Top Public Affairs Efforts Honored

This year’s Maj. Howell Balsem Civil Air Patrol Public Affairs Exceptional Achievement Awards, presented for the top performances during 2019 by public affairs officers in promoting CAP and its members and missions, feature a pair of firsts – not only were two entries recognized as Best in Show, but one of the PAOs achieving that distinction did so for the second time.

Lt. Col. David A. Miller, public affairs director for the North Central Region, received the first Maj. Al Pabon Best in Show Balsem Award in 2013. He encored this year with his entry in the Event Promotion category – a 12-item media kit highlighting the Missouri Wing’s role in quickly locating a downed aircraft near Bixby, Missouri, on Oct. 6. He was serving as the wing’s PAO at the time.

“Miller is obviously CAP’s media kit guru,” one judge said. Another proclaimed him “one of our very best PAOs. He routinely does a professional job and gets results ... He obviously has a good relationship with local media members, who apparently trust him and like his work as well.”

The Pabon Best in Show Award also went to Lt. Col. Kimberly C. Frady of the Virginia Wing’s Prince William Composite Squadron, who received the honor for her “’Be Your Best’ Squared-Away Series” –four slide decks of 10-11 slides depicting and explaining proper cadet uniform and grooming standards.

“The creativity in this series was simple, yet exceptional,” one judge said. “It was carefully thought out, well-written and very informative. I liked that each PowerPoint was brief (10-11 slides) and to the point, so more likely to hold cadets’ attention. Great message, too – ‘Be Your Best.’”

Another judge called the series “a nicely produced treatment of a subject always at the top of the list for our cadets ... an excellent teaching tool.”

In all, 18 members from 13 wings were recognized in the Balsem Awards competition. Five received more than one award:

Three awards

• Lt. Col. David Miller, North Central Region Headquarters – Balsem Award, two Awards of Excellence

Two awards

• Capt. Jenny Knellinger, Pikes Peak Senior Squadron, Colorado Wing – Balsem Award, Certificate of Merit
   
• Capt. Brandon W. Lunsford Sr., Broken Arrow Composite Squadron, Oklahoma Wing – two Balsem Awards
   
• Capt. Rachael Mercer, South Carolina Wing Headquarters – two Balsem Awards
   
• 2nd Lt. Suman Dahiya-Shah, Capt. Bud Jackson Composite Squadron, New Jersey Wing – Balsem Award, Award of Excellence

The Balsem awards program is named for Civil Air Patrol’s first PAO, who served as an Army Air Forces officer during World War II and then as CAP 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 died 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 89 entries of public affairs work from 39 members in 38 units, representing 38 wings and seven regions. Of those entrants, members representing 29 units in 15 wings accounted for 23 awards in all – 12 Balsem Awards, six Awards of Excellence and five Certificates of Merit.

Maj. Al Pabon Best in Show Balsem Award
“’Be Your Best’ Uniform Series”
Lt. Col. Kimberly Frady
Prince William Composite Squadron
Virginia Wing

"Downed Aircraft Media Kit”
Lt. Col. David A. Miller
North Central Region Headquarters

Here are the Balsems for 2019:

Brochure/Poster/Flyer
Balsem Award
“Bethesda-Chevy Chase Squadron Open House Flyer”
Maj. Victor S. Santos
Bethesda-Chevy Chase Composite Squadron
Maryland Wing

“2019 Nevada Wing Conference Welcome Poster”
Capt. Maryan C. Tooker
Nevada Wing Headquarters

“Capt. ‘Bud’ Jackson Composite Squadron Brochure”
2nd Lt. Suman Dahiya-Shah
Capt. "Bud" Jackson Composite Squadron
New Jersey Wing

Award of Excellence
“Emergency Services Poster – Recruitment Fair”
2nd Lt. Suman Dahiya-Shah
Capt. "Bud" Jackson Composite Squadron
New Jersey Wing

Certificate of Merit
“Poster Display Board – Conversation and Recruitment”
Capt. Jenny Knellinger
Pikes Peak Senior Squadron
Colorado Wing

Event Promotion
Balsem Award
“Downed Aircraft Media Kit”
Lt. Col. David A. Miller
North Central Region Headquarters

“Wreaths Across America”
Capt. Brandon W. Lunsford Sr.
Broken Arrow Composite Squadron
Oklahoma Wing

“Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Outreach Events”
Capt. Rachael J. Mercer
South Carolina Wing Headquarters

External Media Coverage
Balsem Award
“Super Bowl LIII Media Days”
Capt. Rachael J. Mercer
South Carolina Wing Headquarters

Award of Excellence
“Missouri Wing FEMA Flood Mission”
Lt. Col. David A. Miller
North Central Region Headquarters

Certificate of Merit
“Teen With His Head in the Clouds”
Maj. Steve Alvarez
Pegasus Composite Squadron
Texas Wing

Magazine
Balsem Award
“Tempo”
Lt. Col. Kevin S. Divers
Music City Composite Squadron
Tennessee Wing

Award of Excellence
“Peaks and Planes”
Capt. Jenny Knellinger
Pikes Peak Senior Squadron
Colorado Wing

Award of Excellence
"Missouri Wing Legislator eUpdate"
Lt. Col. David Miller
North Central Region Headquarters

Photography
Balsem Award
“2019 Advanced Pararescue and Survival Orientation”
Capt. Mike L. Painter
Delta Composite Squadron
Texas Wing

Award of Excellence
"Civil Air Patrol Squadron Participates in Global Rocket Launch”
1st Lt. Elizabeth A. Dunster
Tar River Composite Squadron
North Carolina Wing

Certificate of Merit
“National Blue Beret”
Cadet Col. Harrison Kervitsky
College Park Composite Squadron
Maryland Wing

Slide/PowerPoint
Balsem Award
“’Be Your Best’ Uniform Series”
Lt. Col. Kimberly Frady
Prince William Composite Squadron
Virginia Wing

"Lunch and Learn"
1st Lt. Stephen Collins
West Bay Composite Squadron
California Wing

Award of Excellence
“Snoopy Log 2019”
Lt. Col. Brian Berry
Sandy Springs Cadet Squadron
Georgia Wing

 “2019 Year-In-Review”
Capt. Lynne Albert
North Carolina Wing Headquarters

Social Media
Certificate of Merit
“Facebook Social Media - Sunrise Emergency Services”
Capt. Bradley S. Hawthorne
Emerald City Composite Squadron
Kansas Wing

“Honoring Those Who Served: Kentucky Honor Flight “
2nd Lt. Kenneth L. Mills Jr.
Van Meter Cadet Squadron
Kentucky Wing

Website
Balsem Award
“Oklahoma Wing Website Redesign”
Capt. Brandon W. Lunsford Sr.
Broken Arrow Composite Squadron
Oklahoma Wing