Admiral Vern Clark and
General James L. Jones Safety Awards

The Admiral Vern Clark and General James L. Jones Safety Awards for fiscal year 2023 will be presented to recipients at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space Exposition 2024, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, National Harbor, Maryland.

Each year at Sea-Air-Space, the Navy League presents a minimum of two awards, one Navy and one Marine Corps, to Department of Navy organizations and/or personnel whose innovative actions, examples or suggestions have reduced fatalities and/or mishaps among Sailors, Marines or civilians within the department. 

These awards provide special recognition to individuals, units or organizations that, through their example, advance a culture of safety. The purpose of the awards is to further stimulate safety ideas, suggestions, programs, and other actions that will reduce mishaps and fatalities.

More than one winner of each award may be selected at the discretion of the Navy League awards selection board based on the number and quality of nominations received.

Nominations must be received no later than Feb, 15, 2024.

Eligibility

All active-duty Navy and Marine Corps personnel, civilians within the Department of the Navy, and Navy and Marine Corps Reservists are eligible. 

Nominees must be individuals, units or organizations that best exemplify and advance a culture of safety by making significantly greater contributions to safety than normally expected of those in their particular assignments during fiscal year 2023.

Criteria

• Contributions to innovative safety planning and execution that merit service-wide adoption.

• Inspiring a climate where consideration of safety is an integral part of the command’s mission execution.

• Actions, examples or suggestions that have reduced fatalities and/or mishaps among Sailors, Marines and/or civilians within DON. A three-year trend is recommended.

• Participation in new safety initiatives that have had a proven impact on the group/unit’s overall safety program.

Make a Nomination

Mail Your Nomination

Email Your Nomination

Navy League of the United States

Attn: Corporate Affairs

2300 Wilson Blvd., Suite 200

Arlington, VA 22201-3308

Telephone: 703-528-1775

Nominations must be fully substantiated and reflect a careful and conscientious evaluation of the nominee. Substantive achievement shall be explained in a way that can be easily understood and appreciated by the general public; generalities, acronyms, excessive use of superlatives and comments on marginal achievement should be avoided. Achievement shall be supported by quantitative and qualitative data, wherever possible. The Navy League awards selection board will make its decision solely on the content of the nomination submitted.

Cover Letter must include:

For Individuals

  • Full name, rank/rate
  • Current duty station and address
  • Home of record
  • Length of service
  • Point of contact, including name, rank/rate, mailing address, commercial telephone number, fax number and email address
  • Signature of Commanding Officer

For Units or Organizations

  • Name

  • Complete address of command or activity

  • Name of principal point of contact, rank/rate, mailing address, commercial telephone number, fax number, and email address

  • Signature of Commanding Officer

  • Endorsement by next higher level of command 

Need Additional Information?

Review Submission Format

Prize

The awards are made from proceeds generated by an endowment provided by former Secretary of the Navy Gordon England and Mrs. England, as well as multiple corporate sponsors. Each recipient shall receive a cash award, the amount of which is determined by the Navy League awards selection board based on the value of the endowment and the income generated from it. When additional awardees are selected beyond the minimum two, the award amount shall be equitably shared among all recipients.

In accordance with the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, cash awards may be accepted upon a written determination by an agency ethics official that the award is made as a part of an established program under which awards have been made on a regular basis and pursuant to written standards. Recipients should consult with their ethics counselor.

A Navy League commemorative scroll will also be presented to each award recipient.

The FY23 Admiral Vern Clark and General James L. Jones Safety Awards will be presented to recipients at the Navy League Sea-Air-Space Exposition to be held 8-10 April 2024 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, National Harbor, MD.

2024 Winners

USN (Command): Naval Station Rota – Rota, Spain

USN (Individual): Lieutenant Erica Blanchard USN – Kekaha, HI

USMC (Unit): Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow – Barstow, CA

USMC (Individual): Staff Sargeant Marcos Ascencio, Jr., USMC – Fort Worth, TX 

2023 Winners

USN (Command): Naval Mobile Construction Battalion, ELEVEN, Gulfport, MS

USN (Individual): CEC Brian Neilsen, USN, Port Hueneme, CA

USMC (Unit): Marine Corps Installations, Pacific-Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, FPO AP

USMC (Individual): Mr. Michael A. James, Quantico, VA

Past Winners

Admiral Vern Clark Award

2022

AWF1 (NAC/AW) Carlos M. Gomez
San Diego

Helicopter Training Squadron 28
Naval Air Station Whiting Field
Milton, Florida

2021

Lt. j.g. Blake Papet
USS Henry M. Jackson

USS Frank Cable (AS 40)
Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 6
San Diego

2019

Christopher Rew and David Deuel
Naval Safety Center

Naval Base Kitsap
Bremerton, Washington

2018

Mr. Alan Heckman

USS Frank Cable (AS 40)

2017

Mr. Gary D. Snyder

Naval Construction Training Center, Port Hueneme

2016

Ms. Alice Fallon and Mr. Brian Fazio

Naval Diving and Training Center

2015

Mrs. Angela Mora

USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7)

General James L. Jones Safety Award

2022

Benjamin M. Lebidine, Camp Pendleton, CA
1st Radio Battalion, 1 Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA

2021

Travis Prien
Marine Corps Base Quantico

2019

Merrill E. Dickinson Jr.
Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany

1st Marine Division
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

2018

HM1 Anthony T. Castille

U.S. Marine Corps, Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow

2017

HM2 Olusola S. Adeyemo

U.S. Marine Corps, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, Camp Pendleton

2016

Mr. Christopher R. Acord

Marine Corps Air Station, Camp Pendleton

2015

Mr. Raymond Aguilar

Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152, VMGR-152

About the Navy League

The Navy League of the United States is a national organization of more than 40,000 civilian volunteers in 200 local councils throughout the U.S. and overseas. The objectives of the Navy League are to develop and maintain public interest in the U.S. sea services and their missions, offer cooperation and assistance in matters sustaining naval efficiency and to support Sailors, Marines and Coastguardsmen and their families.