Frank Druding
First Generation Orbital Support Software.

For design development and integration of the Orbital Support Software for the first generation satellite systems employed by the Satellite Control Network. The initial software systems were developed on Univac Computers based at Lockheed in Palo Alto. Those computers had 8k words of core memory and 32k words of drum memory. The systems computed all orbital support functions and generated pointing and commanding data which were transmitted to the tracking stations via paper tape. (Deceased)

Harry Smith (Deceased award accepted by son, Todd Smith)
Data Systems Architect 60's to 90's.

For over 45 years in designing and implementing complex data systems for the Satellite Control Facility. He was the chief architect and designer for the initial data systems used by the network in the late 1950's. The initial support computers, Univac 1103's, were archaic by today's standards. The computers which were housed in the Lockheed Palo Alto facility had 8k words of core memory and 32k words of drum memory. His design provided the capability to support all orbital calculations, generate pointing and commanding data for the satellites and provide a usable command and control capability.

Ross Stewart
Lifetime National Mission Contributor.

For over 40 years with the entirety of his career spent within the walls and in support of the missions of the Blue Cube. He served in various technical and management assignments with increased levels of responsibility. In supporting national programs in the Sunnyvale Consolidated Space Test Center (CSTC). Throughout his career, from supporting flight ops through providing leadership to well over 1000 personnel in and associated with the Blue Cube, he was committed and dedicated to the missions of the Blue Cube.

Chuck Allen
Satellite Programs Support - 38 Years.

For supporting satellite programs starting in 1967 as a Computer Specialist becoming a Mission Controller in 1972 working on every program in the building at the time. Other activities before his retirement in 2005 were as follows: handpicked to go to England and manage the Command and Control Computer Section of a satellite program outside the AFSCN; handpicked to manage the development of a prototype ground station for another classified program; supported multiple satellite command and control database maintenance; and as software sustainment manager, his team consistently maintained a Command and Control contact success rate at 100%.

Thomas D Taverny
Unique Spacecraft Control Software.

For supporting two major potential satellite failures and getting the satellite back into operation by building a new S/W module for the operational system. He also led the organizations planning for transition to the Back-up STC in Santa Monica (BUSTC). The purpose was to have a plan to continue operations in the event of a disaster at Sunnyvale (major earthquake). He was involved in a one of a kind use of the program's satellite vehicle. In this case the vehicle was used for something never intended and it took significant simulation and test to assess and select the various options and prove this could be done, without damage to the systems primary mission. This mission was successfully accomplished.

Robert Wasik
Lifetime Support of Critical Software.

For over 24 years supporting missions key and critical to Blue Cube Operations. He was a developer for the Data Systems Modernization program, which in the 80's became the command and telemetry replacement for all Air Force programs. His leadership of the mission specific software and services to one of the key classified missions at the Blue Cube resulted in a number of key new capabilities, mission enhancements, and some world event flight operations challenges.

Clifton S. Gatewood
Space Shuttle Support - All Missions.

For involvement with every space shuttle mission to date beginning with Columbia in 1981. He ensures successful connectivity for voice communications and health and status data for the space shuttle voice and telemetry data interface from the Air Force Satellite Control Network to NASA. "The success of the mission is the most important thing."

Edward L Glanz
AFSCN Operations Support - 4 Decades.

For a mission first approach of the Onizuka AFS communication control complex and mission interfaces. Supported 21 SOPS by developing checklists for the communications links decreasing coordination time for resources with the Critical Response Element by 60%.

Al Lynch
Critical Mission Support for 3 Decades.

For supporting critical missions of the OD-4 Special Projects group from 1985 to 2007. This support included day-to-day supervision of the engineering group whose tasks included special technical analysis, development and integration of software and hardware data changes; managing a variety of technical and administrative functions in direct support to the Director of Engineering and Operations instrumental in the establishment of the OD-4 mission operations center; and a "mission first" for over 20+ years exemplifying the key role of the flight ops teams.

Aaron A. Tumlin
Network and Communications - 23 Years.

For being the Mission Support Officer for the 21st Space Operations Squadron as a "go to" manager working for (or guiding) five plus Commanders. He is responsible for the base support functions of the 2nd Air Force Satellite Control Network at Onizuka Air Force Station, Sunnyvale, CA and the new Ellison Onizuka Satellite Operations Facility at Vandenberg AFB, Lompoc, CA.

John V. Breakwell
Pioneering satellite orbit determination.

