilipkowskiGroup 225New Jersey Wing
“The Funeral of Capt. Albert Schlegel, WWII Flying Ace”1st Lt. Rachael MercerLow Country Composite SquadronSouth Carolina Wing,
Certificate of Merit“Wreaths Across St. Louis”Lt. Col. David MillerGroup 2, Missouri Wing
“On a Mission”Capt. Becky Postma-KegleyWeatherford Patriot SquadronTexas Wing
“Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony”Maj. Wesley FlannellShawnee Composite SquadronIlllinois Wing
“Wreaths Across America 2017”Maj. Patrick WhiteTallahassee Composite SquadronFlorida Wing,
MagazineAward of Excellence“Bear Facts”Lt. Col. David OberhettingerSan Fernando Senior Squadron 35California Wing
Online SubmissionsBalsem AwardTennessee Wing
PhotographyBalsem Award“National Blue Beret”Lt. Col. Daren JaegerKansas Wing Headquarters
“Photography from Capt. Albert Schlegel Funeral”Cadet 1st Lt. Lydia EudyLow Country Composite SquadronSouth Carolina Wing
Award of Excellence“Cyber”Lt. Col. Paul CreedGroup IIIOhio Wing
“U.S. Congressman Visits Illinois Wing Group I”Maj. Gregory HoffeditzGroup 1Illinois Wing
“Cadet Wilhite’s Baptism”1st Lt. Katie MazosTopeka Eagle Composite SquadronKansas Wing
“Encampment Photographs”“Wreaths Across America”2nd Lt. Jill RestivoCentral California Group 6California Wing,
Certificate of Merit“Octagon Barn Festival”Lt. Col. Mark SinickiCass River Composite SquadronMichigan Wing,
“Scott AFB 100th Anniversary Air Show”Maj. Gregory Hoffeditz Group 1Illinois Wing
“Squadron Photos 2017: Anthology”Maj. Patrick WhiteTallahassee Composite SquadronFlorida Wing
“National Blue Beret Honor Flight”Capt. Klara Olcott388th Composite SquadronArizona Wing
“We Will Always Remember”2nd Lt. Nancy FlanaganHampton Roads Composite SquadronVirginia Wing,
PotpourriBalsem Award“75th Anniversary Billboard”Lt. Col. Morgan Torp-PedersenHeadquartersTennessee Wing
Slide/PowerPoint PresentationBalsem Award“GA045 Snoopy Log 17”Lt. Col. Brian BerrySandy Springs Cadet SquadronGeorgia Wing
“Origins of CAP and Its World War II Coastal Patrol”1st Lt. Alysia EnglishHeadquartersGeorgia Wing
“NatCap 2017 Year in Review”Cadet 1st Lt. Haseeb KhanChallenger 1 Cadet SquadronNational Capital Wing
Award of Excellence“FAA Wing Pilot Recruiting Presentation”Maj. Barbara BucknerThunder Composite SquadronIllinois Wing
“World of Public Affairs”Capt. Alice RaatjesHeadquartersMaryland Wing
Certificate of Merit“Slide Presentation – Open House”Lt. Col. Lawrence Webster99th Composite SquadronArkansas Wing,
Social MediaBalsem Award“Indiana Wing National Volunteer Week”Maj. William VendraminHeadquartersIndiana Wing
“North Carolina Wing Facebook Enhancements”Capt. Lynne AlbertHeadquartersNorth Carolina Wing
“Joint Dakota Encampment 2017”1st Lt. Maria KlostermanSioux Falls Composite SquadronSouth Dakota Wing
Award of Excellence“Missouri Wing Facebook Group Page”Lt. Col. David A. MillerGroup 2Missouri Wing
“San Francisco Cadet Squadron 86 Facebook”“San Francisco Cadet Squadron 86 Instagram”Maj. Kenny LouiSan Francisco Cadet Squadron 86California Wing
Certificate of Merit“Maryland Wing Cadet Programs 75th Anniversary”Lt. Col. Brenda ReedHeadquarters Maryland Wing
“National Capital Memorial Day Parade 2017”2nd Lt. Nancy FlanaganHampton Roads Composite SquadronVirginia Wing
WebsiteBalsem Award“Sandy Springs Cadet Squadron Website”Lt. Col. Brian BerrySandy Springs Cadet SquadronGeorgia Wing
Award of Excellence“Missouri Wing Website”Lt. Col. David MillerGroup 2Missouri Wing
