These Army Acquisition Executive’s (AAE) Excellence in Leadership Awards recognize the past performance of an individual or team who have clearly demonstrated exceptional mission accomplishment, selfless service to the United States, extraordinary and uncompromising professionalism, and true commitment to the personal and professional growth of others. The AAE Excellence in Leadership Awards are presented across several categories, highlighting a wide range of contributions.
For questions regarding the awards season, please contact Rachel Longarzo at 520-684-6607, or email at rachel.m.longarzo.civ@army.mil.
Now accepting nominations!
View 2026 AAE Call for Nominations Memo
FAQs for Army Acquisition Awards
New in 2026:
Mandatory DA Form 1256: All nomination submissions must now include the attached DA Form 1256. Please submit this completed form along with the rest of your nomination package via our virtual board through our website.
DA Form 1256 - Individual Awards
DA Form 1256 - Team Awards
Monetary award offered for individual award categories: Winners of individual award categories may now be eligible for a $3,000 monetary award, subject to Office of the Secretary of War (OSW) Acquisition and Support guidance. Please note: Team categories are not eligible for monetary awards.
Emphasis on risk taking and innovation: All categories have been revised to incorporate mission focused, calculated risk-taking, and innovation criteria. This is in alignment with the ASA(ALT) campaign plan Line of Effort 4 (People) and subobjective 4.3 which aims to develop a framework that rewards and incentivizes innovation, calculated risk-taking, and transformative leadership within the Army Acquisition Workforce (AAW.)
The nomination period for the 2026 Army Acquisition Executive (AAE) Excellence in Leadership Awards opens 1 June 2026. The awards will be presented by the AAE at the annual Army Acquisition Awards ceremony in January 2027.
All eligibility requirements and submission instructions for the AAE Excellence in Leadership Awards are below. Please read the following information carefully before completing and submitting an application.
Army Acquisition Executive Excellence in Leadership Individual Awards
Acquisition Career Support Professional of the Year Award
The AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for the Acquisition Career Support Professional of the Year recognizes the professional whose outstanding contributions and achievements support the Army Acquisition Workforce (AAW) and merits special recognition.
View Application Instructions
Defense Export and Cooperation Professional & Journeyman of the Year Award
The AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for the Defense Export and Cooperation Journeyman of the Year recognizes the individual whose outstanding contributions innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risks, and achievements merit special recognition. It also provides an opportunity to showcase the professionalism of the Army Acquisition Workforce.
The AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for the Defense Export and Cooperation Professional of the Year recognizes the individual whose outstanding contributions innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risks, and achievements merit special recognition. It also provides an opportunity to showcase the professionalism of the Army Acquisition Workforce.
View Application Instructions
Digital Transformation Professional of the Year Award
The 2026 AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for the Digital Transformation
Professional of the Year recognizes the individual whose outstanding contributions, innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risks, and achievements merit special recognition. It also provides an opportunity to showcase professionalism of the Army Acquisition Workforce with respect to emerging DT concepts.
View Application Instructions
Product Management/Product Director Office Professional of the Year (O-5) Award
The AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for the Product Management/Product Director Office Professional of the Year Award (O-5 Level) recognizes the Product Management/Product Director office professional whose outstanding contributions, innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risks, focus on providing capability to the warfighter and overall achievements merit special recognition. It also provides an opportunity to showcase the professionalism of the Army Acquisition Workforce.
View Application Instructions
Project Management/Product Director Office Professional of the Year (O-6) Award
The AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for the Project Management/Project Director Office Professional of the Year Award (O-6 Level) recognizes the Project Management/Project Director office professional whose outstanding contributions, innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risks, focus on providing capability to the warfighter and overall achievements merit special recognition. It also provides an opportunity to showcase the professionalism of the Army Acquisition Workforce.
View Application Instructions
Construction Services Professional of the Year
The AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for the Construction Services
Contracting Professional of the Year recognizes the contracting professional whose outstanding contributions, innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risks, and achievements support the Army Contracting Enterprise and merits special recognition.
View Application Instructions
Barbara C. Heald Deployed Contracting Civilian of the Year Award
The AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for Barbara C. Heald recognizes
the professional whose outstanding contributions, innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risks, and achievements support the Army acquisition community and the Army Contracting Enterprise and merits special recognition.
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Business Operations Professional of the Year Award
The AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for the Business Operations Professional of the Year recognizes the individual whose outstanding contributions and achievements merit special recognition. It also provides an opportunity to showcase the professionalism of the Army Acquisition Workforce.
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Test and Evaluation Professional of the Year Award
The AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for the Test and Evaluation
Professional of the Year recognizes the individual whose outstanding contributions, innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risks, and achievements merit special recognition. It also provides an opportunity to showcase professionalism of the Army Acquisition Workforce.
View Application Instructions
Engineering and Technical Management (ETM) Professional of the Year Award
The AAE’s Excellence Award for the ETM Professional of the Year
recognizes the individual whose outstanding contributions, innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risks, and achievements merit special recognition. It also provides an opportunity to showcase professionalism of the Army Acquisition Workforce with respect to the ETM Functional Area (FA) core competencies.
View Application Instructions
Logistician of the Year Award
The AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for the Logistician of the Year recognizes the logistician whose outstanding contributions, innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risks, and achievements merit special recognition. It also provides an opportunity to showcase the professionalism of the Army Acquisition Workforce.
View Application Instructions
Contracting Professional of the Year Award
The AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for the Contracting
Professional of the Year recognizes the contracting professional whose outstanding contributions, innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risks, and achievements support the Army Contracting Enterprise and merits special recognition.