In the 60's all ephemeris calculations were based on Breakwell's formulae and "Breakwell Cards" were used to save and reintroduce the two line mean element sets at the beginning and end of each computer run when updates to each of the orbit prediction calculations were made. He taught several graduate students at Stanford University his unique insights. On one occasion a mystery satellite was detected by the Air Force; apparently, the USSR, for the first time, had not told us of a satellite they had launched. John thought about a picture-taking Discoverer we had recently failed to recover, and calculated its orbit assuming it had been misoriented 180 degrees when the de-orbit retrorockets were fired; this orbit matched the orbit of the mystery satellite exactly, much to the relief of the State Department.

Michael J. O'Brine
Sustained GPS Operations for over 30 years.

The GPS daily operations over the past 30 years have been successful in a highly visible environment. Mike O'Brine has been a stable commodity during that period serving as a commander of the GPS operating location at Onizuka AFS in the 80's, supporting daily operations, launches and orbit anomalies. Mike has been with Aerospace Corp for the past 22 years in Colorado Springs supporting the Air Force by leading his staff in advising the 50th Space Wing and the GPS Wing in the technical alternatives faced by daily GPS operations thus making GPS the gold standard in the world for position, navigation and time. 

Captain Otto Karl Meyer
Innovation in DSCS capture control.

Capt Otto Meyer's technical expertise and innovation, led to the development and successful first-ever test on DSCS of a design improving spacecraft control.

Earth capture using reaction wheels only is an evolution in DSCS operations. Originally both sun and earth capture was accomplished using thrusters and the original satellite flight code was written as such. Capt Meyer led a joint military and contractor team in research involving extensive simulations, culminating in an on-orbit test on DSCS to show that both sun capture and earth capture can be done using reaction wheels alone. Captain Meyer validated the procedure at the "worst" possible case for sun and earth capture, by performing this when the sun declination angle was large. Implementation of the developed procedure on all vehicles potentially saves fuel, extending the operational mission of the entire DSCS constellation for 8 years.

Jack Roberts
Space Operations Programming Support for 44 years.

Mr. Jack Roberts participated in programming and operating many of the early Air Force Systems for the AFSCF Discoverer/CORONA program. Jack wrote the Tacking subsystem for the seven Remote Tracking stations in the AFSCN and managed the initial software of the then Advanced Data System. He also wrote a Bird Buffer Emulator supporting a critical schedule. He later supported the Satellite Control Network modernization software and the initial GPS Master Station Upload software. Before his retirement in 2000, Jack's accomplishments touched many of our critical space programs.

Marc L. Drake
GPS Space Operations Support over 2 Decades.

As an active duty officer and subsequently a civilian support contractor, Mr. Marc Drake has actively supported the GPS program for over the past 20 years. He participated in the launch and orbit operations of 28 GPS Block II and IIA satellites. He also played a leading role in the on orbit operations of 6 GPS Block I spacecraft. For GPS in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Marc supported a Block I GPS vehicle SVN-6 in a novel spin stabilized role for mission support following the failure of two of it's four reaction wheels needed for attitude control. Marc also has led efforts to resolve numerous serious anomalies on a number of Block II/IIA vehicles and the successful disposal of a Block I and 14 Block II/IIA vehicles. He has provided direct engineering support to GPS operations as a technical advisor to Air Force operations personnel. In this capacity he directly supported the launch of the first GPS Block IIF vehicle in 2010.

Thomas Baugh
Transitioning System Developments to Space Command Operations.

Space program operations have evolved significantly over the past three decades. Mr. Tom Baugh has been central to many of those changes.
Tom was significant in creating a bridge between the acquisition community and the space operations communities. He transitioned warning and weather space operations from Onizuka AFS Sunnyvale to the new Space Command at Schriever. When the first simulation on the GPS transition to Colorado failed, Tom was reassigned as the Squadron Commander to make it happen. He successfully commanded the launch and early orbit operations of the first six Block II GPS satellites. Today in the development community, he is responsible for the successful transition of the next generation GPS Operational Control Station.

General William L. Shelton
Leadership and Direction of Space Operations.

General Shelton has both NASA manned flight and Air Force unmanned space operations experience. He was assigned to command a fledgling GPS control squadron concurrent with the Iraq invasion of Kuwait. The GPS constellation was incomplete as it was just being established by launching very needed spacecraft. The squadron performed all tasking possible for highly successful Desert Storm operations during a very demanding time. Subsequent in his career, General Shelton has been responsible for all aspects of Air Force Space Operations. He has set the standard and structure for sustained Air Force space operations into the foreseeable future.