View Application Instructions
Outstanding Grants or Agreements Professional of the Year Award
The AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for the Outstanding Grants/Cooperative Agreements/Other Transaction Agreements (OTA) Professional recognizes the professional whose outstanding contributions, innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risks, and achievements support the Army Contracting Enterprise and merits special recognition.
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Science and Technology (S&T) Professional of the Year Award
The AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for the Science and Technology
Professional of the Year recognizes the individual whose outstanding contributions, innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risks, and achievements merit special recognition.
View Application Instructions
Innovation in Contracting Strategies Individual or Organization Award
The AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for the Innovation in
Contracting Strategies Individual or Organization recognizes the contracting professional or contracting team whose outstanding contributions, innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risk and achievements support the Army Contracting Enterprise and merits special recognition.
View Application Instructions
Army Acquisition Executive Excellence in Leadership Team Awards
Test Organization of the Year Award
The AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for the Test Organization of the
Year recognizes outstanding organizational contributions, innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risks, and achievements that merit special recognition. It also provides an opportunity to showcase professionalism of the Army Acquisition Workforce.
View Application Instructions
Product Management/Product Director Office Team of the Year (O-5) Award
The AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for the Product
Management/Product Director Office Team of the Year Award (O-5 Level) recognizes the Product Management/Product Director office team whose outstanding contributions, innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risks, focus on providing capability to the warfighter and overall achievements merit special recognition. It also provides an opportunity to showcase exceptional leadership within the Army Acquisition Workforce.
View Application Instructions
Project Management/Product Director Office Team of the Year (O-6) Award
The 2026 AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for the Project Management/Project Director Office Team of the Year Award (O-6 Level) recognizes the Project Management/Project Director Office Team whose outstanding contributions, innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risks, focus on providing capability to the warfighter and overall achievements merit special recognition. It also provides an opportunity to showcase exceptional leadership within the Army Acquisition Workforce.
View Application Instructions
Contracting Team of the Year Award
The 2026 AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for the Contracting Team of the
Year recognizes the contracting team whose outstanding contributions, innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risks, and achievements support the Army Contracting Enterprise and merits special recognition.
View Application Instructions
Innovation in Contracting Strategies Individual or Organization Award
The AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for the Innovation in
Contracting Strategies Individual or Organization recognizes the contracting professional or contracting team whose outstanding contributions, innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risk and achievements support the Army Contracting Enterprise and merits special recognition.
View Application Instructions
Science and Technology (S&T) Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratory (STRL) of the Year Award
The AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for S&T STRL of the Year recognizes the STRL whose outstanding contributions, innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risks, and achievements merit special recognition.
View Application Instructions
Science and Technology (S&T) Team Technology Transition Achievement Award
The AAE’s Excellence in Leadership Award for S&T Team Technology Transition Achievement Award recognizes the team whose outstanding contributions, innovative thinking, willingness to take calculated risks, and achievements merit special recognition.
View Application Instructions
2025 AAE Award Winners
Acquisition Career Support Professional of the Year
Maj. Jon Wineinger; Portfolio Acquisition Executive C2 and Counter C2
Business Operations Professional of the Year Award
Jennifer Scafone; Portfolio Acquisition Executive Layered Protection Plus Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear
Defense Export and Cooperation Journeyman of the Year Award
Mark Poplin; Portfolio Acquisition Executive C2 and Counter C2
Defense Export and Cooperation Professional of the Year Award
Brian Etu; Portfolio Acquisition Executive Fires
Logistician of the Year Award
LaVern White; Portfolio Acquisition Executive Fires
Engineering and Technical Management Professional of the Year Award
Marc Busala; Portfolio Acquisition Executive C2 and Counter C2
Digital Transformation Professional of the Year Award
Thomas Aitken; Portfolio Acquisition Executive C2 and Counter C2
Test and Evaluation Professional of the Year Award
William Black; Portfolio Acquisition Executive Fires
Product Management/Product Director Office Professional of the Year Award (O5 Level)
Lt. Col. Hassan Kamara; Portfolio Acquisition Executive Fires
Project Management/Project Director Office Professional of the Year Award (O6 Level)
Col. Christopher Hill; Portfolio Acquisition Executive Fires
Contracting Professional of the Year Award
Chris Kay; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District
Michelle LaBouyer; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District
Barbara C. Heald Deployed Contracting Civilian Award
Edward Boddie; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District
Outstanding Grants or Agreements Professional of the Year Award
Karlsun Allen; Army Contracting Command, New Jersey
Construction Services Contracting Professional of the Year Award
Walter Love III; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District
Innovation in Contracting Strategies Individual or Organization Award
Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground
Product Management/Product Director Office Team of the Year Award (O5 Level)
Counter-Unmanned Aerial System Product Office; Portfolio Acquisition Executive Fires
Project Management/Project Director Office Team of the Year Award (O6 Level)
Strategic and Operational Rockets and Missiles (STORM) Project Management Team; Portfolio Acquisition Executive Fires
Test Organization of the Year Award
Zombie Targets; U.S. Army Space & Missile Defense Command
Contracting Team of the Year Award
Hurricane Helene Contracting Response Team; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District
Science and Technology Professional of the Year
Joseph Patterson; U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center
Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratory (STRL) of the Year
U.S. Army Research Laboratory; U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command
Science and Technology Team Technology Transition Achievement
Life Cycle Pilot Process Team; Portfolio Acquisition Executive Agile Sustainment and Ammo
